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Saturday, October 12, 2019

生命の科学ミクロパトロール or Once Upon a Time...Life — The Antibody Charge Flag

1987 Antibodies on the Defense of the human body since 1,000,000 BC
Once Upon a Time...Life was a 1980s version of Osmosis Jones 2001 or Cells at Work! 2018Once Upon a Time...Life was created for European audiences back in 1987.  Unfortunately PBS got the rights to this little gem, consequently much of American youth missed this would have been awesome pop-culture 80s show about immunology.  It would have had a bigger American following if one of the major networks or syndicated channels would have gotten the broadcast rights. This cartoon was an international work of art that made learning about the human body fun.  Nations that made it possible included Spain, Switzerland, Canada, France, Belgium, Italy, and Japan. 

In this episode antibodies are preparing an attack on toxins from bacteria that causes Tetanus.  The standard bearer for the attack is holding a yellow pennant protein flag, directing the other antibody force to where the bad guys are.

To the left is a high ranking White Blood Cell.  Maybe a Helper T Cell?  We don't know, but his badge of identification is a yellow star, which can be seen on his hat and chest.  He also has yellow officer epaulettes on his shoulder. 




Crest Team Flag from Toothopolis Cartoon


The Crest team is always on call to defend the teeth from Cavity Creeps.  After a successful brushing away of the bad guys, the Crest pennant is flown in victory by the inhabitants of Toothopolis.  The Crest flag has a red C for Crest and a white background. Note, the pole is made from a toothpick.

Here the Crest team stands with their weapons of protection.  They make brushing teeth fun.   The little dog is known as Cresty.  The young boy has not yet earned a letter to carry a toothbrush.

Crest fighter 'r' is Regina Washington the Rinser.  'E' is Everyday Ernie Clean, to remind you to brush every day!  'S' is for Sally the Stink-Breath Killer.  Finally, 'T' is for Tommy Tooter the Toothache Sharp Shooter. 


CREST WEBSITE:
https://crest.com/en-us




Fun fact Conan O'Brien was slated to play as the Captain Crest in the live action, soft and middle hard reboot, remake movie, trailer of the Invasion of the Cavity Creeps - 2002.

Monday, October 7, 2019

1763 Proclamation Line Flag


In 1763 a proclamation was made by the Royal Government with the King's approval.  It defined the borders of Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and Grenada in the Caribbean.  This 1763 proclamation also defined the reward for colonists on how much land they were entitled.  The higher your rank, the more land your were given.  Privates got 50 acres while field officers got 100x the amount at 5000 acres.  This document would later influence Native American policies with the United States and Canada long after the 1776.  However, no line was actually declared.  Rather the borders of the Native Tribes and Nations were spelled out, which became known as the Indian Reserve.

Most 1763 Proclamation Line maps show the line extending from St. Mary River in Georgia to the Bay of Chaleur between Quebec and New Brunswick.  But this is a little off, since Quebec became a colony within British North America.  Also, the northern border of West Florida was an 'off limits' line.

Consequently, this flag can be flown (going counter clockwise) anywhere along the borders of the Indian Reserve as defined in the 1763 Proclamation as it usually defined from the St. Mary's River between Georgia and Florida to middle of New York until it hits the 45º North; the cutting into newly defined area of Quebec to Labrador to along the old border of the Hudson Bay Company, to lake of the Woods, down the Mississippi River across the old border to West Florida back to St. Mary's River.

 By the revolution of 1776, the borders were redefined by the Colonial Governments.  Consequently the interpretation of the the Proclamation Line, which is more a king to the Proclamation Border, is subject to historical qualifications.  Nonetheless this flag is to flown along the borders spelled out on the 1763 October 7th Proclamation of the Privy Council and Royal Authority.  Although, history books blame the King George III for this boxing of Western Frontier, it was government and Privy Council that hand a major hand in making up with historical border.





 Read the 1763 Proclamation Here
 http://www.ushistory.org/us/9a.asp
 Map of Proclamation 1763 - Issued in 1763
http://www.mapsofpa.com/18thcentury/1763gentmag.jpg 

Music Credit: (direct)
https://www.bensound.com/index.php?route=product/search&search=summer&sort=relevance&order=DESC
 (main webpage!)
https://www.bensound.com

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.