Rain comments on People who want to save the world - Less Wrong

5 Post author: Giles 15 May 2011 12:44AM

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Comment author: Rain 16 May 2011 01:48:59PM *  4 points [-]

There's also the possibility that there aren't enough applause lights for giving, and that thus giving to the SIAI just doesn't feel as good as it should.

Until I explicitly asked for it, this was certainly true for me. The Red Cross thanks me and provides gifts or status boosts more than 12 times, in person, on each individual visit to donate blood, sometimes doing so in a public forum. SIAI doesn't even send an automated email any more.

Comment author: Alicorn 16 May 2011 08:00:33PM *  1 point [-]

I find it annoying when the Red Cross calls me, even when it's just with thanks, but part of why I've given blood in the past is that there's a plaque on the wall in my grandma's house of a newspaper clipping in which my grandfather is praised for exceeding the (I think) 10-gallon mark of blood donation.

Comment author: Clippy 16 May 2011 08:12:14PM 2 points [-]

Human blood has very low iron content by weight -- it is measured in micrograms per deciliter.

Comment author: CuSithBell 16 May 2011 08:19:16PM 1 point [-]

I was also disappointed when I learned that the process of extracting the iron is nontrivial.