Shed Dogs

In this month's special episode we are joined by friend of the show and spiritual leader Hayley of Vancouver for a laid-back near-hour discussing some great listener mail, Snappers™, movie reviews, and of course the Super Bowl Halftime Show. We apparently also have a pretty upbeat view of the current state of award shows that we want you to hear about, plus a shorter and more bittersweet encounter with AI-generated content, too. Don't worry, it's not as mindbending as those previous ones, honest. Relax. Forget current events for a while. Just envision Buddy sleeping happily while we go on about the mainstream culture world. Everything will be fine.Links: Shed Dogs; our Episode 193 (in which the bots discuss our Episode 193); Chuck Norris and USB plugs; how ammonia is made; Wynyard; Geoff Lindsey on Shtrong; Emilia Pérez; Wicked! Part 1; The 95th Academy Awards; watch Kendrick Lamar's performance at the Super Bowl; Serena Williams Crip-walks at the Super Bowl; Top list of K- and C-Dramas; The White Lotus scene in the Italian piazza; will a heat pump cost less to operate than a natural gas furnace?Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

RJ is heading to the World Foosball Championships in Spain this summer! It's true, and you'll hear about it here. You'll also hear: a valuable PSA on what to do if you're involved in a hit and run; really fun listener mail, our thoughts about our mentally taxing Episode 193, and for no real reason a good long talk about about how we use our vacuum cleaners, and how much they have sucked.Links: Shed Dogs; lunar new year; Year of the Snake; Saskatchewan time; Emilia Perez; Helen Jarvis; Magic Mind (not brought to you by); the Foosball World Cup; Episode 193; shirt label location; Little Red Warrior; Elon Musk cheats.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

Just when we thought we had exhausted our language and usage outrage, we stumble upon a new wave of pronunciation changes that has crept up and caught us napping in our rocking chairs. So that's the big news, but we also have Snappers, more from the world of Artificial Intelligence, some food reports from nearby eateries we've visited, another car oil change PSA, an introduction to Lifting Straps (which given our demographic I initially thought might be just sock garters, but thankfully not), and discussion with KJ about his recent very successful turn as Kris Kringle in the Arts Club Theatre production of “Miracle on 34th Street”. There is other stuff too, but that last sentence has worn us right out, so just go ahead and have a listen and let us know what you thought, how you're doing, and what you'd love to hear about from us.Links: Shed Dogs; Bobby Fingers; Yum! Gourmet Donuts; To Live For bakery; Innocent Ice Cream, Variable Valve Timing; use of botox to relieve migraines; review of Miracle on 34th Street; Kagi search engine.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

We were so focused on our material in this episode that we were apparently taken by surprise that we are marking seven years of, ummm, Shed stuff. This episode is largely listener mail, which we always enjoy, in which we had to revisit old, old wounds from high school days, discuss health and medical care as people our age do, and marvel at the concept of digital dentures (which sounds a lot more fun and exciting than it actually is). So we've all penciled in entries on our paper calendars to remember to make a way bigger deal of it when we record our epic 200th episode. But until that shows up, feel free to enjoy this one!Links: Shed Dogs; digital dentures; Scrap Arts Music; rotator cuff; Tripadvisor; Rick Steves; Dakotas Fanning and Johnson; dogs selling perfume; brain fog; Wynyard, Sask; washing machine sensors; getting the stink out of exercise gear; types of heat pumps per the BC government; natural gas.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

Salty Dogs, you say? Yes, as in salt water taffy and sailing the seas in the late 1700s. Those are just a couple of landfalls this episode makes as we hear about RJ's trip to Portland, Astoria, and points in between, eat the saltwater taffy he brings us (don't worry, we were mostly careful about the misophonia), wonder how bathtubs in hotels and motels are somehow not slippery yet don't feel like sandpaper, and by a route we no longer recall get to talking about DNRs and a few of the many questions there are on that topic. You may be able to help us out on that one—it's an important topic and we are not really up to speed. Give us a hand. Have a few laughs. Maybe even learn something, who knows? Let's go!Links: Shed Dogs; Astoria; article on the magic shop in Astoria featuring the dude RJ and Sue spoke to there; John Jacob Astor; John Jacob Astor IV (the one that died on the Titanic); the Lewis and Clark Expedition; Cannon Beach; The Geology of the North Oregon Coast; Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area; Salt Water Taffy; the Interstate Bridge; an amazing video of the the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in a 35 mph wind; recycling plastic in BC; a typical Rivian repair; The Lexus LS400 and the Birth of the Japanese Luxury Brands; why paramedics need to ask about DNRs; fascinating HMS Victory video (even for someone like RJ who normally isn't drawn to this kind of stuff); Master & Commander.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

Our latest episode presents the listener with a bit of a puzzle: who are those two people that comment and expand upon most of the segments? You'll figure it out, but if not, it hopefully will become clear by the time we get to a key segment later on. If it still isn't clear, well that's because what RJ said we'd do didn't exactly match with what he finally did while up there in the control booth. He hopes the punishment issued by our podcast overlords isn't too severe.We also get a look at KJ's glamorous acting life—riding horses, doing auditions, and attending gala events, among other things. The word “champagne” never comes up but you just know it's being splashed around in there somewhere. We get so excited that we propose turning audition taping into a whole industry of its own. We also get really fun listener mail, and then discuss an AI-generated discussion of your humble yet fantastic Shed Dogs (see above). It's a fascinating look into the evolution of AI applications, even if it has a certain “once you hear it, you can't unhear it” quality. But you be the judge, and let us know what you think! Links: Shed Dogs; the elections we discuss are: BC Provincial, US Federal, Canadian Federal; When Calls the Heart; patriarch; Attendance; Hunting Matthew Nichols; self-taping auditions (though this author was unaware of the amazing opportunity to hire extras for self-tapes); Allegiance; TV revenue trend; Rust Valley Restorers on Netflix; Slow Horses; YouTube Premium; short-form videos (TikTok, reels, Facebook Shorts, etc.); NotebookLM.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

Our latest episode includes a fount of ideas and information that range from interesting and entertaining (like attending a house concert) to borderline apocalyptic (like newly introduced, widely available, simple to use, and highly sophisticated image management software that allows realistic fakes). We try to keep our heads on straight by also discussing what we are watching and enjoying, as well as providing a taste of the nefarious powers of big banks in Canada. All in all it's 40 minutes that should leave you with things light and things heavy to think about.Links: Shed Dogs; Undertow Shows (house concerts); All My Friends are Funeral Singers, by Califone; Google's scary new Reimagine feature; Gemini AI; how Canadian banks create money; The Double; Creating Christ; Krishnamurti documentary; A Trip to Infinity; One Day; plastic surgery in Korea; K-drama clowns; Emily in Paris.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

Happy New Year! As we hurtle toward our 200th episode, the Shed Dogs wish you all a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! Here in Episode 191, we are once again enjoying letters from faithful listeners, thrashing our way towards understanding obscure words and phrases in Snappers, and getting the latest on how the PNE was feeling last September. Spoiler alert: it was feeling pretty good again. We also manage to fit in a surprisingly complicated approach to bifocals from RJ, and a short exposé on several of Ticketmaster's super-seedy business practices. Just like we hope the New Year will be, this episode is familiar and comfortable but still new and informative, so put on a comfy sweater and settle in!Links: Shed Dogs; Foster Grant bifocals; Frank Sinatra sings Fly Me to the Moon; we could not care less, seriously we couldn't, irregardless!; Wikipedia's excellent list of social generations includes references to other countries; Gene at Home Depot; The Antisocial Network; oblast; John and Jane Doe; haskap berries; Official Stick Reviews; Christopher Hitchens on free speech; the PNE; Ginsu knives live on; Veg-O-Matic (it slices! it dices!); Playland; this year's Super Dogs (YouTube); news report on Daryl Hall's aborted PNE show, with footage; the US DOJ's lawsuit against Ticketmaster.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Happy Holidays to you and everyone you care about, from us to you! We hope the new year is way better than we expected or hoped. Episode 190 sees us pursuing our normal interests: wasting another golden yet ridiculous money maker idea from PJ, enduring his pontifications about the state of the world, hearing actual valuable advice and concert reviews from RJ, and diving into Listener Mail. But then… what to our wondering ears should appear but KJ responding to Leigh's remarks about something we said about religion several episodes back. All of a sudden we have a casual yet plausible conversation around whether history indicates that the apostle Paul, writer of letters and founding architect of modern Christianity, was in fact a Roman plant! What…!? So anyway, get ready for that and let us know what you think, we are curious!Links: Shed Dogs; Preparing for the Trump apocalypse; the Lambo SUV; concert review of Robert Plant & Alison Krauss; dealing with paper in the laundry; the Vancouver Catfé; the JWs weigh in on Jesus's appearance; the Holy Ghost; Paul the Apostle; Masterclass on violin vs. fiddle; the Book of Mormon; party lines; a Reddit thread on shocking kids; Dr. Geoff Lindsey on pronunciation; an article on businesses not accepting cash in Canada.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

This time capsule episode vaults us back to the heady days of the Olympics, particularly the one-time magic of Olympic break dancing. We have a little look at how to watch sports events like that these days, throw in bits and pieces about free will, dealing with special dietary requests, and then find out a lot about “House, MD” (eg., is that even the title? Many of us don't know). You'll be relieved to know we're not pitching our special diet plan that promises success at the geriatric Olympics. Not yet, anyway.Links: Shed Dogs; keto diet; the keto pancakes RJ cooked (excellent!); 5 tips for talking to your auto mechanic; Inside the Mind of a Dog; Does biology trump free will?; House, M.D.; a Canadian wins the gold in break dancing; 4 Best Sports Streaming Sites In Canada; Fox Sports host on happiness.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

The Shed Dogs finally talk about our very great, hugely enjoyable 50th high school grad reunion: what we thought, what we noticed, and how well we enjoyed it. Spoiler alert: it was just great. KJ then floors us by announcing that he's nominated for not one but two Leo awards (BC Film and TV industry awards). Realizing again that we are in the presence of acting greatness leads us to talking about what we are watching these days, and “Ripley” on Netflix comes in for some very warm acclaim indeed. Of course we mix in our usual bits of super valuable advice on how to live your lives, and finish by bidding farewell to the AM 730 traffic station, which left without saying goodbye. We look to you, listeners, to help fill the void they left. Okay, done, and thanks.Links: Shed Dogs; Leo Awards; Ripley (TV show); Extraordinary Attorney Woo; Roy Hennessy reminiscences of CKLG.

On a sunny afternoon in the Shed, your Dogs enjoy great listener mail, albeit with several sidebars. Part of the outcome of that great mail is us taking our first and best shot at offering travel accommodation advice. We are now dying to hear whether it worked. We remember the 1980 cinema classic “Popeye”, and then to remind ourselves that people are decent, we share a great lost and found story. Generally, we recall that it's pretty great being around and doing whatever it is we each do, which is a recollection there can never be too much of.Links: Shed Dogs; Northern Cafe and Grill; disability parking; Yum! Donuts (Instagram); TripAdvisor; how to negotiate for better Internet and TV providers; Shed Dogs on FaceBook; Garmin.Theme music by Voodoo Jazz or is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.[Fill in Episode Number below. Copy the episode duration from Forecast and past it into Episode Duration below. Leave Explicit Content checked so we can not worry about swearing or discussing recreational substances]

We've touched on KJ's painting accomplishments several times over the years, as well as his acting, and we get yet another look into both in this episode, in which he shares his ingenious homegrown approach to painting landscapes, his creation of very special cards for special occasions, and the latest in his acting and video dancing career. We also have a great time with our special friend Leigh of Courtenay as she once again sends us mail that makes all the little neurons fire off in all directions. Throw in a little of our usual grumbling about pronunciation and usage and there you have it! It's us again, your Shed Dogs, lowest on the totem pole.Links: Shed Dogs; Airline enshittification; totem poles; steep learning curve; a surprisingly long list of retro cars (with photos); Trivial Pursuit; do automotive sterilizer trays work?; KJ McNulty stars in Jill Barber's video “Mal de Vivre” (also, KJ's green International Harvester Travelall is featured at the beginning and end); KJ McNulty's Leo noms; Lowlifes on Crave; Lowlifes on Tubi; “an historic”; Louie Del Grandé's head explodes in Scanners (oops spoiler alert).

There are probably caves in France where Stone Age artists depicted the tribe's appreciation for those who didn't lead the hunt or strike the final blow, but who showed up and helped out. In this episode we reiterate that some things have not changed as much as old haters might think, and that just showing up was rewarded back in the '60s as well as it is today. We also unveil wondrous new software for creating music, a little PSA about glasses, a ton of Snappers, and an amazing robotic foosball table, not yet available in Canadian Tire, but amazing all the same. We invite you to listen in… and participate! Links: Shed Dogs; the monkey puzzle tree; Costco Optical; participation trophies; the 2024 Tornado World Series Foosball Championships; cap guns; the amazing foosball robot; udio.com (the AI music generation site—create an account so you don't lose whatever you come up with).Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Listener Leigh of Courtenay gives us a lot to talk about in another great email, leading us to into the whole business of clearing out the house for sale, and eventually into the topic of bank money. KJ once again hits it out of the park with a selection of Snappers, which leads quite inevitably to getting some fun facts about the Jewish lunar calendar. The stars and planets align for 35 or so minutes of fun in the Shed, and we'll be happy to see you there!Links: Shed Dogs; our YouTube podcast page; Swedish Death Cleaning; banks still create money; the Grizzly-Polar bear; shotgun houses; the Hebrew calendar.

Being in the latter half of one's 60s isn't all bad: you have time to learn things like how to make a decent video, as RJ did to celebrate a notable foosball celebrity, or learn how to paint, as KJ has been famously doing for some time now. You begin to feel free to express your thoughts and opinions perhaps more candidly than you ever have, or take an interest in politics, like PJ. You can use the depth of long experience to provide Public Service information about things like Old Age Security, or brake fluid, or leap days. However…this intellectual and temporal freedom can be perilous, as we get a light taste of in this episode along with those positives above. How do younger people change word pronunciations on us, and get away with it? How can they not be reprimanded for their glib and arguably unconscious mimicking of the Speaking Styles of the Rich and Famous? And how did that bumblebee get in here and why can it not just shut up? If you're too young to find it relatable it'll at least be educational, and if you can relate…well, misery or even fleeting irritation loves company. Get some company and have some laughs by taking a listen.Links: Shed Dogs; Geoff Lerner's videos on dropping Ts and vocal fry; should you change your brake fluid?; calendars; what's happening with nonplussed?Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

We have Snappers galore, a PSA, another money making idea, a few collisions with and observations on our ongoing development into Cranky Old People, and then suddenly out of nowhere a couple surprising and insightful observations about words and identity that we wish way more people would hear. We manage to get past that and resume our usual posture as Geriatric Adolescents (we can just hear the emcee introducing this band name) to conclude a pleasant session in the Shed. It's a little educational, a little foolish, and very easy. Take it in. Put your feet up. Order some takeout from the I Don't Care Cafe.Lots more episodes at Shed Dogs.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

As we go through our days, we do some things well, some badly, some by dint of noble effort and some by chance. And some things we do just work, for no reason we can name. KJ tells us a story of a thing that just worked when dealing with earnest visitors. No one was hurt or offended, but we were very amused as well as forearmed should we receive these same visitors. We also got to do Snappers and discuss another sure fire blockbuster money maker, and RJ was able to give us an overview of how to navigate city bureaucracy and neighbourhood tensions at the same time. There's some first class adulting paired with the usual hefty glass of foolishness here, so sit down and dig in!Links: Shed Dogs; Koi cafes in Vietnam; 15 Ways to Get Someone Out of Your Head; the Jehovah's Witnesses view on what Jesus looked like.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

Faithful listeners will know, and new listeners should know, that KJ of the Shed is a productive and well known actor, in addition to his many creative endeavours within the actual Shed. Here in Episode 180 we hear more about how the other two more shadowy Dogs are spending their time, working, playing, and absorbing little bits of occasionally useful information, like: the real story behind the old “I want all green M&Ms in the green room” diva trope, the world of used tires, the little known connection between the trivia business and the pub business, and speculating about what kinds of substance abuse the early creators of moving cartoons were indulging in. Your head may well be spinning coming out of this one, so take a good look at your surroundings as you begin listening!Links: Shed Dogs; Van Halen's tour rider specified that M&Ms be provided backstage with the brown ones removed; used tire shop in Burnaby; Steamboat Willie out of copyright; over 200 viruses cause cold symptoms; RJ plays in the Senior Doubles semifinals at the 2024 Vancouver Foosball Championships; vertigo; the Rossland Senior Secondary Grad 50th Anniversary; nicknames.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

We went to the locally legendary Northern Cafe and Grill, and brought back our opinions. This episode was recorded the afternoon of that visit, and also includes our customarily excellent Listener Mail, a marvelling discussion of the anachronistic and fabulously talented genius YouTuber named Bobby Fingers, and a seldom seen phenomenon that occurs when an uninvited rodent guest finds its way into a large and crowded food venue: the Rat Wave. There's all that and quite a bit more in here, so settle in and have some laughs! Bonus: Keep listening after the music fades to find yourself on a road trip with the Dogs to the Northern Cafe!!Links: Shed Dogs; The Northern Cafe and Grill's web page and the CBC review that resulted in long lineups there; bands that played The Breakers; why some teens refuse to dress warmly for winter; Do's and Don'ts of Dog Discipline; rare footage of Dick Cavett in Into the Woods; what the BOBs say in Marathon; the Dan-D-Pak web site is a marvel; Apple's advice on wet phones; enshittification; late stage capitalism; red envelope (lucky money); Bobby Fingers' YouTube page (highly recommended!); and an old article on why UPS trucks rarely turn left, at least in 2017.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

We're still here, and so are you—win/win! This episode finds us enjoying ourselves in the Shed with a lot of Listener Mail (thanks to all of you - so appreciated!), a dissection of what makes Costco shoppers tick, our genuine awe at KJ's ever more sophisticated art skill, PJ's new(ish) job, RJ's cool new high tech wallet, throwing shade at Cybertrucks, and more. Spring is slow arriving this year and as a result so are we—we're sticking with that story, but only for the moment. Have a look at the art on the website, and take in the Dog version of the news - we'll be glad you did! Links: Shed Dogs; AirTags; RJ's new wallet tracker (if you have a US PO box, it's much cheaper to buy from amazon.com); the International Appalachian Trail extends north from Mt. Katahdin in Maine; where to find K-Chicken; Why Shopping at Costco is So Enjoyable; best microphones for podcasting; Consumer Reports on extended car warranties; the EV battery repair issue we discussed; a really fun video about Cybertrucks.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

A belated and hopefully auspicious Happy Chinese New Year! We're sorry to have been away for so long. This was recorded December 30, but then there were virii and work commitments and Buddy ate our show notes… we're sorry and feel really grateful anyone misses us. In this episode we share yet another brilliant money making idea (MMI™), we discuss how our Christmas celebrations went, and we get to talk about a couple of Tales from the Shuttle (PJ did a month back at the old job over Christmas). RJ has podcast and movie notes and KJ has a Christmas movie. That he's in! Very exciting. And, as you might guess from this episode's art, we sample some doughnuts, which requires us to issue a misophonia alert! (Also known as newjerseydetectivophobia). Settle in and get to know us all over again. You won't regret it. Much. Not right away, at least.Links: Shed Dogs; naming your iPhone timers; the Hey Jude podcast episode RJ refers to; Nativity bath bombs; Bad Santa; Top Gun: Maverick; Dream Scenario; putting gasoline in a diesel tank; walking soccer; math disability; Lucky's Doughnuts, mmmm.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission. Doughnut photo by Nik on Unsplash.

RJ took a boat trip, touring the bay and inlet in a sporty rental with some in-laws, and we get to hear about how urban boating works these days: rules you have to follow, examples of navigational hazards we landlubbers are blissfully unaware of, and how a real ship's captain behaves when questioned. We even managed to transition into Snappers with at least one nautically related one, and we take another marvelling look at the seamy underbelly of the dental industry—the mysterious “Little Man” who collects and somehow profits by your old crowns and bridges. Who is this person? How do you get that job? Do you have to be within a maximum height limit? Questions, questions, questions, laughs and a few answers await in this our 176th epic episode.Links: Shed Dogs; Northern Cafe and Grill; Deadloch; Word of Honor; One Spring Night; The Morning Show; Sam Altman reinstated to OpenAI; scrimshaw; olly olly oxen free.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Okay, we were maybe a little caught up in our lives, Christmas, work, and families…we were getting behind both in new episodes and in revelling in email about episodes we did publish. We cover a lot of ground in this episode, from special precious knowledge about how to stop a pit bull attack, to how great Taylor Swift is, to theories on why Christmas decorations are up earlier every year, and to the happy sound of the carousel you can hear from the park. But really…we spend about half the episode enjoying reading your responses to past episodes, and to discussing those responses. You can hear it all right there in our voices, so have a listen to us enjoying you enjoying us.Links: Shed Dogs; Under the Boardwalk: Tom Tom Club version, Drifters version (the original); the timing of Christmas decorations; as of December, 2023, that right wing party in the Netherlands has been unable to form a coalition; “Jenny Jennifer”, a shill for a hotel linen company, holds forth on brown hotel blankets on Quora; the Taylor Swift Eras Tour movie trailer; spoiling the Taylor Swift dive magic; glacial erratics (and yes, they can be as small as a pebble!); Aldergrove Regional Park (this short video gives a good tour of an awesome park).

KJ, famous Shed Dog stage and screen actor, continues to be sought after in the acting world. Less important is our apology for the long delay between episodes. PJ has been asleep at the editing switch once more. Still…have you ever wondered what bath bombs do or what they're made of? Me neither, but all of a sudden here's KJ explaining it and working on making his own with Pattie of Vancouver. We also have Snappers in this episode, and whoever is feeding him these killers needs to knock it off. Halloween is reviewed (we're talking to you, Jessie of Montreal) and there's yet another solid gold money making idea from PJ. A long delay, yes, but worth the wait? You be the judge.Links: Shed Dogs; The London Beer Flood; collective nouns for animals; Notches of New England; The Camino and Porto; that Teresa Teng song referred to in the episode; Matthew Perry obituary; bath bombs; Taylor Swift; Leonard Nimoy sings that Bilbo Baggins song; William Shatner sings Mr. Tambourine Man.

We cast the net of shareable experiences and learnings wide in this episode, as your faithful correspondents report from the far-flung reaches of Portugal and the Northeastern United States in autumn. Thrill to the pounding surf of Maine! Marvel at everyday Roman ruins! Let your mind wander free as we describe 40 degree heat, pounding rain, beautiful fall colours, and untold thousands of acres of olive trees! You'll get valuable tips on managing rental cars and dealing with immigration and passport issues, as well as hearing our unique insights on such things as Portuguese cuisine and motel temperature management techniques. Think of the money you'll save as you realize you'll never have to go to these places after our vivid narration! So, grab a pulled pork sandwich or a lobster roll and settle in!Links: Shed Dogs; passport requirements for travel to the EU; do colours repel insects?; how table olives are prepared; social class in the UK; the Festa dos Tabuleiros; the Moors; the waves of Nazaré.

By the time you read this, the Barbie Movie bandwagon we're jumping on with two emphatic feet will probably be collecting dust on a Hollywood back lot, but in this episode we respond in a big way to Susinn of Vancouver's challenge back in Episode 169: see the movie, give our thoughts. We also take time to enjoy another round of KJ's Snappers, and PJ and RJ compare their starkly contrasting notes on economics instructors they had 50 or so years ago. But mostly: Barbie!Links: Shed Dogs; gift card tampering; the pompatus of love; nonce words; trebuchet; stochastic; slaughter bots!; lede; Barbie (the film).Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Podcasts are a lot like a stroll in the woods: one minute you're wandering along soaking up the silence and sun, flowers and trees, and the next minute you've missed a step and find yourself worried about survival. In this episode, just like in the real world, we are going along enjoying Listener Mail after complaining about health care (as is our wont) when suddenly an idle reference to current politics leads us into the murky and dangerous waters of discussing racism. Walk with us here to see how we fare—you'll be able to feel us concentrating. After we emerge from that swamp, we wash off in the cool clear waters of a conversation about PJ's (as of this recording) upcoming trip to Portugal and KJ's remarkable journey as an artist. All's well that ends, they say, don't they? Keep those feet moving!Links: Shed Dogs; Urgent and Primary Care Centres; getting on a GP wait list; NASA worldwide fire map (zooming shows that the large orange parts are a series of smaller fires); BC's fire and smoke forecast map courtesy of friend of the show Bowinn Ma (Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness); Vivek Ramaswamy; an attempt at defining “racialized”.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

We are even more directionless than usual here, and we're hoping the resulting unplanned conversations about the nature of light and heat, about the use of cookies and the practice of asking whether they're acceptable, and about the concept of dark patterns in web design are both entertaining and educational. We also get to enjoy sharing listener mail with you, do a bunch of KJ's Snappers, and talk about approaches to berry picking. Finally we receive a Barbie challenge from special Guest Susinn of Vancouver. So centre your chi, picture a limpid pool deep in a silent forest, and put on some bug spray: it's the Shed Dogs! Links: Shed Dogs; the room temperature superconductor was not reproducible, alas; Fred Savage and Deadpool disagree over Nickelback; Vancouver's Pride Parade; the Barbie trailer; Carlos of Podstatus.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

We recorded our record 169th episode on the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, and noting that fact led us to a conversation about the effects of nuclear bombing, levels of background radiation in several places, and the degree to which those effects are widely understood. But somehow we still managed to get to discussing the proposed Enhanced Games, the English Corner, and KJ's very clever approach to an audition for a part in an animated series. After discussing another of PJ's YouTube pastimes (“Vice Grip Garage”), RJ also proposes a rock solid theory on who drives which flavours of vintage North American cars. We look forward to responses from those of our audience that feel they fit the theory…or don't. Get listening and start writing! Links: Shed Dogs; shooting in Clinton Park; English Corner; the Enhanced Games: official website and Wikipedia article; the demise of Gawker; Vice Grip Garage; OEM parts; beater sounds; why Hiroshima was not like Chernobyl; radon in BC.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Continuing our trademark quest to gather and share knowledge with faithful listeners, in this episode we get a first hand review of KJ's quest for deep connection and insight via Golden Teacher mushrooms, and of Rich's first hand observed report on how the shell game scam works, direct from the mean streets of Paris. We also talk a bit about eSIMs and AirTags for those of you soon to jet off to those mean streets yourself. On top of those chewy morsels, RJ gives us a surprisingly interesting and wholesome look at, of all things, a coffee maker repair shop, and PJ muses about human nature after a conversation with his dental hygienist. There should be something here for everyone, is what we're saying, so dig in and fill up!Links: Shed Dogs; AirTags; eSIMs; the shell game; somebody beat us to the automatic toilet shutoff; 2001 A Spaced-Out Odyssey.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

This time around the Dogs provide an uplifting (not) view on the state of the world with respect to climate. But we cheered up while hearing that KJ's “Beachcomber” work is still paying residuals, that PJ had fun on Canada Day, that a pastoral setting accentuates the Pops, how East Van's own English Corner is going, and whether VanDusen Gardens gets it done (it does). So, come on along with us and see that it works out for you, too! Links: Shed Dogs, world fire map (NASA); the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone; Florida is in hot water; Great Barrier Reef rebounds. Theme music by Voodoo Jazz, with permission.

Rob of Saskatoon returns to join us on a gripping journey through RJ's recent confrontation with his citizenship, and let's face it, himself. We manage to make a couple of complete meals out of just the titles involved in that process before moving on to other things like what it was like for Rob and RJ and Mike of Rossland to come to Canada as Young Americans around 1970 (hint: discard the notion of Canada's warm regard for our southern cousins), the results of KJ's recent foray into expanding his consciousness even further, the Robson Zoo, and a hearty round of agreement on what a fine fellow Chroner of Duncan is (hear his visit with us in Episode 52). It's a lot of good clean fun with four old good friends—join us! Links: Shed Dogs; the Robson Zoo; portrait mode; the Ascension of Jesus; the Assumption of Mary; the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary; enunciation; Asunción (the capital of Paraguay, originally called Nuestra Señora Santa María de la Asunción (Our Lady Saint Mary of the Assumption); Sucre (the capital of Bolivia, named after Antonio José de Sucre and never confused with Asunción); besmirched; the Second Council of Constantinople, in which anathemas were declared against those who rejected the Perpetual Virginity of Mary; Asuncion (girl's name); the Gospel of Mary; the Lost Gospel (in which Jesus marries Mary Magdalene); renunciation of citizenship; Shed Dogs episode 52, featuring Chroner and Deb.

RJ's revered elder brother and serial listener Rob arrives from Saskatoon and his current listening position at about episode 61 (or put another way, about two years ago in Shed history), joins us in the Shed to the excited joy of all three Dogs. Mayhem ensues, and listeners will want to focus as a fast paced hour of chatter and laughs and coffee takes us through the recovery of an iPhone 14 from 30 feet of water, RJ's long lost wallet, BC by-election results, happy news for Bowinn Ma, million dollar ideas, unusually ridiculous Snappers, memories of Charlie the Lonesome Cougar, and more, with constant cross talk and Buddy the actual dog participating the whole way. We really had a lot of fun on this afternoon and we're really hoping you're able to catch some along with us.Links: Shed Dogs; a diver finds Jenna's phone; Saskatoon; the MLB definition for a walk-off; implosion of the Titan; Nuytco (the North Van submersible suit company), slide whistle; visiting the B.C. legislature; Bowinn Ma is expecting; the June, 2023, B.C. by-elections; Call Me Caroline reacts to the Beatles' first album; a car noise generator.

Today you'll learn (and tomorrow you'll tell your friends about) the shocking new news about dental hygiene, and you'll never believe what we tell you about sitzpinklers! Remember, you heard it here first. As an antidote to that graphic conversation, KJ steers us into uncharted waters as he reveals to us his recent learning and future plans around Golden Teacher mushrooms. We get to share some fun listener mail, too, and along the way we hear about the perfect sandwich, an exploding gas station, and RJ's homage to Mutual of Omaha as he tells us the latest news from the Robin Cam he set up under his deck. There are things to learn and things to dream of here, so close your eyes, centre your chi, and journey with us.Links: Shed Dogs; Polestar; tooth brushing surprise; Golden Teacher therapy session; Merry Pranksters; MDMA for PTSD Treatment: Phase 3 Clinical Trial Results; Henry Youngman's 128 Greatest Jokes; Bob Newhart on Johnny Carson; Comox gas station fire; whiskey stones.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Love, derision, amusement, anger, wonder, curiosity, satisfaction and many other emotions accompany a tour of snappers (with bonus words from Brett K. and RJ), medical news on Alzheimer's and tooth brushing, robins nesting under RJ's deck, and KJ's fascinating recent stint in Ottawa. We get some positive news on Sun Life, which is PJ's new friend with benefits, and tips, too, on how to decide which health facility to attend when your next Big Moment arises. There's a lot here to take in, so if you've had a balanced breakfast after a good sleep, you'll get a lot out of what was a really fun episode for us!Links: Shed Dogs; stye; Metro Vancouver ER wait times page; Nahre Sol's video on Erik Satie; Paul Gross is Lear; the National Gallery of CanadaTheme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

This episode is more than just okay. In fact, we expect an avalanche of encomiums as we coin an all-new acronym while sharing a truck repair story that'll singe hair (and find out that even the pros do dumb stuff now and then). It's certainly egoism that leads us to think you'll want to hear it, and egoism will decide if you do, not mere caprice. As usual we will cavil about the things that annoy us (like people other than Stevie who use phrases like “what the deuce”), but there are more than a few iotas of smiles to be had, so we hope you'll settle in and have a cocktail while you listen.Links: Shed Dogs; price of Costco hot dogs; why gas tanks don't explode; egoism; how a dopamine related gene drives empathy.

Over the past few years we've said many times how much we appreciate, even love, the listener mail we get. Many times, the response to a segment generates more interesting conversation than the bit they're commenting on. In this episode we have mail from Leigh of Courtenay (honourary weather Dog), Rustica of Portland, and Joanne of Rossland, covering, among other things, weather wardrobe, simple syrup, Diet Coke, a really bad movie, composting, and (our upcoming) T-shirts! We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did, and maybe feel inspired to write your first (or your hundredth) letter letting us know what caught your attention.Links: Shed Dogs; weather presenter; In the Name of the King (metacritic); the Burnaby composting facility.

Episode 160 continues our lazy-faire approach to content management, and we give you another wide ranging session where we just…well, we just enjoy ourselves. We begin with RJ lawyering up, and continue on as the Junos and the Oscars (again) pass under our watchful eyes. We then cover Uncle Tim's birthday and a fond farewell to one of our high school teachers. Sue finds some stolen mail, and then a “newspaper delivery man” skulks around a house in the wee hours. We have trouble digesting Uber Eats and then get all excited about season 2 of The White Lotus. Your mind might not end up spinning but may well end up pleasantly full.Links: Shed Dogs; RJ's excellent immigration lawyers; Mike Roscoe, RIP; a CTV News story published the day before Sue found the stolen mail; Uber Eats is bad for restaurants and their customers; Easter eggs in The White Lotus season 2 (spoilers); the 95th annual Academy Awards.

In this episode we go with a light touch on the editing. Those of you who have joined us in the Shed will recognize the ways time slips away, interruptions come and go, laughs are had. This time, we let our listeners hear nearly all of it! We make our way through the Oscars, through a really bad movie, through Buddy's endless antics, through giving KJ professional advice, through some backstage business, through our marketing pitch, and yes, through even more. Sorry to our Courtenay listeners, but it does go on and the hope is it's just soothing careless waves-on-the-shore company and we hope you and everyone just pictures us and joins us as we coast along having fun.Links: Shed Dogs; the Vizsla; neutering; Burnaby composting facility controversy; John's Jukes (flippers.com); Pulp Fiction pinball featurette (long) and trailer (short); In the Name of the King (note difference between critic reviews and user score); this year's Oscars; the Old Fashioned; Gilligan's first name; GPT4.

Last episode we saw Shed Dog art, heard great listener mail, and enjoyed hearing PJ and RJ rightly savaged by KJ's impenetrable Snappers. At the danger of repeating ourselves, in this episode we see Shed Dog art, hear great listener mail, and enjoy hearing PJ and RJ rightly savaged by KJ's impenetrable Snappers. On top of all that we, after having hopped around the multiverse, also get to marvel at what celebrities like KJ have to handle as they go about their exotic movie star business in far-off places, like Calgary. This is your big chance to either (1) feel all superior to two of the Dogs, (2) feel like a Hollywood insider alongside KJ, or (3) feel like an elite only-a-small-bit snobbish con-wah-seur of the ahts. In Surrey. Or all three! It's an ersatz win-win-win!Links: Shed Dogs; Everything Everywhere All at Once; Beyond Van Gogh.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

This episode sees the Dogs reporting on trips to Calgary (KJ, for a month, for work) and Nelson (PJ, for a day, for fun in what ended up involving an artistic endeavour). We dabble yet again in thoughts of ChatGPT, and even talk a bit about a Tom Hanks movie that hardly anyone is likely aware of. But this episode also has us revelling in Listener Mail, and feeling grateful to get it. What you won't see, since this is an audio experience, is the amount of effort KJ made to share the Shed with his real dog Buddy as well as unreal Dogs PJ and RJ. A small space, a large, young, and restless dog, and a lot of opinions and questions—it's another afternoon in the Shed!Links: Shed Dogs; Extraordinary Attorney Woo; the Beatles on Shindig!; Bar and Bat Mitzvah; Calgary public art; Little Red Warrior and his Lawyer; Emily Lau's Art Gallery; ChatGPT in schools in Canada; the Save-On Foods roof collapse.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Special guest Cam of Vancouver joins us for a second episode and he and RJ go deep on their foosball experiences: how they got into it, how it's going, their results at a recent tournament in Portland, and the mental and emotional journey they've both been on. To our surprise, it's a journey that nearly everyone has undertaken in different avenues in life, from interest, to participation, to competence, and to expertise. It's a particular kind of joy to hear about! We also spend time here talking about kind strangers and how we make choices that change our lives, so we hope you relate and enjoy. Sit! Stay!Links: Shed Dogs; Cam's prior episodes: 27 and 28; a beer commercial featuring Carmina Burana; Cowboy Tempest Cabaret (a totally lawless adaptation of Shakespeare's Tempest); Cam and Rich play world champion Brandon Muñoz at Moneyball 2023 in Portland.Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

In this episode of Shed Dogs, we sit down with Cam Burrows to talk about everyone's favorite AI language model, ChatGPT! Join us as we talk about Chad's impressive adoption rate and its wide range of uses, from writing to customer service. We'll also dive into the controversy surrounding the product, including attempts to jailbreak the model and the legal implications of its use. Plus, we'll explore some of the more lighthearted aspects of ChatGPT, like its tone and potential for advertising. We even share some hilarious mishaps with Google's AI. And don't worry if you're new to the ChatGPT game - we'll explain how it works and why it's such a game-changer. So kick back, grab a cold one, and join us for a fun and informative chat about all things ChatGPT!Links: Shed Dogs; try ChatGPT yourself; adoption rate; uses; Sydney professes its love to a reporter; Chrome AIPRM extension for useful prompts, tone prompts; Meet DAN — The ‘JAILBREAK' Version of ChatGPT and How to Use it — AI Unchained and Unfiltered; the paid version; use in the workplace, how GPT (generative pre-trained transformer) works; criminal jailbreaking; Alex Hormozi's YouTube channel; Lex Fridman's YouTube channel; Canada Foosball, a.k.a. the Table Soccer Association of Canada is the non-profit Cam refers to; Vancouver Foosball (the local org); Canada Foosball Shop (Cam is co-owner of this business).Theme music is by Voodoo Jazz or is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, both by permission.

Thinking of renting a car? Heard any of the Hertz horror stories on your social media travels? RJ has his as-usual useful advice for doing business with the megalodon of motor vehicles, as well as any of the lesser fry. It could keep you out of jail! The Dogs also discuss escape rooms, melting keyboards, preparing old laptops for sale, and saving money when repairing them. Also in this episode, RJ takes a deep breath and leaves Twitter now that Elon won't let him use Tweetbot any more. And yes, Angry Birds still exists so we talk about that, too. It's another seriously light hearted afternoon in the Shed! Links: Shed Dogs; the price of Costco hot dogs; Angry Birds Reloaded; Bamboozled Escape Games (the escape room Griffin played in Burnaby); soap box derby (with an oblique reference to crates); why RJ left Twitter.Theme music by Voodoo Jazz!

By now, many of you will have heard of ChatGPT. If you haven't, you will before long, so here in Episode 153 you will find an opening round of info about this groundbreaking software, in advance of an in-depth interview with friend-of-the-show Cam, who makes extensive use of the product. It's way too important to just call a Public Service Announcement, but knowing about it is worthwhile, seriously. We have another gold-plated, if not somewhat puzzling, money making idea; an encounter with an antique cigar; a newly-functional sink in the Shed (way to go KJ!); and we find out that the world has not entirely moved on from wooden hockey sticks. We're sure you'll be as interested and relieved as we were to find that at least one thing hasn't changed.Links: Shed Dogs; how long can a cigar be stored; making a jigsaw puzzle; Treadstone; ChatGPT (openai.com)

Maybe it was all the talk about the long-forgotten Robson Zoo (and whatever happened to Charlie the Lonesome Cougar, anyway?), or maybe it was our conversation around the Trophy Town documentary on the 1961 Trail Smoke Eaters, or possibly our warm reminiscence of this Christmas just past… But whatever it was, it led us to a long contemplation of the future, specifically the question of whether there is a future after this current turn on the stage of life. KJ has Thoughts, and we wonder whether you do, too.Links: Shed Dogs; RJ's Robson Zoo photos; Trophy Town; reincarnation; channeling; tryptophans.Once again, this week's artwork was generated by Stable Diffusion, this time using the prompt “3 reincarnated dogs”.

PJ publicly announces his doddering phase as he struggles to come to grips with how much movies cost, while KJ and RJ happily discuss what they're watching these days, and we all detail how movies will change when it's us making them. In our ongoing quest to actually improve your life, RJ comes up with yet another golden PSA nugget on how to find your phone when you've taken that (not) inevitable fall on a slippery street. Speaking of inevitable, we spend some time dwelling in happy nostalgia while remembering innocent people we injured in our youthful sporting lives. And a couple added bonuses!: PJ 3.0 has become obsessed with rusty guns and how to fix them, and RJ provides a resource for you to learn how to use a rotary dial phone. Wait, don't look into the sun, and keep your g****** eyes on the road! We're looking at you, cinematographers and actors.Links: Shed Dogs; all the shark movies, rated; how to play Guts Frisbee; James Cameron tells us how much Avatar: The Way of Water really cost; the video games that were most expensive to make; The Righteous Gemstones; one of those rusty firearm restoration videos that PJ 3.0 was talking about; Kurosawa was the first director to point the camera into the sun; the new rotary phone is coming to your town! (skip ahead to 9:16 to see the extreme clarity RJ was talking about).This episode's artwork was generated by Stable Diffusion, using the prompt “Dog falling in snow with smartphone in Neo Impressionist style”. We had to add the smartphone and rusty gun though.

Our special guest this episode is Jenny of Rossland, with whom your Dogs went to school and generally hung out 50 or so years ago. We talk about what she's been up to over the long past and will she will be up to in the near future (Ecuador!), and she helps us out with KJ's Snappers and some bespoke Listener Mail as well. Anecdotes and arguments abound! Links: Shed Dogs; the tarantulas of Ecuador; vegan turkey, Guilt & Company

Another afternoon in the Shed sees your Dogs coming to grips with a veritable shintangle of words and phrases in a KJ's Snappers session. After he showed us the ropes we got a close-up tour of the ins and outs of renouncing one's U.S. citizenship—this might be useful info for some listeners, so you're welcome, it's just what we do. Finally, we also got to read Listener Mail, a regular favourite. It all adds up to a ronnogram of fun, which is quite a lot!Links: Inside the Movieland Arcade (article from before it closed down); the new metric prefixes; renouncing U.S. citizenship; the cat's on the roof and won't come down.

As they shelter in the Shed from unexpectedly wintry winter conditions, your Shed Dogs wander along and talk about some old stuff (like Star Trek and California Dreaming), some pseudo old stuff (like Mad Men) as well as some more contemporary themes: revelations from IOS 16, some thoughts on the business of weather, and of course dogs—specifically the easiest way to train them so they don't disrupt the podcast you're trying to do. It's all in good humour and ambles along at a relaxed pace, so kick back (or walk along) and have a listen! Links: Shed Dogs; weather services; ShinDig! (which it turns out, contrary to what RJ was saying, was almost always live); Star Trek (The Original Series); Mad Men.