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Leftover Talk

82 How to Renovate When You Have Nothing

Renovating your own apartment from start to finish is actually a matter with distinct Chinese and contemporary characteristics. The demand stems from the massive expansion of the supply and demand for commercial housing in China over the past two decades, and the extreme lack of standardized services during this process. This makes renovation both an extremely individualized experience and one that can evoke great resonance. In this episode, the three hosts of Leftover Talk share their lessons learned from renovating their homes in recent years. Teacher Sha, the "hands-off boss," had to deal with the procrastination of legitimate companies; legal practitioner Xiao P discovered gaps in his legal knowledge; and Xiao Wenjie wondered if his new home was too "full of water and wealth"...

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Leftover Talk

80 "The Romance of Consumption": The Rise and Fall of E-commerce Shopping Festivals

In this June paid episode, we timely discuss one of the Chinese people's "traditional holidays"—"618" and "Double 11." Since the 2010s, shopping festivals centered around "Double 11" and "618" have been artificially constructed into a nationwide consumption frenzy. Platforms, brands, suppliers, and consumers have all enthusiastically chased growth. In recent years, with shifts in consumption trends, profound changes have occurred in both the landscape of shopping festivals and the e-commerce industry. In this episode, we once again invite the popular Teacher Li Dazang to return, to discuss the history of the evolution of shopping festivals with Chinese characteristics over the past decade, and to share the secrets of the e-commerce industry from the perspective of a retail veteran.

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Leftover Talk

79 Summer is Here, Plan Early for Next Year's Cherry Blossom Viewing

The long-delayed Oriental Cherry Blossom Report is online. This episode features private recommendations for cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan and Tokyo citywalks. This year's cherry blossom season, the coder and Yuting enthusiastically made detailed plans. During this time, in order to find beautiful cherry blossom viewing spots, the two searched every corner of the Ueno area. They even conducted a citywalk following the route where Watanabe and Naoko reunite in Norwegian Wood, discovering many private cherry blossom viewing spots. Unfortunately, Tokyo's climate was strangely variable this year, and the cherry blossoms bloomed late, resulting in the two becoming "cherry blossom refugees." In the final days of the blooming period, in order to achieve a "class leap," the two decisively left Tokyo and traveled far to Kanazawa, unexpectedly discovering that the "Little Kyoto" of the Hokuriku region had its own unique charm. They successfully turned the tables and finally became "cherry blossom aristocrats."

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Leftover Talk

77 The Self-Cultivation of Retail Investors: How "Dumb Money" Defeated "Capital"

The 2020 retail investor battle against Wall Street was the most dramatic mass movement in the financial sector since the Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011, with aftershocks that have not yet subsided, and meme culture has thereby become a prominent field of study. Last week, Roaring Kitty, the "leader" of the retail investor battle against Wall Street, returned to Twitter after many years. His new tweets garnered over 20 million views, and GameStop stock triggered five circuit breakers in a single day, surging 110%. One week before Roaring Kitty's return, hosts Sha Qingqing and a programmer happened to discuss an episode based on the movie Dumb Money, which was inspired by the retail investor battle against Wall Street, so we urgently released it.

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Leftover Talk

74 "Winter of Literature": Life-and-Death Choices at the Rise of the Nazis

At the end of 1932, the Nazi Party became the largest party in the Reichstag in the German federal elections, but did not secure an absolute majority. With the support and indulgence of various right-wing forces, Hitler was appointed Chancellor by President Hindenburg on January 30, 1933. In February, the Nazis orchestrated the so-called "Reichstag Fire." In March, the Weimar Constitution was effectively abolished. The winter of 1933 became a turning point in German history, and the Nazis seized control of nearly the entire country within just two or three months. During this period, how did the community of writers and artists within Germany view the changing situation? When the wheels of history ground before their eyes, what choices would they make? And what price would they pay for them?

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Leftover Talk

73 The Brutal World of Crypto: Fighting Fraud

Crypto is risky: proceed with caution (personally, I would advise staying away). In this episode, the hosts take you into the Wild West of finance—crypto—and look at the blow-ups of recent years. We explain how a Ponzi scheme reached a scale of US$60 billion; why a star hedge fund hailed as the “pride of Singapore” suddenly collapsed; how a tech unicorn endorsed by sports stars became a vehicle for fraud; and how hackers from a certain place approached their prey in the dark and stole their money. Lambda also shares the story of his own turn as “The Big Short”: how he predicted the coming wave of blow-ups and “successfully” bet against the market. This episode focuses on crypto and finance, but there is no need to worry: we have added explanations of the terminology to the show notes to make it easier to follow.

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Leftover Talk

71 Do Turkey Scientists Deserve to Study the Farmer (Too)?

The Three-Body Problem tells an unsettling story of the “Farmer Hypothesis.” The story imagines that scientists among turkeys observe the farmer’s feeding habits and deduce a great cosmic law, only to be caught and slaughtered by the farmer on the day they announce the law, which happens to be Thanksgiving. With the adaptation of The Three-Body Problem into film and television, the Farmer Hypothesis has sparked more confusion and unease in people’s minds. However, unlike the horror conveyed in the novel, modern science was born in a theistic environment. This episode uses the Farmer Hypothesis to discuss details of the relationship between modern science and religion, aiming to break the simplistic, either-or, binary narrative on this topic.

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Leftover Talk

70 Bullfighting! A Retail Veteran Takes Us into the World of Scalpers: Market Disruption or Professional Service?

Anything that persists despite repeated bans perhaps taps into certain laws of human nature—"scalpers" are one such example. From judicial scalpers before 1949, to the "dazhuang mozi" (shills) in the early days of Reform and Opening Up, to the queueing armies we are now familiar with, active at the launch sites of various limited-edition products, the presence of scalpers has never faded. Some people detest scalpers because they create shortages and drive up prices; others view scalpers as a useful special service. In this episode, we invite Mr. Li Dazang, who revealed the secrets of the outlet industry in Episode 66, for a surprise return to take us deep into the murky waters of scalping in the retail industry.

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Leftover Talk

66 A Retail Industry Expert Takes You on a Tour of Outlets

Do you remember when you last went to an outlet mall? It may surprise many, but nowadays, many outlet malls in China often experience such a frenzy on weekends that parking spaces are hard to find. In today’s highly developed digital economy, why do “outlets” still retain their unique charm? What exactly is the difference between “outlet goods” and “store goods”? And what is the story behind “outlet-exclusive” products? This episode features a veteran industry insider who offers a detailed analysis from an “insider’s perspective.” Additionally, we will naturally share some practical “tips for avoiding pitfalls.” Leftover Talk has launched a mailing list (newsletter)! Every week, we will deliver the latest podcast content via the newsletter, and occasionally publish event announcements and articles written by the hosts. Everyone is welcome to subscribe.

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Leftover Talk

64 'Blossoms Shanghai,' Legendary WWII Spies, and the 1942 Disaster for the CPC Shanghai Intelligence Section

The male protagonist Ah Bao in the hit TV series 'Blossoms Shanghai' has a father in the original novel who worked as an intelligence officer for the CPC underground. Although the novel does not devote much ink to Ah Bao's father, it provokes endless speculation: he was an idealist from a bourgeois family who betrayed his class and devoted himself to the revolutionary cause; after 1949, Ah Bao's father was trapped by his 'historical issues,' repeatedly writing appeals with little effect, and his situation only improved with the arrival of the 'New Era.' The novel's author, Jin Yucheng, acknowledged in his non-fiction work 'Looking Back' and media interviews that the prototype for Ah Bao's father was his own father, Jin Ruowang. Unexpectedly, Jin Ruowang's intelligence career was linked to the legendary WWII spy Richard Sorge, and the fate of him and many of his comrades changed due to the chain reaction triggered by Sorge's arrest in Tokyo in 1942. What exactly happened? Please listen to this episode for the breakdown.

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Leftover Talk

60 "Is Ancient Greek History a Forgery?" Discussing the Theory of Pseudo-Greek History

The theory of pseudo-Greek history has gained increasingly widespread dissemination on social media platforms over the past two years. In this episode, we will discuss what this seemingly absurd theory claims, why it has repeatedly appeared in the histories of various countries, and what concerns it raises. As history enthusiasts, how can we "turn a funeral into a celebration" amidst this wave, and enhance our understanding of history?

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Leftover Talk

59 A World Only Otaku Know? Chatting with David Weng About Happy Gaming Times

In this episode, we invited David Weng, host of "Dog Life" and "Feasting in the Rising Tower," to talk about his "unknown" otaku hobbies outside the financial sector. Text-based AVGs, or text adventure games, are a genre of game that is not often mentioned, yet they are a favorite of many. In this episode, the host and guest will share how they got into the hobby and their favorite games, taking us into this world that only otaku know.

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Leftover Talk

58 Boys Should (and Ought to) Dress Well (Right?)

This episode originated from host Lambda's hope that Teacher Sha would share his insights on men's fashion. However, daily dressing is less about 'fashion' and more about cultivating a lifestyle habit. Finding a dressing style that suits oneself is, in itself, an interesting process of exploration. Starting from their respective observations and combining them with their own dressing habits, the two male hosts will share some 'purely personal' opinions on men's fashion, intended only to 'broaden one's horizons'. Additionally, Teacher Liu Daku has been specially invited to offer various sharp critiques from a female perspective. Stay tuned~

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Leftover Talk

Special Episode: The Year-End Summary Isn't Over Yet

This episode is the "Special Episode" of the "Year-End Summary." Since teachers Xiao Wenjie and Manong could not be present in person, they recorded their own recommendations and complaints. Through this "Special Episode," we allow these two otaku to join us in staying home! Additionally, the hosts chatted a bit about miscellaneous topics, hoping to whet your appetite before the official next episode goes live. A formal farewell to 2023! Also, there is an easter egg at the beginning of this episode. We sincerely invited teacher Liu Sancai to create a "2D-exclusive OP" as a limited bonus for the special episode. We hope you like it! (You are also welcome to guess the source materials of the exclusive OP in the comments section! [No-prize guessing contest; the enthusiasm of fat otaku is that easy to fool!])

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Leftover Talk

57 Retain the Daigo-mi, Don’t Make It a “Fumu-lei”: 2023 Anime and Film Year-End Summary (Part 2)

Following the hosts’ round of recommendations in the previous episode, this week’s topic moves to the anticipated “roast” segment: What disastrous movies and series did you actually experience in 2023? Is it Napoleon, which is an adaptation and not a fabrication, and a dramatization and not a rambling tale? Or is it Detective Conan: The Black Iron Submarine, where you and I kiss goodbye in a desolate liquid? Is it the Marvel movies you are sick of watching, or the new Disney films whose names you can’t even remember? Why did the hosts, a group of chatterboxes, fall into collective silence for the first time? What guiding significance does The Founding of an Army have for filming historical subjects?

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Leftover Talk

56 What We Watched This Year, No Fluff: 2023 Anime and Film Year-End Review (Part 1)

2023 is almost over, and we (don’t) miss it...... Another year of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. As a staple of this podcast, we have recorded a new episode of our 2023 anime and film review and summary. From the staple shows of otaku culture, to the bleak British and American dramas, to the giant scholar “Zheng Nengliang” (you’ll know why he’s called that once you listen to the episode), who keeps binge-watching series even while bedridden, and to the science history fan who has a love-hate relationship with “Zheng Nengliang”...... Yes, facing this year’s good and bad films, good and bad dramas, and good and bad anime, the hosts of Leftover Talk have gathered (or contributed their voices if they couldn’t attend) to avoid the fluff of “you’re good, I’m good, we’re all good”! Let’s get hyped for the final episode of 2023!

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Leftover Talk

54 Newton: "I'll sell when the stock price hits 1,200." Newton's 380th Birth Anniversary Commemoration (Part 2)

Newton was not only a great physicist but also held two interesting roles: Master of the Royal Mint in Britain and the most famous victim of the South Sea Bubble. Behind these roles lies the gradual rise of the financial industry in 18th-century Britain. In this episode, we will use the experiences of Newton's later life to discuss topics such as foreign exchange management, monetary policy, stocks, public debt, and financial regulation in the early modern period. Newton's legacy to posterity is not only his great discoveries in physics but also the confidence he instilled in everyone to use science and reason to address and handle all aspects of our lives.

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Leftover Talk

53 Newton: I Did Not Propose the Theory of Gravity. Commemorating the 380th Anniversary of Newton's Birth (Part 1)

The theory of gravity is the most representative knowledge point in our middle school physics studies, and Newton is the most familiar great scientist to us. But few people know that Newton repeatedly emphasized in his works that he did not propose "gravity" in the physical sense. On the contrary, Newton stated that he "indiscriminately and interchangeably used terms such as 'attraction,' 'repulsion,' or any kind of 'tendency' toward the center." How should this be understood? To commemorate the 380th anniversary of Newton's birth, Leftover Talk will release two episodes. In the first episode, using the theory of gravity as an example, we will introduce the physics research environment in which Newton lived, Newton's own methods of physics research, and how Newton's theories spread beyond Britain.

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Leftover Talk

52 A Record of Lying Flat in Tokyo

After working in Southeast Asia and searching for housing in Tokyo, the 'code monkey' (programmer) has finally embraced a life of lying flat in Tokyo. (Code monkey: Life lying flat is so happy; I hope everyone can lie flat soon too!) In this episode, Teacher Sha will chat with the code monkey about his life upon arriving in Tokyo. Let us follow the code monkey to view the crater from the summit of Mount Fuji, eat peaches at a farmhouse in Yamanashi Prefecture, pay homage to Edward Yang at the cinema, cheer for small idols in the park, and search for the livehouse where Bocchi-chan fought in Shimokitazawa.

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Leftover Talk

50 Heated Debate: Did "Attack on Titan" Really Have a Bad Ending, and Is Hajime Isayama a Genius?

On April 9, 2021, the "Attack on Titan" manga concluded with Chapter 139. Immediately, a tidal wave of criticism surged across the Chinese internet. This globally popular phenomenon-level work was labeled with tags such as "bad ending" and "shitty work," creating a cruel contrast with the enthusiastic praise previously offered by fans. The author, Hajime Isayama, was subjected to a torrent of insults, overnight transforming from "Brother Chuang" to "Isayama the Man." Regarding Chapter 139 of the Titan manga, the two hosts of "Leftover Talk" held diametrically opposed attitudes (of course, they are often like this regarding many choices related to anime and manga). Zheng Shiliang, a loyal fan for many years, simply could not accept it and fell into immense depression. Even last year, when discussing Titans on the sister podcast "Jingduan Meeting," he couldn't help but express his disappointment ("Please don't do that 'Titanology Master' thing!"). Jiang Yuan, however, stated that during the middle period when the manga was still hailed as a "masterpiece," he already felt something was off and had a premonition that the work would eventually crash and burn. The reversal in reputation at Chapter 139 precisely confirmed his judgment.

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Leftover Talk

49 From Chernobyl to Fukushima: Revisiting the Meaning of Tragedy

Harvard University Professor Serhii Plokhy has long been dedicated to the study of Ukrainian history, Soviet history, and nuclear accidents. In his award-winning book Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy, he detailed the origins and massive impact of this unprecedented disaster through a large amount of primary source material, including recently declassified archives and personal recollections of those involved. In his book Atomic and Ashes: A History of Nuclear Disasters, Professor Plokhy broadens his perspective to the causes of nuclear accidents more generally. This episode will reflect on major nuclear accidents in history through a discussion of Professor Plokhy’s works—what can we gain when we revisit these tragedies?

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Leftover Talk

48 How Many "Sasuke" Were There Back Then: The Historical Origins of Japanese Names

Emon, Uemon, Tokubei, Sasuke, Kojiro... These Japanese "names" are not uncommon in various literary and artistic works. They occasionally appear in novels, TV dramas, or anime. Although all are written in Chinese characters, a single glance reveals them to be "foreign surnames, other people's given names," which differ greatly from Chinese conventions. So-called "conventions" mean that while personal names seem "used daily without conscious awareness," they often conceal the history, culture, and memory of a specific region or group behind their symbols. If examined closely, there is always a surprising side. For instance, when Japanese names like "Inukai," "Abiko," or "Inokuchi" are mentioned, we often smile wryly, looking utterly bewildered. Clearly, for us Chinese, Japanese "names" are both familiar and unfamiliar.

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Leftover Talk

47 Did Edward Yang Extend Our Lives by Three Times?

After the invention of cinema, human life has been extended by at least three times compared to before. — This is perhaps Edward Yang’s most romantic expression regarding film. In 2023, Mr. Sha Qingqing had the privilege of watching the over four-hour restored version of A Brighter Summer Day in a Tokyo cinema, while another major work by Edward Yang, A Confucian Confusion, was also completed restoration this year. In Taipei, the three-month-long Yi Yi Reconstructed, the most significant memorial exhibition on Edward Yang to date, officially closed on October 22. In this episode, hosts Sha Qingqing and Bo Qiao will discuss Edward Yang, a crucial yet tragically early-deceased director in Chinese-language cinema. The discussion will expand from Edward Yang and his films to topics such as the New Taiwan Cinema.

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Leftover Talk

46 Moving in Tokyo

What is revealed in the 100-page booklet customized for foreigners? Do foreigners face discrimination when opening bank accounts or renting housing? Can Japanese people really afford watermelons? Why are young people in Japan not as keen on buying houses as young people in China? In this episode, we will explore the clothing, food, housing, and transportation in the three major cities of Tokyo, Singapore, and Shanghai from a personal perspective, sharing the cost of living and experiences in these three places.

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