I had to schedule an appointment for blood work and I used the online system to book it. Not everything can be done virtually, but this is a welcomed "pivot" for a service that used to be more cumbersome than it needed to be.

The upcoming cold snap is potentially lethal for people who don't have adequate shelter. It will force some to get in out of the cold in places that might put them in plain sight instead of tucked away in a wooded area or a park or a shelter. One advocate is hoping people won't be calling police to chase those vulnerable people outside over the next few days. It could be deadly.

If you love winter weather, I guess it's a win. If you're not a fan of the snow and cold, the Groundhog Day prediction isn't a great one. It has me thinking about the winning $31-million Lotto Max ticket sold in New Waterford.

Statistics Canada has changed how they are keeping track of a certain type of crime. And as major food retailers record increased profits they're also saying there are increasing numbers of shoplifters. I'm not condoning illegal behaviour but I also think there should be a law against food insecurity.

A political scientist recently told me the Health Care Crisis is being treated like war time medicine, everything is being sent to the front. But we don't always take the time to see how everything is connected. And that's why I'm encouraged to see there are lots of ideas coming from the people in the trenches. And it seems like people in power are listening.

In a note to readers last week, my employer announced: "Artificial intelligence at SaltWire is now a reality." What does it mean to journalism? And what will it mean for the people who do that work? Let's weigh the pros and cons.

We've all heard that saying before and it makes sense on a very human level that if you aren't well, nothing else really matters. And it ties in to the idea that if you don't pay now, you'll pay a lot more later.

There are people who are doing their best to keep a troubled health care system from collapsing around their ears. And not to diminish the tragedies, but we need to look for what's working to know what's working and what's not.

After more than 464 episodes of this podcast, I need to be straight with you. There's a very good reason I don't produce click-bait.

It's certainly not a suggestion that we stop covering the tragic and heartbreaking stories of the people who are homeless in our communities. It's a call to action for politicians to address the systemic issues with a systemic solution.