so, can we have your liver then?

Couple of interesting articles from today's Independent:

Firstly a leading article in favour of the suggestion that Britain adopt an "opt-in" system for organ donation, i.e. that the default assumption should be that people are happy for their organs to be used to help others unless they specifically state otherwise. The exact opposite of the current system, in other words. And very sensible and enlightened too, given that the only arguments in favour of the current system are either of the loony religious variety, or motivated by a general desire not to have to think about things of an icky nature involving blood and death. Being a good and humane and enlightened policy the lunatic fringe will almost certainly try and derail it, though, and the government will probably cave in like a pack of cards.

Secondly the ever-reliable Bruce Anderson nails his colours to the mast regarding the American presidential race: apparently he reckons Mitt Romney is the man for the job. And he has, as you might imagine, some trenchant views on the female candidate:

In attack, she will be mean-minded, clawing, spitting, vicious: no blow too low. Under attack, she will react as if every wrong which the female sex has suffered in the course of human history is being re-inflicted upon her.

Presumably worried that he might be being a bit soft on her, he goes on to suggest that:

After all, in the age of chivalry, she would have been burnt as a
witch.

Word to the wise: if Bruce's liver is ever up for transplantation, I'd give it a miss if I were you. Same goes for the spleen, as well.