This episode covers a number of movies, including some behind-the-scenes on how the most famous scene of The Matrix was accomplished. In addition there’s exciting news about accessing a thermal source that could have a profound positive impact on energy consumption and climate change: a new way to access geothermal power. There are warm moments about our children’s doings, and we hear about a very inflammatory way to inflate a tire. But…well, really, the majority of the episode is about movies we’ve been watching and enjoying. Have a listen and let us know what you think!

Links: Shed Dogs; the hiker who completed the Continental Divide and Great Divide Trails in five months; do what you love, or love what you do?; the current version of the tire repair and compressor kit RJ mentioned; one crazy way to reseat a wheelbarrow tire on its rim; the making of bullet time; a new drilling method that may have a profound impact on energy consumption and climate change; the Site C dam Wikipedia page is out-of-date, and the usual news outlets failed to write in substance about its completion, so you’ll need to review the undoubtedly biased Site C project page to get a feel for how it went; Lone Wolf & Cub films; letterboxd; Master and Commander.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

As time the avenger marches relentlessly on, it is not uncommon to think about what is remembered when we are gone. Just as Shelley wrote about forgotten Ozymandius, your Dogs contemplate the Holy Roman Empire and the Erfurt Latrine Disaster. How are the mighty fallen, and into what? It’s a lesson in humility, and once we’ve heard it we’re able to move much more contentedly into more familiar terrain, with Listener Mail and KJ Reports, as well as hearing about RJ’s newfound love for the Vancouver Rise pro soccer team. Come on along and have your perspective adjusted and your fancy tickled.

Links: Shed Dogs; Henry VI (Holy Roman Emperor); The Holy Roman Empire; The Erfurt Latrine Disaster; Burning Mom; East Van Panto; the truck as featured at Old Parked Cars Vancouver; Marcia Earhart; The Pitch (about the origins of the Northern Super League); The Vancouver Rise FC; the Lexus LS400.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

A freewheeling Episode 211 sees your Shed Dogs amazed by a homemade electric powered wheelbarrow, amused by viewing events ranging from professional soccer to videos about clearing blocked drains to series and movies we’re watching, and pondering career changes. KJ continues in his role as theatre insider and lets us know it’s really not too late for us to work in the industry, and provides a really fun anecdote about how awards shows can go wrong. There are Snappers, an ask for info from listeners about a great credit card service we heard about, some PSA info in buying your next laptop, and more. Your head doesn’t have to be empty for us to fill it up but it might help.

Links: Shed Dogs; Drain Cleaning Australia; Sora; Casey Neistat on Sora (before the service was shut down); The Jessies; Intimacy Coordinators; the Vancouver Rise.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

Your Three Dogs (our proposed name for a new wholesome TV series) were hanging around in the Shed the other month and got talking about work KJ is taking on, a litany of various dramatic and sporting amusements we’ve been watching, our health, and goings-on in the neighbourhood. RJ’s neighbourhood specifically, as he reveals that he has become a Block Watch Captain. PJ is disappointed to learn that the position does not come with an intimidating uniform, nor with training that involves jumping out of helicopters, but still…he’s a Captain! This achievement is all the more remarkable as we also learn about a long-ago run-in with seemingly innocuous freon, which is not quite the lamb we all thought it is. Episode 210 has more, of course, there’s always more, but we’re hoping this note is inviting enough for you to join us in The Shed!

Links: Shed Dogs; Bruce the drain cleaner; pneumonia; freon; Livraria Lello; The Great Gatsby; The Queen’s Gambit; The Diplomat; No Country For Old Men; Fargo (TV Series); Extraordinary Attorney Woo; Max Scherzer; Northern Super League; YouTube; PJ’s favourite tank restoration channel; this company cleans up after collisions; Burnaby Block Watch.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.

If you’re the kind of person who wonders things like how creators and money people get together to make the financial sausage for TV shows, or maybe the kind who likes to listen to seminal and random music, or, you know, hear about word meanings and origins, or perhaps you’re just the kind of listener who enjoys a chat, this is the place and we are the people for you! Episode 209 covers those bases and more, so click on the link and pull up a chair in our world.

Links: Shed Dogs; MIPCOM CANNES; the role of a television producer; Lene Lovich; Chubby Checker; The Twist; Fats Domino; Gino Vanelli, and his album Storm at Sunup and hit Wild Horses; The Grocer’s Wife.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Some topics are so deep, so wide, and so fundamental to who we are as a species that broaching them invites chaos. But if your Dogs won’t talk about it, who will, we ask you? Here in Episode 208, we take on such a topic: the fine art of soccer diving: archer’s bows, delayed collapses, endless rolling, astonishing recoveries, and why the refs never seem to catch on. We also get to hear from theatre insider KJ about Burning Mom’s triumphant run and about a rediscovered stash of 1975 London cassette letters to home. We also have PJ’s reminiscences about a Honda CR500 dirt bike that still raises heart rates, and from RJ a full tour of the new foosball‑friendly Mench Café. There’s yet another million dollar idea awaiting an enterprising listener, some Listener Mail, a great PSA on sun damage to skin, and even more… Dive right in with us!

Links: Shed Dogs; diving; The Falling Soldier; Burning Mom; West Side Story; Honda CR500; a Saab two-stroke sports car; the Mench Café; basal cell carcinoma.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Diving photo by Alasdair Middleton - https://www.flickr.com/photos/alza06/3392306237/

Maybe it was talking about Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, or possibly giggling about potential Pope names. Maybe it was going back to the halcyon days of KJ’s time on Stargate or his trip to see his Texan cousins as they visited Vancouver Island. Maybe it was the warm flush of joy that getting Listener Mail always brings. We don’t really know just what it was, but KJ’s revelation that his (t)rusty 1964 International TravelAll has finally, after 47 years in his service, crossed the toll-free bridge to the Great Garage in the Sky brought back a lot of memories and feelings that the Shed isn’t often witness to. Mostly pretty great memories and feelings, I’ll add. Share them with us. We know of at least one faithful listener who had a similar road trip with a very faithful Toyota. Listen in and think about cars, or even Dogs.

Links: Shed Dogs; anachronism; how to make corn fritters; Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation; Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell; KJ’s appearance on Dial the Gate; Dr. Warner at work; the Double Decker Hamburger Hut on Vancouver Island; the 1964 International Travelall; KJ’s truck spotted by a blogger; disaster preparation kits; digitizing LPs.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, by permission.

Hear about several examples of—plus a fun encounter with—AI based scams! Avoid being taken advantage of and tremble at the future of AI! Mourn and celebrate the passing of KJ’s much-venerated 1964 International Travel-all! Listen to several leftover chunks of last episode’s What We Did on Our Summer Vacation! Enjoy some Snappers and even more! It’s all here, so don’t even hesitate; just dive right in and enjoy!

Links: Shed Dogs; buy a pizza vending machine!; buy a French fries vending machine!; the Smarter Every Day video on US manufacturing; the Seven Pillars of Wisdom book; the remarkable Juliane Koepcke; International Travelall; Toyota Tacoma; the BS Remover; the pig butchering scam; emergency scams aided by AI (possible paywall); LLM note taker; Tesla ghosts; Nelson’s HMS Victory; the Mary Rose; the White Hart Hotel in St. Albans.

Theme music is Escaping like Indiana Jones by Komiku, with permission.