This is a new classic paper: "Can a Biologist Fix a Radio? -- or, What I Learned while Studying Apoptosis" Pretty funny if you like bio.

http://protein.bio.msu.su/biokhimiya/contents/v69/full/69121720.htm

I think this is a nice gateway for cell biology, check out the first link (biocarta) for pretty maps of signaling pathways http://www.biochemweb.org/signaling.shtml

A big problem in biological signal transduction is how cells make decisions based on outside stimuli when they have very little insulation against chemical cross-talk, i.e. there are no wires or distinct modular components in a cell, it's pretty much a well mixed bag of molecules. Is there a way to abstract the signals inside cells? Can chemical signals be described in a way analogous to electrons and circuit elements? A current trend is to take a piece of interesting biology, describe its behavior with a mathematical model, then search through possible model behaviors for ones that feel right, and show by experiments/proof the most likely input/output behavior. A really interesting problem is how can these separate pieces of biology be abstracted so that we could connect them to get more complete, bigger pictures of how cells 'compute'.

I'm obviously in a nerd mode today, probably because there hasn't been any good parties lately.

Currently Reading Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords : Prima Official Game Guide By DAVID HODGSON see related

Pokemon causes cancer
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/54387.cfm

I don't understand how some ppl can have so much time to spend on their own blogs. It's ridiculous. How can these ppl play so much! I wanna watch TV and anime and cosplay and play video games on every console and write/read StarTrek+Pokemon+ER crossover fanfics and take tons of pictures all the time too! It's not fair!

Currently Playing Encore (Deluxe Edition) By Eminem see related

Back from the dead blogs land. Back in Cambridge too. Gonna give this grad school thing a good try this time *fingers crossed*.

Need more workout/pump music! Please send some recommendations.

Currently Playing Collision Course (W/Dvd) (Dig) By Jay-Z, Linkin Park see related

wow reading other people's xangas is really addictive, I just spent like 30 mins on it; it's cool tho since i'm just goofing off b4 going home tomorrow anyway

back in Cali this week, wanna hang out with some kids & the family, yay!

So our pledges told a story about me yesterday... about how I was drunk on friday, went to a toga party, then ran around the house w/o pants. Props to all the ppl who immediately saw through their subterfuge... I haven't been drunk since Halloween! That's right, I'm graduating from a lush to a social drinker...

What brought this on? Not too sure... I'm so impressed I think I'm gonna start training for a marathon