What I wanted to say is that one day I’d like to have a taste of whale too. I actually just had some shark fin soup today for the first time. It wasn’t as good as I’d hoped either. When you hear of something being a delicacy you think it’s going to be a great great thing.

I apologize for the idiot who posted in #33. I just had a conversation about Americans who embarrass themselves in front of an international crowd with my wife yesterday. Makes me want to speak with a different accent sometimes.

1. Consumption of whale meat produced by “scientific” whaling is obligatory under international whaling conventions, ostensibly to prevent wastage. You can argue that Japan’s whaling programme is not scientific, but it is an intellectually-dishonest appeal to ignorance to call it illegal, since it isn’t.

2. Minke whales are not endangered.

3. Norway, not Japan, carries out commercial whaling for the sole purpose of consumption.

4. People living in glass houses who can’t differentiate “your” from “you’re” and “to” from “too” should not throw rocks.

5. It’s a common misconception that good schools only accept smart people, so you have a point there. :)

Must try whale meat the next time I go to Japan…

Chao Yang: I cannot matriculate until two years later due to compulsory military service. Stanford allows for deferment, Berkeley doesn’t. It is difficult for me to apply two years later (problems with school forms and teachers leaving), so I have to apply now and then defer my admission. Unless by Cal, you mean Caltech, in which case I did apply for Caltech under normal decision and the results aren’t out yet.

Cancer: Thanks. I’m planning to study computer engineering and political science. I currently have no idea how Stanford’s system works (I kind of find out these things as I go along), so I’m not sure if I can do both of them as majors.

But really curious what courses you planning to do in university?

p.s. ah, whale meat, nonetheless i haven’t tried it before, but my impressions of it seem to be similar to your experience. but i guess should still give it a try when chances come.

p.p.s. well, even it’s cliche, i think achievement deserves the superior feeling. Congratulations ;P

Sorry, Cal student here, we all call Stanfurd ‘The Farm’. :P

Congrats!

Also, on whale meat, if it tastes like raw salmon sashimi then I’m all for it!