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Brendan cultivates an air of eccentricity. He's constantly forgetting the names of friends and relatives, wandering around our studio looking for whatever book he happens to be holding, or putting his glasses in the kitchen blender and absentmindedly powering it up. So you may be surprised to hear that this podcast isn't based on a true story. And that Brendan usually comes to recording sessions f...

We received some advice from a famous Silicon Valley consultant the other day. If you want to promote sales, he said, put a picture of a beautiful, smiling girl on your front page. Eye contact is especially important. So we looked at our recent lessons and found they included tasteful photos of coffee, a nondescript office hallway, and a nice glass of water. And then we saw today's lesson and brig...

We usually hold our Chinese recording sessions on Wednesday evenings. Most of them go pretty smoothly, and even accounting for 9527's periodic laughter flame-outs, recording times have tended downwards over the last year or so. That said, there are always exceptions to a trend and this lesson is all about one of them. We started recording this lesson at seven o'clock in the evening and didn't fini...

The infamously reclusive Teddy Wang, tycoon of the Orient and Time Magazine's "China Entrepreneur" five years running, had fallen into seclusion. From his estate on one of the outlying Hong Kong islands, the dashing young businessman had taken to conducting business exclusively through his timid assistant Roger, a meekrat of a man who spent his days shuffling papers for the reclusive industrial ma...

It had taken months of therapy for the patient to share her innermost secret. "You were right to come here," the psychiatrist said as they shared the breakthrough, "and I long suspected that your problem was related to your father." The doctor then paused, pen frozen in mid-air above a black leather notebook. "Of course," she added at last, "at least your case isn't as bad as that of my last patie...

Symptoms of excessive caffeine intake include restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal discomfort, cardiac arrhythmia and random muscle twitching. Yet insufficient caffeine intake leads directly to mental and physical sluggishness, and is strongly correlated with a tendency among staff to miss project deadlines and blow sales leads. Employers in the United States typically walk this fine line by p...

We love our staff and they love us too (especially the children, bless their souls). Which is why we were mystified when the Labor Relations Board approached us with outrageous allegations of unpaid overtime and that old story about us locking staff in the studio while we retreated to our executive yacht. It was lunch people... everyone is supposed to go out for lunch! In any event, seeing that th...

We asked for an elementary lesson filled with drama and terror. "Picture yourselves at the epicenter of a massive earthquake," David requested. "Give us something with tension and danger," Echo added, "with lots of buildings shaking and all that jazz." Our voice actors nodded gravely. Then they gave us this.... Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives , including the original customized wo...

After your son has pumped five hundred volts of current through your chest, it may be time for a little parental intervention. Is it really necessary for him to replicate the work of Nicolas Tesla in your family basement? As our own parents repeatedly reminded us growing up: high-energy experiments belong in the classroom, not the bedroom. If you're an intermediate student in the Chinese language,...

Our forays into the hard sciences have been mercifully brief to date, a phenomenon caused partly by fear and partly by memories of high school chemistry class. In today's Chinese lesson we delve more deeply into the natural sciences though with a Chinese lesson about key warning signs that someone you love may be considering a career in them. In addition to some life-saving tips on intervening, we...

Doctor Smith says young children need intellectual stimulation, and what better way to stimulate Billy's imagination that bonding with his father over a deathmatch or two. Now don't look at me that way honey. You want to surround the boy with nothing but books, denying him the trigger-finger reflexes and hand-eye coordination necessary for a good job in the twenty-first century? Thinking of becomi...

Our constant interest in hiring good Chinese voice actors has drawn some curious candidates to us over the years. Like the fellow who came in and handed out business cards. He had put considerable time and effort into designing them: the card stock was an elegant eggshell white set off by raised black lettering in Silian Rail. The card contained his name, contact information and current profession...

A lot of Shanghai residents are genuinely baffled that other Chinese citizens consider them a curiosity. But it doesn't take much time elsewhere in the country to discover why exactly Shanghai bears the brunt of so many jokes. Not sure yourself? We think you'll understand after listening to our lesson for today, a gritty look at the wild side of the Shanghai streets. This is a lesson based on a tr...

When the definitive history of twentieth century cinema is written, there will be a few actors and actresses we believe will stand out from their peers as titans of the screen and stage. Yet while the talents of such stars as Gregory Peck, Marlon Brando, Meryl Streep and others have brought them well-deserved recognition, there remain a legion of working actors and actresses who continue to shine...

It was your last Western breakfast, eaten in haste before an early morning flight over the pole. You had pancakes and syrup. Yoghurt. Apples, oranges, bananas, lychee and watermelon. Toast of both the French and non-French varieties. Various cereals hot and cold with scrambled eggs, bacon, fried mushrooms and onions. And all of it topped-off by carrot juice and left-over pizza. China may be an exc...

When Hegel wrote that history repeats itself, perhaps he was thinking of our seemingly infinite capacity to rationalize cruelty in the pursuit of power and wealth. For are not the pages of history filled with corporations which have sacrificed workplace health and safety on the altar of progress, throwing away human lives like so much chaff in an unquenchable drive for power and market share? Whil...

This week we bring you an action film tailor-made for those who prefer their action films light on explosions and heavy on conversation. And if your ears perked up at our mention of Xitang last week, we suspect our selection will bring you even more pleasure: Minority Report (2002) Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives , including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for thi...

"The quality of those things isn't reliable," the DVD salesperson said ruffling through his dufflebag, leaving Jacob wide-eyed in disbelief. He had purchased the movie just yesterday, and was astounded to hear the seller blame his player instead of the pitted disc. "Next time buy a quality machine," the merchant cautioned him. "If you're looking for one that actually works," he motioned vaguely be...

Matthew's reluctance to meet her parents had concerned Stacy. "I've had bad experiences with that in the past," he would say whenever she suggested it. But now they had been together for two years there was no avoiding it, which was how Stacy had finally dragged him out to the Boston suburbs to meet her folks.... Our elementary listening test for today revolves around a bizarre mini-play that's a...

Every now and then we get a dialogue that's a bit different from the rest, and today is a case in point. We haven't really had a lesson quite like this since the time we locked our entire recording staff in the studio and headed out for Sichuan food. Sometimes different is good. And while we're not afraid to gossip, what matters in our dialogue today is less the scandalous revelation and more the...

In the spirit of giving you some time to recover from the Blitzkrieg that was our last Elementary dialogue, our lesson for today slows things right down. One of the parties to our dialogue barely speaks, in fact. So join him, and a close friend of his, in the hospital for a moment of unguarded intimacy.... Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives , including the original customized word-to...

Perspiration stuck to Rick's forehead. In his forty years on the force, he thought he had seen the worst of human nature. But this? Barely visible beneath the dark green foliage, the red and green wires snaking through the wood chips led to a small metallic case they had found half-buried in the display floor. It was only pure accident the security team had discovered it and cleared the mall in ti...

As the fall semester faded, a strange energy seized the student body. When freed for lunch or recess, the boys would spring from their seats and rush to the far quarter of the playground, where they would cluster in small circles and barter excitedly. And somehow at the center of it all, Xiao Luo began to exude a quiet confidence far beyond his years.... Our intermediate lesson for today has a lon...

Although it may not look like much from the outside, the Apache helicopter is quite spacious on the inside, especially when gutted of its navigation system and emergency munitions store. And if you rip out the hind seating you've got more than enough room for a small futon, mini-fridge and propane stove. With a little creativity, the world's military warhorse can make a cozy home. And with real es...

The years had built up around Stewart like the shell of a mollusk. And truth be told, he had drifted into the financial industry largely for this reason: the sedate pace and lulling security of asset management work. It had never seemed terribly risky. Or at least not until the first wave of layoffs earlier in the spring. Until then he had never even considered leaving the bank, let alone making a...