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A method for construction ond delivery of a novel implantable medical device provides for use of a kit having sizeable fixture components for holding a blood vessel and a sensor portion connectable during surgery to the appropriately sized fixture.
1. A kit for use during surgery to implant a medical device comprising:
a sterilizable package containing a sensor capsule, and
a sterilizable package containing a sized fixture, said sized fixture being one of a series of sized fixtures, said fixtures comprising a tube member having an opening at both ends and a slit opening connecting both open ends, said tube member being sized in relation to body blood vessels.
2. A kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor capsule is a pressure capsule.
3. A kit for use during surgery to implant a medical device comprising:
a sterilizable package containing a sensor capsule, and
a sterilizable package containing a plurality of sized fixtures, each said sized fixture being one of a series of sized fixtures, said fixtures comprising a tube member having an opening at both ends and a slit opening connecting both open ends, each said tube member being sized in relation to body blood vessels.
4. A kit as set forth in any of claims 1-3 wherein said sensor capsule is permanently connected to a medical lead.
5. A kit as set forth in any of claims 1-3 wherein said sensor capsule contains a connection for connecting to a medical lead.
6. A kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fixture slit is also sized.
7. A kit as set forth in claim 3 wherein each said fixture slit is also sized.
8. A kit as set forth in any of claims 1-3, 6, or 7 further comprising a separate clip member for sealing a vessel in said fixture.
9. An implantable medical device adapted to be configured for implant during surgery, comprising at least two portions to be assembled during surgery:
a pressure sensor capsule portion wherein a pressure sensor is mounted in a capsule that is formed for connection to a medical electrical lead having electrical conductors therein and wherein said capsule further comprises a mounting tub surrounding said pressure sensor and having a mechanical connector for connecting to another of said at least two portions, and
a fixture portion comprising a mating mechanical connector for mating to said pressure sensor capsule mechanical connector, and a tube portion for surrounding said mounting tub such that when connected said tub presents said pressure sensor to an inside of said tube portion.
10. A method of manufacturing a implantable medical device adapted to be configured for implant during surgery, comprising at least two portions to be assembled during comprising:
building a pressure sensor capsule with a connecting tub mounted thereon, said connecting tub having a mating mechanical connector formed therein, and
building a fixture device with a mating member for snappable mating with said tub mating mechanical connector.
11. A method for manufacturing a fixture assembly from a rectangular block of medically compatible metal comprising:
machining rounded external shape as desired, machining a substantially round passage hole lengthwise through said block,
machining an opening slit on one side of said block so as to connect said passage hole along its entire length with a lengthwise surface of said block,
machining out by wire electrical discharge machining an electronics bay for containing electronics opposite said lengthwise surface of said block, and
machining out by wire electrical discharge machining a rectangular hole perpendicular to said passage hole, near enough to said electronics bay so as to form a flexible diaphragm between said electronics bay and said passage hole.
12. A method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising:
mating an electronics and sensor platform to a surface of said electronics bay coplanar with said diaphragm, and
sealing said electronics bay into a capsule by mating said capsule with said block at a side formed by said electronics bay.
13. An implantable medical device adapted to be configured for implant during surgery, comprising at least two portions to be assembled during surgery:
a sensor capsule portion wherein a sensor means is connected by a capsule member constructed for connection to a medical electrical lead and wherein said capsule member further comprises a mounting unit having a mechanical connector for connecting to another of said at least two portions, and
a fixture portion comprising a mating mechanical connector for mating to said sensor capsule mechanical connector, and a tube portion for surrounding said mounting unit such that when connected said unit provides access for said sensor to an inside of said tube portion.
14. A method for implanting a chronically implantable sensor fixture comprising:
pinching or otherwise closing off the flow of blood at a location on a vessel in a living body,
allowing the blood to evacuate the vessel in a vessel portion downstream from said closed off location,
urging said evacuated downstream portion into a fixture of a size to hold said blood vessel, and
releasing said closed off location so as to allow the flow of blood to return to said downstream portion.
15. A method of implanting a chronically implantable sensor into a living body on a vessel of said body comprising:
selecting an appropriately sized sensor fixture for mounting around a said vessel,
clipping said fixture to a sensor capsule, and
mounting said fixture with said sensor capsule to said vessel.
16. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:
clipping a spring clip around said fixture.
17. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising:
connecting a lead to said sensor capsule for providing sensor signals to another implantable medical device which may also be implanted in said living body.
This invention relates to the field of implantable monitoring devices and is partially suitable for long term monitoring of physiologic parameters including most particularly blood pressure from small arteries.
Currently no device is available to automatically, continuously and chronically monitor blood pressure extravascularly. Sphygmomanometers are used to externally monitor blood pressure through the use of an external cuff. In common hospital parlance, stations having what are called inaccurately `dynamap` systems (probably this misnomer is derived from the Johnson & Johnson "DINAMAP" (R) patient monitor systems, which use various blood pressure cuffs) automate these measures for discrete data point analysis. In either system type, the inflatable cuff or other pressure monitoring apparatae are bulky, impede blood flow and require operating personnel to make measurements. As a result these external systems are limited in usefulness to less than 24 hours in common usage. Numerous intravascular and paracorporeal automated pressure sensors have been developed to automate blood pressure monitoring of critically ill patients in hospital settings and for surgical patients. Typically these are composed of a moveable or dispensable membrane surface that by its associations with an electrical sensor produces a signal indicative of the pressure on the membrane. Not only is the usefulness of such devices limited to acute situations where access to the insides of a blood vessel is available, but the mechanical configurations are complex. Accordingly such devices are only able to provide blood pressure readings for a very limited period of time, and in circumstances of intense patient care, like in a hospital setting.
Using currently available internal to the circulatory system systems, at present time there is no good method for chronically measuring blood pressure on the left side of the circulatory system without actually placing a device in contact with the blood. This of course presents a site for thrombogenesis and the possibility of subsequent stroke. If no sensor is placed directly in contact with the blood the challenge is then sensing blood pressure through an arterial wall without introducing errors due to the structure of the arteries supporting all or part of the pressure load.
Further, there is no good present method for continuously sensing over a long period of weeks or months, even including devices which activate a mechanical occluder or cuff so as to provide data beyond mere systolic and diastolic values.
Perhaps the most advanced pressure sensor at the present time is described in some detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,434, incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety. However, this blood pressure sensor is designed for dwelling in the heart of the patient on the heart's right side. Thus any thrombogensis created by the artificial material presence in the blood stream would have limited capacity to damage the patient that is, could not cause a stroke because any thromboses thrown by the device would end up in the patients lung. Thus this patent highlights the difficulty in achieving left side blood pressure measurements.
Other prior systems for attempting to meet some of the requirements described just above include U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,094 issued to Kapp et al, and incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety. This Kapp teaching requires a fairly complex mechanical system including a liquid pump and reservoir and programmable controller for cuffing or occluding the blood flow in the artery, difficulties which are obviated completely by the present invention.
External devices include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,179, and three which describe a watch mounted external device, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,802,488; 4,799,49, and 4,269,193 all four hereby incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety. Accordingly, there is a need for a device to enable the continuous chronic monitoring of patient blood pressure automatically and at low cost. To provide such a device without the requirement for vascular access and which could safely monitor the left side of the vascular system as well as the venous system would be of no small additional benefit. It is also an advantage to be able to provide additional devices for deploying sensors chronically to other vessels in the body for sensing other physiologic conditions(e.g. phlebitis).
Such devices as are described herein can be applied to monitoring patients with hypertension without cumbersome discrete point analysis over long terms with many hospital or clinic visits. Dosage accuracy can be enhanced with continuous long term monitoring of blood pressure for administration of hypertensive medications. It is also helpful for interventions to many disease processes such as diabetes, renal and neurologic disease, internal medicine and transplant patients, and any condition where surveillance of patient compliance could be helpful. Not only can continuous systolic, diastolic and pulse pressure monitoring be done with a minimally invasive implant, but additional or just different physiologic signals can be monitored, leaving wide open the scope of application of devices based on this invention.
Thus, the applicability of this invention is not limited to sensing blood pressure however. It should be recognized right from the start that the invention described herein can be used to obviate the use of many sensors which otherwise would require implantation into an active artery or vein system.
For example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409 (also incorporated in its entirety by this reference) the blood flow is measured using permanently implantable lead within a vein adjacent to an artery. However, using our inventive fixture, flow, temperature, pressure, pulse rate, an even blood oximetry, as well as any other measurement that needs to be taken by a sensor next to the blood flowing through a artery or a vein can be accomplished using a device based on the inventive concepts described herein.
By providing accurate, continuous monitoring of patient blood pressure and other physiologic measures, a profile of patient status during activities of daily living and over prolonged intervals can accurately depict the patient's true hemodynamic health status over months of use. Such automatic monitoring circumvents patient compliance and operator compliance issues which are problematic in the use of external devices. Particularly, the fixture with sensors concepts described herein can be applied to peripheral, internal and neurologic blood and other fluid pressures, flow and so forth. Carotid arterial blood pressure, pulmonary venous blood pressure and cerebral ventricular pressure associated with hydrocephalous are just three examples. The device could be used to monitor the formation of transudate and exhudate fluids, such as in conditions of subcutaneous edema. The device can of course be useful as a research tool, and may find many uses in veterinary medicine and monitoring.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a perspective of another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a cut away view of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a cut away view of the upper portion of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 taken at line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a frontal view of the embodiment described with respect to FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the device of FIG. 2.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken at line AA of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a sectional of FIG. 6 taken at line BB.
FIG. 9 is a side view of one embodiment of the sensor fixture in accord with the invention.
FIG. 10. is a back view of the fixture of FIG. 4.
FIG. 11a is a side view of another embodiment of the invention surrounding an arteriole artery or other blood vessel which is pinched off to fit into an inventive fixture in accord with a preferred embodiment.
FIG. 11b is another side view of the fixture and blood vessel of FIG. 11 with the normal flow restored.
FIG. 12 is an illustration of am implantable medical device for monitoring data produced by the inventive fixture connected to it by a lead.
FIG. 13 is a view facing an inner sensor laden surface of the tunnel or passageway space for containing a living body's blood vessel as it may be constructed in accord with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 illustrates a sensor array having an emitting element, a receiving element and their position within the inventive fixture relative to a blood vessel.
FIGS. 15a-e are illustrations of arterial blood vessel locations suitable fore use with one preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 16A is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment fixture configuration and connection to a lead.
FIG. 16B is a side view of the top portion of the device illustrated in FIG. 16A.
FIG. 16C is a facing view of the top portion of the device of FIG. 16A.
FIG. 17 is a side view of a preferred embodiment similar to that of FIG. 16A.
FIG. 18 is a cross sectional view of a cable or lead in accord with a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the inventive fixture.
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIGS. 20A-E are cross sectional slices of the interior surface of the internal space, tunnel, or passageway for containing blood vessels in accord with a preferred embodiment of the invention. each is taken from section lines A-E as illustrated on FIG. 20.
FIG. 21 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment.
FIGS. 22 and 23 are partially sectioned perspective views of two preferred embodiments.
FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating one manner of connecting two components in accord with the inventive concepts described herein.
FIG. 25 is an assembled structure of the exploded view of FIG. 24.
FIG. 26 is a side view of one form of the upper part of the fixture in accord with a preferred embodiment.
FIGS. 27A, 27B and 27C are a facing view, and two sectional views of the device of FIG. 26.
A number of general and specific objectives are set forth for what this invention can provide, and also a number of general and specific features. All of these features and objectives can be met individually or in combination by the description which follows.
In one preferred embodiment the sensor system consists of a side-sensing chronically-implantable absolute pressure sensor incorporated into the inventive structure. This sensor may be similar or identical to the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,434. To avoid unneeded prolixity, the just above mentioned and all subsequently mentioned patents are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference sentence, and this sentence is operative to so incorporate all such mentioned patents at each such mention without the need of repeated recitation of this statement or its equivalent at the location of such mention.
The pressure sensor is packaged inside or in close and operative association with a clamp type structure which we often refer to as a fixture which holds an artery against the sensor diaphragm or against the pressure transferring medium (such as silicone or medical grade adhesive) capable of accurately transferring or transporting pressure from the artery side wall to the sensor diaphragm. The shape of the artery channel through the fixture's clamp-like structure is such that it slightly deforms the artery to provide a flattening of the artery (in cross section) in the region where it passes over the sensor diaphragm or the silicone adhesive between the sensor diaphragm and the artery. This flattening of the artery causes pressure interior to the artery to be supported by the sensor structure rather than the artery wall structure. This causes the arterial pressure to be passed through the artery wall to be detected by the pressure sensor.
This effect can be enhanced by varying the shape of the tunnel or channel through which the vessel is placed as described in some detail below.
Calibration can be effected if required once the device is in place which may account for variations in wall thickness or other features of the vessels or for other reasons known in the pressure sensor art. Another feature of the clamp structure is on the opposite side (in this preferred embodiment) from the pressure diaphragm. What can be described as a slit is provided along the length of the clamp structure, this slit being substantially narrower than the diameter of the artery. The artery is inserted into the clamp by squeezing the artery (or clamping it off upstream) and passing it's collapsed form through the slit and than releasing the artery and allowing it to spring out to conform to the shape of the insides of the clamp's channel. The pressure inside the artery will tend to keep the artery confined within the clamp channel without the need of any additional fastening hardware, thus reducing the likelihood of complications.
The artery can further be secured within the fixture (which we sometimes call an artery cuff) by forming the access slit in a serpentine shape, that is having a curved cut through which the filled vessel cannot easily slip out, once it has become secured within the fixture.
Thus, this invention allows for the measuring for pressure within a artery or other vessel (like a vein) through a vessel wall by causing a flattening of the vessel at the point of sensing. It teaches the method of inserting and retaining a vessel within the clamp's structure to hold the vessel against the pressure sensor. It provides a second pressure sensor on the backside of the arterial pressure sensor this second sensor not being in contact of the vessel which can be used to measure ambient pressure for calculation of "gage" pressure. This invention provides for chronic measurement for arterial pressure through the arterial wall without needing to contact the inside of the blood vessel.
In other preferred embodiments, other sensors for sensing other physiologic parameters could either supplement the pressure sensor or replace it as described elsewhere in more detail. For examples, temperature could be sensed and used for various purposes such as was described for rate control in pacing in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,005,574 or 4,803,987 (incorporated herein by this reference), or temperature could be used as just another physiologic sense to monitor for therapeutic, research, drug titration and other medical purposes. Other sensors could provide additional data for similar medical uses like optical sensors for oximetry or pulse oximetry and even partial pressure of oxygen can be measured and stored or used for various purposes. An example of a sensor that could be used for this is described in a patent incorporated herein by reference; U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,986 (Blood Oximeter). Other sensors could be substituted or used in conjunction with the pressure sensor to provide other physiologic data for use in monitoring and treating patients. Merely supplying electrode surfaces in the fixture would provide the structure to make impedance measurements could be used for local flow characteristics, or piezocrystals and similar transducers for ultrasound generation could also or alternatively measure flow or viscosity of the fluid in the vessel held in the fixture in accord with this invention.
Many improvements in monitoring a patient's health can come about through the use of the inventive fixture described herein. Methods of construction and use are also described. Meeting any one of these described goals or objectives or any combination or all of them is the purpose of this invention.
Referring first to FIG. 1, a device 10 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. The device 10 is constructed of an outer shell 11 continuous with the inner surface 15. It is essentially a tubular shape having a slit 14 therein extending along the length. The length is indicated by arrows 13 and the slit opening has two opposing surfaces 16 and 17 which are narrow relative to a deeper passage P which forms the main portion of the tunnel through the device 10 beneath the slit 14. In most preferred embodiments the sensors will be housed within the area between the passage P and the outer surface 11 indicated here by arrows 12. The surface 15 will be modified to accept the active end of any sensors employed, for operational effectiveness. Alternatively other areas of the surface of the tunnel passage P's walls may be used.
The device may be built of metal or plastic which is tolerated for long term implantation into a living body. Implantable medical devices are commonly constructed of titanium currently; and ceramic, plastic, and silicone are among other commonly used materials for implanted medical devices. Any biocompatitable material maybe used. Our first embodiments tested were constructed of titanium.
FIG. 2 illustrates another preferred embodiment of the invention. The device 20 has a passage there through, extending from the sides with openings 21 to area 28 in which the pressure sensor may be inserted and is preferably located. The pressure sensor is not visible from this view. The device 20 has a slit 22 with two opposing surfaces 23 and 24. These are rounded into the external shape of the device 20 and continuous with the external surface 25 and 26 as well as with the substantially flat internal surface 27.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the internal details of the device can be better seen. The active diaphragm surface 1 is in this embodiment the functional equivalent or similar to the diaphragm 54 of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,434 patent referred to above. Any deflection of this diaphragm 1 will register a change in pressure by the pressure sensor. As with any sensor, this will produce a signal that has a value which can be stored, telemetered out, or used directly to affect the operation of an implantable medical device. The same is true with all the sensors in all the embodiments.
The aperture defined by wall 28 extends up to the surface 27a of device 20a. This aperture will be filled in by medical adhesive in the preferred embodiment to transmit pressure directly from the blood vessel, (an arteriole in the preferred embodiment). The blood vessel will be captured within the clamping structure 20a lying along surface 27a.
It is acceptable to build the inventive device such that the diaphragm (in the case of the pressure sensor, or other active surface of any other sensor) forms a surface area coextensive with surface 27a for direct contact with the vessel especially for embodiments using sensors requiring closer contact to the vessel such construction is advisable.
The construction of the FIG. 3 device may be illustrated more simply with reference to the cross section in FIG. 4 in which the sensor structure 41 is shown attached to the medical adhesive or pressure transfer medium Ps, through which the arterial pressure Pa, will transmitted through the flattened arterial wall lying against the pressure transmission medium. Thus, the arms 42 and 43 provide the clamping structure that holds the artery in place for the sensor measurement to be made. In the alternative, embodiments employing for example oxygen sensors based on light transmittance, reflectance or absorption, these arms 42 may be covered with light reflective surfaces, or alternatively may also contain sensors instead of or in addition to the surface 27a. Note that in some embodiments the artery or other vessel wall 44 may bulge into the gap between arms 42 and 43.
The absolute size of the implanted sensor device can be adjusted to any specification so as to fit around the particular arterial, artery, vein, venuole, or other vessel through the wall of which one desires to make physiological measurements. In FIGS. 5-10, numerals indicate the size in centimeters of a preferred embodiment fixture similar to that shown in cross section in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 9, The inventive fixture 90 is shown in side view. The line 95 indicates the location of the flat surface and the line 96 indicates the location of the base of the slit or opposite to the flat surface. Taken together they define one diameter of the tunnel passageway that runs through the fixture and in which the vessel should rest when in use. A depression 91 is seen from this view. This depression is formed in the titanium block from which the fixture is formed in order to make the opening between the pressure sensor diaphragm on the surface coextensive with line 95. In FIG. 10, the outer edge of the generally flat, sensor bearing surface of the clamp's passageway can be seen at 107. The space 106 is the slit through the opposite side of said passageway. Openings 102 and 101 are the stop and entry ends for the pressure sensor which will be inserted into the fixture 100 to make the completed device.
FIG. 11a and 11b, illustrate the preferred method for having a body vessel (preferably a blood vessel) become surrounded and held by the clamp device, that is, the fixture, of this invention. In FIG. 11a, a clamp 92 can be used to prevent the continuing flow of blood through a vessel 91 thereby producing a collapsed vessel 93. This collapsed vessel can easily be slid through the slit at the top of device 90 so that it rests within the passageway as shown. Once the clamp 92 is removed (see FIG. 11b). The blood can flow through the vessel 91b thus clamping the vessel into the passageway in the clamp part 94 of device 90b. Additional physical features may be connected to the clamp device such as wings 95 or suture holes (not shown) which could be sewed onto tissue within the body to further stabilize the device, although when used with arterial vessels we have found no need for such further stabilization.
If desired, a clip, preferably of a deformable springy material like spring steel or other metal or plastic, may be fit over the top of the slit to help ensure that the vessel cannot escape the clamp. Such a clip is illustrated on FIG. 1 as clip 4, having flat stabilizing ends to keep it from rotating around the fixture 10, and the fixture 10 should have bumps or ridges 5 and 6 to keep the clip from sliding, or some other detent and ridge or other mechanical arrangement could be used to ensure the clip 4 does not slide once in place.
Refer now to FIG. 12, an implantable medical device 81 is illustrated having a body 87 containing a power source and appropriate electronics for powering and reading out data from the sensors in the device 85. It may also contain communications circuits for receiving signals from the inventive fixture and sensor device and/or from other devices in a living body, and for communication with devices external to the body as well. It may likewise contain the operative features and structures to be a drug pump, a cardiac pacemaker, a cardiodefibrillator, a nerve stimulator or just an implantable monitor, or any combination of these.
Device 85 is connected to the inventive structure by a lead 83 in the preferred embodiment. This lead may be similar in construction to leads currently used in pacemakers and cardio defibrillators and the like in that they contain a conductor for bringing electric power to and from the sensor device in the clamp 85. Here a vessel 84 is illustrated running through the clamp device 85 The device may contain its own power supply circuitry, communications circuitry and so forth as desired. Presently it is most preferred that only the sensor(s) and some electronics associated with processing the transducer signals for such sensor(s) be contained in a sensor capsule of the inventive device.
In FIG. 13, the lower surface of the passage 100 is shown separated from the device. The direction of blood flow is indicted by the arrows. In this setup two sensor areas 101 and 102 are provided to allow for differential readings upstream and down stream. In one preferred embodiment, a heater (preferably a resistive heater) would be included at area 101 or 101a or both, and a measurement of the temperature of the blood can then be taken at location 101 and 102 or at least at 102 and a determination made from these measurements relating to the viscosity of the blood itself or the speed of passage through the distance through the passage way between 101 or 101a and 102. This can be done using principles defined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,107 to Bonne et al hereby incorporated in its entirety by this reference hereto, which describes the use of specific heat and thermal conductivity to determine characteristics of a gas flowing past a sensor array.
Alternatively, Doppler sensors or ultrasound transducers may be used as were used in U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,009 patent cited above and incorporated herein by reference for determining flow or other physiologic parameters, using this or similar sensor array patterns or even located at a single point as is the pressure transducer of the first disclosed embodiment. An example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,407 (incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference) detailing how the transducers should be located relative to the conduit, here the contained blood vessel, to generate an electric signal proportional to fluid flow.
In FIG. 14, the internal passageway 110 of an inventive clamp device, may have an infra red sending and receiving array 111 and 112 mounted into the wall thereof so that the light L can penetrate the vascular wall VW and provide measurements for indications for the percentage of oxygen's satiation of the blood passing through the passageway 110.
Alternatively, these sensor locations can be adjusted to be on opposite sides of the fixture and the vessel, for example at points 113 and 114. Further, such configurations can be useful for impedance sensing to measure flow rate, viscosity and the like or for employing Doppler transducers for similar measurements. An example of placement of impedance electrodes relative to a flow duct (in this reference the Aorta), is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,774, also incorporated by reference. Clearly to measure cardiac output over a period of days or months or even years by incorporating the electrode configuration around a less vital blood vessel downstream from the Aorta would provide significant benefit to medical science, and to the management of the health of a patient using our device.
Electromagnetic measurements can be made with electrode placement as indicated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,604 also, if desired, and the magnetic positioning can be adjusted to be a part of the fixture device itself.
Of course it must be recognized that a feedback loop can be created using the measurements taken by sensors in the clamp device to deliver therapy to a living body into which the clamp device has been implanted. Thus, a fast acting blood pressure medication maybe monitored on a moment by moment basis throughout a patients daily activities by the use of such a clamp device associated with measurement circuitry and possibly processing circuitry and memory circuits implanted therewith. Data from the fixture device sensors can be used to modify programs for generating electrical pulses to stimulate nerves and to adjust pacing rate by coordination with an implantable pulse generator that has leads directing electrical energy to the appropriate bodily tissue.
This kind of closed loop feedback mechanism has long been established a potential use for implanted medical devices. In one example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,428, Obel et al., incorporated by this reference, showed that a measure of ischemia could drive a cardiac pacemaker therapy and a vagal stimulator. Any of the physiologic signals measured by this device could provide the kind of input a closed loop control system would need for adjusting therapy, whether drug based via a drug pump, or stimulator based as in the rate delivered by a pacemaker or the frequency etc., delivered by a neurostimulator. Likewise, the signal data could be easily stored into historical memory in a device like that of 87 in FIG. 12, which has appropriate processing power and memory. Such a device can clearly have a telemetry circuit 88 which could transmit signals to an external device 89 which could communicate the signals to a hospital over phone lines or through wireless telemetry so that the doctor can manage his patients, be aware of changing conditions and even be alarmed about changes in patient condition without ever scheduling a visit. Examples of useful monitors include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,807,336, 5,791,344, and 5,411,031.
It may be preferred to implant the invention's fixture into locations illustrated in FIGS. 15a-e. FIG. 15a illustrates an arm having three highlighted locations for preferable mounting of the inventive blood pressure fixture in accord with this invention. The Axilary Artery provides another apt location in FIG. 15b. the Inguinal, and Femoral arteries as well as the posterior Tibial artery in FIGS. 15c and d, respectively provide additional useful locations as do the Radial Ulnar and Superficial Palmar arteries shown in FIG. 15e. Each of these locations provides particularly useful information and a combination of locations can be used so as to provide for a systemic or overall reading or to indicate that there is an imbalance in a given area or across the system.
Long term monitoring of any such arrangement of sensors or sensor structures can provide detailed measurement data that can be used for historical charting of the patient's conditions and long term patient management.
In FIG. 16, a perspective view of a fixture 130A has a cable 136 linking a pressure sensor, (not visible here)connected at a linking junction 137 to the fixture 130A. It is recognized that not all vessels to which the fixture will be used to surround will be of the same size and consequently, the inventive device will be made available in multiple sizes. The surgeon will select the appropriate sized fixture for the vessel and snap the pressure sensor into the one selected, either before or after the blood vessel is surrounded by the passageway in the fixture. The fixtures can be constructed of hylon or similar suitable biocompatible plastic, such as may be used in connector blocks for pacemakers or other implantable medical devices with electrical leads currently, or of ceramics or metals that may be acceptable.
A block of medical adhesive will have been formed in the well 134 prior to the surgeon connecting the pressure sensor into the fixture 130A. For construction purposes, if using a metallic, such as titanium block from which the device will be machined, the opening at 133 is what is left after wire electric discharge machining. It may be filled as desired in the completed device when prepared for use. To construct the entire device then, one would machine in the curves, the slit and the tunnel, then either the through hole at 133 or the space shown at 133a in FIGS. 16B and C to create the diaphragm. Then the assembly of the pressure capsule would be completed by bonding the sensor and electronics board to the lower surface of hole 133a so that the diaphragm contacts the sensor appropriately, and then sealing the sensor capsule. Next the through hole 133 can be filled with transmissive material up to surface 135 and the device connected to a lead if appropriate. Then the device can be sterilized and will be ready for use.
Details in the construction of the device of FIG. 16A can be more clearly seen with reference to FIGS. 16B and 16C. In FIG. 16B. The structure 130s is the same as the top portion of the device 137a. In one preferred embodiment of a titanium block that has been electric discharged machined to produce the outer configuration shown in these FIGS. 16A-C, including the tunnel like passage way 195 having the base 135 and a slit 134 at the top. To form this construction, the electric discharge machining first produces the slopped sides (if desired for the final design,) and then produces the tunnel like through passage way 195 and the slit 134. The rectangular passageway 133 must be machined very carefully because this step produces the pressure diaphragm itself. The lower surface of the pressure diaphragm which will be inside the pressure capsule is illustrated at line 139 in both FIGS. 16B and 16C. A circuit board CB containing the sensor package 139a will be inserted in the area 133a machined from the area of the block opposite the slit 134. For our purposes, the preferred thickness of the diaphragm formed by the lower surface of the hole provided at 133 and the upper surface provided in area 133a should be on the order of approximately 0.001 inches.
The cable 136 may be preferably manufactured with two conductors as illustrated in cross section 180 in FIG. 18, with one center wire 181 surrounded by a cabled or wound wire 183 spaced apart from each other by silicone or medical adhesive or other biocompatible and preferably non-conductive material in layer 182. Preferably also a sheath layer 184 surrounds the outer conductor. A current pacing lead construction with two coiled metal conductors would suffice as well, and many variations are possible, including merely twisted pair wires, straight conductors and the like. A coaxial configuration is preferred only because a less noisy signal will be obtained with such a structure. As fiber-optic communications channels and their uses with sensors become better able to handle the stresses of implant by technological innovation, such cables may also be employed, and perhaps preferred.
Referring now to FIG. 17, a side view of a structure like that of FIG. 16 is shown in cross section 140. The connecting cable 143 provides signal and power to what in the preferred embodiment is a titanium capsule 141 having two sensors at deformable membranes or plates 146 and 147, one at 147 being useful as a reference sensor. (If a reference sensor is used for any sensor, common mode noise can easily be canceled as is known in most sensor art fields. In the pressure field, by having an absolute measure of pressure available at a reference sensor protected from the environment of the measuring sensor, a value close to gage pressure can be obtained, as well as the differential represented by the value of the blood pressure signal. Accordingly, with such an embodiment we can cancel the effects of atmospheric pressure fluctuation as would be done in this art. So here, the sensor under plate 146 would sense the blood affected pressure through a window of preferably something that will transmit a regular approximation of the blood pressure in the vessel above it, such as cured medical adhesive, and the ambient or atmospheric pressure will be sensed above the plate 147, which faces an area of stable body tissue or is blocked off from it. Alternatively, a pressure sensor could be mounted within a capsule implanted in a more stable area of the body for use as the reference sensor.)
The sensor capsule 141 is fixedly mounted or formed into the fixture surrounding it which from this cross section is seen to be mainly comprised of the passageway supporting section 142 through which the vessel will be mounted when in operation and the retaining portion 148. To show one form of isolation structure for the reference sensor, a dotted section is shown at 149 which could be formed of the same hard plastic that preferably forms sections 148 and 147, which if perforated to allow fluid access to the window 144 will provide a good environment for reference pressure measurements. On FIG. 21, the outline of such a reference sensor is illustrated at 227, and the perforations at 228.
An alternative embodiment 190 is viewed cut across the tunnel shaped passageway 195 into which the vessel would be mounted in FIG. 19. In this embodiment the slit or opening 192 is near the flat internal surface 191, which indicates that the inventors considered the relative location to be non-critical. That is, it is not believed that the opening and the flat surface must be on opposite sides to perform sufficiently well to function. In fact, if one does not use a pressure sensor, it may not be necessary to flatten one side or even a part of one side of the inner surface of the tunnel like passageway. Also illustrated in FIG. 19, is the potential for maintaining all electronics, power sources telemetry, memory and other processing circuitry in direct contact with the sleeve or tunnel like passageway which will surround the vessel. In FIG. 19, this is shown with an adjoining housing area 193, which can be of any convenient shape. It is expected that in most preferred uses, the smallness of the sensor fixture will be of paramount importance, so such circuitry will at least for the near future be mounted in a housing separated by a conductor containing lead from the fixture. For some applications a fiber-optic cable may be preferred or may supplement the electrical conductors.
For example, a sensor fixture could be mounted around the radial artery or vein with a pressure sensor mounted in the fixture, and a conductor bearing lead tunneled through the arm to an implantable pulse generator in the patient's chest. This sensor would provide feedback regarding changes in the pressure within the patient's body at the extremity and this measurement set could be used to modify stimulation pulses sent by the pulse generator mounted in the chest t, for example, by sending pulses of greater intensity or duration to the carotid sinus through another electrical medical lead connected to stimulate at that location. As mentioned earlier, data in the sensor measurements provided by sensors mounted in the fixture can provide the basis for adaptive closed loop programs that provide changes in heart pacing stimulation or drug delivery from implanted drug pumps.
Additionally, the fixtures could be mounted to any body vessel including but not limited to bile ducts, pancreatic ducts, seminal vesicles, lymph vessels or any of the tubes involved in the Kidney function or the excretion of urine downstream therefrom, in short, on any vessel through which a fluid may flow, so as to take measurements of that fluid. The squeezing off of the body vessel provides for a smaller outer diameter that can fit through the opening or slit in the fixture, and then the vessel upon release will fill or overfill the internal diameter of the tunnel shaped passageway becoming thereby fixed thereto so that repeatable reliable long term measurements can be taken by a sensor structure mounted into the internal surface.
Referring now FIG. 20 in which an alternate preferred embodiment 200 is illustrated, a thin lead 204 can be connected to an end of the pressures sensor capsule 202 if desired. This lead 204 may be much thinner than a cardiac pacing lead (for example) since no coiling would be required for a conductor in such a lead. Optical communication could of course take place over an optical fiber (in lead 204) if the circumstances of the device suggests such a design would be preferred. In fact, use of not connected telemetric pathways for communications with the implantable device are an option and such communications with implantable medical devices has been known for some time.
The fixture for holding the blood vessel 205 again is shown to contain a tunnel or passageway 201 having a slit 203 along one side of it between the arms 205a and 205b of the fixtures body 205.
For convenience, the internal diameter of the tunnel space 201 is taken in views of the sections A-E, illustrated in an abbreviated form in FIGS. 20A-20E. Referring to these FIGS. 20A-E, it can be seen that the slit width dA-dE does not vary substantially in this preferred embodiment, even though the internal configuration of the tunnel does. Each of the internal diameters taken from the view lines A-E of FIG. 20 can be described as two rough semi circles, concave sides facing but spaced apart the length of a relatively flat line on the bottom which joins the semi circles 210-214, this flat area, in the preferred embodiments, being a cross sectional of the preferred substantially flat area in which the sensor(s) are most efficaciously placed. (Some variation from flatness and placement are within the scope of the concepts described here for the placement of the various sensor configurations described, of course.) Thus it can be seen that at one end of the tunnel 201 the opening is nearly round where in the middle it is quite oblong and again round at the other side. The tunnel or interior space designed in this manner provides some resistance to length wise slippage of the fixture along the length of the vessel it's meant to surround as well as reducing the ability of the vessel to come out through the slit. It is also believed to enhance the sensing of pressure.
In FIG. 21, a convolved, curved or serpentine slit design is shown in slit 225 on device 220. It is certainly within the range of preferred embodiments to employ both the serpentine or curved slit design or something similar together with the design of the pinched tunnel illustrated in FIGS. 20A-E in the same device, or not, if preferred. The curve of the slit shape could be more angular than that illustrated if desired as well.
In device 220, the pressure sensor capsule body 221 is again mounted to the fixture 223 but in this design, the lead 222 is built integrity with pressure capsule 221.
Refer now to FIG. 22. This holding fixture 238 and pressure capsule 231 can be designed as an integrated device or assembled in the operating room by the surgeon to form device 230. As in the device illustrated in FIG. 20, an attachment mechanisim for attaching the lead to the pressure capsule 231 is also illustrated at 232. Thus, the device can be a 2 or 3 piece combination, that is, a capsule and lead joined to a fixture, or a capsule joined to the lead and the fixture separately. In this device design, either a pressure transmissible substance 235 (preferably medical adhesive although other similar substances can be used), or an actual pressure diaphragm surface should mate smoothly with the interior surface 237 of the device 230. Surround structure or tub 234 can be formed integrally with either the sensor and or pressure capsule 231 or with the material 233 of which the fixture is made, depending on whether it is easier to manufacture with the surround 234 holding the fixture to the pressure sensor capsule 231 or to the fixture 238.
In FIG. 23 the inventive device 240 is again shown to be built of two main parts; the fixture 248 and the capsule in which the sensors are located 241. In this particular design a pressure sensor diaphragm 246 is built below the upper surface of the mating tub 247 which will be filled with pressure transmissive substance in the preferred embodiment. In this design, it can be seen that the fixture 248 can simply be snapped over the mating tub 247 to employ a ridge of the same material as fixture 248 (not shown) which will mate with the detent 248 in the mating tub 247.
Currently since it is cheaper to manufacture the fixture part, if the reader wishes to accommodate the surgeon, a kit containing a plurality or multiplicity of fixtures of different sizes which can all mate to a single sensor capsule provides a most cost effective solution.
Thus, since presently configured pressure capsules like 241 are made of a metal like titanium, for this design it would be easiest to form the mating tub 247 with its mating detents 248 on the surface of that metal capsule. To manufacture, the next step would be to fill the tub with medical adhesive or other suitable pressure transmissive medium, wait for the pressure transmissive medium to cure, sterilize the whole thing and provide it to a physician or surgeon with a set of sized fixtures like that illustrated at 248. In this way, a kit could be provided so that the right sized fixture 248 could be picked from a kit of a range of such fixtures to mate with a single sterilized and prepared pressure capsule and lead combination. Of course this would be applicable to the pressure capsule without a lead or with a lead connector as illustrated in FIG. 22 for example, and to other sensor capsules containing sensors other than pressure sensors with minor accommodation. For examples, an oxygen sensor requiring that its sensor be touching the vessel would omit the steps of providing a pressure transmissive medium, and an impedance sensor may simply provide electrical connections to the fixture which may itself have electrodes mounted strategically around the tunnel formed by the fixture to contact the vessel most appropriately.
FIG. 24 shows the combination 250 of the pressure capsule 252 having the mating tub 257 filled with pressure transmissible substance 247a which can come from one sterile package. Selecting the correctly sized fixture 251 and pressing it over the sensor package 252 will provide a reassuring snap to the physician when the internal ridges or ridge mate with the detent 253 and produce the device of FIG. 25, 260. Other mechanical links which may be well known in the art can be substituted for a ridge with mating detent. Bumps and detents, set screws and glue describe just a few of these.
While it is assumed that a certain level of background is available to the reader, it is useful to mention and thus incorporate by reference a number of patents which describe features that may be employed in implementing the mentioned features of this invention including the use of multiple implantable devices having the inventive fixtures, which can communicate with each other or with other implanted devices with or without provision of conductors (for examples of background in this area see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,987,897 and 5,113,859 issued to Funke), telemetry uplink and data storage for monitoring and communication with an external receiver generally (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,411,031, 5,687,734, and 5,693,676), ultrasound transducers used in implantable devices (U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,106), and Drug pumps (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,373,527, 5,681,285 and 5,586,629).
To further illustrate the use of tunnel narrowing along with a curved slit design, the illustrations of FIG. 26 and FIGS. 27A-C should be considered. FIG. 27B is a facing view looking into the tunnel 264. It should be noted that this part of the device structure when assembled will hold the pressure capsule or other sensor housing at location 263 where the fixture curves inward toward the central passageway or tunnel 264. It can be noted that the upper portion of the tunnel 266 can be seen narrowing past this entry way which is nearly round at perimeter 265 from this view. Note also that the sidewall 262 corresponds to sidewall 262 on FIG. 26.
Referring to the section taken at line CC from FIG. 26, one can see that the diameter 266 has only slightly started to become elliptical around the tunnel passage way 264. However, in FIG. 27A taken at section line AA from FIG. 26, a perimeter 265 of the tunnel can be seen as quite elliptical in shape and the curve of the slit 261 can be seen to have substantially moved in its location in FIG. 27B, the facing view taken at line B.
If desired of course, a clip similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1 may be used to further insure that no blood vessel may escape the tunnel passageway 264.
Certainly many variations on the features described herein and many cross combinations thereof may be made use of without leaving the ambit of this disclosure, which is deemed limited only as set forth in the following appended claims.
Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
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Berwick football coach George Curry talks to reporters Wednesday after exiting an eligibility hearing regarding the transfer of two Nanticoke …
June 24th, 2015 updated: June 24th, 2015. |
WILKES-BARRE — With heat rising off the turf at Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium, Brandon Chafin sat on the artificial surface to …
June 14th, 2015 updated: June 14th, 2015. |
Location, ST | website.com
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subset: commoncrawl


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Gayby Boom
Raising a family the "new-fashioned way"
Posts filtered on Tag
My Heart Breaks…Dealing with Only Having One Baby
[Yesterday was Michael's perspective about finding out we were pregnant, and today is my perspective.] Michael and I had discussed before we even did the transfer whether we wanted April to take a home pregnancy test or not. We told her that we didn't care whether she took one or not, but if she did, […] [Read More]
The "Oven" Joins Team Baby…Our Journey to Find Our Surrogate
So we now had both the doctor and egg donor in place. All we needed was our surrogate, or as Michael likes to call her "the oven." There are far more egg donors than there are "ovens," which makes sense when you consider the commitment she will be making. Realizing surrogates are in high demand; […] [Read More]
Another door opens, the journey to finding our egg donor
They say all things happen for a reason. If we had not walked away from the unscrupulous egg donor and agency, we would not have found our ideal donor and agency. Just like finding our physician, it took a little more time and effort. Fortunately, almost all of the egg donor agencies have online databases […] [Read More]


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- Attorney General Brad D. Schimel
- Fighting Crime
- Victim Assistance
- Consumer Protection
- Media Center
- About Department of Justice
- Topical Index
This Google™ translation feature is provided for informational purposes only.
The Office of the Attorney General is unable to guarantee the accuracy of this translation and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information resulting from the translation application tool.
Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business.Contact the Department of Justice
In the recent past, Wisconsin has been in the media spotlight due to several high-profile mass tragedies such as the Sikh Temple shootings in Oak Creek, the domestic violence homicides at the Azana Spa in Brookfield, and the arson/homicides in Argyle. In each of these senseless tragedies, the media were there to report on the crimes and their aftermath.
The media serve an important and necessary role in our society by providing information to the public, acting as a check on our government and playing a fundamental role in our democracy. When the media timely and sensitively report about crime, it can be especially helpful during emergencies when the public needs to be aware of a particular situation. In addition, when the press covers crimes that are emerging such as Internet crimes against children, human trafficking and heroin abuse, it helps to educate the public on very real and serious dangers.
The recent high-profile cases have brought out both the best and the worst in our news media. Although some may prefer to criticize when reporters act irresponsibly, I prefer to acknowledge the media who cover the news in a way that is professional, informative, and sensitive to the rights of crime victims. I would therefore like to say "thank you" to those in the press who acted responsibly, thoughtfully, and respectfully while reporting on these cases and treated victims with dignity, sensitivity, and respect for their privacy. More specifically, I would like to thank those journalists who did not try to hunt down the victims and witnesses of the Azana murders within the sanctuary of their homes before their wounds, physical and emotional, had begun to heal. I would like to thank those members of the media who did not report on the whereabouts of law enforcement vehicles when they were attempting to locate a shooter because it might tip off the very person who was being sought. I would like to thank the journalists who did not demand information of emergency workers, victim service providers, hospital personnel, and law enforcement at times when their duty, first and foremost, was to attend to the crisis at hand.
Unfortunately, some representatives of the press -- in their zeal for a story -- confront crime victims with questions while they are still suffering, invade victims' privacy, publish and air photos and video of victims who are injured and in pain, and disclose personal facts that can only re-traumatize victims.
The media excel at telling stories, and participation in those stories by crime victims -- when they are ready and willing to cooperate -- can offer valuable perspective. When members of the press take the time to humanize victims and understand their resilience, hope, and pain, the information that they impart to the public is accurate and fair. When the opposite occurs and the media sensationalize a tragedy or fail to take into account the very real human suffering that has occurred, it is a disservice to all of us.
The Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services in conjunction with the Wisconsin Crime Victims Council has developed a webpage to assist victims of crime and the media in their interactions with each other. Information at the site includes "A Guide for Journalists Who Report on Crime and Crime Victims" by Justice Solutions. This guide contains information about how to accurately cover stories of victimization while remaining sensitive to victims' and survivors' concerns and needs. The webpage can be found at the following link:
Interacting with the Media: Tips for Victims of Crime


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Discovering The most effective HVAC Repair In MiamiApril 8th, 2013
Discovering The very best HVAC Repair work System In Miami When you live in Miami your HVAC system is a fundamental part of your home and your family members's well being. This is why it's necessary to discover a top quality Miami hvac repair firm. By having a firm do routine upkeep on your system you could make certain that your HVAC system will operate at maximum capacity and keep your house cool. Go to miamihvacpros.com today!
Searching for The Best Business
In order to locate the most effective business to suit your HVAC requires you have to do some study. Ask family and friends that they utilize or have used in the past and obtain some referrals. Be sure to inspect their testimonials out online in this way you understand if they're a great business to deal with or not. As soon as you have actually shortened a couple of companies go on and call them and acquire some basic information. Numerous HVAC business will provide packages that consist of routine maintenance featuring summer season and fall cleansing. If a business tries to speak you into any more compared to that you ought to move on. They will certainly likewise offer you their fees in advance when it involves basic repair works. In this manner there are no surprises.
Making The Call
When you locate the very best business for you and you call them it is essential to have all info convenient. This methods that you ought to have on hand the make and model of your unit, the size of your home, and the last time it was serviced. The size of your HVAC system and your property are very important functions to consider when it pertains to heating and cooling your home. Often times HVAC systems can be too big or too small for an estate, this is something the technician must understand before coming out.
First Browse through
When you schedule your preliminary session with a Miami ac repair work company they must concern your place and do a comprehensive check. Make certain to follow them and guarantee that they are also checking the air ducts, the filters, and the blades. If your device is an outdoors system they should be eliminating any clutter that might be close at hand. You need to make certain to inspect your system also, if any sort of job does should be done make certain that they discuss it to you and reveal you which they aren't just simply attempting to get work out of you.
Regular Maintenance
Routine maintenance ought to occur twice a year, when in the autumn and once in the springtime. This is when the professional must come out and well-maintained your system properly and guarantee that all facets of your system are functioning efficiently. Along with the regular maintenance that the technician deals with, you ought to likewise keep your HVAC system operating perfectly. You can transform filters, check air ducts, and change cutters too. This will certainly not just spare you the cost of professional fees but will likewise save you power prices.
Residing in Miami, it is a necessity to have an effectively working Miami hvac system. This is why doing regular maintenance and finding a trusted HVAC system business in Miami is very important. By taking these actions to ensure your system is operating successfully you are keeping your home cool and saving money in electricity costs.Visit miamihvacpros.com today!


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This Asian mistress feels a big shit waiting to be dumped - but she's not using her regular toilet today. She squats over her human toilet's face and orders him to open wide - only to shit into his mouth right away. The slave can't even handle the massive amount of scat and half of his face is covered when his mistress is done!
What are you looking for?
ass licking eating scat forced consumption girl shitting human toilet human toilet pov humiliation lady chantal latina mistress mistress gaia pee piss drinking piss femdom pissing pissing femdom princess nikki scat scat domination scat eating scat femdom scat mistress scat princess scat video scatqueens berlin shit shit eating shitting soft shit spitting toilet slave
New Scat Clips
Human Toilet Blogs
- Eating Scat
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- Female Scat
- Femdom Toilet
- Girls Scat
- Pissing Girl
- Eat Scat
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- Pee Video
Want to exchange links? E-Mail


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As Aqua once said "Life in plastic, it's fantastic!" and I think this is what they meant…
Tag Archives: Rachel Zoe
Activewear as Ready-To-Wear
Sometimes I'll get dressed, look in the mirror and think to myself "where did this come from?" There's certain things I've refused to wear in the past (with a few of the many listed here) but now I'm all about them. For example, I never thought I'd be wearing sneakers or sweatpants in public…then this happened. I'm not huge skirt person but then I ended up coming home with three after my Australia trip (here's one of them). I don't know how it happens but it just does. And now I can add activewear to this list of things-I-never-liked-but-now-I-wear-all-the-time. Yes, coming from the girl who openly despises exercises. Activewear.
Throwback Thursday: The Last 4 Years
In just a few days, ChiCityFashion turns 4 (which is 28 in blog years) but because that day isn't a Thursday and you can only throw it back on a Thursday (unless you flash it back on a Friday and unfortunately I can't have a Throwback Thursday AND Flashback Friday feature on ChiCityFashion…conflict of interest, really) I thought today would be the perfect day to recap some of my favorite things that happened on CCF in the last four years.
Ready? Let's do this.
Half-Assed Halloween
With Halloween being exactly one week away, it's about that time where people are frantic about what they're going to dress up as, what parties they're going to go to and most importantly, figuring out a way not to consume your body weight in candy. I'm personally not a big fan of Halloween (I do enjoy the chocolate, though) but the only way I can semi-enjoy it is to kind of dress up (meaning not put together a full on look but enough to avoid the "why aren't you dressed up?" question) which brings me to today's post.
I've always said that if I had a show on Food Network it would be called Half-Assed Meals With Jena (because if it involves more than 7 ingredients and takes more than 20 minutes I am not interested) and I participate in Halloween in a very half-assed way (last year, I wore a bat sweater)…so it's only appropriate to title this one a Half-Assed Halloween (but of course…it's fashion themed). One costume, three or less items to make it happen, let's do it.
Spring Trend To Wear Now: Black & White
One of the biggest trends seen on the runways for Spring 2013 is simple, straight-forward and a great canvas for fun accessories…it's black and white. Whether you're pairing a white top with black pants or going for a black and white printed dress, it's such a simple trend to incorporate into your wardrobe and it's one you can start wearing right now!
What better way to kick off the new year than to wear next season's biggest trend this season?


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Daily Slice: Mineo's, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
No pizza ever quite compares to the stuff you grow up with. (We call it the Pizza Cognition Theory.) So when SE contributor John M. Edwards found out Erin Zimmer and I were going to Pittsburgh, he insisted we stop at Mineo's Pizza House. More


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We usually do our live blog parties for Daisy of Love at midnight ET on Sundays. Chantal Claret, our hostess, is an L.A. woman, and our gab fests are coordinated to have her interact with the viewers watching the show live on the West Coast, at 9 pm PST.
That's going to CHANGE this Sunday! If you like sharing your thoughts with others as the show takes place, on May 17 you need to be here at the blog at 9 pm ET. Chantal and her Morningwood mates are doing biz in NYC right now, hence the switcheroo.
What's the story this week? Check the clip above. Daisy challenges the boyz to a little rocker contest. There should be lots of comments about their abilities this Sunday (at 9 ET).


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Social Media Coordinator
Hometown: New Paltz, NY
Degree: BA, Visual/Performing Arts and Philosophy, Green Mountain College
How would you describe Green Mountain?: The place for every needle in the haystack to call home; A community that will follow you throughout your life.
What's the best place to hang out in the area?: The newest restaurant in town – Taps Tavern! It has some of the best food in the area and heavily utilizes local ingredients.
Favorite Author: Ezra Pound, because he gave America its own literary legacy – Read The Cantos!
When I'm out traveling, I'm never without: My typewriter and a good book of poetry.
Favorite activity on a Saturday afternoon: Either lying in my hammock, playing with some goats, or climbing to the nearest scenic spot.
Favorite place: The Italian Alps, or Venice.
Best part about Vermont: The statewide community – once you're a Vermonter you'll understand.
Best advice for applicants: Listen, Learn, and Tell Your Story.


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Comment Actually live in Buffalo (Score 1) 867 867
Comment Re:Get a credit card (Score 1) 511 511
Comment Get a credit card (Score 4, Insightful) 511 511
Comment Re:Convenience? (Score 2, Insightful) 462 462
Comment Seriously, what sick fuck added a "darwin" tag? (Score 1) 1343 1343
This was a CHILD, who didn't know any better. If the kid had accidentally shot his parents and they died for being stupid enough to leave a loaded weapon near their 3 year old, that would be Darwin award worthy....
Comment Re:Does anyone want this? Seriously? (Score 1) 116 116
Comment Re:So easily debunked... (Score 1) 413 413
It is undeniable that in terms of the overall history of this nation GNI/GDP per person has gone up, not down. Period, the end.
Ugh...you must have missed the part about how the people at the top will distort the mean GDP per capita. Then there's accounting for inflation, and the debate on whether or not CPI is actually a true measure of inflation; it doesn't help if your increased income purchases less. You also don't account for any downward mobility at all, as if an increase in the mean or median means that everyone's income rose.
Basically all this boils down to is you're complaining that the increase 'isn't enough'.
You are almost correct. I firmly believe that at a below a certain point, "increases" in income don't actually get you any more effective purchasing power...if you make $1 more this year than last year, did your income really "increase", or did it really "stay the same"? Ever heard the term "stagnant wages"?
Americans in the bottom 95% are the ones generating most the wealth; they are building things, designing gadgets, transporting goods, preparing food, disposing of trash, teaching children, keeping streets safe, healing wounds, and so on. But most of the income goes to the top 5%. You are apparently having problems with this whole wealth vs. income thing.
Comment Re:Deathly! (Score 1) 423 423
Comment My complaint about the man with three buttocks (Score 1) 560 560
Comment Re:yep... (Score 5, Informative) 778 778
Comment Re:Hot women *and* weather soon enough.... (Score 1) 154 154
Global warming will not increase the amount of sunlight received in Norway. The people will still be light-skinned.
Comment Re:competition (Score 1) 164 164
Good luck getting everyone join your root servers instead.


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Protect your pieces.
Neoprene multiple mouthpiece pouches fit up to three Tuba/Tenor Saxophone mouthpieces and feature a compact fitted design, zippered closure, backside pocket, and belt loop secured by hook n' loop fastener.
Interior Features
Soft non-abrasive nylex lining
3 padded mouthpiece sections
Exterior Features
Belt loop attachment
Zippered closure
Backside pocket
Compact, fitted neoprene design


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Texas on the Potomac
Washington news with a Texas accent
Posts filtered on Tag
Barbara Bush tells Jeb not to run for president in 2016: 'We've had enough Bushes'
With the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center today, the national spotlight is shining on the entire Bush family. With former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — the son of one president and brother of another — rumored to be mulling a presidential candidacy, pundits and family members alike are weighing in. George W. […] [Read More]


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The delivery of two jumbo drilling rigs is expected to put construction of the Dakmi 4 hydroelectric project near Da Nang, Vietnam, back on schedule, according to Sandvik Mining and Construction.
Despite "severe rock conditions," the two Sandvik rigs "are proving the key to keeping the tunneling contract on schedule," the company said.
The 172-MW hydroelectric project is being built near the Cambodian border and includes a 420-meter long, 87-meter high dam to create a reservoir. But rock conditions in the tailrace tunnel are creating major problems for the drilling contractor, Sandvik said.
Specifically, the contractor has encountered "poor rock comprising sediment and badly fragmented and decomposed granite," Sandvik said. Some rock bolting will be required, but the contractor is confident it can make up the lost time with the new rigs.


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Take advantage of social websites to connect with a wider audience
Do you think it is important for more people to connect with your business online? You know, not just having a website, but having visitors who care about what you do, and are interested in paying for your product or services? Making your business "connect-able" means using the right channels to grow on-line and offline. Social media websites have grown in a very short time as the preferred platforms for people to connect on-line; I will share a bit on how you can use them to connect to more people.
Major social media websites broken down
You may or may not be using all social websites but you most likely are familiar with Facebook, Twitter and Youtube; which are the top three social media sites (most traffic). In addition to these three, Linked-in is another useful website that I recommend you use to be more connectable online.
1. Facebook is very popular in Trinidad and the Caribbean and can be useful to you as part of building your community online. You have the option of choosing a Facebook page or a group.
PAGES – You can use a Facebook page to share updates of your choice to your "fans", your page will be the official "representative" of your company on Facebook. By sharing regular useful information to your fans, you can benefit from their likes or comments on your links. These likes and comments become visible to their friends (other facebook users who are subscribed to their updates).
GROUPS – You can use a Facebook group to promote or discuss a specific area of interest within your industry or product offering. Groups are great for communicating more directly with other Facebook users as users receive notifications when there are new updates. Also, there are group chats that can be used for more direct interaction between members of the group.
2. Twitter is a social website that allows users to share text-based updates known as tweets of up to 140 characters in real time to followers (persons subscribed to tweets of a particular user). For a business person like you, Twitter will give you the opportunity to connect with people interested in your products or service. Otherwise, you may also connect with leaders in your industry as well as celebrities or persons of interest to you.
There are lots of ways to become popular on twitter but my simplest advice is to
Be yourself – There are a lot of bots and spammers of twitter, if you be authentic it is more likely for you to be followed.
Be awesome – If you share updates, photos, and videos that are interesting, funny or useful people will follow you.
Don't over promote yourself – Promote others sometime and avoid being selfish in the way you share. You will thank me later.
Ask questions – This is a good way for you to stimulate discussion, grow your base of followers and get varied opinions.
Share the responsibility – You can have other trusted persons from your company assist with the tweeting for your brand.
3. Youtube is known as a great place to find funny, interesting videos but it is also the second largest search engine. This means people are looking to youtube for information almost as much as they are with google. Youtube is a video sharing website and community that is used to upload, share, view and rate videos.
Businesses like yours are already using youtube to share motivational videos, product demonstrations and customer video testimonials to promote their brands. You can take advantage of Youtube by being creative and using this website to promote the uniqueness of your brand, I recommend:
HOW TO VIDEOS – Posting tutorial videos on your product or on topics within your area of expertise is a good way to reach new persons.
CUSTOMER SERVICE – Address common customer service queries by giving helpful information that most of your customers need answered.
PRESENTATIONS – Give presentations of helpful tips as well as product demonstrations. These will give opportunities for users to get to know you better.
INTERACTION – Youtube is a community, so it would help you to interact with other users by viewing and commenting on other videos and discussion on areas related to your area of expertise.
Before getting started, remember to set up your channel; this is your profile on YouTube. Fill out your channel with your company contact information and some information as to what kind of videos you will be sharing. Be sure to include links to your website as well as other social media profiles.
4. Linked-in is more of a professional networking website than anything else. It allows you to connect with people who you know and to be introduced to people you don't know through mutual contacts. I would say it is often underused but holds immense potential for networking on-line and giving your best first impression to prospects as well as partners.
You can use Linked-in for your business as well as for personal networking:
FOR YOUR BUSINESS, your company Linked-in page gives you the opportunity to tell about your company story, products and services as well as career opportunities. Creating a company page is important as it allows you to put the information you want persons to find when they search for you.
AS A PROFESSIONAL, your Linked-In profile will give information on your career accomplishments, your qualifications and recommendations by persons who know you.
On Linked-in, there are lots of useful features that would help you present your uniqueness, as well as share information valuable to the persons you are connected to. Tools like Answers and Groups create the opportunity for experts and interested persons to discuss questions related to a specific industry or area of interest. If you are an expert, you can use these tools to grow your audience and your professional network. If you are not an expert, you can learn from them by exposing yourself to various perspectives on issues in your industry making you more knowledgeable in the process. You would be surprised to know how much you can gain for yourself and for your business from sharing useful information, asking questions and being friendly on-line.
What about you? What are your success stories?
How have you been taking advantage of social and other websites to connect with more people on-line? I have covered four, but we all know there are more ways to grow your business on-line. Please share more in the comment section below. Also, for more updates in the series follow Caribonix on twitter or subscribe to our blog.
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Bob Strickley
PDT Content Editor
In the wake the Newtown, Conn. shooting that saw 20 elementary students die, the 24-hour news cycle has been chewing through the different aspects of the tragedy. Jim Haas, Clinic Director of the Scioto County branch of Shawnee Mental Health Center took some time to address one of those aspects — mental illness.
Haas has been with Shawnee Mental Health for more than 30 years, serving the mental health field in various capacities through his career. He advised that tracking significant changes in behavior can help identify a mental health issue.
"They will tell you that they are sad or that they are feeling extremely anxious. Some people aren't that verbally open and a lot of times it takes some observation on the loved one's part," Haas said. "They can certainly tell if a person is sad, by their demeanor, by the fact that they may not be doing a lot of things they normally did before, as far as the things they had an interest in.
"They become more and more withdrawn and they might become almost reclusive at times if they are not doing well and feeling very depressed."
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, only 36 percent of adults with mental disorders are receiving treatment during a 12-month period. Haas said some of the difficulty with addressing mental illness is the refusal of treatment.
"Again, if the person is an adult, there is no real easy way to get them treatment if they are not wanting treatment and that becomes a problem also," Haas said. "There are times when people can be proven to be a danger to themselves or others, they can be placed in the hospital for the short term and sometimes they can be may be stabilized on medication there or whatever. But the need for a followup would have to be there once they came out of the hospital to make sure they get ongoing treatment."
Another obstacle comes with the stigma attached with seeking treatment for mental illness. It's something Haas says needs to change.
"I think a lot more needs to be done as far as becoming more open to help people avoid the stigma they feel anytime they might seek out treatment in mental health. The stigma is still very much there. And that's what worries me so much when something like this (Newtown shooting) happens," Haas said. "I don't know all the details around this case of the young man who killed the children, but once a person is labeled mentally ill, immediately people think, 'Oh these mentally ill people are all dangerous.'"
Haas said the misconception of those suffering from mental illness as dangerous is off-base.
"For the most part, mentally ill people aren't dangerous. I go out and do presentations and I talk about the fact that the mentally ill, for the most part, are no more dangerous than the rest of society," Haas said. "There are some cases where people become psychotic, and may hear voices and things like that, but for the most part mentally ill people are more likely to be the victim than the perpetrator."
Fortunately for those residents in need of help, Shawnee Mental Health has an open door policy.
"We don't turn down anyone who approaches us for services. You can walk in if you are feeling like there is an emergency you need to talk to someone about and they will be seen, regardless of pay," Haas said. "If people walk into the door with an emergency, we will address the issue. I think that's the most reassuring thing, that you can come in and say you have a problem, we are not going to say, 'no, you can't come here.' We would address any kind of problem that comes in our door."
With the backdrop of the shooting, Haas said the perception of mental illness being dangerous is one driven by emotion and predicting the sort of violence that took place is extremely difficult.
"In this case it is hard to really address that because people are so emotionally reactive to this and they should be. It's a horrible thing, it really is," Haas said.
Broad questions of what needs to be changed in the wake of the tragedy have been asked. In the mental health field, Haas sees problems that go beyond eliminating the stigma attached with mental illness.
"We have always had a situation where we have struggled for funding for the services that are needed for the people that are in need of income to pay for the services. There are governmental programs however, that do help in those kind of situations," he said. "Research is an ongoing need, I think. Even though this field has been here for a long, long time there is still a lot of undiscovereds out there. Things that need to be treated in a better, more effective way, speaking in generalities."
For more information on the Scioto County Clinic of Shawnee Mental Health Center visit shawneemhc.org or call 740-354-7702.
Bob Strickley can be reached at 353-3101, ext. 298, or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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"He brings a platform from which to raise money," said Navarro. "He brings statewide positive name ID and he brings a reservoir of good will and loyalty towards the Mack name." But Mack is not without his weaknesses, the most glaring of which is immigration and border security. His criticism of Arizona's controversial immigration measure won't sit well with some conservatives. Some Republicans, however, counter that Mack's opposition to the Arizona measure can be chalked up more as a freedom/government overreach issue than an immigration matter. Fundraising is another question mark. Many donors sat on the sidelines last quarter, as all of the candidates struggled to raise money. On the Democratic side, Sen. Bill Nelson boasts a $7.5 million war chest. Mack only has about $350,000 on hand, but he has the ability to build a bigger bank account. After he decided earlier this year that he wasn't running, he endorsed state Senate President Mike Haridopolos, who boasted strong early fundraising numbers, but ended up leaving the race. "It seems to me like Adam [Hasner] is raising more money in the state and George [LeMieux] is raising more money out of D.C. Now Connie is someone who can do both," said Jamie Miller, a GOP consultant and former executive director of the state party. Finally, the perch from which Mack has cultivated a profile appealing to many Republicans, his seat in Congress -- where he is chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee -- may also be something that could come back to hurt him, at a time when being a Washington politician isn't viewed favorably. "Let me be the first to welcome Congressman Connie Mack to Senate race. He knows first-hand from his many years working with the Washington establishment how broken our government is," said McCalister on Thursday. The bottom line is this: Mack has generated a new-found excitement in a party presented with a legitimate pickup opportunity that many worried would go to waste. We'll see in the coming months what he does with that chance.
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The Blog
The Daily Grind: Why Liberals Love Trains
7:27 AM, Feb 28, 2011 • By MARK HEMINGWAY
How our Marines are "destroying the Taliban"
"While Kennedy was in Santiago he made arrangements to 'rent' a brothel for an entire night. Kennedy allegedly invited one of the Embassy chauffeurs to participate in the night's activities."
Contra Tom Friedman, maybe we shouldn't worry about being surpassed by China and India just yet.
Reading The Atlantic will soon be a guilt-free experience
For aguy who doesn't look to light on his feet, Chris Christie is making "all the right moves."
Say it with me: Obama's Justice Department is incompetent, Obama's Justice Department is incompetent, Obama's Justice Department is incompetent...
Recent Blog Posts
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Raziel Reid with Reiko Mackenzie at Oasis Ultra Lounge for Davie's Got Talent. Photo by Jess Munitz.
If you've met Real Housewives of Vancouver star Reiko Mackenzie, then you know that she seems as sweet and genuine in person as she does on TV. Unfortunately, sweet and genuine do not make for good TV, so all the off-camera rumours about her husband Sunny Mackenzie (formerly Sun News Lal) and his alleged involvement in the drug gang murders of Jim and Ron Dosanjh (of which he was acquitted in 1994) gave the amiable housewife a little edge.
But Reiko recently took to her Twitter to announce that she has split from her husband, using the hashtags "#separated #newlife #newbeginnings #onwardupward <3". Reiko also posted an Instagram picture of her daughter feeding horses at their new home, with the caption, "Our new backyard #serenity #farmlife #outdooreducation".
It still hasn't been confirmed whether Reiko will appear on the second season of The Real Housewives of Vancouver, which will air on Slice in 2013, but when I saw her at Oasis Ultra Lounge a few weeks ago and asked whether castmate Jody Claman is still a bitch in the second season (which started filming this summer), she assured me, "Honey, Jody's a bitch all year round."
Here's to wishing Reiko a happy fresh start! May it be captured on reality television for us all to judge and make fun of.


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Boeing North American, Inc., Long Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $30,000,000 modification to a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to provide for update of avionics software in support of the B-1B aircraft. Expected contract completion date is July 15, 2002. Solicitation issue date was April 27, 2000. Negotiation completion date was Aug. 23, 2000. Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, Okla., is the contracting activity (F34601-99-C-0001).
United Technologies Corp., West Palm Beach, Fla., is being awarded an $8,763,534 option to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide for gas generator design definition in support of the Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) program. This program will develop and validate advanced turbine technologies. Expected contract completion date is Oct. 2, 2004. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33615-97-C-2779-P00008).
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $16,062,836 modification to a previously awarded contract N00019-00C-0367 for the procurement of organization-level ground support equipment which will support five F/A-18E/F carrier and shore-based squadrons. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (60%), Los Angeles, Calif. (17.6%), Milford, NH. (5.5%), Tempe, Ariz. (5%), Elgin, Ill. (4.4%), Fort Walton Beach, Fl. (3.9%), Euless, Texas (0.3%), Canada (0.3%), England (2.4%) and other (0.6%), and is expected to be completed by October 2002. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (97.3%) and the governments of Canada (0.3%), and England (2.4%) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Northrop Grumman Corp., El Segundo, Calif., being awarded a $5,192,053 order against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-00-G-001D for F/A-18C/D Center Barrel Replacement Plus (CBR+) shipsets for the Navy (four shipsets) and the Government of Canada (one partial shipset). This contract combines the purchases of the U.S. Navy (87%) and the government of Canada (13%) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in El Segundo, Calif., and is expected to be completed by December 2002. Contract funds will not expire the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Contract DAAE07-96-C-X159, announced on Sept. 5, 2000 for Oshkosh Truck Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., listed an incorrect modification amount. The amount should have been $8,811,208.


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The conferees were hard at work over the weekend and are meeting this evening at 5 pm EST to have what might be the last official meeting of the conference. All the remaining controversial items are on the table. Will Rep. Barton be able to get support for his MTBE deal? Will Sen. Bingaman's climate change language survive? How much ethanol will the country be required to use by 2012? Tune in and find out. Missed the early episodes? Catch up with these factsheets courtesy of Rep. Waxman.
Jeff Holmstead, head of the Bush administration's EPA air department and all around promoter of the "Clear Skies" initiative, just announced his plans to leave the agency at the end of August. Next steps for him? Traveling the world with his family for a year. Best decision the guy ever made ...
The real work of the Energy Conference gets underway today, and you can watch it live starting at 11 am EST (20 min. ago!). Behind the scenes, Senate and House staffs have been working to hammer out some compromises. That language will be the baseline that conferees work from today. The conference plans to cover the titles dealing with energy efficiency, coal, nuclear power, DOE management, vehicles and fuels, and hydrogen. These are the less controversial titles of the bills so fireworks may be kept to a minimum, although Sen. Wyden (D-Ore.) promises to cause some explosions by offering an amendment to increase fuel economy standards by 1 mile per gallon per year. Since the bill currently does nothing to increase fuel economy, this would be an improvement. Unfortunately, the only question is how lopsided the vote will be that defeats it. But for you lovers of summer, you aficionados of efficiency, the language expanding Daylight Saving Time to the first Sunday in March to the last Sunday in November continues to survive.
President Bush has challenged the congressional leadership to get energy legislation to his desk by the August recess. To do that, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.) -- chair of both the House Energy and Commerce committee and the 109th Congress edition of the energy conference committee -- has set out an ambitious schedule, hoping to get a conference report to the House and Senate in time. Look out for politicos sporting slings as the arm-twisting starts this week. To help you keep track, here's the Cliff Notes version of the marquee (and not-so-marquee) issues confronting the conferees.
Full text of the G8 climate communiques are now available here and here.
As conservative spinmeister Frank Luntz has written in his infamous memo, "Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly." With all the climate action in the Senate last week, it seems that the skeptics are getting restless. Time for Plan B. Last week, noted skeptic Patrick J. Michaels laid out the game plan: The Bush administration realizes that simply knowing that human activities are impacting the climate is not grounds for "urgent action" to do something about it. So even if they can't argue about human influence anymore, they'll now argue about the appropriate time to take action. It's time for advocates of taking action sooner-rather-than-later to update their talking points. You can be sure the other side already has.
Four votes. Sens. Boxer, Dayton, Feingold, and Harkin, all supporters of the Climate Stewardship Act in the last Congress, voted against the legislation this afternoon when Sens. McCain and Lieberman offered it as an amendment to the energy bill. The amendment included new subsidies for the construction of nuclear power plants -- which Sen. Boxer, at least, has publicly opposed. The amendment was defeated 38-60, a decline in support from the better-than-expected 43 votes it garnered in 2003.
This morning the Brookings Institution hosted a forum on "Tax Reform and the Environment." Along with the usual suspects singing the economic and environmental praises of ending subsidies and tax breaks that harm the environment as well as levying some that would help was one William Frenzel -- former Member of Congress and current member of the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. Mr. Frenzel noted that out of the hundreds of submissions from the public to the panel a grand total of three could be generously described as support for "greening" our taxes as part of a reform package. It's been nearly 20 years since the last tax reform happened, and I know that in the current DC climate it's hard to imagine a green shift in taxes, but come on people. Don't we need to at least try? As far as I know, no environmental group has set up a generic e-mail for their members to send to the panel. This surprises me. But you can take matters into your own hands by submitting your own suggestions. According to Frenzel:
A new study by some smart scientists at Stanford University suggests that global wind resources are good enough to produce 72 terawatts of electricity with current turbine technology. That's about 40 times the amount of electricity the world used in the year 2000! In other hot air news, Sen. Domenici (R-NM), chairman of the Senate Energy committee, described Sen. Wyden's (D-OR) proposal of funding parity for coal and renewables as a "joke" during the energy bill markup today. Question to Stanford scientists: How much electricity could the collective sighs of sustainable energy supporters produce?


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