How to Stop Being a Member of Parliament (UK)

Once upon a time (in the 17th Century), Members of Parliament were paid only a nominal salary and had to travel many miles from their constituencies over poorly-constructed roads, often taking days to return home when they needed to attend to local matters. As a result, the office was seen as a burden, and many MPs resigned their posts prematurely, triggering endless by-elections¹. In 1624, a resolution was passed banning MPs from resigning – to do so would break a trust endowed upon them by their constituents. This rule still stands today, and so, you may ask: how does one stop being a Member of Parliament?

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - the Video Game

The year is 1964 – the height of the Cold War. Having previously smuggled Sokolov, a Russian weapons designer, out of the USSR, the CIA is forced to give him up in order to defuse the Cuban Missile Crisis, thus providing the Soviets with all they need to complete their experimental nuclear battle tank, the Shagohod. In a desperate attempt to stop the Russians from turning the Cold War into a blazing hot one, the newly-established FOX unit sends Naked Snake, an ex-Green Beret, to rescue Sokolov again, this time from the depths of the jungle. What follows is a 'sneak-em-up' that improves in numerous ways upon the standards set by the previous Metal Gear Solid video games, and yet stands out as a game in its own right.

Please note that this Entry contains some spoilers.

Surgical Emergencies: Acute Limb Ischaemia

The arms and legs rely on a good blood supply in order to function – in particular, the leg muscles have a high requirement for oxygen and do not tolerate a reduction in blood supply. If the blood supply to a limb is slowly blocked off over a matter of months or years, so-called 'collateral' blood vessels may be able to take on the work, thus allowing the muscles some degree of blood supply. This manifests as intermittent claudication, where muscle pain is experienced above a certain level of exercise. However, if the blood supply is suddenly cut off due to complete blockage of the main vessel, there is no time for collateral vessels to develop. The result is acute limb ischaemia: a sudden onset of a pale, painful, cold limb that requires urgent treatment.

Surgical Emergencies: Extradural Haematoma

Several blood vessels supply the lining of the brain, and this includes the three meningeal arteries on each side of the skull. The middle meningeal artery is particularly important as it runs through the skull near the temple at a weak point called the pterion. This makes it particularly prone to damage following a serious head injury. A torn meningeal artery will bleed into the potential space between the skull and the outer lining of the brain¹. The pooling blood (haematoma) creates and enlarges a gap between the skull and the dura, putting pressure on the brain and forcing it to shift towards the opposite side of the skull.

Surgical Emergencies: Testicular Torsion

The testicles are each supplied with blood via a spermatic cord, which surrounds the relevant blood vessels, nerves and muscles as they pass out of the abdominal cavity and down into the scrotum. If the testicle becomes twisted on its spermatic cord, the blood vessels are compressed and the testicle loses blood supply. This causes intense testicular and/or abdominal pain, often followed by light-headedness, nausea and even vomiting. Urgent surgery within 4–6 hours is usually required to save the testicle. The problem is most common towards the beginning of puberty, and so any young boy with testicular pain ought to see a doctor as a matter of some urgency.

Surgical Emergencies: Bowel Obstruction, Perforation and Ischaemia

Appendicitis, diverticulitis and pancreatitis represent just a few problems that may involve the bowel. The main intestinal tract can suffer from obstruction, perforation, strangulation of herniated bowel, or other lack of blood supply (mesenteric ischaemia) – all surgical emergencies and thus worth covering here. It is worth noting that various severe infections within the abdomen cause similar symptoms and signs, adding to the challenge of correctly diagnosing the cause of the problem. As a result, individuals with severe abdominal symptoms are treated as detailed in the introduction.

Surgical Emergencies: Acute Diverticulitis

The large bowel, or colon, is responsible for reabsorbing water from the faeces, which go from being liquid to solid as they pass clockwise through the colon to reach the rectum. With a Western diet, the stools are less fibre-filled and take more pushing to get them round to the rectum – as with squeezing a toothpaste tube, the colon has to push harder when it is almost empty. At many points in the colon, little blood vessels pass through the outer wall, creating weak points. With the excess pressure demanded by the Western diet, little outpouchings form at these points. These are known as diverticuli, and having them is referred to as diverticular disease. This is present in maybe as many as half of all Westerners over 50, and in most cases causes no symptoms. However, if these diverticuli become inflamed or infected – diverticulitis – then, much in the manner of the appendix, they can cause problems.

Surgical Emergencies: Acute Pancreatitis

The pancreas sits at the back of the abdomen, and is responsible for producing both the hormones that control blood sugar, such as insulin, and small gut enzymes that digest food. The enzymes normally drain though a little duct which opens into the small gut a little downstream from the stomach – here the pancreatic duct joins with the duct system that drains the gallbladder¹ and liver. Acute pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, and most commonly occurs in overweight, middle-aged ladies and alcoholics. It should not be confused with chronic pancreatitis, which is the long-standing damage that sometimes follows, causing chronic pain.

Surgical Emergencies: Acute Appendicitis

The appendix is a blind-ending pouch that lies at the very start of the colon (large intestine), quite close to the point where the small bowel opens into the colon. Though it has no apparent use in humans, it is quite capable of becoming blocked by faeces, allowing it to become inflamed and infected. The result, appendicitis, produces perhaps as many as one in ten surgical admissions to hospital. As surgery is not always performed (and it is not always appendicitis), it is quite possible to suffer with appendicitis (or similar complaints) more than once.

Introducing the Raspberry Pi - Getting Started

In this series of Entries Introducing the Raspberry Pi, we've looked at the computer's background, software and hardware, and the peripherals you'll need to run one. So now you've got a Raspi and know what it can do, how do you get started? This Entry looks at the first steps you'll need to take in order to get your Raspi up and running.

Introducing the Raspberry Pi - Peripherals You'll Need

The Raspberry Pi is a full computer in itself but, as with any computer, it needs to be able to interact with the real world. Most people will therefore want to connect it to a screen, keyboard, mouse and so forth. This Entry will look at the peripherals you'll need to run a Raspi.

Introducing the Raspberry Pi - Hardware

This Entry will look at what's inside the Raspi and, more importantly, what it all does. The Peripherals Entry will then look at what other equipment you'll need to run your Raspi.

Introducing the Raspberry Pi - Software

This Entry will look at some of the operating systems and programs that the Raspberry Pi uses, and introduces the concept of programming languages.

Introducing the Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry Pi (or 'Raspi') is a computer about the size of a credit card, designed to cost only £16 for the cheapest model. This includes a 700MHz processor, an HD-capable graphics setup, and at least 128MB of memory; there's also a memory card slot, audio/video outputs to connect to your TV, and a USB port for your keyboard, mouse and so forth. With all that, the computer uses less power than a lightbulb. It was developed by a group of Computer Science lecturers from Cambridge University, one of whom (Eben Upton) now works for computer chip designers Broadcom.

Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery - An Overview

As the name suggests, ear, nose and throat surgery takes in several rather important parts of the body. All three are connected anatomically and share some of the same nerves, infections, tumour types and susceptibility to having things get stuck in them; thus knowledge of all three is required to treat any one of them. They also share the head and neck with many other important structures, and ENT surgeons can be found working alongside eye doctors, oral surgeons, brain surgeons and plastic surgeons depending upon the problem being treated.

Surviving an Internet Blockade

Imagine that your country's government decides to switch off the web. They may well have their reasons – communism, coup d'etat, imminent thermonuclear war – maybe all three in some cases. Regardless, let us assume that they have a misanthropic intent such that The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted. How would one go about one's everyday twittering in the face of such a disaster? This Entry looks at two examples of a country separated from the Internet and the way its people responded.

Priory Country Park, Bedford

Situated a mile or so east of Bedford town centre, Priory Country Park consists of 360 acres of green space, filled with lawns, lakes, tree lines and a serious number of dog walkers. Though it is surrounded by channels and branches of the River Great Ouse, the park's most obvious feature is a large fishing lake, around which runs a 1.5-mile footpath. In addition, the park includes a conservation area around the smaller Finger Lakes, beyond which it is possible to head downstream on a much longer tour of the area. Use of the park is free, though fishing requires a permit. Parking in the main car park is free and available throughout the day, and it is also possible to reach the park by bus¹ or bicycle².

Heavy Rain - the Video Game

Released in 2010 for the PlayStation 3, Heavy Rain is a ground-breaking computer game combing elements of film and video gaming. The game is really more of an 'interactive drama' and, as such, forms the spiritual sequel to 2005's similarly themed Fahrenheit. It combines truly open-ended gameplay with the film noir model, creating a playable movie in which the ending is altered by the player's actions. The game received much praise from critics, who seemed to particularly enjoy the game's gritty atmosphere and successful mixing of genres. The game follows the attempts of four playable characters to catch the Origami Killer and find his latest victim before time runs out.

Please note that this Entry contains some spoilers.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a condition of the inner ear, and causes a form of dizziness known as vertigo. To break it up into its constituent parts:

• Benign means it isn't a progressive disease.
• Paroxysmal means it comes and goes.
• Positional means it is triggered by certain positions.
• Vertigo means it causes the room to spin – the sufferer feels as if they are moving when they are not.

The Gomboc

The Gömböc (pronounced 'goemboets', from the Hungarian for dumpling¹) is a convex, homogeneous mono-monostatic object. In other words, it's a funny-looking curved object that will right itself regardless of which side you put it on. This Entry will try to explain what a Gömböc is, how it came to be and why such a thing should exist.