http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/d_speirs Most recent (7 days) columns en-gb Thu, 23 May 2013 00:46:56 CDT It's roughly the size of the nail on your pinky finger, but it can pose a huge threat to you and your pets. Ladies and gentlemen, meet ixodes scapularis, better known in Manitoba as the blacklegged tick, a creepy little bloodsucker with the potential to spread Lyme disease, a bacterial infection... Tue, 21 May 2013 08:58:48 CDT Salt and pepper. Pork and beans. Spaghetti and meatballs. Bacon and eggs. Batman and Robin. Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Guns and ammo. The Saskatchewan Roughriders and penalties for too many men on the field. The emotional point the Weather Column is trying to make here is some things were meant to Sat, 18 May 2013 07:14:32 CDT Today's topic for frustrated dog owners is: How to put medicated eardrops in your dog's ears when, if given the option, your pooch would rather fling itself into a pit of rattlesnakes. As a seasoned dog owner, I would like to assure everyone this is a relatively simple medical procedure that Fri, 17 May 2013 07:44:23 CDT I was over the moon when I learned at least 35 Canadians are among the more than 78,000 people from 120 countries who have applied for a chance to be among the first human settlers on Mars. But, tragically, I came plummeting back to Earth after hearing Hockey Night in Canada's Don Cherry and Wed, 15 May 2013 08:39:22 CDT I'd like to take a moment today to sincerely thank our provincial government for finally taking steps to fill a gaping hole in the hearts of all Manitobans. As readers with any sensitivity at all have already grasped, I'm referring here to the government's just-launched campaign to select Mon, 13 May 2013 07:32:44 CDT Let's get right to the point, Winnipeg. Do you have any idea what weekend this is? Well, Winnipeg, do you? And do not cheat by peeking at the calendar. What? Giving up already? That's just great, Winnipeg. For the third straight year, you've forgotten Sunday is Mother's Day, the one day of the Sat, 11 May 2013 06:35:32 CDT It's almost Mother's Day, and you young people know what that means, don't you? It means it's time for you to show your mom how special she is and how much you care by sending her a lovely gift you stumbled on while surfing the Internet looking for amusing videos of cats. I am just kidding, of Fri, 10 May 2013 08:09:53 CDT As one of the world's top wheelchair racers, Paralympian Colin Mathieson is used to overcoming obstacles. The 34-year-old elite athlete, born with spina bifida, has a mantel groaning with Canadian championship trophies, a bag stuffed with world championship medals, as well as a bronze in the Wed, 8 May 2013 07:40:18 CDT It takes a village to rescue a dog. And that "village" includes kind-hearted local residents, a team of dedicated volunteers and a patient regional airline, especially when the dogs in need of rescue are roaming a remote northern Manitoba community. Consider the tale of Scribble, Scrabble and Tue, 7 May 2013 09:23:50 CDT I cannot tell you how happy I am that the scientific community has stopped wasting time on trivial things such as killer diseases and is now focusing its mental energy on issues that really matter to everyday folk like you and I. For instance, have you ever found yourself sitting around and Mon, 6 May 2013 09:19:40 CDT