News Illustrated | Sun-Sentinel Blogs

Kite surfing

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:10:39 -0500

Surfers are known to ride the waves from stormy weather but it can be fatal. Take the man who was injured during Tropical Storm Faye and is now in critical condition. To prevent from being blown around, read up on our News Illustrated about the basics of kite boarding here.

GFDL computer model puts Fay over South Florida

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:29:27 -0500

UPDATE: The GFDL model has shifted west. You can see a newer animation here. The GFDL forecast model is predicting Fay will make landfall over the Everglades and the eye will pass over South Florida. This is only one of several models used to predict the storm's path so Fay could still miss South Florida. But the images do provide insight to how the storm could look if it did hit us. Click the image to view an animation. When the page opens, hit the "FWD" button to start the animation.

Got Oil? Interactive map shows oil and gas nationwide

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 10:43:58 -0500

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.

A venomous lionfish - the ultimate predator?

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:17:23 -0500

This venomous lionfish, native to the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific spilled into the Atlantic in 1992 and it has spread rapidly up the U.S. coast and into the Caribbean. It is 18 inches long and could certainly hold its own in an eating contest. That's the problem. This dangerous fish is eating up a lot of reef fish at a pretty quick pace. Mark Hixon, an Oregon State University marine ecology expert compared the invasion of lionfish to a plague of locusts. To control the invasion, researchers are trying to figure out what would eat it for breakfast - and lunch, and dinner. It's not the tastiest fish and even sharks steer clear. Surprisingly though, grouper will take the bait. Check out the video below to see how quickly it attacks its prey.

Green laser pointers: Playing with danger

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:21:33 -0500

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.

Cast your vote with our voting simulator

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:58:36 -0500

Above is an interactive that I did which allows you to go through the voting process in Broward and Palm Beach counties. New optical scan machines will be used in Florida this year, but the machines and ballots do not all look the same. There always seems to be some kind of voting process issue surrounding election day. Use this simulator to help prepare yourself for voting day so that there will hopefully be no confusion this year. Also, check out our elections page to view other helpful information and articles about voting and the candidates.

How to play dead: A serious topic

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:24:48 -0500

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.

See how lasik procedure is done

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:25:09 -0500

Laser correction surgery could be your ticket to perfect vision. Click here to check out a video of how the procedure is done, provided by Millennium Laser Eye Centers. UPDATE: You can download the News Illustrated graphic to learn more.

Back to School Fashions for fall

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:08:02 -0500

Looking for the latests trends to wear back to school without breaking the bank? Check them out here. We'll tell you how much they cost and where to find them.

China and Tibet: A history of conflict

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:18:48 -0500

The Olympics is just around the corner. Athletes from around the world will test their skills in Beijing. But with all the excitement surrounding the games, China's relationship with Tibet has become a big issue. Protests have sprung up around the world and human rights leaders and journalists have been detained. The News Illustrated takes a look at the history behind the conflict. You can download it here. You can find out more at freetibet.org.

Lobster mini season: A step-by-step guide to catch the crustaceans

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:56:19 -0500

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.

Fly much? Compare airfares at your favorite airports

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:56:55 -0500

So the U.S. Department of Transportation released its airport airfare rankings today and crazy enough, Fort Lauderdale International Airport is fourth. I don't know about you, but I'm a bit surprised. Maybe that's because I tend to fly to Charlotte, NC, where my family lives. According to the charts that you can build yourself on the U.S. Department of Transportation's website, Charlotte has consistently been pricier than the average U.S. domestic airfare. Lucky me. An airport about two and a half hours away from Charlotte, in Raleigh, NC, is less pricey, though. My new dilemma: which is worse - flying into Charlotte and paying high airfares, or flying into Raleigh and driving two and half hours... If you fly a lot, or even just a little and are curious, see how your destinations measure up here. Pick three airports and it will chart their airfares and compare it will the U.S. domestic average airfare. Hopefully your destinations are less expensive than mine. For the full report, click here.

Three weeks: Guest blogger Andrew Tran

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:03:34 -0500

I’m a stranger in this place. It took this print reporter three weeks to learn Flash and create the video gamer package you see here. Here’s the story: about a month ago, I approached Len to see if the graphics department could throw together a flash page to tie together all the multimedia elements I had gathered (two videos, a slideshow, lists, etc.) for a story I was working on. He turned me down. The department was bogged down with other higher priority requests, he said. Damn! Couldn’t they just throw together something small and basic? Maybe use the template used in the Rip Currents flash package, ( ) another project I had gathered multimedia for? No and no. I was distressed. Instead of a slick, user-friendly experience, people could only access my multimedia through ugly links buried below the middle of the screen, out of a reader’s line of sight like a pair of old sneakers hanging high on a power line. I had to make it myself. And here’s what it took: Three weeks: • Two for learning from a book and a class with Belinda and a week to create from scratch. •Adobe’s Classroom in a Book and Mindy McAdam’s Flash Journalism to learn basics and concept for visual story-telling • Guidance and patience from graphics/flash team for great feedback, help iron out kinks, provide crazy coding. • Support from my editor to help me block off my schedule to focus on this project. • Seemingly endless tweaking perfecting fonts, adjusting layers, making stuff fit. • Crash course on design philosophy. --key is consistency --take out anything unnecessary or flashy, much like writing • Troubleshooting --It took almost as much time to troubleshoot it as it did to design. My editor and I are thinking long-term use with this knowledge. We’re going to see how we can create Flash templates to tie together the deluge of info that pours in during big breaking news stories. I can't wait to get started. Give us three weeks. Andrew Ba Tran Staff Writer South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The science of the bombardier beetle

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:07:00 -0500

Technology can come from anywhere. The bombardier beetle‘s backside is being studied by scientist to advance spray technology and preserve the environment. This tiny beetle can shoot super hot spray at up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit which will ward off any opposing enemy. Learn more about the way this beetle defends itself at the National Academy of Sciences.

Store closings don't bring down Starbucks' stocks

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:31:24 -0500

Say it ain't so! Starbucks is closing 600 stores nationwide, which means 12 South Florida stores are getting hit. Say whaaaat?? Yep. The one I'll miss the most is the store on 1100 W. Broward Boulevard (near the Fort Lauderdale police station). It just opened in the old Michael's hot dog restaurant (bad karma for that location)! And it's one of the few places that serve those tasty breakfast sandwiches!!! Ok ... getting off track. Anyway, Starbucks' stock doesn't seem to be taking any nosedives after news broke about the closings. So here's a look at the stock performance, which I got from Google. Check back in our Business section for the latest and greatest Starbuckies info.