HAL'S HEADLINES: Don't celebrate the end of inflation yet

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Inflation fell to 2.5% last month, which will likely prompt another cut in the Bank of Canada's benchmark interest rate in September. That's good news. But inflation isn't over yet. University of Manitoba professor John McCallum says inflation is like Jason from the Friday the 13th movies… every time you think it's dead, it comes back to life. And he should know, because he remembers inflation reaching nearly 13% in 1974. To be clear: Inflation is easing, but that doesn't mean prices are falling. They're just not rising as fast as they were a few years ago when inflation peaked at over 8%. Inflation may be approaching the 2% target and it looks like interest rates are starting to fall again, but people trying to make ends meet each month continue to suffer. And let us also hope that the government starts to do its part by controlling spending, although I do not have great hopes in that regard.

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CHURCHILL '74 REUNION

My friend and attorney Bob Sokalsi tells me that his Churchill High School graduating class of 1974 is celebrating its 50th anniversary late next month. He says it's been challenging to track down classmates and friends, so if you're just finding out about it now, please contact Wendy Morris at [email protected]. The weekend starts on Thursday, Sept. 24 with a school tour. There will also be a Bulldogs football game, a meet and greet and a social. Go to Eventbrite.ca to register for many of the festivities. Soko says any surplus raised during the celebration will be used as a lasting legacy for the school.

KIDNEY-CHARACTERISTIC GRILL

Janan Zeid and her friend Nicole Black are doing it again. They are hosting another charity barbecue on Sunday to benefit the Kidney Foundation. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Food Fare, 2285 Portage Ave. In addition to food, there will be prizes, games and music. Soon after their first barbecue last summer, Janan's mother was able to get off dialysis after receiving a kidney transplant. I love that Janan and Nicole continue to do what they can for other people with kidney disease.

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BACTERIA IN THE BATHTUB SINK

After reading this, you're probably going to clean your bathroom sink. A new study from Flinders University in Australia says that your bathroom sink may be home to more potentially harmful bacteria than the sink in the hospital. According to the study, a bathroom sink drain is particularly bad and could harbor Legionella bacteria, which causes Legionnaires' disease.

It will be a bad day

The average person knows by 8:36 a.m. if it's going to be a bad day. A survey of 2,000 people also found that the average person suffers four bad days a month, which amounts to 48 days over the course of a year. Just over a quarter of us say the day is a total disaster if something goes wrong in the morning. Here are the five most common morning occurrences that indicate a bad day is coming…

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1. Waking up feeling unwell (35%)
2. Poor sleep during the night (31%)
3. Waking up with a headache (29%)
4. Lost keys (26%)
5. Forgot your phone at home (25%)

HIGH HEEL SNEAKERS

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, says the next must-have accessory for the busy, modern woman is high heels. The new shoes are made from nappa leather, mesh and suede and are designed to avoid the pain points common with high heels. Prices range from $395 to $595 per pair.

— Hal has been writing columns for years. He also hosts Connecting Winnipeg weekday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon on 680 CJOB. He can be reached at [email protected].

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