This cool map offered by the USGS lets you look anywhere in the country to see past and current oil and gas production. How rich (in oil) is your state?
TIP: For an interactive map, go to the pulldown box in the center of the page and select Choose Map Size.

Here's a look at South Florida.

UPDATE: Download my News Illustrated page to see where undiscovered oil and gas deposits stretch beneath South Florida into the Gulf of Mexico.

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High-powered lasers are dangerous and can cause severe eye injury. This image from the FAA shows eye damage from lasers. Even Class IIIa, laser pointers can cause temporary visual effects causing short-term blinding and disorientation.

The high-powered pointer below was listed for sale online. The Class IIIb laser has 50 milliwatts of output power, 45 milliwatts above the legal limit of 5 milliwatts, for a laser pointer.

HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A DEVICE
Contact the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health at (240) 276-0326. Some laser pointers purchased online do not meet federal safety guidelines. They may have lasers too powerful. The FDA has more information.

CLASSIFICATION OF LASERS
Green lasers are used in:
Class I: CD players
Class II: Bar code scanners
Class IIIa, less than 5 milliwatts: Laser pointers and some gun targets
Class IIIb and IV, more than 5 milliwatts to 500 milliwatts: laser light shows, industrial lasers, research lasers.

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A man recently skirted death by "playing dead." Shots were fired into his car, he slumped forward and didn't move, saving his life.
Quick thinking can save your life too. Here are some positions worth knowing. Have any tips you want to share?
For more information you can also check out Associated Content.

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This page dates back a few years, but fortunately, the techniques and rules are pretty much the same. The graphic was produced by Cindy Jones-Hulfachor, who's off this week. Download the page to learn how to catch them and get tips on keeping safe.

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What's not to like.

WELL ... THE KEY DIFFERENCE
The card can't be moved from car to car. The card adheres to the windshield to the side of the rearview mirror. Once removed the card will no longer work, can't be reattached. This may be an issue for some users.

Find out more at Sunpass or read about the SunPass Mini.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

CRACKDOWN ON TOLL CHEATERS

Don't ignore violation warnings. SunPass customers can face hefty fines and lose their driver's license for skipping only a few tolls. Here's a graphic from our archive that shows how state troopers are alerted to transponders that aren't working.

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Learn more about amendments and past constitutions. Read on.


PAST CONSTITUTIONS
The 1885 Constitution, pictured above, was the fifth constitution in Florida. The Florida's Early Constitutions site at the Florida State Archives has info on all of them, including scans of the original documents. Image courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.

UPDATE: DOWNLOAD THE GRAPHIC My News Illustrated page in Sunday's South Florida Sun-Sentinel discusses different ways initiatives can be made and key amendments in the Florida constitution. In case you missed it you can download the pdf.

SEARCH INITIATIVES FROM 1978
The Division of Election's database has information on initiatives including vote totals for those that made it to ballot.

READ AMENDMENTS FROM THE 1838 CONSTITUTION
The Florida's Constitutions: The Documentary History, within the Florida State University, has constitutional amendments and revisions from 1838 to 1998.

READ THE CURRENT CONSTITUTION
The Florida Legislature has the full content online.

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UPDATE: Here's the latest map illustrating Florida's plan to buy US Sugar and create a natural flow for water into the everglades. Get the full story.

Here's a couple graphics from our archives that relate to the recent story on the state purchasing land in the EAA.
Graphics locate government-owned property in the EAA and diagram the "River of Grass" through the Everglades.

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The most important skill you can learn this summer is how to swim.

Ten children have already drown in Broward and Palm Beach counties, younger than 13. With summer here and numbers climbing, now is a perfect time to focus on pool safety.

UPDATE: My News Illustrated page in Sunday's South Florida Sun-Sentinel shows how you can prevent pool tragedies by safe guarding your pool and home. In case you missed it you can download the pdf.

VIDEO SWIM LESSONS
Expert Village has a library of swim lessons that can be viewed for free.

SWIM LESSONS IN SOUTH FLORIDA
The American Red Cross offers Learn-To-Swim classes in most cities. Classes range from $29 to $70 depending on the number of sessions. Select Broward or Palm Beach county to download a PDF file with classes near you.

Have a safe summer.

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The FDA has issued warnings on certain tomatoes. Look to this Q & A for all your answers.

The FDA has information for raw produce and fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices.
• Buying tips
• Storage tips
• Preparation
• Safety
• Q & A on fresh produce

At this time Florida tomatoes are not on the contaminated list.

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General Motors has announced that it may discontinue the Hummer because of a drop in sales and the need for more cost-efficient options. In turn, the GM board has approved production of the Chevy Volt which could hit the market in late 2010.

Photo courtesy of General Motors

Price: Initial cars may be close to $40,000 but the goal is to be less than $30,000.
How it runs: It runs on electric power until the battery runs down. Then and only then does the internal combustion engine run to work an onboard generator that propels the car. Batteries can be recharged by plugging into your home electrical outlets.
Distance: It will run about 40 miles on electric and up to 400 miles with a full tank of gas.
MPG: No gas is used for the first 40 miles. Miles driven after will get an equivalent of 50 mpg.

Read more at Edmunds Inside Line and at the Chevy Volt Concept Site.

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Mosquitoes can be a real pain in South Florida. Look to one of our News Illustrated pages to help keep mosquitoes at bay, and summertime more enjoyable. The graphic includes information on:

• Mosquito repellents
• How to mosquito-proof your home
• Information on a powered bug trap, foggers & sprayers, insect zappers, ultrasound devices and citronella candles
• Tidbits on the mosquito

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A "doomsday" vault built to withstand an earthquake or nuclear strike opened in February deep in the permafrost of an Arctic mountain, where it will protect millions of agriculture seeds from man-made and natural disasters. Cary Fowler, the Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Fund, holds seeds inside the vault. AP Photo/John McConnico

UPDATE: My News Illustrated page in Sunday's South Florida Sun-Sentinel had all the details. In case you missed it you can download the pdf.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault has tons of information on the vault deep within Plataberget Mountain at Longyearbyen, Norway.

There are at least 113,075,986 seeds in the vault. For information on where they came from and a database on the type of seeds check the Seed Portal.

Well, I find this all amazing.
I hope you find it just as interesting.

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People who have had chickenpox, and relatives with Shingles may be at higher risk of getting Shingles.

Data suggests that genetics plays a role in the onset of the disease in some patients. An immunization is available to help prevent a Shingles outbreak, its called Zostavax. The CDC recommends that people 60 and older get the vaccine.

If you would like background information on the disease you can download my
News Illustrated page on chickenpox and shingles that shows pictures of the skin and the average duration.

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Maybe the satellites know.

The Satellite Services Division (SSD) collects data for many environmental uses. In this situation satellites use data to analyze fires, smoke plumes and fire potential across North and Central America.

To see the current status of fires and smoke check out the SSD: Fire Products page. The interactive map has many variables with the ability to zoom in and out of Canada, U.S. and Central America.

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Today's homeowners can get desperate to sell.
Here are some tips to help you focus your efforts on preparing your home.

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For those suffering through poor cable and satellite broadcasts, the impending switch to mandated digital broadcasts over the airwaves has resulted HD being available in many areas throughout South Florida.

Find out which stations broadcast digital signals at antennaweb.org. Select "Choose an antenna" and enter your address for the best results. The site will tell you what stations are available and the type of antenna you need to receive them. You can also view a map that shows you where to point your antenna for the best reception.

Apply for a coupon for digital-to-analog converter box: The government is issuing $40 coupons toward specific converter boxes for older, analog television sets at www.dtv2009.gov.

The News Illustrated page: To see if you need a converter box or to learn the differences between analog and digital signals, download a pdf.

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An official itinerary gives a detailed accounting of Pope Benedict's visit in Washington D.C and New York.
The Pope met the President at the White House which is only the second time a pontiff has visited there.

Here are websites for some of the places he will be visiting.

White House

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The Catholic University of America

Pope John Paul II Cultural Center

Park East Synagogue

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

St. Joseph’s Church

Yankee Stadium

Andrew Air Force Base

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CPR has just been simplified.

Watch this video for details on how to perform this easy hands-only CPR.

More information is available at The American Heart Association which has additional videos.

To see a step-by-step graphic also shows the procedure.

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Select this interactive graphic to see how mites damage plants.

These bugs spread like the wind, seriously; they hop on a gust. Officials want people to submit plant material and insects for testing to get a better idea on how they spread. Download a form to submit samples and read these directions. Mites or infested plant material must be placed in a container with rubbing alcohol. Treatment options are also available.

I know that a lot of you may worry that your trees/plants have mites. These unwelcome pests prefer palms, banana, gingers, heliconia and other flowering plants. A complete list is available. Additional information can be found at Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Or in Broward County, call 954-370-3725 . In Palm Beach County, call 561-233-1700

To find out if red palm mites have been spotted in your area download the News Illustrated page.

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Photo illustration, photos by the United States Department of Agriculture, NASA

Well I just finished a page about a monstrous looking bug invading South Florida. The Raoiella indica Hirst, alias red palm mite, can’t physically take on Florida but can do major damage to 32 species of palm and various other plants. The Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, has basic info on this little monster.

Stop back by on Sunday for an interactive explainer of how the mites attack plants — and which plants you are likely to have in your garden. If you think you have the mites, we'll tell you how to send in plant samples for identification.

And don't forget to check out my page in Sunday’s edition of The Sun-Sentinel. It's on the back of the Outlook Section and it’s full of information you need to know. It also shows the mite up close. I mean REAL close.

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