Oh, and the Red Cross is suffering a critical blood shortage, "with some areas of the country falling below a one-day supply of blood."

Because these days when I hear of something awful happening my first thought is "Wonder if I can give blood?" I don't imagine it will help anyone overseas, but it's a reminder, anyway.

They particularly need O, A-negative, and B-negative.

I totally missed this! Why?

Dunno. Saw it mentioned on my f-list, and that there was a frenzy of posting going on as a result. Hadn't checked it out, though.

For women, a donor must weigh at least 175 pounds and be at least 5'5" tall."

interesting. the BMI for that is 29.1, which is on the high side of overweight. (30 being clinically obese)

I'd love to give blood, but they're afraid that i might have mad cow. (though I suppose if they exported my blood to england, that wouldn't be an issue)

I am A-negative and can't give blood, and it makes me crazy. I know my blood type is always in demand. Feh.

-t, I'm on the phone with my aunt, who's saying that Cindy was a lot worse than expected, so people are freaking out because of the rain.

auuuuuuuuugh.

Washington Post staff writer Richard Leiby does a chat who has covered the religion for many years does a very revelaing chat about Scientology: [link]

For women, a donor must weigh at least 175 pounds and be at least 5'5" tall."

I thought it was 110???

I don't get how they figure out BMI just from height and weight. What about muscle mass? Doesn't that count?

I can't give blood now because I'm in an HIV vaccine study.

I'd love to give blood, but they're afraid that i might have mad cow.

This is also true for me, but their position is becoming increasingly absurd given that they reject me for living more than six months since 1980 in a European country with no cases of mad cow, yet they have no concern that I have been living 24 years since 1980 in a country (USA) that has had at least two cases of mad cow.