Amazon buys Fauna Robotics, maker of the Sprout humanoid robot

The backlog in emergency rooms in Manitoba stems from problems before and after the ER, not in the ER.

In Tom Brodbeck’s piece on the chronic and rising emergency room crisis in Winnipeg (Condition critical, Aug. 21) he quoted several experts who alluded to the backlog of accessible beds, beds needed so that acutely ill people can be moved out of the ER onto hospital wards.

This is a problem of an acute-care bed shortage in the acute-care hospitals and a long-term care bed shortage outside of the acute-care hospitals, where patients who no longer need acute care should be.

One major problem not addressed in Brodbeck’s article is the care required to reduce patients’ perceived or real need to come to the ER.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I almost made it to the end of summer without calling my hot ex-girlfriend. She will sometimes take me in for an afternoon of fun and sex, just for old times sake! I feel guilty for a while afterwards because I’m married — but a guy needs a break once in a while, right?

My problem? This ex has no steady guy in her life right now, so she asked if we could start seeing each other regularly on Sunday afternoons “no strings attached” until she finds a new partner. Yikes! Free sex with her once a week? Oddly enough, this does not strike me as a smart idea.

I know she would never out me to my wife, but things are bound to get emotional if we start a seeing each other a lot again — plus she’s feeling lonely. I know her personality, and she can kick up a fuss. She’s quite emotional and I can’t afford to get in her line of fire.

On the other hand, I have a wife and kids who have such busy lives they don’t even seem to notice I’m there anymore. What do I say to this ex?

Use Brady methane as fuel?

Re: Plan for city to sell landfill gas backed up (Aug 25); Aren’t there other power options? (Think Tank, Aug, 26)

It strikes me that there may be a way to solve both the city’s methane problem at the Brady landfill and Manitoba Hydro’s need for affordable fuel for a gas-fired back-up generator at the same time. It might even have some environmental advantages.

Years (decades?) ago, I heard there was a study done to pipe the Brady landfill methane to the University of Manitoba to burn in its central boilers to help heat the campus. I think that at the time it was not deemed economical, due to the cost of the underground pipes that would be needed between Brady and the U of M campus.