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What Is Taylor Swift’s ‘The Black Dog’ About?

Taylor Swift Eras Tour 2024
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Another weekend, another run of The Eras Tour shows. Taylor Swift found herself in Singapore this weekend, where she announced yet another new edition of The Tortured Poets Department, which features a bonus song called “The Black Dog.”

What Is Taylor Swift’s “The Black Dog” About?

After the song title was revealed, some fans noted that “black dog” is a term related to depression. As BetterHelp explains:

“The term ‘black dog’ is often used in conversations about depression. For many people, this metaphor describes a state of depression characterized by sadness or lack of will, including the loss of desire to partake in activities you once loved. […]

The ‘black dog’ metaphor was initially a phrase sometimes used to describe a brief period in a person’s life. However, the metaphor has grown to encompass a spectrum of depression and its symptoms. For some, the metaphor of the black dog is effective because depression can feel like an ominous, long-suffering presence tracking your every move, like an ominous black dog.

This metaphor can represent the gradual overtaking of enjoyable activities you once loved, the person you once recognized in the mirror, or the life you once lived. The metaphor represents how depression does not take breaks but may feel like a following shadow — a large, lumbering shadow as loyal as a canine.”

There’s also the fact, as one fan pointed out, that in some areas, a black dog is representative of death. ZME Science notes, “For hundreds of years, the people of East Anglia [in England] have whispered tales of a large black dog with evil, flaming eyes. Sometimes these are red, other times green — and yet other times, only one eye peers from the middle of its forehead. This hellhound and its howl are seen as omens of death.”

Others also made a connection to Clara Bow, who has a Tortured Poets song named after her, and her own literal black dog.

Until the song is released or Swift herself offers an explanation, though, these are just fan theories.

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Sting Ended His Career With A Win Over The Young Bucks At AEW Revolution

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GREENSBORO — Sting has wrestled his final match, submitting Matthew Jackson in the main event of AEW Revolution to retire with the AEW World Tag Team Championship alongside Darby Allin.

The Young Bucks made their EVP entrance, followed by Darby Allin, and eventually an iconic entrance by Sting, flanked by his two sons dressed in retro and NWO Sting gear. As soon as they hit the ring, Allin attacked the Bucks and Sting’s sons hit Stinger Splashes to the Bucks in the corner.

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Sting and Allin pulled out tables, a ladder, chairs, and sheets of glass. Allin and Sting pulled the Bucks out through the crowd and eventually to the top of the entrance ramp. Nicholas Jackson slammed Allin off the stage through a series of table. Matthew Jackson suplexed Sting off the other side of the entrance ramp through another series of tables.

Back in the ring, the Young Bucks set up a ladder in the corner and powerbombed Allin into it. Allin hit a stunner on Nicholas and a rolling powerbomb on Matthew. Allin set up the ladder at the edge of the ring and slammed Nicholas’s head into the stairs. Allin went for a dive off the ladder and missed the Young Bucks, slamming back first into the glass and chairs.

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Back in the ring, Sting took on both Young Bucks by himself. Sting climbed the ladder with Matthew on the table, Nicholas grabbed the glass and set it in the corner. Matthew then powerbombed Sting through the table, but he instantly got back to his feet, then the Young Bucks slammed Sting into the sheet of glass. Matthew hit a Scorpion Death Drop for a two count.

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The Young Bucks took out Ricky Steamboat at ringside, then Ric Flair climbed in to cover Sting’s body from the Bucks. They superkicked Flair, then Matthew hit Sting with a championship belt. Back on his feet, they stereo superkicked Sting, but he stayed on his feet and hit a clothesline. Matthew reversed the Scorpion Death Drop and the Bucks hit a BTE trigger on Sting for two. They hit another BTE trigger, but Sting kicked out at one. They hit another superkick, then Matthew set Sting up for the Tony Khan Driver.

Allin knocked Nicholas off the top rope and Sting hit the Scorpion Death Drop on Matthew for a two count. Allin, covered in blood, hit the Coffin Drop on Matthew, then Sting locked in the Scorpion Death Lock to earn the tap out victory.

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Samoa Joe Tapped Out ‘Hangman’ Adam Page To Retain The AEW World Championship

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GREENSBORO — Samoa Joe retained the AEW World Heavyweight championship by submitting ‘Hangman’ Adam Page at AEW Revolution.

Strickland and Page started the match off face-to-face, but Joe smashed their heads together and took the fight to both opponents. Page tossed Joe over the rope and Strickland got his hands on Page. Strickland took out Page, hit the Griddy, jumped outside and knocked Joe down, then hit the Griddy around the ring.

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Joe knocked Strickland out of the ring, then locked in the STF on Page in the ring. Strickland made his way back into the ring and met Joe on the top rope. After a series of false moves, Page and Strickland teamed to powerbomb Joe. Strickland and Page continued to pepper each other with shots, with the latter getting the edge with big right hand shots. Page moonsaulted from the rope and caught Strickland, lifting him and hitting a tombstone.

He lifted Strickland into the Dead Eye, but Strickland reversed and hit a series of suplexes. Joe then went to work on Page and Strickland, knocking Strickland out of the ring before hitting the Muscle Buster on Page. Strickland hit the double foot stomp from the top rope on Joe, then dropped Page with a kick to the back of the head.

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Joe tried to lock in the Coquina Clutch on Strickland, but he escaped, then hit a DDT. Strickland hit another double foot stomp on Joe, but Page grabbed the referee and knocked him out. Page then grabbed the title and hit Strickland. Strickland made his way to his feet on the apron and Page hit him with the belt again. Page turned and hit the Buckshot Lariat on Joe from both sides of the ring. Another referee came running to the ring and counted to two before Joe kicked out.

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Back on his feet, Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch on Page, but Swerve broke it up off the top rope. Prince Nana tried to give Strickland his headband to hit Joe, but Strickland tossed it back. Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch on Strickland, but Page beat up the second ref. Page hit a Buckshot Lariat on Joe, Strickland took out Page, then Joe suplexed Strickland to get his hands on Page and lock in the Coquina Clutch for the win.

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Strickland and Page earned a shot at the title after their No. 1 contender match went to a 30-minute draw. Two weeks ago, Page feigned an ankle injury, followed it up this week by stating he couldn’t compete, then attacked Strickland and proclaimed he’d never become champion.

The championship match is just the latest in Strickland and Page’s ongoing rivalry, with the former winning two of their three previous matches.

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Jalen Brunson Injured His Knee Less Than A Minute Into Knicks-Cavs And Did Not Return

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The New York Knicks have looked, at times, to be a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference this season, but injuries have kept them from getting to fully see what exactly they have. Mitchell Robinson has missed most of the season while Julius Randle and OG Anunoby are both still out after more than a month sidelined with injuries.

One of the constants for this Knicks team that’s kept them in the top 4 in the East (tied with Miami at 35-25 entering Sunday night) has been Jalen Brunson, as the All-Star guard has been nothing short of sensational this season. Unfortunately on Sunday night in Cleveland, Brunson became the latest Knicks star to suffer an injury when he fell to the floor after a pull-up jumper grabbing at his left knee on New York’s first possession of the game.

The fact that Brunson grabbed at his knee without there being any apparent contact was worrisome, but the Knicks initial diagnosis was simply “left knee soreness” and they listed him as questionable to return. That was a seemingly positive sign, but when the second half began and Brunson was not on the bench, concern rose and Brunson was soon ruled out for the game.

There will undoubtedly be an MRI on Brunson’s knee tomorrow, with results likely arriving in the afternoon and at that point we’ll find out a timetable for his return. Hopefully it is indeed an issue of soreness or a sprain and not some kind of tear that could cost him the season in such a promising year for the Knicks and their emerging star guard. In the meantime, New York will look to keep treading water in a playoff spot in the East and hope that by the time the postseason rolls around they can get their top players back on the court healthy and make a run.

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Someone At ‘SNL’ Please Grant Lily Gladstone Her Wish And Let Her Host The Show

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In a week, Lily Gladstone may win an Oscar. Or maybe she won’t and that will be fine; she has a long career ahead of her, rich with potential. After Killers of the Flower Moon, the obvious roles to give her are serious. But what does she really want to do? Host SNL.

“That’s been probably a dream that I’ve held on my own,” Gladstone told People. “It’s like my parents — and I think it’s just what people say when you have an aspiration to act, and they want to encourage you as a kid — it’s like, ‘Oh, you’ll get an Oscar one day.’ So it almost just becomes a platitude.”

She added, “But the thing that I’ve always wanted to do if I’ve had this moment is to host SNL.”

In its 49-year history SNL has never had an Indigenous host, and Gladstone would be a good one. She spends so much of Flower Moon either mourning the murder of loved ones or in bed, slowly succumbing to poison. And though she’s appeared on the far more comedic Reservation Dogs, she could really use a chance to cut loose and have some fun. Let the actress who had to suffer an unrequited crush on Kristen Stewart in Kelly Reichardt’s Certain Woman wear funny wigs, team up with Please Don’t Destroy, do a wild monologue on Weekend Update. We already know she’s does a killer Harrison Ford. C’mon, Lorne Michaels. She’s earned it.

(Via People)

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According To Joe Budden, The ‘Girl Rapper Wave Is Over’ For Several Reasons, But He Did Make A Few Exceptions

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Joe Budden is no stranger to controversy. In fact, the musician-turned-media figure’s takes on trending topics on his namesake podcast often land him in hot water. In fact, his past opinions of women rap stars Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion had fans pulling out their pitchforks. Well, Budden’s recent hot take will have them on the attack yet again.

Yesterday (March 2), in a teaser clip for a forthcoming episode, Budden boldly claimed rap fans shouldn’t get excited about the push for women acts. “Y’all ain’t gonna want to hear it from me, but the girl rapper wave is over,” he said. “Just telling you what it is. I’m normally a few months ahead with this stuff, sometimes a few years ahead with this stuff. The girl rapper wave is finito.”

Budden went on to share the reasonings behind his claim. “I think labels are looking at it like, ‘Very few of y’all are selling records, it’s too much work to get your coin back, we got to go do brand deals all over the world with y’all, y’all are expensive, some of y’all are annoying,’ and none of these records are working,” he said.

But all hope isn’t lost, according to him, as there are a select few recording artists that he expects to have longevity. “The cream rises to the top,” he said. “So, Latto shall remain; Flo Milli shall remain; Rapsody will always be there, but she wasn’t really a part of [that scene]. But all of that, ‘Go find a girl, send her to Columbia, get it done, put her in the studio with fucking Mike WiLL [Made-It] or any one of them n****s’ … all that planting the girl in the scene, getting the record and it taking off — that wave is over.”

Watch the full video below.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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Tributes Poured In After Legendary ESPN Reporter Chris Mortensen Died At 72

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One of the biggest figures in NFL reporting died on Sunday, as ESPN brought word that Chris Mortensen, the longtime NFL insider for the network, had died at 72. ESPN released a statement from president Jimmy Pitaro announcing the devastating news, with Pitaro highlighting Mortensen’s work and passion for covering the NFL, as well as uplifting others in the industry.

Mortensen’s impact on the industry was immediately apparent by the tributes that began pouring in once the news was made public from all over the NFL and sports reporting world. Mortensen’s long-time colleague, Adam Schefter, offered some heartfelt thoughts on a man he worked alongside breaking news for ESPN, calling him “one of the greatest reporters in sports history, and an even better man.”

Those thoughts were echoed by many others around the NFL and sports media space, as his colleagues at ESPN and beyond offered their remembrances of Mortensen. The work he did breaking stories and providing information was highlighted by many, but each also pointed to his impact and kindness beyond the newsroom.

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Mortensen was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer in 2016, battling it for the past eight years and provided inspiration for many who also found themselves fighting the disease — as highlighted by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Mortensen began covering sports in 1983 with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and joined ESPN in 1991 where he became one of the top NFL reporters and was one of the first NFL insiders, becoming a fixture on TV for more than 30 years.

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Doctor explains why he checks a dead patient’s Facebook before notifying their parents

Losing a loved one is easily the worst moment you’ll face in your life. But it can also affect the doctors who have to break it to a patient’s friends and family. Louis M. Profeta MD, an Emergency Physician at St. Vincent Emergency Physicians in Indianapolis, Indiana, recently took to LinkedIn to share the reason he looks at a patient’s Facebook page before telling their parents they’ve passed.

The post, titled “I’ll Look at Your Facebook Profile Before I Tell Your Mother You’re Dead,” has attracted thousands of likes and comments.


“It kind of keeps me human,” Profeta starts. “You see, I’m about to change their lives — your mom and dad, that is. In about five minutes, they will never be the same, they will never be happy again.”

“Right now, to be honest, you’re just a nameless dead body that feels like a wet bag of newspapers that we have been pounding on, sticking IV lines and tubes and needles in, trying desperately to save you. There’s no motion, no life, nothing to tell me you once had dreams or aspirations. I owe it to them to learn just a bit about you before I go in.”

“Because right now… all I am is mad at you, for what you did to yourself and what you are about to do to them. I know nothing about you. I owe it to your mom to peek inside of your once-living world.”

Dr. Louis Profeta, health, death, doctors

Profeta explains that the death of a patient makes him angry:

“Maybe you were texting instead of watching the road, or you were drunk when you should have Ubered. Perhaps you snorted heroin or Xanax for the first time or a line of coke, tried meth or popped a Vicodin at the campus party and did a couple shots.”

“Maybe you just rode your bike without a helmet or didn’t heed your parents’ warning when they asked you not to hang out with that ‘friend,’ or to be more cautious when coming to a four-way stop. Maybe you just gave up.”

“Maybe it was just your time, but chances are… it wasn’t.”

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Profeta goes on to explain why he checks a patient’s Facebook page:

“So I pick up your faded picture of your driver’s license and click on my iPhone, flip to Facebook and search your name. Chances are we’ll have one mutual friend somewhere. I know a lot of people.”

“I see you wearing the same necklace and earrings that now sit in a specimen cup on the counter, the same ball cap or jacket that has been split open with trauma scissors and pulled under the backboard, the lining stained with blood. Looks like you were wearing it to the U2 concert. I heard it was great.”

“I see your smile, how it should be, the color of eyes when they are filled with life, your time on the beach, blowing out candles, Christmas at Grandma’s; oh you have a Maltese, too. I see that. I see you standing with your mom and dad in front of the sign to your college. Good, I’ll know exactly who they are when I walk into the room. It makes it that much easier for me, one less question I need to ask.”

“You’re kind of lucky that you don’t have to see it. Dad screaming your name over and over, mom pulling her hair out, curled up on the floor with her hand over her head as if she’s trying to protect herself from unseen blows.”

“I check your Facebook page before I tell them you’re dead because it reminds me that I am talking about a person, someone they love — it quiets the voice in my head that is screaming at you right now shouting: ‘You mother f–ker, how could you do this to them, to people you are supposed to love!'”

— Updated June 5, 2019.

This article originally appeared on June 5, 2019

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This is the best mother-daughter chat about the tampon aisle ever. Period.

Belinda Hankins and her 13-year-old daughter, Bella, seem to have a great relationship, one that is often played out over text message.

Sure they play around like most teens and parents do, but in between the joking and stealing of desserts, they’re incredibly open and honest with each other. This is key, especially since Melinda is a single parent and thus is the designated teacher of “the ways of the world.”

But, wow, she is a champ at doing just that in the chillest way possible. Of course, it helps having an incredibly self-aware daughter who has grown up knowing she can be super real with her mom.

Case in point, this truly epic text exchange took place over the weekend while Bella was hunting for tampons at the store.


Here’s how Belinda introduced it on Facebook:

“THIS was the highlight of my parenting week. Sending my 13-year-old daughter into the store for (whispers) ‘feminine hygiene products,’ and having the following text exchange.”

Let’s give this the fanfare it deserves.

Act 1: The “right” aisle.

Every woman, whether she’s 13 or 30 has said or thought “THEY’RE NOT HERRREEEEEE” while standing in an aisle, desperately searching for period products. It’s like they’re trying to make it a scavenger hunt for which we did not sign up.

Act 2: Everything is a lie.

Act 3: Success! Well, sort of.

That’s right, Bella. Vagina, like Voldemort, is a word some people refuse to invoke because they’re terrified what great, untamed powers doing so might unleash.

Act 4: The truth.

Only a truly great mom could put this in such a way that inspires laughter and fist-pumping agreement at the same time.

Act 5: Smash the patriarchy!

A brilliant conclusion, mom/daughter solidarity AND an accurate map that illustrates what women encounter on a daily basis? If this exchange were a stage play, it would receive five stars.

And many others have agreed; the Facebook post has already been shared over 57,000 times in just two days.

So hip-hip-hooray for moms like Belinda who are candid with their kids on issues big and small and teach them how to be strong using humor and real talk.

The more hilarious conversations like Belinda’s and Bella’s about vaginas and the patriarchy that there are in the world, the better.

This article originally appeared on 09.14.16

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27-year-old who died of cancer left behind final advice that left the internet in tears

The world said goodbye to Holly Butcher, a 27-year-old woman from Grafton, Australia.

Butcher had been battling Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer that predominantly affects young people. In a statement posted on Butcher’s memorialized Facebook account, her brother, Dean, and partner, Luke, confirmed the heartbreaking news to friends.

“It is with great sadness that we announce Holly’s passing in the early hours of this morning,” they wrote on Jan. 4, 2018. “After enduring so much, it was finally time for her to say goodbye to us all. The end was short and peaceful; she looked serene when we kissed her forehead and said our final farewells. As you would expect, Holly prepared a short message for you all, which will be posted above.”

Butcher’s message, which Dean and Luke did, in fact, post publicly shortly thereafter, has brought the internet to tears.


We believe her powerful message — which has amassed an incredible 72,000 Likes and 56,000 shares across the world so far — deserves to be spread far and wide.

Butcher used her final post to reflect on what she’s learned in her short but beautiful life, offering some advice to those of us who are willing to listen.

“It’s a strange thing to [realize] and accept your mortality at 26 years young,” she began. “I always imagined myself growing old, wrinkled and gray — most likely caused by the beautiful family (lots of kiddies) I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts. That’s the thing about life; It is fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right.”

Butcher’s poignant post is definitely worth reading in full. But here are 16 especially powerful points:

1. “I just want people to stop worrying so much about the small, meaningless stresses in life and try to remember that we all have the same fate after it all, so do what you can to make your time feel worthy and great, minus the bullshit. … Those times you are [whining] about ridiculous things (something I have noticed so much these past few months), just think about someone who is really facing a problem. Be grateful for your minor issue and get over it. It’s OK to acknowledge that something is annoying but try not to carry on about it and negatively affect other people’s days.”

2. “Once you do that, get out there and take a freaking big breath of that fresh Aussie air deep in your lungs, look at how blue the sky is and how green the trees are; It is so beautiful. Think how lucky you are to be able to do just that — breathe. You might have got caught in bad traffic today, or had a bad sleep because your beautiful babies kept you awake, or your hairdresser cut your hair too short. … I swear you will not be thinking of those things when it is your turn to go. It is all SO insignificant when you look at life as a whole. I’m watching my body waste away right before my eyes with nothing I can do about it and all I wish for now is that I could have just one more birthday or Christmas with my family, or just one more day with my partner and dog. Just one more.”

cherishing today, thoughts on life, premature death, youth, family

3. “I hear people complaining about how terrible work is or about how hard it is to exercise — be grateful you are physically able to. Work and exercise may seem like such trivial things…until your body doesn’t allow you to do either of them… Appreciate your good health and functioning body — even if it isn’t your ideal size. Look after it and embrace how amazing it is.”

4. “Give, give, give. It is true that you gain more happiness doing things for others than doing them for yourself. I wish I did this more. Since I have been sick, I have met the most incredibly giving and kind people and been the receiver of the most thoughtful and loving words and support from my family, friends and strangers; more than I could ever give in return. I will never forget this and will be forever grateful to all of these people.”

5. “This year, our family agreed to do no presents and despite the tree looking rather sad and empty (I nearly cracked Christmas Eve!), it was so nice because people didn’t have the pressure of shopping and the effort went into writing a nice card for each other. Plus, imagine my family trying to buy me a present knowing they would probably end up with it themselves … strange! … but those cards mean more to me than any impulse purchase could. … Anyway, moral of the story — presents are not needed for a meaningful Christmas.”

6. “Use your money on experiences … or at least don’t miss out on experiences because you spent all your money on material shit. Put in the effort to do that day trip to the beach you keep putting off. Dip your feet in the water and dig your toes in the sand. Wet your face with salt water.”

7. “Try just enjoying and being in moments rather than capturing them through the screen of your phone. Life isn’t meant to be lived through a screen nor is it about getting the perfect photo.”

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8. “Listen to music … really listen. Music is therapy.”

9. “Cuddle your dog. Far out, I will miss that.”

10. “Talk to your friends. Put down your phone. Are they doing OK?”

11. “Travel if it’s your desire, don’t if it’s not.”

12. “Work to live, don’t live to work.”

13. “Seriously, do what makes your heart feel happy.”

14. “Don’t feel pressured to do what other people might think is a fulfilling life. You might want a mediocre life and that is so OK.”

15. “Tell your loved ones you love them every time you get the chance and love them with everything you have.”

16. “Oh and one last thing. If you can, do a good deed for humanity (and myself) and start regularly donating blood. It will make you feel good with the added bonus of saving lives. Blood donation (more bags than I could keep up with counting) helped keep me alive for an extra year — a year I will be forever grateful that I got to spend here on Earth with my family, friends and dog. A year I had some of the greatest times of my life.”

Butcher may be gone, but her impact will live on in the hearts and minds of people around the world.

“Never [met] her, but I am very touched and in tears,” one Facebook user commented. “Such a bright light for a seemingly dark world at times,” another chimed in. “Beautiful.”

“What a wise soul she is,” someone concluded. “I’m off to donate my blood.”

Rest in peace, Holly. You made this world a better place. ❤️

If you are in the U.S. and inspired by Butcher’s message, consider finding a blood donation center near you. You could save a life.



This article originally appeared on 01.08.18