Opportunities in the Sun-Sentinel

Sun-Sentinel – Sewage spilling to Middle River after another pipe break in Fort Lauderdale – 30 Jan 2020

• Summary: One of the main sewage lines on the coast of Fort Lauderdale broke, sending sewage into the streets and waterways.

• Problem: The sewer system in Fort Lauderdale has experienced neglect over the years. Now, the city is reaping the consequences with it’s 7th break since December 2019.

• Who: The city is responsible for maintaining the lines with the tax dollars citizens pay for that purpose. Recreational kayakers, paddleboarders, and other water activity enthusiasts are primarily affected by the contamination due to sewer spewage.

Sun-Sentinel – Got Coronavirus? It’s hard to know since testing takes so long – 30 Jan 2020

• Summary: The coronavirus has spread and range of potentially effected individuals increased. However, the only current remedy is isolation and medicine for the symptoms. By way of prevention, temperatures and indicators of flu-like symptoms are being monitored at airports so as to avoid any additional spread.

• Problem: Testing for the corona virus takes too long. Samples of blood, which may be contagious in and of themselves, must be shipped to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.

• Who: Individual hospitals and medicinal practices are unable to do any in-house testing. The patients are most affected in that they must be isolated until the test results return and hinders productivity and increases stress.

Sun-Sentinel – Home solar panels can get you a break on your power bill. Here’s how to reap the benefits. – 30 Jan 2020

• Summary: Over the years, solar panels and equipment become inexpensive and incentivized enough that going solar is starting to make sense financially. The easiest way to implement solar is to first use a solar kWh calculator to assess how much energy can be produced from the sun at your house. The next step would be to contact an installer to get a quote. Finally, when it comes to decision time, pick between leasing the panels and system or outright buying it. The simplest system uses net metering where your solar panels are connected directly to the meter. While the panels aren’t producing enough electricity, you purchase what you need from the utility company (Florida Power and Light in Fort Lauderdale). When the panels produce an excess of electricity, the energy gets pumped into the grid and you are compensated with credit towards your next bill.

• Problem: Despite decreased cost, solar panels still carry a high price tag. Additionally, most companies, and current societal pressure, push the home owner to go fully solar. However, in the case of net metering, this would be financially disadvantageous. If you are able to produce all your energy needs, there is no need to be connected to the grid and you will have no need to ever purchase electricity from FPL. Essentially, if you ever produce more electricity in a year than you use in a year, you become a free electricity provider to FPL as you have no use for the credit you’ve built up. In this specialized case, the best scenario would be to go off the grid and store energy in specialized batteries, such as Tesla’s Powerwall.

• Who: The uninformed purchaser of the solar system.

Sun-Sentinel – A goodbye toast to Lucky’s Market | Doreen’s Deals – 29 Jan 2020

• Summary: Lucky’s Market, a place where you could shop reasonable prices with a drink in your hand and live music playing into your ears, is closing

• Problem: Kroger has pulled its financial backing from Lucky’s Market

• Who: Lucky’s Market. They will have to seek other funding to expand in Florida

Sun-Sentinel – President Trump offers political plan, not serious Middle East peace plan | Editorial – 30 Jan 2020

• Summary: President Trump proposal recognizes Israel’s claim on the West Bank (Palestine) in the hopes that this will bolster political support in the following election.

• Problem: First, Trump’s current problem per say is winning the 2020 election. Second, the problem in Israel will be that annexing the West Bank, essentially Palestine, will create instability as the Jewish nation tries to control Palestinian regions. According to the article, in doing so and giving Palestinians sub-Jewish citizenship, Israel will forfeit its rights to call itself the only democracy in the Middle East.

• Who: President Trump. Israel