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Sunday, October 6, 2019


Friday, October 4, 2019

Platelette Flags - Cells at Work! はたらく細胞!

血小板 - The Platelet Flag

Platelets are overlooked cells, or rather they are cell bits known as cellicles.  They are the opposite of muscle cells which are united cells—like Voltron or the Devistator from Transformerers.  Rather cellicles undergo a special kind of cell division called cytobudding.  In cytobudding, is a kind of semi-asexual reproduction.  In this case cells bud off of the mother cell to make new cells.  However the new cells have no nucleus, as their is no copying of genetic information.  Yet these cells have mitochondria, organelles, and an outer cellular membrane.

Platelet with Yellow Flag - Cells at Work! はたらく細胞!
Platelets are like red blood cells, since neither have nuclei.  But red blood cells loose their nucleus and platelets had one before they underwent cytobudding.

Funny thing is red blood cells do not have mitochondria but platelets do, and neither have nuclei.  So what gives?  Since platelets are so small they are discounted as cells by many scientists?  I guess for biologists, size does matter.  Platelets are much smaller than red blood cells, yet they carry out metabolic activity.  Infact, they do indeed carry a tiny amount of genetic information, since they have actively working mitochondria.  Platelets are cells!  A primitive kind of regressive cell, that has an important function in the human body.

In the Japanese Anime Cells at Work! はたらく細胞! Thrombocytes are portrayed as little children directing traffic when repairs are being made along the blood vessels.  And believe it or not, these wee cells have the ability to take down a bacteria or two on their own.  Although these little cells are primarily used for repair, research has shown that even the smallest cell can fight back!



Killer T Cell Flag - Cells at Work! はたらく細胞!


The Killer T Cells Flag from Cells at Work! はたらく細胞!has a black field.  The logo is a white hexagon outline, and within the hexagon is a circle, and further within is a capital letter T in white that touches the edges of the white circle.

Some White Blood cells advance to the Thymus for special training operations, and can earn the T-prefix in front of their name.  It's like getting a college degree, and white blood cells can specialize in different kinds of martial-defensive arts.  You can think of the Thymus as being the Pentagon/West Point Academy of the human body.  Not all White Blood Troops cells are admitted into the Thymus Academy.  Likewise, not all cells that matriculate to the Thymus Academy, are able to graduate.  Because it is a rigorous training program, and some T-Cell Cadets do wash out.  In fact, if they do not pass their exams, they are forced to commit jisatsu. 


The most popular type of white T-Cell is Cytotoxic T-Cell.  In the show Cells at Work! はたらく細胞!the T-Cell is depicted as a lovable, over-aggressive, roid-raged, toxic masculine persona.  These type of toxic masculine cells are the kind you want kicking the ass of would be dangerous elements in your home base body.  You can't pussyfoot around germs, infected cells, and deadly bacteria—they need to be executed quickly, without hatred or malice.

T-Cell Cadets at the Thymus, B-Cell with Helper T in background
Infected Cells are Zombies-normal cell left, infected cell right
To the left we are in the Thymus, where a group of T-Cells in black are getting trained to kill the germs.  Further in the background is a B-Cell practicing with his anti-body gun.  B-Cells do not engage in hand-to-hand combat like T-Cells.  Instead they are the archer/artillery of immune system that can soften and kill the bad guys.  Behind the Plasma B-Cell is a Helper T-Cell that acts as a coordinator for the Department of Immune Defense.  Helper T-Cells are a critical part of the administrative portion that do not take part in cellular combat, yet direct and coordinate activities for the grunts and snipers who do the heavy lifting.

Infected cells are portrayed as zombies, which is a perfect analogy.  Since a good cell basically becomes a turncoat baddie, but often explodes to  releases more virus head caps, which try to infect other cells. 







You can watch episodes here.  It is must for all biology teachers and students of science!
https://www.crunchyroll.com/cells-at-work

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Official Dual-State Flags of New Jersey


New Jersey is one of the few states to have hybrid flags with all of its neighbors.  These flag were created by the port authorities of each neighbor.  The most famous is the New York-New Jersey Port Authority flag, since it deals with the most volume of traffic by people, air, and water.  Secondly, New Jersey shares its longest border with Pennsylvania, but the two states never touch soil to soil, yet many bridges link the two states.  This flag is known as the the Delaware River Port Authority of Pennsylvania & New Jersey.  Finally, Delaware loves to hook up with New Jersey and has its own flag as well as the Delaware River & Bay Authority.

Who knew?  As the saying goes, the "We Love NJ" would be Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware.  They can't help but love the Jersey shore.   Washington loved New Jersey as well, for it was in this state that the US Army under General Washington held their ground and went toe to toe with the Empire, undercutting the theory that the rebels were a rag-tag group of boonniny knickers.  New Jersey also gave the US a Christmas present on 1776, when Washington got an appetizer of victory yet to come, when he crossed the Delaware River.

Y'all gotta give it up for Jersey. Just think...the negative stereotype of New Jersey matches to how people of the world see the USA...a scrappy upstart rude rabble?   Yeah...Jersey Jerkos are a real minority, but they are many more Jersey Superheroes hiding in the bushes and kind folk everywhere planted across the Garden State.  If you ever enjoyed a Monopoly game or played a version of your home state college or whatever...your spirit is now tied to New Jersey.  Never forget, New Jersey twice crowned General Washington with victory and triumph, first at Trenton 1776, then at Monmouth 1778. 

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

East-West New Jersey Dividing Line Flag


The division between West and East New Jersey is shrouded with an air of fuzzy logic.  There were several surveys which tried to keep New Jersey divided but three of the most important lines of division were the Quintipartite Deed line of 1676, Keith Line of 1687, and Lawrence Line survey of 1743.

The only line partially visible on most maps of New Jersey is the Keith Line of 1687, which was made on the pre-centennial of the US Constitution.  The Keith Line is distinctly visible where Ocean & Monmouth Counties make contact with Burlington & the lower neck of Mercer Counties.   The Kieth Line is also visible where Somerset makes a line with Hunterdon County and the upper crown of Mercer County.


Nonetheless, this flag marks the division between West and East New Jerseys.  The red X (or saltire) is taken from the flag of Original Jersey in the English Channel, as is the crown.  But instead of three English Lions, three plows of American Jersey are visible.

This flag can be flown anywhere across the dividing lines of the 1687 Keith Line and 1743 Lawrence Line.  The Keith Line has historical and modern geographic precedence over the 1743 Lawrence Line.  And not to mention providential precedence, since the Keith Line is dated 100 years before New Jersey became the third state in the union on December 18, 1787.

Flag of Original Jersey in the UK
On the other hand the Lawrence Line has legal precedence since the New Jersey Supreme Court defined it as the legal settlement for issues back in 1855.   So no matter, this debate of the dividing line between East and West Jersey gives this flag a large swath of land to be flown over.

For ultimate rivalry championships between East & West Jersey, those places like Princeton can choose sides at their discretion.

All the places south of Egg Harbor are on the West Jersey team, which includes the Philadelphia area, Atlantic City, Ocean City, and Cape May.  Likewise all the part of Jersey to touch the Delaware River is on West Jersey's team.  Like any West Coast state, you can only catch a full ocean sunset from West Jersey at the tip of Cape May—the top of the Pharaoh's Crown.  Finally, of ultimate claim to USA fame game, Monopoly, is a West Jersey original. 

http://www.njfounders.org/history/1676-division-new-jersey-east-west-boundary

Heroes from East New Jersey
Costello of Abbot & Coastello, Buzz Aldrin
Judy Blume, Bon Jovi, Danny Devito, Ed Harris, Ray Liotta, Jack Nicholson
Shaq, Joe Pesci, John Travolta 
"Tony Soprano" "Marvel Boy" "Paul Blart" - Mall Cop

Heroes From West New Jersey:
"Aqua Teen Hunger Force"- Carl, Meatwad, Master Shake, Frylock
King Kong Bundy, Kelly Ripa, Kurt Loder - Classic MTV, Dave Thomas of the Wendy's fast food
Dennis Rodman, "Jay & Silent Bob" 
 West or East????
"Indian Jones"
"Harold & Kumar"



East New Jersey Flag


The East Jersey flag has the original seal in the orange upper-fly ward half.  The Orange colour is derived from the Goddess Liberty of the modern seal of New Jersey.  She is wearing an orange blouse and holds a Phryigan cap on her staff.  Coincidentally East New Jersey is home to the State of Liberty.  The buff (yellow-tan) stripe is also taken from New Jersey's modern flag.

The on the outer ring of East New Jersey it reads, "The seal of the province of East Iersy in America."  Sometimes Js where written with Is, because of this old rule and that old rule.   In the inner ring there are two messages.  The upper message in red reads, "Righteovsness Exalteth a Nation."  Again another funky alt switch of writing a U as a V has taken place.  The legend is that the letter U is a cursed letter or something like that, another ancient this and that rule lost to the sands of time.  Underneath in yellow is written, " Its God giveth increase."  Along the side of the shield of arms is a fancy S and mirror S on both sides.  The shield is divided; the upper part is red and the lower is white.  The upper area has an arm of divine origin holding a balance-scale; since the arm is coming out of a cloud, this represents a connection to Divine Will.  In the lower white area is a sheaf of wheat with two pealed ears of
corn.

Coincidentally the Seal of West New Jersey also has balance-scale.  New Jersey's Hudson Valley is squarely a part of East New Jersey as is Sandy Hook. 



https://www.nj.com/news/2015/06/how_a_man_named_keith_took_a_long_walk_and_defined.html

West New Jersey Flag



The West New Jersey flag conserves the original seal of West Jersey in the lower hoist half.   The lower triangular red field is based upon the blouse of Ceres from the official state flag of New Jersey.  The Goddess Ceres is holding a cornucopia full of produce.  The seal was used in an official capacity during the reigns of King Charles II,  King William III & Mary II, and Queen Anne.   Around the ring it is written "Proprietors...West New Jersey."   It features a united drawing-compass & balance-scale with a tree in the middle.  Ceres represents West New Jersey the best because, this side of the state has a higher agriculture output, and is where you can find the best 'Zesty Tomatoes' in all of the United States. 

West Jersey existed from 1674 until 1702, with Burlington as its capital.  The first settlements were by Sweden, which was later overrun by the Dutch in 1655.  But in 1664, the British had the final say in the colonial heritage of New Jersey.

There were several attempts to spell out the division between West New Jersey and East New Jersey, but survey that had deepest impact as it can still be seen on any map of New Jersey is the 1687 Kieth Line. This line is visible with the county line that divides Burlington, Ocean, Monmouth, and the lower chine of Mercer.  It is also visible with the county line that divides Hunterdon, Somerset and Mercers upper crown.   The other lines are not noticeable on a map of NJ, except for the Keith Line.  West New Jersey has the state capital of Trenton, which was also the federal seat during the Articles of Confederation

period for the Fall of 1784.  Also Cape May and Delaware River water front is solidly a part of West New Jersey.