Female characters, interactive maps, canine sidekicks and a knuckle-biting intense mode dubbed "cranked" are among the new additions deploying to the multiplayer mode of the popular military first-person shooter franchise when "Ghosts" is released for both current and next-generation consoles Nov. 5. "Call of Duty" publisher Activision Blizzard Inc. detailed the complex multiplayer mode, which includes 30 new weapons and more fluid movement, during a Wednesday showcase. GIRL POWER For the first time in the 9-year history of "Call of Duty," multiplayer combatants can choose to portray a female soldier on the front line. Other personalization possibilities include selecting the race, body type, gear and clothing of virtual characters. MAP QUEST The developers have added several interactive tricks that can dramatically alter the maps in the game's multiplayer mode. DIRTY DOG CRANK AND FILE There are seven new multiplayer modes coming to "Ghosts," including the cooperative "search and rescue" and "squad" installments, but the most intense new way to play "Call of Duty" online is called "cranked." For each kill, a player's reload and movement speeds are amped up, but if a 30-second countdown clock reaches zero, they spontaneously combust.

Sinkholes are as much a part of the Florida landscape as palm trees and alligators. There also has been a rise in sinkhole claims in Florida, but insurance officials believe some of those claims are questionable. WHY ARE THERE SINKHOLES IN FLORIDA? When the dirt, clay or sand gets too heavy for the limestone roof, it can collapse and form a sinkhole. WHAT TRIGGERS SINKHOLES? Although sinkholes are formed naturally, they can be triggered by heavy rainfall, drought followed by heavy rainfall, tropical storms and human activity. WHERE ARE SINKHOLES MOST COMMON IN FLORIDA? Three counties in the Tampa region are known as "sinkhole alley." Two-thirds of the sinkhole damage claims reported to the state Office of Insurance Regulation from 2006 to 2010 came from Hernando, Hillsborough and Pasco counties. Sinkholes are less common in South Florida, home to the state's two most populous counties — Broward and Miami-Dade. HOW MANY SINKHOLES OCCUR IN FLORIDA? The state Office of Insurance Regulation says reported claims from sinkholes have risen in recent years. HOW MUCH DAMAGE DO SINKHOLES DO? The state Office of Insurance Regulation says sinkhole claims in Florida cost insurers $1.4 billion from 2006 to 2010.