--- a/pymedcouple
+++ b/pymedcouple
@@ -4,38 +4,6 @@
 
 from itertools import tee, izip
 
-
-def partsort(L, n):
-    """This is a partial sort of the weighted list L = [(a,w) for a in A,
-    w in W], so that the element at position n is in the correct spot.
-    Also known as quickselect. The elements of W are ignored for the
-    purposes of this partial sort.
-    """
-
-    beg = 0
-    end = len(L)
-
-    while True:
-        pivot = random.randint(beg, end - 1)
-        pivotval = L[pivot][0]
-        L[pivot], L[end - 1] = L[end - 1], L[pivot]
-
-        idx = beg
-        for i in xrange(beg, end):
-            if L[i][0] < pivotval:
-                L[idx], L[i] = L[i], L[idx]
-                idx += 1
-
-        L[idx], L[end-1] = L[end-1], L[idx]
-
-        if idx == n:
-            return L[idx]
-        elif idx < n:
-            beg = idx + 1
-        else:
-            end = idx
-
-
 def wmedian(A, W):
     """This computes the weighted median of array A with corresponding
     weights W.
@@ -52,7 +20,8 @@
     while True:
         mid = (beg + end)//2
 
-        partsort(AW, mid)
+        AW = sorted(AW, key = lambda x: x[0]) # A partial sort would suffice here
+
         trial = AW[mid][0]
 
         wleft = wright = 0
@@ -212,7 +181,8 @@
     for (i, (l, r)) in enumerate(izip(L, R)):
         for j in xrange(l, r + 1):
             A.append(h_kern(i, j))
-    A.sort()
+
+    A.sort()     # A partial sort would suffice here
     A.reverse()
 
     Am = A[medc_idx - Ltot]