Editorial - The HighWire

The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

Updated 2:36 PM EDT, Wed October 21, 2026

On October 12, with little to no media coverage, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Political Declaration on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response. The vote was 153 in favor and 3 against. The United States, Israel, and Argentina voted no, and New Zealand and Paraguay abstained. The scant headlines moved on within a day,…Continue reading The UN’s “Non-Binding” Pandemic Declaration: Sequence In, Shot Out

The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

Updated 6:14 AM EDT, Tue October 20, 2026

Three mule deer wandered up to a brand-new bridge near Grass Lake, in the far north of California, and walked across it. The bridge was built just for them, and other animals, and a trail camera caught them taking advantage of it. Remarkably, the bridge was not even finished being built when they used it.…Continue reading The Kind of People Who Build Bridges for Animals

From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Updated 5:54 AM EDT, Mon October 19, 2026

The Trillion-Dollar AI Boom Built on a Generation Already Isolated by COVID The date was May 11, 2023, and the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency officially ended in the United States. An entire generation of children and adolescents had been artificially masked and forced onto devices for their education and socialization. Already struggling with mental…Continue reading From Lockdowns to Large Language Models: How AI Became the Post-COVID Companion We Never Asked For

Fall School Openings Offer Latest Dystopian Twist

By Jefferey Jaxen Back to school should be around the corner…in a typical year. But in 2020, authorities are insisting upon yet another ‘new normal.’ Definitive answers from officials are elusive, and any semblance of consistency is hard to come by. As it stands, Sunday, July 19, plans are all over the map, if a…Continue reading Fall School Openings Offer Latest Dystopian Twist

Updated 5:16 AM EDT, Sun July 19, 2020

Georgia Gov. Kemp Bans Cities, Counties From Mandating Masks

Fox News is reporting: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is banning cities and counties from mandating that masks be worn in public to limit the spread of COVID-19. Kemp’s executive order is a revised extension of guidelines put in place during the start of the pandemic, which encouraged, rather than required, residents to wear masks in public. The governor has called implementing…Continue reading Georgia Gov. Kemp Bans Cities, Counties From Mandating Masks

Updated 9:01 AM EDT, Fri July 17, 2020

WHO Says Second Wave of Full Lockdowns Possible

Business Insider is reporting: “Top officials with the World Health Organization said that further lockdowns are possible across the world as some regions track surges in coronavirus cases after relaxing quarantine measures. Dr. Michael Ryan, the organization’s Health Emergencies Program executive director, said at a Friday press conference that “there may be situations” in the near future…Continue reading WHO Says Second Wave of Full Lockdowns Possible

Updated 7:14 AM EDT, Mon July 13, 2020

Trump Makes Public Break With Fauci

After over a week of rumors from sources inside the White House, an apparent Trump-Fauci rift has spilled over into public view. After being absent from Trump’s coronavirus task force’s public forums, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stated in mid-June during a radio interview that he hadn’t spoken…Continue reading Trump Makes Public Break With Fauci

Updated 7:02 AM EDT, Mon July 13, 2020

RoundUp Scandal Still Plaguing Bayer

By Jefferey Jaxen Recent headlines continue to tell the story: Bayer’s Roundup-Cancer Settlement Plan Hits Snag writes Bloomberg. Bayer’s Roundup Settlement Comes Up Short states the Wall Street Journal. It was widely reported in late June that Bayer AG reached a “$10.1 billion to $10.9 billion” deal to settle its current and future cancer litigation,…Continue reading RoundUp Scandal Still Plaguing Bayer

Updated 2:59 PM EDT, Sun July 12, 2020

NEW YORK COUNTY ISSUES SUBPOENAS TO PEOPLE REFUSING TO TALK TO CONTACT TRACERS

MSN.com reports: “The county’s health commissioner, Patricia Rupert, said at a news conference that subpoenas are being issued to eight people who were infected at a recent party in Clarkstown, N.Y., north of New York City, but who are refusing to cooperate with contact tracers seeking to interview them to determine who else they were…Continue reading NEW YORK COUNTY ISSUES SUBPOENAS TO PEOPLE REFUSING TO TALK TO CONTACT TRACERS

Updated 7:36 AM EDT, Tue July 7, 2020