HAL’S HEADLINES: Manitoba waits as Greece gets first new water bomber

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MANITOBA’S NEW WATER BOMBERS STILL 6 YEARS AWAY

I talked with a top executive from De Havilland Aircraft this week. Canada’s De Havilland makes water bombers for the world. Its new DHC-515 is impressive — and pilots love it. According to corporate affairs vice-president Neil Sweeney, it’s essentially the only water bomber of its size that’s a scooping aircraft. It can use a body of water like a lake to load up with 6,000 litres of water in only 12 seconds. The first 515 off the assembly line will go to Greece in 2028. Manitoba won’t get its initial 515 until 2031. It takes so long because building this plane is very labour-intensive — it’s basically handmade. Sweeney says they’ve already ramped up production, but unless there’s more demand — and right now there isn’t — they’ve done all they can to crank things up. But stay tuned, because as climate change continues and wildfire seasons worsen, that demand could increase quickly.

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DOLLARS FOR DUMPLING

A cute little bunny from Selkirk needs your help. Dumpling is safe now with Popcorns & Binkies Rescue Haven, but after a recent encounter with a dog, her hind legs need to be amputated. So some PACE students at the University of Manitoba have set up a GoFundMe — Dollars for Dumpling. Over $600 has been collected so far for the surgery and aftercare. Grace Hospital has already constructed a custom wheelchair for Dumpling to use after the operation.

PEOPLE LOOK LIKE THEIR PETS

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have done a study of studies to try and figure out why people often look like their pets. After digging into 15 studies, they’ve determined that dogs and their owners may have parallel personality traits — like extroversion and anxiety. Some people also choose pets that physically resemble them. For example, there’s a correlation between a woman’s hair length and the ear length of her dog. Some similarities — like weight — could be due to a shared lifestyle. People’s perceptions of their own dogs and their expectations can also play a role, as we may unintentionally reward dogs for being more like us.

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24 HOURS OF PEACE

I’ve seen so many stories lately about people not having enough alone time. A new survey says the average person gets just 9.5 hours of me time a month. So how much would you pay for 24 hours of peace? Well, the same survey says most people would shell out $2,521 for a quiet, obligation-free day. Parents would pay more — $3,668. The top three barriers to more alone time are family (50%), work (32%) and money (24%).

FREE WEED FOR BIGFOOT PIC

Almost a month ago, there was a Bigfoot sighting in Monroe County, Michigan. The witness says he heard rustling in a tree, a big thud, and then saw a large primate with dark fur. But there’s no evidence. So now a cannabis dispensary in the area is offering a reward for proof. Uniq Cannabis has a free pre-roll for anyone who comes in with photo evidence. Cryptids aren’t new to this part of Michigan — since the 1960s, there have been sightings of the Monroe Monster.

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DAD’S BIG DAY

It’s Father’s Day on Sunday, so be sure you do something nice for him. My dad Gordon has been gone for 30 years, but I still miss him dearly. He would have loved this list…

If fathers were really in charge:

• Phones would cut off after 30 seconds of conversation.

• Garbage would take itself out.

• Nodding and looking at your watch would be an acceptable response to “I love you.”

• Report card comments would be limited to “Nice hustle, you’ll get ’em next time!”

• If your wife really needed to talk to you in the middle of a game, she’d appear in a little box in the corner of the TV screen — during a time-out.

• All physical injuries would be treated by rubbing “a little dirt on it.”

• A giant foam hand saying “You’re #1!” would be an acceptable anniversary gift.

— Hal is the host of Connecting Winnipeg weekday mornings from 10 to noon on 680 CJOB, and a guest writer for the Winnipeg Sun. You can email him at hal@halanderson.ca.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at wpgsun.letters@kleinmedia.ca.

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