The real story of the name Diffused

**Serpwidgets** · 04-30-08, 03:47 AM

There are plenty of legends out there claiming diffused was named by me. They were made up by people who never had any knowledge of what transpired and just invented a story that matches what they think might have happened. So to clear it up, here's how it happened.

In 2002 a few of us (Connie Hurley, Kat Hall, a guy named Curtis, and myself) got together with the idea of producing an "official standard" for corn morphs, because nobody seemed to be able to agree on things like what made an Okeetee or candycane. It was not our intention to tell the big names how to define their morphs, but the opposite: it was our goal to produce a standard that reflected what they all already used themselves, so that they would voice their support for it. The idea being that then it could be referred to by everyone as the official standard of morphs as supported by all the big names.

The effort ran into a roadblock when trying to decide what to do with "bloodred." The problems were that not all snakes called "bloodred" were of the same appearance, and there was obviously a simple pattern gene which could be separated from the "bloodred" appearance, and it didn't make much sense to refer to a normal-looking snake with an uncheckered belly as a "bloodred" and the gene as "bloodred" and the combination of the gene plus extreme redness as "bloodred."

The committee eventually petered out. But this topic generated discussions on the forums that kept on going. Many more people, as a result of those discussions, began to openly treat the underlying gene as a completely separate thing. They also began to see the problems with the name bloodred being applied to each and every aspect of all variations and components.

Finally in 2004 Darren Chappell emailed Kathy Love. He asked her to suggest a name for the pattern gene in her new book that she was working on and made a great case for it. Kathy asked Connie and myself what we thought of this. We told her that we agreed with the idea, and promised to support them 100% with whatever alternative they wanted to suggest for the pattern gene, if that's what they decided to do. The name "diffused" or "diffusion" was chosen by Bill & Kathy Love, and we knew it would appear in their upcoming book.

The original 2004 Cornsnake Morph Guide (titled The Buyer's Guide to Cornsnake Morphs) was written according to that new terminology (as promised) in support of Bill & Kathy's decision to go with diffused. It did hit the market before Kathy's Comprehensive Owner's Guide but it was written as a result of their decision.

So now you know how it actually happened. (Boring story isn't it? No wonder the legends keep being told.) The latest incarnations of the "serp renamed bloodreds to diffused" stories are probably more dramatic and involve me using my legendary superhuman powers to control all morph names, but they certainly aren't true.

**Russell** · 04-30-08, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by Serpwidgets

There are plenty of legends out there claiming diffused was named by me. So now you know how it actually happened. (Boring story isn't it? No wonder the legends keep being told.) The latest incarnations of the "serp renamed bloodreds to diffused" stories are probably more dramatic and involve me using my legendary superhuman powers to control all morph names, but they certainly aren't true.

what? what? oh man, here I had this little shrine made up in the corner of my snake room and bowed to your picture and books daily. I'm so let down...

Corns.nl · 04-30-08, 06:26 AM

Thanks for putting it in words!

Arjan

galenwbritt · 04-30-08, 09:51 AM

komitees r teh sux !!!

Thanks for finally putting this in a post. Not only do I think this will help quite a few people understand the "differences" within the morph itself, it gives a long overdue explanation and history of the term Bloodred/Diffused. While naming some respected people in the hobby throughout your story, I don't know why anyone would doubt the credibility of it, or you for that matter. Unless any of them get word of this and feel like changes need to be made to the history........I would consider it "case closed" on the introduction of where the current name came from. I know I always wondered how/why it came to be.

G

WhiteValleyHerp · 04-30-08, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Serpwidgets

The latest incarnations of the "serp renamed bloodreds to diffused" stories are probably more dramatic and involve me using my legendary superhuman powers to control all morph names, but they certainly aren't true.

Well, the one I've told/heard (I first heard it when I first told it) had to do with a goat sacrifice ritual with your fellow Stonecutters.

I mean, c'mon dude....I've seen your basement, what with your lethal chickens.

Dale

Leisson · 04-30-08, 01:28 PM

huh cool info to know! i'm fairly new to corns as most know and can see ( raving idocrity at its finest! ) but its cool to see the short stories behind different things.

Scottsquatch · 05-01-08, 12:10 AM

So...uhhh....the whole super-powers thing is just a hoax huh? Now what am I gonna do? My day just keeps getting worse and worse. First Santa...Now THIS?!

FunkyRes · 05-01-08, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by Scottsquatch

So...uhhh....the whole super-powers thing is just a hoax huh? Now what am I gonna do? My day just keeps getting worse and worse. First Santa...Now THIS?!

Don't worry - the Easter Bunny still has our back.

**Serpwidgets** · 05-01-08, 01:14 AM

Hippitus Hoppitus Reus Domine