And socialism takes a swing!

For years North Korea was the focus of nuclear fears, but recently Ahmadinejad has supplanted Kim Jong as Most Feared Third World Dictator(even though technically Ahmadinejad is powerless without the clerics' support). Fortunately Kim Jong has acted quickly to retain his title and defend socialism's place against theocracy. With the varied responses to North Korea's nuclear test still reverberating, and wildly different estimates as to its strength floating around, I think we can safely say: Atta Boy Kim, Atta Boy.

Solution to organ transplant shortage

It’s very simple: if you hope or expect to get a transplant, should you or a loved one need an organ, then you should be a donor. Most people who get organ transplants are not donors. This is hypocrisy at its worst.

The number of people on the national waiting list as of 2006 is:
Waiting list candidates: 92,924 as of 9/20/06 10:16pm
Transplants January - June 2006: 14,699 as of 09/15/2006
Donors January - June 2006: 7,465 as of 09/15/2006


In 2003, 2,448,288 people died. Plenty of organs were available, but still approximately 6000 patients died.
I propose a simple system. When any American turns 18 they receive a simple letter explaining if they want to have the option of organ transplants in the future, to sign. Allow generous time to reply and accept cases with extenuating circumstances. After the time period has expired, should they need an organ transplant, they will not get it unless a family member is willing and a match. If for some reason they are unsuitable for being a donor, it does not matter: if they sign they can get an organ. For later in life signings and claims the record will be checked to make sure the patient didn’t know he would need a kidney and signed up just to get it. The only current objection to mandatory organ donation that I know of is the claim that it violates religious beliefs. Every (major ) religion allows and even encourages organ donation. Nevertheless if someone is a member of a cult that believes the body is sacred or something, then they won’t be wanting a transplant anyway because that would violate their beliefs, right? Or do such convictions go out the window when it is their turn to die? This system would also relieve the pressure on doctors and hospitals to declare death. Many hospitals are turning to DCD or “donation after cardiac death” instead of after brain death. There have been documented cases of people recovering from cardiac death as much as 7 minutes later. Yet there are hospitals that will wait a mere 2 to 5 minutes. This must be completely stopped. Brain death, an unambiguous measure of death, should be absolutely required in all cases.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-04-19-death_x.htm

http://www.unos.org/

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125633.400-not-braindead-but-ripe-for-transplant.html