some simple question about transistor flip flops

[wanna_eat_1kg_of_elecons]

Hello i am playing with transistor flip flops like this one:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Transistor_Bistable.svg



(1)I was wondering, sometimes you see an additional resistor between the base and the ground. Why is that?

(2)Is there a best way to force a state when starting up a circuit containing the flip flop? Like you turn the power on and want to predict that the flip flop is always set to begin with? It wouldn't be nice if there is a kind of race-condition. With a sometimes set and a sometimes reset flipflop when you start the circuit.

(3)If the flip flop gets reset, is there a simple way to ensure that the flip flop stays reset for a few seconds even when the power is removed and the power is put back again?

thanks in advance.

 

[alec_t]

a) To assist the transistors to turn off, resulting in steeper pulse edges.
b) Yes. Connect a capacitor between one base and ground.
c) Yes. Use a high value capacitor to back-up the usual supply voltage.