#code hemophilia

[gamesatwork]

e438 — We will always have Paris

VR, Quest 3, photorealism, artists using Nightshade for data poisoning to protect their works, code hemophilia from recursive training on synthetic data, Dutchification and much more!

Photo by Rodrigo Kugnharski on Unsplash Published 30 October 2023 Michael, Michael and Andy get together for a lively discussion on VR, AI, another virtual museum and end on a high note with “a touch of Dutch” applied via generative AI.   Starting off the episode with VR, the co-hosts explore a couple of articles dealing with the new Quest 3 headset and ways of working with it.  The TechCrunch…

[pokemoncenter]

Hey I got a question, have you ever seen sever genetic mutations in pokemon? Like ones that required intensive treatment to remedie?

I'm asking cause I've got one that had to go through that and was wondering how often it happens

Yes. Pokemon are rather... prone, one might say, to genetic conditions. The way their genetic code activates during evolution can cause strange side-effects, including dormant mutations activating. This is the leading cause of acquired hemophilia in Pokemon.

[plasmapaychart]

2025 BioLife Plasma Pay Chart: How Much Does BioLife Pay You for Donating Plasma?

Ever thought about how you could change someone’s life and make some extra money at the same time? So if you're looking to help your community, plasma donation is an awesome way, and BioLife Plasma Services is one of the biggest names in the game. If you want to know how much you can earn in 2025, you have come to the right place! This blog will be a deep dive into the BioLife Plasma Pay Chart, 2025, exploring everything from base payments to bonuses, and promo codes. Whether you are donating for the first time or regularly, this guide will assist you in doing so in a way where your earnings are maximized while contributing towards a noble cause. Let’s get started!

What is Plasma Donation, and Why Is BioLife Paying You?

Before we get into the details of the BioLife Plasma Pay Chart, here’s why it’s a thing in the first place. Plasma, the liquid portion of your blood, is teeming with proteins that medical companies use to manufacture life-saving treatments for diseases such as immune disorders and hemophilia. BioLife acquires this plasma from donors like you and I, and in turn, they reimburse us for our time and investment.

Here’s how: Last month, my buddy Sarah figured she’d get some plasma donation out of the system. She would walk into a BioLife center, donate for about an hour, walk out with $50 in her pocket — and the satisfaction of knowing she had helped someone in need. And that’s the beauty of it: not only are you earning money; you’re making an impact.

What is the BioLife Salary for 2025? The Basics

So, what are some realistic salary expectations? BioLife Plasma Pay Chart 2025 — how Much Does BioLife Pay for plasma? In general, BioLife pays $20 to $50 for each donation, and more through promotions and loyalty programs.

For routine donors, the pay structure usually looks like this: Your initial donation for the week might land you $20, and your second $50, because BioLife allows for two donations every seven days. That means $70 a week — or $280 a month — just for a few hours of your time. Not bad, right?

New Donors: A Big Payday Opportunity

If you’re new to BioLife you are in for the treat. In 2025, new donor plasma pay chart will try to hook you in. Depending on trends at any given moment and whether new donors take advantage of promotions, many are earning up to $800 to $1,200 in their first month, based on completing a certain number of donations — typically eight — during a defined period of time.

My cousin Mike is a case in point. He enrolled in early 2025 after noticing a BioLife promo code on the Internet. In this case, his pay schedule was $100 for his first donation, $130 for his second and so on, adding up to $900 by his eighth visit. “It was like the Netflix snack binge paid gig, but a little less unhealthy,” he laughed. That’s the type of earning potential we’re discussing!

Understanding the BioLife Plasma Pay Chart 2025

Let’s get specific. Based on industry insights and historical data, here is a simplified/ example of what the BioLife Plasma Pay Chart 2025 looks like:

New Donors: First Donation $50–$100

Repeat Donations (New Donor Bonus): $95–$130 per visit (up to 8 donations)

Established Donors (Weekly): $20–$50 for the original gift, $50–$80 for the second

Monthly Total (Regular Donors): $ 200 — $ 400

Note that these figures can vary based on your local BioLife center and current promotions. And for details which are the most accurate, visit you the official chart from PlasmaPayChart. com.

Factors That Affect Your Pay

Why the range? How much you earn depends on several factors:

Donor Weight: Larger donors can donate more plasma, which translates into higher compensation most of the time. Now, BioLife, the plasma donation company, has this weight chart that determines the payout based on your weight.

Location: Centers in high-demand areas such as Texas may offer better rates.

Promotions: Many clinics — like BioLife, for example — offer special deals for repeat donors; these promotions can add a lot to your total earnings.

BioLife Rewards Program Pay Chart: More than Just Donor Dollars

If you stay with BioLife long-term, the BioLife Rewards program pay chart adds to the deal. It rewards you with points on each donation, which you can redeem for gift cards, utility cash credited on your Biolife debit card, and even charitable donations.

Last year, I met Lisa, a frequent donor who had been doing it for six months. She explained how her app works: 1,250 points earned from two donations a week. She exchanged them for a $50 Amazon gift card. “It’s sort of like a little reward for doing something that I do anyway,” she said. In 2025, be on the lookout for similar goodies, with points proportionate to the frequency of your donations.

Earn More with BioLife Promo Codes and Coupons

Here’s what gets crazy: With BioLife promo codes and coupons, you can pump up the earnings. Such offers tend to come up year-round, especially for new and returning donors. For instance:

Referral Coupon 2025: Get up to $1,200 worth of codes in your 30-day enrollment period after signing up as a new investor like “DONOR1200.”

Returning Donor Bonus: Earn an extra $1,000 spread out over eight donations with a BioLife coupon such as “RETURN1000.”

If you want to catch these deals, go to PlasmaPayChart. com or sign up for BioLife’s newsletter. Pro scouting tip: Look up Reddit threads like “BioLife Plasma Pay Chart Reddit,” where real-time updates from real-life donors can be found.

How to Use a BioLife Promo Code

It’s simple! When Sarah redeemed her first BioLife promo code, she did the following:

Discovered an online code

And had made her appointment through the BioLife app.

Applied the code during checkout or displayed it at the center.

Booyah, she walked out with extra cash loaded on her BioLife debit card.

Real-Life Earnings: What Donors Say

Community voice: Covid vaccine booster should not be mandatory “I made $850 in my first month at BioLife in 2024, and I’m expecting even better promos in 2025,” one poster on Reddit wrote. One added, “Returning donor pay is consistent at $70 a week, but the $1,000 coupon for eight donations is what gets me back.”

These narratives are consistent with industry data. A plasma donation report in 2023 found that centers such as BioLife responsiveness increased payouts 10–15% annually due to demand. If that trend persists, 2025 could be a big year for donors.

Is It Worth It? The Pros and Cons

Pros

Steady Income: Up to $400 a month for veterans, $1,200 for newcomers

Help Others: Your plasma literally saves lives — how cool is that?

Flexible Schedule: One donation two times/week, for example

Cons

Each session lasts 1–2 hours, including screening.

Physical Toll: You’ll need to remain hydrated and healthy enough to qualify.

For Mike, the advantages outweighed the disadvantages. “I used that first-month bonus to pay off my credit card,” he told me. “Now I just spend the extra money.”

Maximize the BioLife Pay with Expert Tips

How to be well aware of BioLife Plasma Pay Chart 2025? Here’s what the pros suggest:

Give Twice a Week: The Second Donation Usually Pays More

Search for Coupons: Sites such as PlasmaPayChart. Search engines like google.

Be Healthy: Drink water and eat — healthy donors are eligible for bigger volumes and pay.

“Consistency is key.” adds Dr. Jane Carter, plasma donation expert. Regular donors not only take home more, but they also buoy the supply chain for lifesaving therapies.”

Conclusion: What You Should Do Next

BioLife Plasma Pay Chart 2025: Everything You Need to Know to Make Extra Money While Doing Good Whether you’re in it for that new donor bonus or relying on BioLife Rewards program pay chart, there’s something for all. Ready to start? Visit your closest BioLife center and pick up a BioLife coupons from PlasmaPayChart.com, and find out how much you can earn. Who knows? You might even pay for your next vacation — or save a life in the process.

What’s your plan? I’d love to hear your plasma donation story, so drop a comment below!

[itsthesiliconreview]

Biotech Companies to Watch: Leading the Next Healthcare Breakthrough

By leading advancements that address some of the most critical medical challenges, the biotechnology sector is transforming healthcare. Biotech companies have the capacity to provide formerly unthinkable life-changing treatments due to advancements in fields like gene therapy, immunotherapy, and personalized medicine. As we look toward the future, it is certain that the biotech industry has the potential for ground-breaking discoveries that will completely transform healthcare as we look to the future.

Emerging Trends in the Biotech Industry

The biotech sector continues to evolve and several key trends are influencing the future of healthcare. Understanding these trends in the biotech industry could offer valuable insights for investors, professionals, and patients about the next phase of innovations.

Gene Therapy and Editing:

Gene therapy has become one of the industry's most promising areas. Scientists are able to fix abnormalities that lead to illnesses like hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and muscular dystrophy by modifying a patient's genetic code. This technology has been explored by top companies, and clinical studies have generated remarkable outcomes.

Powerful gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 is also gaining popularity as a means of treating hereditary diseases by fixing broken genes. These discoveries have led to an important shift in the way diseases are treated, enabling the treatment of conditions that were previously incurable.

Immunotherapy for Cancer:

In recent years, immunotherapy—a treatment that uses the body's immune system to fight cancer—has become very popular. Many biotech companies have developed treatments which activate immune cells to specifically target and eliminate cancerous cells. Patients with cancer who were previously thought to be terminally ill now have hope due to the development of novel treatments like CAR-T cell therapy.

Artificial Intelligence and Drug Discovery:

The development of new treatments is progressing faster because of the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug discovery. Compared to traditional methods, AI systems can identify potential medication candidates more quickly by analyzing large datasets. This reduces the time it takes to produce new drugs and reduces associated expenses, which allows the entry of smaller biotech startups into the market.

Leading businesses in this field are using AI to develop new treatments for conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, for which there are currently few options.

Bio-manufacturing and Sustainability:

Sustainability is beginning to take lead role in the biotechnology industry. Bio-manufacturing helps businesses in developing more environmentally friendly solutions by using biological systems to produce items like proteins and enzymes. This includes everything, even biofuels and biodegradable plastics. Major biotech businesses are researching how their discoveries could contribute to a more sustainable future as the world struggles with environmental issues.

Biotechnology Market Growth and Investment Opportunities

The biotechnology industry is growing at a fast pace due to both public and private funding. The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light the vital role that biotechnology plays in creating vaccines and treatments, which in turn caused an increase in funding for research and development. Increasing numbers of investors are seeing the biotech industry as a promising field, and many are funding startups that are developing new treatments.

Industry reports predict that between 2023 and 2028, the global biotechnology market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5%. Personalized medical developments, more government financing, and increasing demand for biologics and biosimilars are some major factors contributing to this rapid development.

Top Biotech Companies Leading Healthcare Innovations

Several leading biotech firms have proven themselves as experts in the field of healthcare innovation. These firms are at the center of developing innovative therapies that have the ability to completely change the field of medicine.

Moderna

Moderna, well-known for its role in creating the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, is a shining example of how biotechnology can transform the medical field. The company is developing medicines for a variety of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and rare genetic disorders, using its mRNA platform. Moderna is positioning itself as a champion in the field of personalized medicine with a network of modern therapies.

Gilead Sciences

Gilead has made major developments in antiviral therapies, particularly in the treatment of HIV and hepatitis C. Antiviral therapy has advanced significantly thanks to Gilead, especially in the treatment of hepatitis C and HIV. The company continues to innovate new ideas in the fields of immunology and cancer, concentrating on developing treatments that improve the quality of life of those who suffer from long-term illnesses. Its status as the leader in biotech advancements in healthcare has been strengthened by its acquisition of Kite Pharma, a company that specializes in CAR-T cell treatment.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

Regeneron is known for its groundbreaking work in monoclonal antibodies, which have been used to treat a range of diseases from macular degeneration to cancer. The company's focus on genetics-based medication discovery has led to the development of treatments that specifically target pathways involved in the progression of disease. Regeneron is in the lead for developing treatments that meet unmet medical needs

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex offers treatments that target the disease's underlying cause rather than merely its symptoms, and it has had great success treating cystic fibrosis. Additionally, the company is researching CRISPR and other gene editing methods to treat other genetic disorders.

Biotechnology Startups to Watch

While many renowned biotechnology companies are making the headlines, a number of emerging entrepreneurs are gaining attention for their creative approaches to healthcare.

Beam Therapeutics

Base editing is a new method of gene editing developed by Beam Therapeutics. Base editing allows precise modifications to individual letters of the genetic code, in contrast to conventional CRISPR that breaks the DNA strand.  This technology offers a new therapeutic alternative by correcting the mutations that cause genetic diseases.

Sana Biotechnology

Sana is focusing on developing drugs using engineered cells. With the development of therapies capable of replacing or repairing damaged tissues and organs, the company gives hope to patients suffering from ailments like diabetes and heart disease. Sana is swiftly rising to the top of the regenerative medicine field with its extensive lineup of cell-based therapies.

Verve Therapeutics

Verve is developing one-time gene-editing treatments for treating heart problems. Verve aims to provide patients at risk of heart attacks and strokes long-term remedies by treating the underlying genetic causes of high cholesterol. The treatment of cardiovascular disease could be completely transformed by this unique approach.

Companies of all sizes are pushing the limits of what is achievable in healthcare as the biotech industry undergoes an era of change. Biotech companies in the healthcare industry are at the forefront of developing medicines that can save lives, from gene editing and immunotherapy to AI-driven drug discovery.

FAQs

What are the top trends in the biotech industry? The top trends include gene therapy, immunotherapy, AI in drug discovery, and bio-manufacturing for sustainability.

Which biotech companies are leading healthcare innovations? Moderna, Gilead Sciences, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals are some of the leaders.

What are some emerging biotech startups to watch? Beam Therapeutics, Sana Biotechnology, and Verve Therapeutics are notable biotech startups developing cutting-edge therapies.

How is AI impacting biotech innovation? AI is accelerating drug discovery by analyzing large datasets to identify potential drug candidates faster and more cost-effectively.

Why is the biotech sector growing so rapidly? The rapid growth is due to advancements in personalized medicine, increased funding, and a rising demand for biologics and biosimilars.

For the more information at www.thesiliconreview.com

[tushar38]

Gene Therapy: Overcoming Challenges in Delivering Therapeutic Genes

Gene Therapy is a groundbreaking approach in medical science that aims to treat or even cure diseases by modifying or manipulating an individual's genetic material. This innovative field leverages the ability to alter the genetic code to address the root causes of genetic disorders, rather than just alleviating symptoms. The fundamental goal of gene therapy is to correct or replace defective genes that cause disease, offering the potential for long-term solutions and, in some cases, complete cures.

At its core, gene therapy involves delivering therapeutic genes into a patient's cells to correct genetic defects. This can be achieved through various methods, including the use of viral vectors, which are engineered to deliver genetic material into target cells. For instance, adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) and lentiviruses are commonly used vectors due to their efficiency in gene delivery and ability to integrate into the host genome with minimal immune response.

One of the most significant applications of gene therapy has been in treating rare genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and certain types of inherited blindness. For example, in recent years, gene therapy has shown promising results in treating inherited retinal diseases, where therapeutic genes are introduced into the eye to restore vision. Similarly, the development of gene therapies for hemophilia involves delivering genes that encode clotting factors directly into patients’ liver cells, thereby enabling the production of these essential proteins and reducing the need for regular infusions of clotting factor concentrates.

Cancer treatment is another area where gene therapy has made substantial strides. Researchers are exploring ways to modify a patient’s immune cells to better recognize and attack cancer cells. One approach, known as CAR-T cell therapy, involves engineering a patient’s T-cells to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that specifically target cancer cells. This technique has shown remarkable success in treating certain types of leukemia and lymphoma.

Despite its potential, gene therapy faces several challenges. One major hurdle is ensuring the precise delivery of therapeutic genes to the correct cells without causing unintended effects. Additionally, there are concerns about the long-term safety of gene therapies, including potential risks of immune reactions or unintended genetic modifications. Regulatory bodies are continuously working to address these concerns by establishing rigorous safety and efficacy standards.

Ethical considerations also play a crucial role in gene therapy. The potential for germline editing—modifying genes in sperm or eggs—raises questions about the implications for future generations and the potential for creating genetic modifications with unforeseen consequences. Ongoing debates and discussions among scientists, ethicists, and policymakers are essential in navigating these complex issues.

Overall, gene therapy represents a transformative advancement in medicine, offering new hope for patients with genetic disorders and chronic diseases. As technology continues to evolve and research progresses, gene therapy holds the promise of revolutionizing how we approach the treatment and prevention of a wide range of conditions, ultimately leading to more effective and personalized healthcare solutions.

[securemso]

A Comprehensive Guide For Hematology Medical Billing And Coding

What is Hematology Medical Billing and Coding?

Hematology is a branch of medical science that specifically examines the blood and blood-forming organs. In other words, it studies the working of bone marrow and other blood-related disorders. As far as Hematology medical billing and coding is concerned, it includes all practices for translating Hematological procedures into standard codes. These codes are submitted by healthcare providers to insurance providers for claim reimbursement. Hematological assessments mean identifying particular diseases. It focuses on hemophilia, anemia, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia, lymphomas, and various infections.

Hematological conditions can be categorized into two groups: malignant and nonmalignant blood disorders. Nonmalignant blood disorders focus on hemoglobinopathies. This includes thalassemia, sickle-cell anemia, and coagulopathies such as hemophilia. On the other hand, Hematological Malignant deals with the uncontrolled growth of cells present in the blood.

Read More...

Ready to optimize your revenue cycle? Partner with Secure MSO for seamless medical billing solutions. Maximize reimbursements and minimize denials today. Contact us for a free consultation!

This Blog was initially posted at Secure MSO On November 9, 2023.

[callsigndreadfrost]

Got a few more and extending on some others.

His code name is Reaper. There's a few reasons for this. It's kind of a play on the fact that he's one of the field medics. I'm a huge SoA fan and Reaper Crew just sounds badass. He's an edgelord sometimes lol.

Loves to play video games in his spare time. Is a total try hard but loves to help and isn't an asshole about it.

When it comes to video games and TTRPGs he loooooooves playing support.

His hemophilia b is moderate. He has 1% of FIX (Factor IX) in his blood. He's a very heavy and prolonged bleeder. He uses recombinant clotting factor products as treatment for it specifically BeneFix.

Like I said he hates using glasses and avoids them at all cost opting to use contacts but when he's forced to for whatever reason he gets a lil cranky.

His tree nut allergy is so severe that if he kisses someone that ate something with tree nuts in it he gets a reaction from it.

Doesn't know how to flirt. Hell, he can't even tell when someone's flirting with him, he's extremely oblivious to it.

Cusses like crazy. He means no offense by this, it's just natural for him.

Is really fucking good at giving massages. Will happily do it for anyone.

Due to nerve damage he doesn't have much feeling on his right calf. Has a pretty nasty scar from the back of his knee to his heel.

His very favorite color is gray, all shades of gray. He thinks gray is the most peaceful color.

When he was little up until he joined Oracle he loved tending to and helping his mom with her medicinal garden.

Whenever he visits his parents back home he likes to go to the hospital where his mom works, pick her up and buys lunch for both and then go for coffee.

Coffee addict.

Still got Loke on the brain so here's a random list of faqs of my good boy. Oracle version.

He's left-handed.

Jelani was the first one to call him Lo and Loki. It was when he was first starting to talk and Loke was a bit difficult to pronounce. At first it was kind of a "low-ee" sound that progressed to Loki and then to Loke but the nicknames stuck ever since.

He's genderqueer and uses he/him and they/them. Either is fine with him.

He's queer. He used to use gay but felt it a bit restrictive and not right for him plus his mom uses queer so he went with queer. Men and male presenting are what he's attracted to.

The woman that birthed him tried to drown him when he was a week old. She took him to a river near the village and submerged him but luckily someone had stopped her. She ran away as they desperately tried to get him to start breathing again. He was fine.

Speaking of that woman, as of 2023 she is still alive and has on numerous occasions tried to approach him. She spoke to Sanaa once and asked if she could talk to him but Sanaa said that was Loke's decision. He wants absolutely NOTHING to do with her. Unfortunately he was told she tried to drown him and that caused a ton of drama and a bit of a trauma.

He bled to death once. He was run through with a bastard sword (I'd explain more but it's spoiler for something I'm currently writing).

His favorite animals are birds, foxes, and dogs.

He's afraid of cats. When he was little he used to feed some birds that hung around the village and one day he saw a cat kill and eat one of the birds.

He had a fiancé when he was 39 years old. He was killed during a raid. What no one except for Sanaa knew was that the fiancé was pregnant (trans) when he died. Obviously it was Loke's. That's a secret his mom's gonna take to her grave.

He has hemophilia, asthma, is far sighted, has seasonal allergies and is V E R Y allergic to tree nuts. Like one bite will either land him in the ER or the morgue.

Because of said hemophilia he will get random bruises anywhere in the body, his mouth will sometimes bleed, may cough blood, might bleed into his joints (apparently that's super painful), and yes, has had blood in his urine. All of these are really rare though.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaates using glasses so mostly sticks to using contacts.

I associate him with foxes (sable) and shiba inus.

The element I associate him with is lightning/thunder.

He's a Nordic berserker.

Speaking of, normally berserkers cannot use magic especially while in berserker mode. The only exception to that rule are the Nyota berserkers which are called arcanist berserkers. Sanaa is one of those specific berserkers. Ever since he was like 5 he wanted to learn to use magic like Sanaa does because he wanted to be just like his mom. Sanaa wasn't sure he would be able to learn what she was trying to teach him but she indulged him nonetheless.

It took years but Loke actually managed to learn how to pull off one of the Nyota's signature moves. Enchanting an arrow and firing it directly into the sky and exploding into hundreds or thousands of shards falling into the battlefield. He was also taught how to summon an element which in his case was lightning. He can have lightning wrapped around himself or a weapon. So far he's the only non-arcanist berserker to ever achieve this.

The man is stubborn as fuck all.

His chosen weapons as a berserker are a two headed axe and a bow and arrows (he chose a bow because his mom uses a bow).

During the early 2000s he and his mom enrolled in the same university to study medicine. They both graduated top of their class and did their residency at the same hospital. However, Sanaa got her license and is currently a doctor back home in Norway. Loke finished everything but went back to Oracle. He has that to fall back on whenever he chooses to retire from Oracle. He puts his medical knowledge to good use in the area of operations (the ao) and out of it tho.

Has adult separation anxiety. Technically speaking so does Jelani (only Angelus knows this but the rest suspect Jelani has it too). Neither can be separated for long periods of time. They start panicking when separated from each other for long periods of time.

His body count (like actual body count, not how many men he's had sex with) is disturbingly high. Disturbingly. High. He's very overprotective of the people he loves and will not hesitate to put two bullets into someone's skull and keep going as if nothing happened.

His favorite fruit is the mango. He really loves mangoes.

Favorite food is pizza.

Knows 13 languages: old Norse, Kiswahili, Xhosa, English, Lule Sámi, Norwegian, German, Icelandic, Faroese, Spanish, Setswana, Somali and Manyika. Basically the same languages Jelani knows.

Has a nicotine addiction and smokes. Not as much as he used to but he does.

Normally when berserkers are in berserker mode their irises tend to have a glow. However, Loke's sclera and irises turn red and no, it ain't normal. [No explanation due to spoilers].

He can sing and I do mean sing really good. He and Abigail often sing together by themselves. Abby loves to sing in front of others but Loke's shy about it. Everyone tells him he has a lovely voice though and he shouldn't feel shy about it.

If you wanna get technical about it Sanaa is his stepmother and Jelani is his half brother but he only ever refers to Sanaa as his mom and Jelani as his brother. He leaves out the step and the half. One of the worst ways you could possibly insult him is by calling Sanaa his stepmom and Jelani his half brother. Do that and you're instantly on his shit list forever, unless it wasn't intentional, just make sure you never do it again. Do it again and the ass kicking that follows will make your ancestors bleed.

He's a highly trained counter-sniper. He's also pretty good with a sniper. Trevor trained him. As it stands he's the second best sniper in all of Oracle.

He's extremely effective with any weapon he gets his hands on, he's also very accurate. If he missed it's because he wanted to.

He's ridiculously fast at drawing and firing weapons.

He's basically a human (no, he's not human, you know what I mean) lie detector. He can accurately tell when someone is lying.

He also makes an excellent double agent.

He's the only one who can tell when Jelani is lying.

According to tradition he was the next in line to be jarl. The position usually falls on the oldest child of the jarl's. However, he isn't one for such matters so he gave his position to Jelani who was, in his honest opinion, better suited for the role as he's proven to be a natural leader.

He is a very, very, very heavy sleeper. You literally have to shake him awake. Also it takes him like mere seconds to fall asleep.

He has 10 alarms on his phone cuz he sure as fuck ain't gonna hear the first 5.

He's super lazy.

He is the first and only non-Nyota to be a Warden.

He's 22 years older than Jelani.

He's the same age as his aunt Fae (Sanaa's sister).

When Jelani was born Loke basically turned into a third parent. It wasn't forced, he loved taking care of and looking after his baby brother. It was practically love at first sight.

He loves both of his parents but he's very attached to his mom.

Has three false right bottom molars. Hammer to the face.

Has two pet pigeons (Anga & Mvua) and a German Shepherd (Lyn).

Hates reading. Please don't make him read, it makes his brain cry.

Hates exercising. Has to be dragged to do it.

His ID number is 00-2144.

His favorite season is fall.

Likes the beach but the beach does not like him. He doesn't tan, he burns.

He kinda stopped physically aging. Sanaa noticed this long ago but isn't sure of what's going on so she's kept it to herself just in case.

After a certain event [can't say due to spoilers] Loke can't actually really die. He might die for a few minutes to an hour depending on the severity of the injury but he'll always come back. The only way he'll permanently die is if Jelani dies. [Again, not explaining bc of spoilers]. He'll scar like normal berserkers do though or lose limbs if not careful. No one is aware of this, not even him or Jelani.

During the "God Virus" story when Jelani loses total control because of the virus Loke sort of lost control. Sort of. [Spoilers. Can't explain yet]

He belongs to Uthorim.

Wants to have kids someday.

Is a hugger. He loves to hug. Unless the person isn't comfortable with it. Is also a cuddler when sleeping.

As a sort of "easter egg" all of Loke's au versions have all au versions of Iain try to kill him or manage to injure him in some way.

Is actually really good with kids. He often babysits for others as well as driving down to New York to babysit for his aunt Fae. Yes, it's a 10 hour drive. No, he doesn't give a fuck.

Sleeps with a shirt on. Just a shirt.

Like his brother he's into metal.

[patricia-von-arundel]

Man, some folks need to read a book or two on the history of medicine.

Try Roy Porter, Carole Rawcliffe, or Steven Cherry. There are also great articles often available for free on Pubmed. If not, email the first author - they'll get it to you.

(Hey, did you know the debate about whether consciousness was stored in the heart or the brain continued until the 18th century? And that the father of neuroscience, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, lived until the 1930s? That an understanding of Mendelian genetic inheritance in humans - an "inborn error of metabolism" - was postulated based on a family in London with Alkaptonuria, aka "black urine disease," and that that research was not published until 1902 (by Archibald Garrod). Between 1902 and the present, basically everything we know about chromosomal-level genetic inheritance and mutation was discovered? Did you know that the reason calico and tortoiseshell cats are always female is due to the presence of Barr bodies, which is an inactive X chromosome, and this can also be seen in humans, including in males with Klinefelter Syndrome [XXY] and in sterile male calico/tortoiseshell cats? And that even more rarely, a male calico/tortie is not sterile?)

(Do you know why the Hippocratic Oath is called the Hippocratic Oath? Who Galen is? The age of the oldest known eyeglasses? The four humors, and what they were believed to represent? Why medicine stagnated during the first few centuries of Christian dominance in Europe? What the link is between sickle cell anemia and resistance to malaria? What is the modern treatment for bubonic plague? Who Phineas Gage was? What animal Luigi Galvani used to study the role of electricity in neural connections? Who frickin' Rosalind Franklin is???)

Seeing that post about arguing against there not being enough research into hormonal and surgical treatments for trans men and women... Man. That one hurt my head.

Since 1990, we've learned how to keep HIV all but dormant and to stop it passing from a parent to child. Chemotherapy for cancer treatment was first developed in the 1940s, and radiation is actually older than chemotherapy. Hemophilia B can be treated now quite simply by injections and transfusions to introduce Factor IX, a clotting factor, when before the 1950s it was a death sentence. The structure of DNA wasn't discovered until 1953 - now, students in basic biology labs can play around with splicing and inserting sequences into genetic codes!

My point is... a lot of what we understand about medicine has, for various reasons, only become established and accepted in the last 200 years or so. And with gene therapy, it's likely to explode again.

Read up on the history of medicine. Especially if you question its use in certain people to help them physically become who their conscious mind knows they are. You might learn something!

And honestly, the history of medicine is insanely grim-and-gross fun. If you're into that. 😉 The Mütter Museum is also out there!

[tiktaalic]

doingblood bank which means doing blood typing which means oh you know ; ) and unfortunately i keep getting distracted during my lecture by thinking about the fantasy genetics of omegaverse. a and b are inherited proteins that can be expressed co-dominantly and o is an absence of protein which does noooot make sense with omegaverse because you would assume extra differentiation of secondary sexual characteristics would be coded for with extra proteins rather than a lack of proteins... it’s like how human embryos all start out the same way and have to have a hormone/chromosomal trigger to differentiate... so assuming inheritance patterns are analogous to real world inheritance patterns aa is homozygous orientation 1 bb homozygous orientation 2 oo homozygous orientation 3. so instead of an a/b/o system it’s probably better conceptualized as protein1/protein2/no protein system just so that there’s not confusion b/ween irl o (no protein) fantasy o (definitely has proteins.) but that still leaves a big pot of heterozygous combinations and. i think. okay.

P1P1: homozygous alpha

P2P2:  homozygous omega (recessive trait)

NPNP: beta (lack of expression)

P1P2, P2P1: beta? or maybe alpha if we assume that’s the dominant trait. yeah alpha.

P1NP: heterozygous alpha bc there’s only one allele present that actually codes

P2NP: ok i think this would be beta because you need 2 recessive alleles for it to show up and there’s. not that. which would make this beta again.

which is 3/6 alpha 2/6 beta 1/6 omega. which. i think. works? there’s also the matter of whether or not it’s a sex linked trait . which was what my original question was before i got sidetracked.

anyway. my question: do you think in omegaverse omegas are very susceptible to hemophilia a

[spectrumdiversitycommunitycenter]

Today in LGBTQ+ History

August 26

(1904) Christopher Isherwood, an English-American novelist is born. He is best-known for his semi-autobiographical novellas entitled The Berlin Stories.

(1929) Openly gay American businessman Chuck Renslow is born. Renslow pioneered homoerotic photography in the mid-1900s, and was the founder of the International Mr. Leather Competition, Gold Coast Bar, Chicago's August White Party, and the magazines Triumph, Rawhide, and Mars.

(1952) Openly gay American actor Michael Jeter is born. Some of his films include Sister Act 2, Patch Adams, Air Bud, The Green Mile, and The Polar Express. He died at age 50 after suffering an epileptic seizure.

(1969) Changes to Canada's criminal code decriminalized any sexual act among consent adults age 21 and over, including same-sex relations.

(1976) Renee Richards, a transgender tennis player who underwent gender affirmation surgery in 1975, is barred from playing in the US Women's Open.

(1981) California governor Jerry Brown appoints Mary C. Morgan, the first openly lesbian judge in the United States, to the San Francisco Municipal Court.

(1985) Ryan White, who had hemophilia and contracted HIV as a result of a tainted treatment, is banned from attending public schools on account of his HIV-positive status. When a court overturned this decision, he was made to use a separate bathroom and plastic utensils. He and his family were subject to public ridicule and death threats, so they ended up moving.

(1986) Jerry Smith of the Washington Redskins becomes the first professional athlete to come forward about having AIDS. He had never come out about his homosexuality before then, though his teammates knew and were supportive.

(1993) 1. The United States Secretary of Defense Les Aspin releases a study conducted by the Rand Corporation that concludes that the ban on lesbians and gays in the military can be lifted without consequence.

2. Federal District Court Judge Aldon Anderson of Utah announces he would strike down a proposed law preventing people with AIDS from marrying.

(1995) Homophobic Republican presidential candidate Robert Dole's campaign announces they are returning a $1000 donation from the Log Cabin Federation. They also condemned the gay and lesbian Republican organization, saying it has “a specific political agenda that’s fundamentally at odds” with Dole's.

[tcm]

All Persons Fictitious: The Royal Lawsuit That Created a Disclaimer By Jessica Pickens

Their legacy still glows with myths and speculation. The Romanovs, the last royal family of Russia, have been the focus of films and television shows for 100 years following their execution in 1918. Several fictional stories speculate about what happened to the family. Some focus on a royal family member still living after escaping the execution, and other stories focus on the bizarre figure of “the mad monk” Rasputin.

The 1930s pre-Code RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS (‘32) added to the speculation of Rasputin and the resulting lawsuits from the film have left a lasting impact on the film industry. The plot of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s film focuses on the relationship between Empress Alexandra and Rasputin, who seemingly could cure the young Tsarevich Alexei of his hemophilia illness. Meanwhile, Rasputin works his power over the royal family to gain power in Russia.

RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS starred acting royalty: siblings Lionel, Ethel and John Barrymore. It is the only film the three Barrymores starred in together and was Ethel’s first talking picture. Lionel played Rasputin, Ethel played Empress Alexandra and John played the so-called fictional character, Prince Paul Chegodieff. The siblings were flanked by Ralph Morgan as Tsar Nicholas and Tad Alexander as Tsarevich Alexei in the supporting cast.

The story highlighted Rasputin’s wild reputation of parties and women. To add shock value to the film, producer Bernard Hyman included a scene of Rasputin attacking Princess Natasha, played by Diana Wynyard. The film ends with Prince Paul Chegodieff killing Rasputin in the storied manner, including poison, gun shots and stabbings.

Though Tsar Nicholas, Empress Alexandra, their four daughters and son were killed on July 17, 1918, many members of the royal family and Russian nobility were still living when the film was released on December 23, 1932.

Fictional names were created for several characters and they are identified or labeled as “fictional character” in the opening credits. These characters include:

• Prince Paul Chegodieff played by John Barrymore

• Princess Natasha played by Diana Wynyard

• Grand Duke Igor played by C. Henry Gordon

• Doctor Remezov played by Edward Arnold

While these characters were noted to be fiction, members of the royal family recognized themselves in the plot. This included husband and wife nobles Prince Felix Yusupov and Princess Irina Romanoff Youssoupoff, who were compared to Prince Paul and Princess Natasha.

The New York Times film critic Mordaunt Hall also recognized the real life figures too in his December 24, 1932, review: “Mr. Boleslavsky has worked out his episodes in an impressive fashion, particularly the fight between Prince Chegodieff, as Prince Youssoupoff is known here, and the "Mad" Monk and the subsequent killing of Rasputin.”

Prince Felix and Princess Irina each sued for the similarities between themselves and the characters. Prince Felix sued MGM in 1932, saying that “the incidents surrounding the historic drama and the manner and method of the killing of Rasputin were neither fair nor true,” according to the book Rasputin in Hollywood by David Napley.

Then in March 1933, Princess Irina pursued a $2 million lawsuit against MGM; saying that the character of Princess Natasha was a thinly disguised impersonation of herself. Princess Irina said that the film’s plot humiliated her internationally and the damages she suffered were “incalculable,” demanding that MGM withdraw the film from public exhibition, according to an The Associated Press article written February 28, 1934.

Prince Felix’s lawsuit was dropped, because he couldn’t claim damages simply because the way Rasputin was murdered wasn’t the same way he carried out the murder. However, Princess Irina’s lawsuit yielded results.

For one, Princess Natasha’s rape was edited out of the film, resulting in the issue that conversations had later in the story along with Rasputin’s hypnotic power over Princess Natasha no longer make sense in the plot. Secondly, the lawsuit resulted in a disclaimer that was added to films and television shows ever since: "This motion picture is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental."

Prince Felix Yusupov’s story was later told again in the 1967 film J'ai tué Raspoutine (I Killed Rasputin), but this time with his approval. Prince Felix approved the script and was interviewed in the film’s introduction.

[plasmapaychart]

BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200: Make Money While Saving Lives

It’s like walking into a BioLife Plasma center for the first time: a second nervous but excited, fully aware that you’re about to contribute to someone else’s wellbeing—and walking away with a hefty credit as an additional treat. And, that’s precisely what the BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200 gives new plasma donors in 2025. If you’ve been thinking about donating plasma or seeking a lucrative side gig, this promotion might be your golden ticket. So let’s take a look at everything you’ll need to know about this unique opportunity, including how to snag the $1200 BioLife coupon for new donors and what to expect when you go in for your first visit.

Why Plasma Donation Matters

So before we dive into the BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200, let’s start with why plasma donation is a hot topic. Plasma, the liquid component of your blood, is a lifeline for people suffering with conditions like immune disorders, hemophilia and severe burns. The American Red Cross states that a single donation can potentially save the lives of as many as three people. That’s real impact! When you throw in a financial incentive — like BioLife’s $1200 coupon for new donors — you end up with a win-win situation.

I recall speaking to my friend Sarah, who began donating plasma last year. She said, “I was unsure of it at first, but knowing my plasma might go to help someone’s kid or grandmother — it’s humbling.” And the additional cash didn’t hurt!” That’s the kind of story that makes this opportunity very attractive.

What Is the BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200?

So what the heck is this BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200? It’s a promotion from BioLife Plasma Services to greet first-time donors with open arms — and a hefty payout. This coupon can collectively earn you up to $1200 for your first series of donations, usually over eight visits in the first month, all the way through the end of March, 2025. It’s not a one and done deal; BioLife structures it to encourage regularity (which is great for anyone that can commit to a short-term donation schedule).

Head over to BioLifeCoupon. setcleaningservices.com to see the latest information. The site’s a gold mine of promo codes and tips to help you maximize your earnings right out of the gate.

How the $1200 BioLife coupon program works for new donors

Here’s the rundown: BioLife doesn’t just give you $1200 (as nice as it would be) after one visit. Or rather, the payout accumulates over several donations. For example, you might get $90 for your first two visits, $100 for the next few and up to $110 or so as you reach milestones such as your eighth donation. The specific amounts may differ by location, so it’s a good idea to check with your local center or on the BioLife website.

Think of it as a loyalty program — but instead of free coffee, you’re building up big bucks while doing good. Pretty cool, right?

How to Get Your BioLife First-Time Donor Coupon

Ready to jump in? It is simple to claim your BioLife first-time donor coupon. Here’s a how-to guide, step by step, based on what has worked for thousands of donors:

Visit BioLifeCoupon. com: First go to BioLifeCoupon. com. We list the best BioLife first-time donor promo code deals from this site too; $1200 is the current offer!

New Donors: Visit Online or Download the BioLife app to Register You’ll be asked things like your name, email and location.

Search the BioLife coupon new donor (Under the promotions) Save it to your phone or take a screenshot of it — some centers will ask you to show it.

Get Scheduled: Make your initial appointment at a local BioLife center. Tip of the day: Drink plenty of water before you go in — it definitely makes it easier!

Show the Coupon: When you arrive, mention or bring your BioLife first-time donor promo code. They will attach it to your account.

I helped my cousin Jake sign up last month. He called it “surprisingly easy” and was thrilled when his first payment deposited to his BioLife debit card in a matter of hours. That’s the sort of thing you can look forward to.”

BioLife First-Time Donor Checklist: Get Ready

Your first visit can be intimidating, but some preparation helps. Here are tips for preparing to donate for the first time at BioLife:

Valid ID: Bring a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc).

Proof of Address: A utility bill or a lease will do.

Social Security Number: You’ll need this for so that you can process payment.

Hydration: The day before and day of, drink lots of water — 8-10 glasses.

Eat Wisely: 2-3 hours before donation have a healthy meal. Fatty foods are a no-no — they can throw off your eligibility.

Dr. Emily Carter, an expert in plasma donation, told me, “Hydration and nutrition are key. Donors who are well prepared have safer experiences and can spend less time at donation.” That’s advice straight from the pros!

How much does BioLife pay first-time donors?

Interested in the BioLife first-time donor payment? (While the $1200 total is eye-catching, your first visit typically brings you $50-$100, per your city and current promos.) The rest you layer up as you do more donations. For example, you can see that BioLife’s 2025 pay chart (linked on their site) shows newer donors earning through the coupon an average of $800-$1200 in their first month.

Contrast that with the normal rates — returning donors can earn $50-$70 per visit. For new donors, the BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200 makes the offer even sweeter.

Benefits of Donating Your First Donation at BioLife:

That is no accident, BioLife is special. Trusted: With more than 300 centers located worldwide, it has a reputation for safety when it comes to plasma collection. They are part of Takeda, a global biotech leader, which lends them a little cred. Not to mention, their staff is trained to ensure that your experience is as comfortable as possible—from smiling faces to clean facilities to free Wi-Fi while you donate.

“They felt professional but not cold,” Sarah, my plasma-donor pal, said of BioLife. “They explained it all, and I never once felt rushed.” That’s the kind of vibe you want for your first time.

Real-World Benefits from the BioLife $1200 Coupon

Let’s get into some numbers���and stories. In 2024, BioLife claimed to have collected plasma from over 1.5 million donors, much of it on the back of bribes such as the $1200 coupon. That plasma was converted into life-saving therapies for patients around the world. Other donors like Jake spent their earnings using it to pay for everything from rent to gifts for the holidays.

With my first month’s haul, Jake grinned, “I paid off a credit card.” “And I felt good doing it.” It’s practical and purposeful — tough to beat that combo.

How to Get the Most Out of Your BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200

How do you use your $1200 BioLife coupon for new donors to the fullest? Here are some insider tips:

Donate Twice a Week: Under F.D.A. rules, you can donate twice a week (with a day off in between). Passage: Do this to fast track that eight-donation goal.

Follow All Promotions: BioLifeCoupon (updated on BioLife every month) com. You might snag extra bonuses!

Refer Friends: Once you have donated for the first time, you can use BioLife’s referral program to make $50–100 per buddy that also donates.

Consistency is key. Miss a week, and you may lose that $3 to 1200 range.

Is the BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200 Worth It?

Definitely — if you’re eligible and eager. You’ll have to be between 18 and 69 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and pass a health screening. For an hour or so each time you’re earning cash and doing good. The process is safe (needles are sterile, and staff are trained), and side effects are rare — mostly mild dizziness, if you don’t follow the water tip.

For me, it’s a no-brainer. Where else can you transform an hour of your time into hundreds of dollars and the cape of a hero?

Start Your Journey Today

BioLife New Donor Coupon $1200 is more than simply a paycheck—it’s an opportunity to be a part of a community of life-savers. Be it for the money, whether for the mission, or both, your first step is simple: go to BioLifeCoupon.com and score your BioLife first-time donor promo code and book that appointment. Who knows? You may discover yourself addicted to the sensation — and the payoff.

So, what’s stopping you? Join plasma donation with BioLife, and put that $1200 coupon to good use. Your wallet (and someone out there) will appreciate it!

[luxe-pauvre]

The human genome contains billions of pieces of information and around 22,000 genes, but not all of it is, strictly speaking, human. Eight percent of our DNA consists of remnants of ancient viruses, and another 40 percent is made up of repetitive strings of genetic letters that is also thought to have a viral origin. Those extensive viral regions are much more than evolutionary relics: They may be deeply involved with a wide range of diseases including multiple sclerosis, hemophilia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), along with certain types of dementia and cancer. For many years, biologists had little understanding of how that connection worked—so little that they came to refer to the viral part of our DNA as dark matter within the genome. “They just meant they didn’t know what it was or what it did,” explains Molly Gale Hammell, an associate professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. It became evident that the virus-related sections of the genetic code do not participate in the normal construction and regulation of the body. But in that case, how do they contribute to disease? An early clue came from the pioneering geneticist Barbara McClintock, who spent much of her career at CSHL. In the 1940s, long before the decoding of the human genome, she realized that some stretches of our DNA behave like infectious invaders. These DNA chunks can move around through the genome, copying and pasting themselves wherever they see fit, which inspired McClintock to call them “jumping genes.” Her once-controversial idea earned her a Nobel Prize in 1983. Geneticists have since determined that jumping genes originate in the viral portion of the genome. Many of these genes turn out to be benign or even helpful. “But some of the things are full-on parasites,” Hammell says, like infections embedded within our own DNA. All it takes to set these bad actors loose, she is finding, is a slip-up in the body’s mechanisms that normally prevent the genes from jumping around and causing harm.

Carrie Arnold, The Non-Human Living Inside of You

[redwetgrin]

Cassette 1-1

Henry left me his tapes.

I got them today in the mail. They were loose and clacking around like teeth in this damp cardboard box. I didn’t know what I was looking at. At first. 

What a fucking mess.

I knew he was recording things, but I didn’t know what, or how much. Or for how long or - I didn’t know.

I thought there might be a note inside or something, like a message or an instruction. Like he’d tell me what to do, how to fix this. And that’s - that’s crazy. Because this can’t be fixed, right? It can’t be fixed. It can’t be fucking fixed.

Fuck.

I’m going to transcribe them. 

And I’m not much with a typewriter, it’s - probably going to take me forever, and I’ll probably mess it up or something. But it’s - something I can do. And I don’t really want to listen to all this shit - just so you know, it feels gross and invasive and fuck you Henry for making me do this. I don’t want to. I didn’t want these.

But I can’t think of any other reason you would have sent me this unless you wanted me to - listen. And maybe this will give me something to do, something to focus on. Keep my hands busy. Figure out exactly who you were, and what you thought was happening.

Okay. That’s it. This already sounds way too dramatic and more mysterious than it actually is. Because we know the truth, right? I know the truth. Even if I don’t want to admit it (and the truth is I miss you. I know you probably won't ever read this, when would you read this? But I miss you, I miss you. I’m sorry.)

Cassette 1-1

My name is Henry Mitternacht.   I am 35 years old.  I live at 12 Queen Street, Bleakness, Saskatchewan.  It is - what day is it?  February 13th, 1967.  These are facts.  

What else, what else? Mitternacht means midnight. That’s what my mother told me, I don’t speak German, but it sounds right. What reason would she have to lie about something like that, except a potential flair for the dramatic? It’s something she must have given me, perhaps, passed down in her blood like  it was fallen arches or hemophilia.  My mother was an actor once, and a poet.  Before she came here.  People in this town used to look down their noses at her, squint at her through suspicious eyes.  ‘An actress,’ they would say, like any moment she might start screeching Beckett at them.  

Admittedly, that was years ago.  Now she is one of the locals, going to church, knitting blankets for - I don’t know, anyone who needs a blanket.  No one looks at her with suspicion. Now they just look at me.

My father is Ewald.  Was. Ewald. This is important.  He owns ... owned the grocery store on Main Street.  I work there bagging - worked there.  Bagging groceries.  Difficult work, evidently, as I’ve been forced into early retirement. 

Not really. But I am taking some time off to - focus on my health.  I have been - as mother says - unwell.  The sort of ‘unwellness’ that is not discussed in polite company and oh, Bleakness is nothing if not polite.  On the surface anyway. On the surface, all the dirt is swept flat and clean, but take a spade to it, dig down into the black and you will find worms.

I have lived here all the days of my life.  

We used to have a hospital, and I was born with a heart that didn’t want to beat until it finally gave in to pressure and expectation.  The hospital closed soon after, as everything here does.

I’d barely call Bleakness a town, just a cluster of houses and shops on a flat stretch of dark prairie.  They make jokes about the prairies being flat, and Bleakness certainly lives up to the stereotype.  

It is flat like the flat of an axe.  

A string of piano wire or a line of morse code.  

Dot dot dot - dash dash dash - dot dot dot.  Mayday mayday.  

Please.  Send.  Help.

In the winter it is deathly cold and in summer the earth boils and at night the sky is pitch black and the size of the sea. Most people move away if they can, but I - can’t.  It’s my mother, of course, after everything I - don’t want to leave her alone.  She shouldn’t be alone, not here.

I am speaking to you now - recording this, because - in case someone is listening in.  I don’t want anyone to say these things aren’t true or that I imagined anything. I can’t trust people not to change their stories, they’re always changing their stories, and too many of them are -

(creak of door, footsteps)

(woman’s voice - Ida, Henry’’s mother?):  Henry, are you talking to someone?

Henry: I’m making a phone call.

Ida: Sorry darling, I didn’t realize.  I just heard you alone in here. Have you eaten yet? I’ve made sulz if you want it. Your pills were on the counter -

Henry: I’m on the phone.

Ida: All right, darling.

(Door shutting).

Henry:  Souse of sulz, for those of you who did not grow up in small-town German desperation, is a mass of pork meat and gelatinous fat.  I cannot stand the smell of it, and our house always smelled of it when I was a child.  It still smells like it now, I don’t care how much vinegar she pours on it.

What was I saying? I was talking about - these tapes. These tapes will be my proof, my record of events. If anyone finds out I’m doing this, and I don’t have the proof, they might -  say I’m crazy.  

People already say I’m crazy. 

Luckily, I don’t care about people.  

My father is dead.  That is another fact. He died when I was ten years old.  One doesn't want to make themselves the centre of the universe around which every unhappy accident revolves like a planet but, in this case, it was my fault.  I believe it was my fault.  

It was my fault.  

It was February and we were driving. We shouldn't have gone out, and I didn't want to.  It was cold as chattering teeth, a treacherous night, impossible to recover from.  What snow we'd had in January had hardened into a crust that covered everything: the roads, the trees, the people.  My dad had to scrape the windshield of his truck for three years before he had enough clear glass to see through.  He was taking me to hockey try-outs in Kindersley.  I'm certain you can imagine how thrilled I was about it.  I was - well I suppose you don't know me, don't know what I’m like.  I was - not the kind of boy for whom hockey held any sort of interest.  I was - a different sort of boy then.  

Different sorts are not always tolerated in Bleakness.  They certainly weren't tolerated by my father.

Not that he was a beast or a brute or anything.  I didn't get much more than the occasional cuff to the side of the head and only when I probably deserved it.  I was a difficult child, as I'm sure you have guessed.  I had a lot of loud opinions and big words.  I read too much - that was what my father thought.  Read too much and spent too much time alone.  So he did what he could to connect with his queer little son, but he much preferred to keep his distance, and I preferred that too.  There's only so many baseball gloves you can buy a child before you realize that they're never going to be the next Joe Sewell.

But that year, something happened to my father - some spark reignited in the empty chambers I'd once occupied in his heart, because he suddenly took an interest.  

It was hateful, frankly - having this near stranger watching me when I came home from school, asking what I was up to, asking me what I was reading even. 

Jesus, once he invited me to go ice-fishing with him and his friend from the Lion’s Club.  Just us men, sitting around a hole in the ice, talking about - what - sports? War? Luckily my miserable body came through for me and became spectacularly ill before I had to make up an excuse or fake my own death, and I was able to spend a day in front of the fire with Daphne Du Maurier.  My mother made gingersnaps and gave me tea with lemon.  

Bliss.

Isn't that sad? I can remember a limited number of things about my father, but my fondest memories are the narrow escapes I had from his company.  Sharp little moments of triumph.

So it was February - just like it is now - and I was ten, and my father got it into his head that I should take up hockey.  His friends' sons were all playing, and while Bleakness does not have a rink, there was a rink one town over. My father had the absurd notion that hockey would build my confidence, and - even worse - that I would develop some sort of masculine athleticism that he’d found lacking in my bony ten-year-old self thus far.  I can’t fault the man for trying.  I made it clear that I would not be going and that I hated all the boys in my class and they hated me right back (this wasn’t strictly true, Erik Chow was serious and too smart for his own good -which I generally approved of - and I tolerated Joshua Gillen because he shared his comics and laughed when he didn’t understand me instead of socking me and calling me a fat-head.)  

My protests fell on deaf ears of course.  When my father set his mind to something, especially something involving my self-improvement, there was no stopping him.  We drove out in the darkness to Kindersley, tires spinning on the lonesome prairie road. Upon arrival at the rink. I shortly revealed my complete lack of potential, mortifying my father in front of his flannel-wearing peers.  I think I may have run headfirst into the boards and gotten a nosebleed but - maybe that’s just embellishment.  

This was all a long time ago and I’ve - things have happened since then.  Things that - make some of this a bit difficult.  To remember.

So my father took me home early - in disgrace, naturally.  He didn’t speak to me for most of the ride, just ground his teeth together like he could gnash his way to a better son.  That suited me fine, I excelled at staring out windows into the endless snowing night. I’d been raised on the prairies after all.  

We were halfway home, about thirty minutes out of town, when the car blew a tire.  This would not normally be a problem - my father kept spares - but the powder of snow on the road hid a layer of ice as shining and black as onyx. As he tried to keep the car steady, he over-corrected, landing us in the ditch on the opposite side.

We barely made a sound as we came to a stop, just a soft whomp like the smack of wet wool.  And there we stayed.

“Fuck bastard shit-ass truck.” My father let loose a spew of expletives that I still remember, horrified and thrilled by the sudden linguistic violence, the kinds of words I could read as I liked but by no means was allowed to say.  Our situation - stuck in a ditch, in the dark, in the freezing cold - did not strike me as desperate.  My father was so brutally competent, I half expected him to lift the truck free with his bare hands.  That's one thing I'll say for my father - I may not have felt loved or understood or seen when I was with him, but I certainly felt safe.  

I think that night was perhaps the last time I felt safe for - awhile.

He tried to rock the truck free, tried slamming on the gas, tried pushing, but there was nothing to be done.  We were there for the foreseeable future, or until one of the other boy’s fathers came down the road to Bleakness. That was too long to wait, and my father was a man of action.  He had a pack of emergency candles which he lit, lining them all along the dashboard like a birthday cake.  He said, "listen, Henry. Kindersley isn't that far back, I can walk it in an hour.  I’ll probably run into someone before then anyway.  You stay with the car and I'll come back for you. Turn the car on, just for a minute or two every so often.  Don't you leave it running and don't you fall asleep or the battery will die and there'll be no getting out of here in the morning.  You understand?"

When he opened the door, hinges creaking in the cold, I would like to tell you that I said I loved him.  

That I told him to be safe.  

But instead I - I think I said something like "I didn't want to play stupid hockey. This is your fault," or - a handful of words equivalently awful.  I sneered at him and he left shaking his head, muttering under his breath about what a little S.O.B. I was.  He left the keys in the ignition, and made sure the doors were locked before he started off down the road, boots crunching on the snow.  

Crunch crunch like teeth and cereal.  Crunch crunch away he went.

I waited.  Surrounded by candles, growing gradually dimmer, I waited for him to come back.  

And like the son my father believed I was, I fell asleep.

I don’t know what woke me up. Some days I think it was the sound of someone singing but - that can’t be right.  It was a familiar song, like a lullaby, or - maybe I dreamt that part. The cold must have woken me up, that’s it, the sudden smack of it, hurting my mouth when I opened it to breathe.  I woke up shuddering, pulling my coat tight around myself, trying to find some feeling left in my skin.  The candles - on the dashboard - had all burned out.  They sat there, fat and lifeless in their little tin cups.  

I was all alone.  There were no lights on the road, no sound, not even wind.  The snow had stopped falling and the sky was clear.  The only light was the moon, and that night it was huge and yellowed like the teeth of a leering, delighted stranger.  

I wanted to be home.  I wanted my dad to be coming up the road in a friend’s car, ready to berate me for falling asleep.  I wanted to be anywhere other than here.

Frost had gathered on the windows while I slept and - I’m certain I remember this - it had a strange pattern to it.  I’ve sketched it since then, just so I don’t forget - it has to be real.  Each window was covered with five long lines of frost curling out from a thick centre.  It gave the impression of hands, like each window had a long-fingered hand scraping at the glass, trying to get inside.  I was grateful that my father had locked the doors, certain that if he hadn’t, those long cold hands would have touched me while I slept.  

Would have reached beneath my skin and turned my blood to ice.

I was becoming a bit panicked. I tried the keys but the battery had died, or the engine was frozen or - something.  Even if the truck had started, I don’t know what I would have done.  I wouldn’t have been able to get it out of the ditch. 

I felt like crying but I also felt angry.  Angry at my father for leaving me, angry at myself for being miserable at hockey, angry that I lived in a tiny town with awful roads and hideous winters instead of somewhere warm and cultured with architecture and a theatre at the very least -

I was ten years old. There was a lot of anger in my small heart.

That was when - now this part is true, even though it feels unreal sometimes.  Can the cold make you hallucinate?  I should have asked the doctors that.  Maybe - no, I remember this.  

I remember this. It’s a fact.

The trees that lined the road trembled.  The branches snapped and bowed as something made its way out of the woods.  I couldn’t see what it was at first. Something hidden by the shadows of the trees - something huge and hidden. 

But then it came to stand right in front of the truck, lit entirely by the moon.  I could see it clearly then.

It was a black horse.  

I am not afraid of horses.  

Was not afraid of horses.  

I grew up surrounded by farms and farmers, had ridden ponies at fairs and the occasional birthday party I managed to get invited to.  But this horse -

It was sick, or injured, or something terrible had happened to it.  It could barely walk, shambling as if its legs had been broken and healed poorly.  Some of the joints seemed to bend the wrong way or not bend at all.  It brought to mind almost - a spider instead of a horse.  As it approached the truck, I could see it was starving, ribs visible, even some of the nobs of its spine.  

I was not afraid of horses.  

Any other animal, I might have gotten out of the truck, seen if there was something I could do for it, or a brand that tied it to a certain farmer.  But I knew - some part of me knew that if I got out of that truck, if I approached that horse, something horrible would happen. Something ugly and violent and final.

The horse walked closer, towards the hood of the truck. It lowered its head so it could look right at me.  Gusts of breath steamed from its nostrils in the cold night, and its upper lip was either pulled back or - or just gone.  

It tilted its head back, smelling the air.  I could see the bloody pink of its gums and the huge row of its yellowed teeth, the roots of them black with rot.  It almost looked like it was smiling.  

I remember it scuffing its hooves against the snowy ground and I thought it was going to charge the truck, run forward and smash through the glass and then - then it would have me between its teeth, chewing right down until it hit bone -

The glass was fogging up with my breathing.  I was too afraid to move, the fear like a wall of stone, holding me in place on the frozen vinyl seat. I watched the horse paw at the ground, grinding its huge teeth together. Waiting.  And then I remembered - my father’s axe.  A tiny hatchet that he brought everywhere with him, like his tools and his jerry-can.  It was nothing, barely a weapon, but in the moment it felt like a talisman against the dark. He kept the axe underneath his seat, and I would have to move quickly for it.  I would have to take my eyes off the horse.  I would have to -

So I did. Holding my breath, I leaned over, reached beneath the seat. I felt the wooden handle in my fist, pulled the hatchet out quickly. I cut myself on something, some rusted piece of wire or a spring - I still have the scar across the back of my hand. 

I’m certain that is where I got that scar. I’m nearly - positive.  Sometimes when it gets cold, it almost feels like it’s burning, like the wound is still fresh.

When I sat up, the horse was gone. 

There were still dark track marks on the ground where its hooves had scraped like butchers’ knives, carving away at meat.  But otherwise, there was no sign of it.  

I did not imagine it. 

It was there. That’s a fact.

I sat in that truck, holding tight to the axe, waiting for the creature to return.  I sat there, shaking, until I realized - that the sky was getting lighter.  The night was passing, and I was still alive.  It is a child’s belief that nothing awful can happen in the daylight, and I was a child then. I thought I was safe.  I would be all right.

And then I remembered that I was alone.  And it was freezing.  And my father had not returned.

“What if the black horse found him?” I thought. “What if he’s hiding somewhere or trapped? What if he’s been hurt?”

I had the axe now, and had survived the night.  I felt a strange sense of power, as if I would have it in me to save my father.  Be the son he deserved - or at least the son he felt entitled to.  So I took the axe and the keys to the truck and I unlocked the door.  And here I might be - mistaken but - I seem to remember there was something on the road.  In the tracks our tires left in the thick crust of ice, I remember - something shiny.  Was it just the ice? No it was copper-coloured, I think.  Copper coloured and scattered like stars. Like pennies.

I must be remembering it wrong.  Perhaps there was nothing.

I set out on the road back to Kindersley.  

I kept turning around to look behind me, I remember that. I was frightened that the horse might suddenly leap out of the woods and come after me again.  But the sunlight turned the whole world white and clean. I was suddenly less afraid than - perhaps - I ought to have been.  

It wasn’t long before I came upon the house.

An abandoned, tilting farmhouse, just visible from the road. I thought to myself, perhaps my father had been cold and gone to that house to warm up on his way back to town.  Perhaps he had fallen asleep. 

It was highly unlikely - my father would doubtlessly have walked until his feet fell off before he would admit to having human needs such as warmth.  But it made sense to me at the time.  I was very young and I - had not slept much.  So I trudged through the snow toward the farmhouse - its splintering, grey boarded walls, its windows like sad, sightless eyes, run through with cataracts.

The door was open when I reached it.  

That should have been a good sign, but instead it filled me with unease.  What if I found someone else in this rotten home, what if someone other than my father lay in wait for me? 

The black horse.

Or someone else. I knew enough about our town - even at ten -to know that people sometimes went missing, and not to go down by the train tracks after dark where Strange Men waited, and not to go to the old Peterson Place, never, not even on a dare.

Children still did, of course, but I was a good little boy who listened to his mother.  And no one ever dared me to do anything.  I was not the type to - anyway it doesn’t matter.  What matters is, I was aware of the nature of danger, the presence of threat.  I felt it, in this doorway, I felt it leaking out of this farmhouse. Like the smell of black mould and dead mice, I knew that something very bad was inside.

But I went inside anyway.

The first thing I noticed was the darkness.  It was difficult to see with all the grime corroding the windows, and no wires or lamps to be lit.  I squinted until my eyes adjusted. 

Then I noticed the hole.

In the middle of what once had been a living room or dining room or something, the floorboards had been pulled up.  They had been stacked neatly in a circle and were covered with a scattering of dirt.  As if someone had been digging beneath them, tunnelling below the house.

And - someone had.

There is a phenomenon called terminal burrowing.  

Burrowing - I do not know why the word fills me with such dread, but it always has. It makes me think of skin, think of something digging holes and making homes beneath it.  Under it.  

Terminal burrowing occurs in the last stage of hypothermia.  The body - reverting back to its animal nature - begins to dig, to burrow, to hide.  People have been found frozen to death beneath wardrobes, inside closets.  Any sort of safe, dark, enclosed space will suit the purpose.  

I found my father there, beneath the floorboards of that house.

There were splinters wedged underneath his fingernails, blood sitting in his nail-beds like ink.  His ears and nose were frozen black, and his lips were pulled back in a wide, tight grin.  Later, I overheard my mother say that his mouth had been full of dirt, as if in his last panicked moments he had used his teeth to dig still further underground. 

He was trying to hide. From the cold - or something else. Trying - to burrow.

If anyone tells you this isn’t true, you’ll know that they are lying to you.  You’ll have these tapes, you’ll be able to check. That’s why it’s so crucial to keep a record. They might make you think that you’ve imagined it all, that the pieces are all jumbled in your head but you’ll listen to the tapes and you’ll know it’s not true.  

Henry. You’ll know.

I’m going to talk to other people, record their stories as well. I’m recording phone calls, I’ve tapped the lines. Just to be safe. It’s not just me, it’s everyone here and I’m not making this up. I’m going to - figure it out. I can figure it out, and if I’m careful about it, I’ll have proof.  

There was a black horse.  I saw it.  

(Silence except for the sound of Henry breathing. The silence goes on and on.)  

Henry: Damn it. I’ll just - for research.

(The sound of a rotary phone being dialled. Ringing on the other line.)

Man’s voice (Jamie, librarian):  Bleakness Public Library.

(Silence.)

Jamie: Hello? Can I help y-

Henry: I’m - what are your hours today?

Jamie: We’re open until 6 pm.

(Silence.)

Jamie: Hello?

(Sound of phone being hung up.)

Henry: The Bleakness Public Library is open until 6 pm. And I’m - anyway, that is a fact.