No More Blood for Oil

     No more blood for oil has been the cry of anti-war activists the past few years. Now it seems to be the cry of ABC News as it hypes skyrocketing gas prices.

     Americans are resorting to legal, but no less desperate measures, including donating blood for money, ABCs Dan Harris reported on the May 4 World News Tonight before showing a man donating plasma. I come here twice a week to fill my tank once, said the man.

     Of course, donating blood or blood plasma can only be done so often in a given year. The American Red Cross, for example, only accepts 12 plasma donations from an individual in a given year, and they must be spaced out by at least 48 hours. The Red Cross also requires that donors wait at least 56 days between blood donations.

     Simply put, while some Americans may be pocketing the extra cash for blood or plasma donations, its not likely a long-term plan for weathering gas price hikes. It is, however, a stunning image which helps sell hype on broadcast news.

     The Business & Media Institute follows the medias ongoing coverage of rising gas prices.