The Abnormal Are there such things as ghosts? Psychics helping police investigations. Abnormal weather - snow in July? Super People - The nine foot man - The two year old concert pianist - Hollywood stunt people. People who win the lottery time after time. Haunted houses. Haunted other places - railway stations hospitals, cemeteries, ships, theaters. Tabloids. In-Flight Magazines. Local Newspapers. Regional magazines, Haunts Magazine, Parade, Grit. Accidents Is the home the most dangerous place? Getting help in an emergency. Why are some people more accident prone than others? New automobile safety features. Are most accidents preventable or inevitable? Which is the most accident prone age group? Why? Are you over or under insured? Teaching children emergency drill. Which city has the lowest accident rate? Why? Parents Magazine, Friendly Exchange, Ford Times, Modern Maturity, Better Health, In-Flight. Accomodation A comparison - European and American Bed & Breakfast How often does AAA review its hotel ratings? Interviews with foreign visitors for viewpoints. A review of the top dozen hotels in America. Have motels lost the popularity they once enjoyed? Campgrounds of the National Parks. The high standards maintained at state parks. Hotels that cater to Senior Citizens. Lodging Hospitality Magazine, Country America, Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading, Leisure World. Advertising Explore truth in advertising. How much does it increase retail sales? Has the consumer become indifferent? Who are the advertising watchdogs? Methods of evaluating advertising effectiveness. The television advertising awards. How to write effective advertising copy. Insiduous advertising -Incidental props in movies. How the small business can compete with giants. The Rotarian, Friendly Exchange, Readers Review, Woman's Enterprise, Entrepreneur Magazine, Penthouse. Aggravation How it affects us. The sources of aggravation. Medical affects - stress level, sleeplessness etc. Avoiding aggravating situations. Dealing with the unavoidable. Aggravation in the home - workplace. Comparisons between today and yesteryear. How it can be beneficial, strengthening. Parenting, Modern Maturity, Mature Outlook, Country Woman, Self, Parade, Grit, Leisure World. Alarms The growing need for alarm systems. Automobile, Home, Business. Different types - Silent, Movement detectors, etc. How to handle an emergency. How to install - home, automobile. How intruders defeat alarms. Creating your own alarm system. Homeowner, New Home, 1001 Home Ideas, Practical Home Owner, Motorhome, Away, In-Flight magazines. Aloe Aloe - The healing plant. Use in cosmetics. Use as home decoration. How to grow. Used by the American Indian. Fine gardening, Flower and Garden Magazine, Herb Quarterly, Practical Homeowner, Your Home. Badges Badges through the decades. Collector items - who collects (Celebrities) Political uses. As used in advertising. Present day values. Who designs - manufactures. Military markings and insignia. Check with Heraldry. In-Flight, Boy's Life, The Friend, Family Magazine, Military Lifstyle, Early American Life, Antique Weekly.Bagpipes Someone once said that the reason bagpipe players march as they play is so you can't hit them with a ripe tomato. Who makes bagpipes today? Who teaches? Electronic bagpipes? High school marching bands. Boy's Life, Calliope, Young American, In-Flight mags. Family Magazine, Overseas, Parade, Grit. Balloons History of the balloon. Long-distance flights. Uses by military - barrage balloons - spotter craft. Decoration for special occasions. (How-to) Balloon races. Celebrities involved in hot-air ballooning. Who makes? Cost of hot-air balloons? International competitions. Uses in meteorology, pollution research. In-Flight magazines, Parade, Regional Magazines, Boy's Life, Readers Digest, Modern Maturity, Globe. Barbecue American Lifestyle. History of the modern barbecue. Industries associated with outdoor living and barbecuesTips, hints, advice and cautions (pre-holiday issues). Recipes and methods. Hawaiian pit barbecues. State by state methods and recipes. Grit, Parade, Better Health, Better Homes and Gardens, 1001 Home Ideas, Phoenix Home & Garden, Calif. MagazineBarons The Feudal lords of old. Their position in society - then and now. Dating back to the Magna Carta The Barons of the Cinque Ports. (Intriguing - Churchillwas a Baron of the Cinque Ports - a little known facet) The French and German Barons - Why no American? The Japanese (Dan) is based on the European Baron. Interviews with well known nobility. In-Flight, Moose Magazine, The Rotarian, Anglo-AmericanSpotlight, Globe, Good Reading, Leisure World. Beauty Trying to define beauty - different cultures. The money spent on beauty preparations and cosmetics. How much do movies, magazines and advertising influence the buying habits of the beauty conscious. Cosmetic surgery - the answer to inner contentment? Cut this down to fillers - Parade, Grit, In-Flight, Regional magazines, Ms.Magazine. Beauty PageantsA look behind the scenes of a Beauty Pageant Contestants - a closely knit community. Where are the winners ten years later? What are the costs, the pressures? Are pageants 'Fixed'? International competitions. Who are the 'Pageant Masters'? The promoters. Associated business - printing, cosmetics, fashion, photography, trophies, travel, hotel accomodation. Glamour (Viewpoint), Ms.Magazine, Penthouse, Playboy, Woman's World, Seventeen, Health Magazine. Bells An ideal opportunity for a photo essay. An article on bells in the Spanish Missions of Calif. Bells rung as warning during wartime. Ships bells. Why bells? Who makes bells today? Who buys bells today? Decorative glass bells - collector items. A Cockney - someone born within the sound of Bow Bells.Bell ringing as a Hobby. In-Flight, American Legion Mag., Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading, Grit, Parade, Smithsonian. Bromeliads Where bromeliads grow wild. Growing Bromeliads for profit. Their use as home decoration. An article on Tillandsias - the so-called air plant. How to grow a Pineapple indoors. Note: Combine with travel article, Mexico, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands. Smithsonian, Parade, Modern Maturity, American Horti- culturist, Flower and Garden Mag. Fine Gardening Mag. Cameras. The space-age cameras for people who only want to press a button. Why every household should have a camera. (Insurance pictures, accidents, pictures of childhood. etc.) How to make a camera pay for itself. The new electronic VCR cameras. Video cameras - How to get the best from them. Simple cleaning and adjusting. Secrets of home portraiture. Flower & Garden Mag. Regional Magazines, In-Flight Western Photo Traveler, Parade, L.A.Times Magazine. Castles Explore the mystique of European castles. Why are they such a tourist attraction? Originally made of wood, first castles built by the Normans. First stone building at Tower of London. Which castles are still used as residences? Who pays for upkeep? The Royal Greenwich Observatory was once a castle. The fire at Windsor Castle. Contact Tourist Information Centers in England, France,Germany and Scandinavian countries. AAA Going Places, Accent, ASU Travel Guide, Modern Maturity, Tours and Resorts, Senior Spotlight. Celebrations The way America celebrates - Labor Day activities, Thanksgiving, Returning Wartime heroes, Sports Champions. Tickertape parades. State and City run picnics. Company Picnics. Compare with International Celebrations - Year of the (Pig), Japanese Kite Flying, Bastille Day, August Bank Holiday, Brazil's Mardi Gras. Are they becoming less popular? More Popular? Accent, Senior Spotlight, Ford Times, In-Flight, Travel & Leisure, Vista USA, Grit, The World and I. Censorship Think piece which would cover literature and changing views. Books once banned in America now required reading in some colleges. Social diseases and methods of prevention, once unmentionable, now discussed fully on television. What we don't know can hurt us? Why do newly established dictatorships start destroyingbooks and libraries? How powerful is knowledge? College Magazines, The American Voice, The Gamut, The Rotarian, Fifty Something, Gray Panther Network. Censorship Think piece which would cover literature and changing views. Books once banned in America now required reading in some colleges. Social diseases and methods of prevention, once unmentionable, now discussed fully on television. What we don't know can hurt us? Why do newly established dictatorships start destroyingbooks and libraries? How powerful is knowledge? College Magazines, The American Voice, The Gamut, The Rotarian, Fifty Something, Gray Panther Network. Clipperships Tremendous possibilities for side pieces. History and reason for their manufacture. (George III taxes and restricted trading). The tea wars. The tea trade. Americans, once tea drinkers take to coffee. Britons, once coffee drinkers take to tea. Clipperships still under sail as training ships. The slave traders. The Cantonese heroine trade. Juvenile, Senior Citizen, Regional, Navy, and General Interest magazines. Food and trade magazines. Coins Concentrate on one particular aspect. (Without intensive research, stay away from collections and collectors). The Shilling - probably the longest lived coin, still used in several countries. Coins used in Jewelry. Mints of yesterday. Bags of coins discovered in old mint storage vaults. Modern techniques. Methods of mint security. Enemy efforts to undermine US currency. Accent, Modern Maturity, Readers Digest, American Collectors Journal, Antiques and Auction News. Dates Dates (Edible kind). Still vital to life in some parts of the world. History - From pre-bible days to the present. Nutrition value. Uses in medicine. Practical uses of the tree from houses and furniture made from the trunk to roof thatching with leaves. Pits ground and used as a substitute for coffee. Date sales and economic affect on certain countries. Salad and desert recipes. Many Food and Nutrition magazines. Home magazines suchas family Circle and Phoenix Home and Garden. Dentists An upbeat article discussing patient fears and how modern techniques have eliminated much of the pain from dentistry. Toothpaste - manufacturing techniques, the affects of flouridation in toothpaste - in drinking water. Implants - truly effective? Why do some people have dental decay and others remain impervious? Ways of encouraging children to regular check-ups. Grit, Parade, Friendly Exchange, A Better Life For You,Growing Parent, Healthy Kids, Kids and Parent. Deodorants Other than U.S.A. which countries have large sales of deodorants? Is it almost exclusively an American fad? Are they harmful - Reports of anti-bacterial soaps causing loss of fertility. What are the ingredients - do they mask odor or stop perspiration? Amounts spent on advertising. Do they inhibit sexual arousal? Which is the larger market, male/female? Playboy, Penhouse, Playgirl, Grit, Parade, A Better Life, Leisure World, Woman's World, In-Flight. Deserts Wide scope with a lot of potential markets. Animals, plants, insects, birds of the desert. Hidden treasure. Lost vacationers. R.V. Travel. Camping safeguards. Survival techniques. Ghost towns. Gold camps, then and now. Try concentrating on one particular aspect - The Joshua tree and the moth that perpetuates it. Is smog killing the Saguaro cactus? Fossilized sea shells found in the Mojave Desert. Sagebrush Journal, Boy's Life, Treasure Search, Home and Garden (Cacti), Cricket, Ford Times, Accent. Dice History of dice and origin. How often are the dice in the saloons of Las Vegas and Atlantic City examined and replaced? Are dice ever 'switched'by customers, or is this a mythWhat is the greatest amount ever wagered? Did they winNames and brief description of dice games. What are the statistics of winning? When was the newest or latest game devised? Dice in games such as Monopoly and Yahtzee. Prime Times, Senior, Grit, Accent, Regional magazines, Playboy, Penhouse, Antiques and Auction News. Discipline A subject that could sell well, but needs to be backed by an authority. Is discipline in the home too relaxed? Should schools be allowed to punish? Are prison sentences too lax? Look at the new 'Boot Camp' approach. Taking a different slant. Self-discipline and mind training. A Better Life For You, Grit, Parade, Read Me, Readers Review, Better Health, Growing Parent, Home Life. Dogs & Cats Hardly any prompting needed on this one. The trick is to look for a different angle. Placing the article or story will depend on that angle. Straight animal care would go to the animal magazines. Animal stories can be placed in publications as widely different as Readers Digest and Cricket. If it's one of those unforgettable stories of a cat rescuing someone from a burning building, there's always the tabloids and Sunday supplements. Dolphins Were dolphins trained secretly by the navy during WWII?The rescuing and rehabilitation of sick and injured dolphins. What are the results obtained by tagging dolphins? How well do we now recognise speech patterns? The Florida recreation area where dolphins accompany visitors in swimming pools. How are they trained at amusement parks such as Sea World? Children publications, In-Flight, Grit, Parade, Ford Times, Central Florida Mag. Gulf Coast, Monterey Life. Dueling Famous duels of the past. Swords or pistols. What happened to that sense of honor and chivalry? The change from yesterday's one-on-one fairness to today's gang bashing. Why the change? Who collects dueling pistols? How much are they worth?Is modern boxing today's duel? Who was the Marquess of Queensbury. His 'rules' are still enforced today.Are duels still fought secretly in Germany and Italy? The Connoisseur (Antique pistols/foils), Good Reading, Ideals Magazine, In-Flight, Good Old Days, Collectors. Earthquakes How many world-wide annually? Are there seasons for earthquakes. Modern prediction methods. Aftermath of a specific upheaval. Quakes in history. Detail safety precautions. Teaching children earthquake drill. How do animals and birds act prior to a quake? Earthquakes in unexpected places - New York, London etcEquinox, Friendly Exchange, Grit, Ideals Magazine, Leisure World, Parade, Smithsonian, Knowledge. Eccentrics An individual or eccentrics in general. Howard Hughes, Hurst and his castle, Robert Maxwell. Captain Cook, Columbus, King George III, Salvador Dali The discoveries and inventions of eccentrics. A profile of a local eccentric. The eccentric philanthropist. The man who changed his name to Santa Clause. Good Reading, Grit, Accent, Ideals, Readers Digest, Modern Maturity, Real People, The World and I. Electricity From Faraday to the present. New inventions. Vast information storage and retrieval thanks to computers and electricity. Modern uses in medicine and surgery. Aircraft safety increased by recent advances. Checking elecrical safety in the home. Lightning warnings for golfers. The miniature battery - How to extend the life. The Elks Magazine, Kiwanis, The Rotarian, In-Flight, Car Audio and Electronics, A Better Life For You. Employment Lots of scope on this one! The potential publications run from teenage readers to senior citizens. How to prepare for a job interview. Coping with depression after being laid off. "I'll deal with it." Words the boss loves to hear. Day care and the working mother. How safe is the babysitter? The joys/stress of working for yourself. Starting a spare-time business. A Better Life For You, Friendly Exchange, Real People, Home Office Computing, Inland, Careers, Entrepreneur. Enchantment More powerful than just beauty itself. Why some peoplemen and women are truly enchanting. The mystique that acts like a magnet. Secrets of attracting the opposite sex. A look at people you could say are enchanting - film stars, business tycoons, politicians. Historical personalities who were personality/enchant- ment personified. Personality - is it taught or in the genes? Essence, Boston Woman Magazine, A Better Life For You, Christian Science Monitor, Executive Female, Rotarian. Epitaphs Famous epitaphs of famous people. Epitaphs and headstones - gravestone rubbings. Exploring forgotten cemetries. Why is there a gravestone for John Wilkes Booth in an old cemetery in London, England? Epitaphs from markers in old ghost towns. Civil War prophetic epitaphs. Epitaphs of pets. Words from Westminster Abbey, Notre Dame Cathedral etc.Parade, New Age Journal, Capper's, The Connoisseur, Friendly Exchange, Accent, Leisure World, Amer.HeritageExhibitions Are trade exhibitions worth the expense? How does the U.S. Government help manufacturers to participate in exhibitions overseas? Consumer exhibitions are much more frequent today than they were ten years ago. Are the sales greater than they are in shopping malls? Which exhibitions - flower, computer, crafts, autos etc are the most popular with the buying public? New wonders from the Electronics Trade Exhibition. Stay away from the trade publications, they're well covered. Go instead for the consumer publications. Fans Not the human kind. The history of the fan. Once primarily used for flirting. Where fans (hand) are still used. Fans in room decoration. People who collect fans. Fan auctions. Fans (human kind). Violence with soccer fans. Why? Fans who pester or threaten film and T.V. celebrities. The growing number of fan clubs. Consumer easy-reading magazines such as Parade, Grit, Sunday supplements, Modern Maturity, 1001 Home Ideas. Fairs Unless the article is going to deal primarily with the practical aspects of putting a fair together - the timing, labor problems, exhibitor contracts etc., this type of article is essentially a photo essay and will sell best as such. Talk to the exhibitors and vendors.Gypsy like, many of the small vendors travel across thecountry, starting in early spring and ending their tourin October. Any one vendor can supply more than enoughmaterial for a dozen articles. The Elks Magazine, Kiwanis, Moose, Rotarian, Ford TimesRegional magazines, Children's magazines and many more.Fears Although this type of article is best written by authentic medical or psychiatric authority, there is scope here if you keep it upbeat and general. How lifefor Mrs. Smith has changed now that she no longer fearsto drive. How a child's first day at school is almost as difficult for the parent. The story of the man who although suffering from claustrophobia, lowers himself into a well to rescue a child. Does conquering a lifelong fear make us stronger? Reader's Digest, Independent Living, Mainstream, A Better Life For You, Friendly Exchange, Ideals MagazineFlags With a week or two spent in the local public library,patience and perseverance, there is eough meat in this subject to provide articles for the rest of the year. Although there is sufficient possibilities for sales on the American market, the same information presented differently will sell in a dozen different countries. What are the meanings behind flag designs? What happens to a flag when two countries merge? Why is a flag so tremenously symbolic? Good Reading, Friendly Exchange, The Rotarian, VFW Mag.Certain Children's magazines, The American Legion. Future What an easy subject! First decide which aspect to tackle. There's almost no limit. Transport, food, farming, clothing, furniture, space exploration, computers, crime detection, rain forests, medicine. Your imagination is the only barrier to a wealth of article subjects. You could take a look at a future that's just around the corner or one that years down the line. Watch for pending governmental programs. New Age Journal, The Elks Magazine, Kiwanis, Moose Magazine, The Rotarian, Modern Maturity, Accent. Galleons Look at interesting sidelines that have been largelyignored in other articles. Detail the living conditionsaboard famous galleons - Where and what did the seamen eat? How closely packed were the sleeping quarters - compare to a modern luxury liner. Who are the people behind today's galleon searching and diving expeditions? What happens to the treasure recovered? In which areas have discoveries been made?What is the most valuable object yet recovered? The Atlantic Monthly, Friendly Exchange, Accent, Grit, Parade, Real People, Smithsonian, The World & IGarage Sales How to run a Garage Sale for profit. The people who make it a part-time business. Garage Sales barred in some cities. Combing garage sales for undiscovered treasures. People who have found lost works of art in an attic.Police who watch garage sales for stolen goods. Home Business News, America's Small Business Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Income Plus Magazine, High TimesGardens You don't have to be an expert gardener unless you intend to try one of the garden magazines, then they expect you to know what you're talking about. Keep in mind that the bulk of your sales will be in the generalmagazines, so angle in on this one. An afternoon visit to an Arboretum. Talk with a plant virus or disease expert. Is there a local children's garden? How to take photographs of your garden. Maintaining garden tools. Do plants like music?Alive Magazine, Golden Years Magazine, Retirement Lifestyles, New Home, Capper's, Friendly Exchange. Genealogy Almost everyone is interested in knowing about their family history. Talk with genealogists and find out .. How to begin researching family history. How do you conduct research in a foreign country? Where does the LDS (Mormon) church store its records Is conducting genealogical research expensive? How does your local public libary assist with genealogical research? Will the U.S. government help? How to restore old manuscripts and photographs. Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading, Grit, Ideals magazine, Leisure World, Parade, Read Me. Ginseng You can write articles on Ginseng without having to be a pharmacologist or nutritional expert. It touches the major interests - health and sex. Is there truth to its reputation as an aphrodisiac? Where can it be found growing wild in this country? Can it be grown in the average garden? How is it prepared - what part of the plant? Track back on its history. Talk with nutritionists, pharmacologists. Grit, Parade, Good Reading, Friendly Exchange, Readers Digest, Readers Review, In-Flight, Better Health. Glycerin Unusual, but with considerable possibilities. It can be found in many cosmetics and lotions, but what is glycerin? Nitro-glycerin? Enables water and oil to mix. Its use in hand lotions and medicine. Its use in manufacture of textiles, tobacco productsand wine fermentation. American Fitness, American Health, Better Health, Readers Digest, In Health, Natural Body & Fitness. Gold World-wide currency stabilizer. Places in the world rich in gold deposits. How it is mined, - security of mines. California gold rush. Ghost towns. Historical use in jewelry and medicine. Gold leaf and old books. America, England and France conniving to replace the Sterling Silver standard with the Gold standard. The wedding ring custom here and abroad. In-Flight magazines, Readers Digest, Good Reading, Smithsonian Magazine, Gold Prospector, True West. Golf Personality interviews. Great golf courses around the world. Advances in ball and club technologies. Why I Like To Caddy...Play...Watch. From the gardener's point of view - the perfect lawn. The company which recovers lost balls and renovates them - employs scuba divers. Sports shops - A healthy business. The sales of associated products - golf carts, calendars, mugs etc. Regional magazines, Golf Digest, Golf Illustrated, Golf Magazine, Modern Maturity, Accent, Ford Times. Grandparents The recreational activities of today's grandparents compared to yesteryears. The special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. - The passing on of knowledge. Interviews with politicians, film and T.V. celebrities who are also grandparents. Government programs for the elderly. The unexpected joys of being a senior citizen. How to buy a birthday present for a grandparent. Some religious magazines, Living With Children, CappersA Better Life For You, Friendly Exchange, Ideals Mag. Greenhouses A Greenhouse in your backyard. The advantages. Plants for greenhouses and sun rooms. How to build a greenhouse. Virus and disease control in greenhouses. Planning a drip feed system for the greenhouse. Greenhouse temperature control. Kitchen window plantariums. Growing greenhouse plants for profit. Natural Food and Farming, Vegetarian Times, American Horticulturist, Backwoods Home, Flower and Garden Mag. Guinea The English gold coin minted between 1663-1813. Then worth 21 shillings, what's it worth today? How did it compare with the Spanish doubloon? Still sold in coin shops today, the guinea is a collector's item. Made into jewelry. Why was it called a guinea? What would a hundred guineas buy then? What would those same coins buy today? In-Flight, The American Collectors Journal, The Coin Enthusiasts Journal, Coins, The Numismatist. Gypsy Moth The Gypsy Moth was accidentally introduced into Massachusetts in 1869. Since then it has done untold damage to trees in America. Which states are primarily affected today? What is being done to control and eliminate it? How does it affect the homeowner? What does it look like in caterpillar form? What is it costing America in dollars? Better Homes and Gardens, Garden Magazine, The IslandGrower, In-Flight, Buzzworm, Environment. Hail Which state suffers most from hail storms? What were the largest hailstones ever recorded? Damage to crops and property. How are they formed? Why are some larger? When are hailstorms and thunderstorms most prevalent? How to cope with highway driving conditions during a severe storm. What else has fallen from the sky besides hail ? - Fishworms, frogs, snails, rocks, black rain, red rain. Readers Digest, In-Flight, Grit, Parade, Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading, Read Me. Hallmark The Hallmark was originally a mark stamped into gold and silver articles by the Goldsmiths' Hall in London to verify authenticity. Is that Hallmark still enforced today? Were there cases of faking and forgery? What other marks of verification of authenticity are respected today? Cappers, The Connoisseur, Good Reading, Leisure World, Parade, Smithsonian Magazine, In-Flight, Parade. Halloween Is this an entirely American celebration? How much does it increase business - candy, costumes, food and alcohol? What is the origin of Halloween? Trick or treat. Are we teaching wrong messages to our children? What is the largest pumpkin ever grown? Safety precautions - children on the street in the darkand examination of candy. Regional magazines, Friendly Exchange, Parade, Grit, Good Reading, USA Weekend, Growing Parent, Home Educ. Handicrafts Specific or general depending upon your own fields of interest. Helpful to recuperation of the sick. Giving children the opportunity to be creative. In youth activities - scouting, backpacking, camping. Selling handicrafts for charity. Starting a part-time business. Kids and Parents, Crafting Today and magazines devoted to specific crafts - needlework, jewelry making etc. Handwriting Character analysis through handwriting. Famous forgeries of today and yesterday. Doctor's handwriting and pharmacologist's safeguards. Do banks ever look at the signatures on checks? When is it legal to forge a signature? Autograph collecting, a world wide interest. Who's autograph is most sought after? Attend an autograph auction. The Autograph Collector's Magazine, In-Flight, Grit, Lefthander Magazine, Parade, Sunshine Magazine. Harlequin A buffoon. His place in history. Court jesters. As presented in plays and ballet. The traditional costume of Harlequin. The stand-up comedian - Today's Harlequin? Which countries have Harlequin in their history? Easy reading magazines such as Readers Digest, Parade, USA Weekend and The World and I. Helmets Helmts worn by Ancient Greeks. A comparison of helmets through the ages from those worn by the Roman Gladiators to those worn by pilots motorcyclists and soldiers today. From brass and steel to fiberglass. Head injuries in motorcycle and bicycle accidents. By what amount has the wearing of helmets reduced the numbers? Who makes - who tests helmets? In-Flight, Parade, Grit, Readers Digest, The World & I,Some sports and juvenile magazines, AAA Going Places. Honey Possibility of several split-off articles - Juvenile and Educational, Health and Fitness, Cookery. Is beekeeping a declining business? How many beehives does it take to produce a gallon of honey? How many bees? How long? Where do the large packagers - Honey Sue, Queen Bee, and Millers etc. obtain supplies? Honey in medicines and cough syrups. Honey as used by athletes. Juvenile educational magazines, Food and Wine Magazine,Natural Food & Farming, Friendly Exchange, USA Weekend.Ideas Where do ideas come from? How is it possible to inventsomething when nothing like it exists? It is said that Alexander Graham Bell used to retire to a darkened room for a couple of hours every day and emerge with a notebook filled with ideas. How can we stimulate our thinking processes? Suggestions: Keep a notebook beside the bed, if you have a nagging problem and a possible solution occurs to you, write it down. Ideas are fleeting. Writer's Digest, New Writer's Magazine, Housewife- Writer's Forum, Canadian Writer's Journal. Information Gathering information is one of the writer's most arduous tasks. So much valuable time consumed. Even facts you think you know have to be verified. It's not only writers that need information. Teachers,parents, business people, hobbyists etc., so where can you discover what you need to know? Public libraries, government publications, City Hall, Internet and other computer networks, Newspaper morguesBooks such as The Address Book, Facts on File, etc. New Writer's Magazine, Housewife-Writer's Forum, Freelance Writer's Report, Writer's Guide, Teaching TdyKilts A history of the kilt. How has it survived as part of Scottish uniform for so long, especially considering Scotland's harsh winters. Other countries with kilt-like uniforms -Greece, the Ancient Romans, the Swiss Guard etc. A pictorial essay on tartans. In-Flight magazines, Modern Maturity, Parade, The Coinnoisseur, Good Reading, Knowledge, Leisure World. Kites About 400 B.C. a Greek musician, Archytas of Tarentum, invented a wooden pigeon which would fly. Faraday used a kite in his experiments with electricityJapan has a kite flying festival. Kites are used for scientific purposes. The R.A.F. used to include a steel framed kite in its life-raft equipment. Is it still part of the equipment? How to make a kite (Juvenile and some parent markets). How and where to fly a kite (Safety feature). Grit, Parade, Ford Times, The Coinnoisseur (Pictorial essay on kite patterns), Friendly Exchange, Regionals. Lace The art of lace making goes back more than four thousand years. The Ancient Egyptians made lace, as didpeople in the Mediterranean area during the time of theRenaissance. Where is the finest lace made today? Photographs and description of lace patterns. Early lace makers were persecuted by religious and political leaders. Why? Lace designs are traditional and regional. Examples?Friendly Exchange, Today, Parade, The Coinnoisseur, Good Reading, Knowledge, Smithsonian, Leisure World. Landmarks This is one of those 'on your doorstep' type of articles. It sells well to Regional magazines when given a fresh look. The Mormon Trek is dotted with landmarks across several states. The Pony Express route is well marked, and this sameroute includes stagecoach runs and the staging places which still exist today, usually in the form of inns. Civil War battle sites, the Roman Wall (London). Regional magazines, Leisure World, Parade, Ford Times, AAA Going Places, Accent, Adventure Road, Amoco Trav. Language Someone once said that if everyone in the world spoke the same language, there would be no wars. We are suspicious when people glance at us and exchange words we don't understand, even though they may be compiments The national inability to spell - watch for examplesin stores (signs), newspapers and television. ('No sailspeople will call', from a T.V. advertisement). Slang. Cockney rhyming slang. Have cusswords lost their impact due to overuse? Parade, Grit, Regional magazines, Modern Maturity, The Gamut, Hanson's, The Renovated Lighthouse, The Sun.Laughter A man recovering from a severe illness, recently requested a VCR and tapes of his favorite funny shows. Doctors were amazed at the speed of his recovery. Is laughter a cure for illness? What makes us laugh? Who teaches a baby what is funny? Why does what is funny vary from country to country? In which country was it a crime to laugh in public? Political satire - a most savage weapon. Regional magazines, Parade, Grit, Young American, In-Flight, senior citizen publications, Sunshine Mag. Leisure Define leisure. Is mowing the lawn a leisure activity?Travel abroad can be quite exhausting. Is it a leisureactivity? Find out what people consider the ideal vacation. Getting ready to take the family on vacation. Where to get information on customs, visas, currency,language, hotels and transport for travel abroad. What is leisure to a senior citizen? To a teenager? Limited budget vacations. Ford Times, Modern Maturity, Parade, Sunshine Magazine,The World and I, American Fitness, Camping & RV. Lifeguards One of the greatest services provided to the American public, the beach lifeguards. Who started this service? What qualifications are needed? How are the lifeguards trained and who trains them? How often are they called upon to save someone? How much are they paid? How many months do they work? What do they do in the off-season? How many lifeguards are there in America? Careers, Regional magazines, Capper's, Ford Times, Readers Digest, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading. Lighthouses A good pictorial essay subject. Contact the Lighthousekeeper's Association. How many lighthouses are still in use? Where? Which ones have been converted to other use? When was the first one built? When did electricity replace oil? Do any of them now use RADAR? How are they supplied with food etc. How often? How do you become a lighthouse keeper? Regional magazines, Parade, Leisure World, National Geographic, Smithsonian, The World and I. Macintosh The Macintosh or Raincoat was first invented by a Scotsman, Charles MacIntosh 1766-1843. A history of the raincoat from thick tweed through rubberised cloth to plastic. Who makes raincoats? Which country has the highest sales? How to care for raincoats - dry cleaning? Trends in fashion. Capper's, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading, Parade, The Rotarian. Magic Magic and the magicians from Professor Hoffmann to David Copperfield. Magicians who have died due to equipment malfunction. The fascination of magical tricks. From close-up magic to whole stage illusions. Who makes the apparatus - who devises tricks. Great magicians who specialized - Jean Hugard, coins - Howard Thurston, cards - Dai Vernon, Close-up. Johnny Carson. From magician to talk show host. Good Reading, Lefthander Magazine, Leisure World, Parade, Real People, USA Weekend, The World and I. Magna Carta How the principles of the Magna Carta has endured sinceit was forced on King John in 1215. It's affect on the people of America - the world. What exactly was the Magna Carta? What brought about its inception? Four copies of the original charter still exist. Where are they? Forced to sign the charter, it is said that later, in private, King John went into a towering rage. The World and I, Sunshine Magazine, Readers Digest, Read Me, Good Reading, Modern Maturity. Mail It was on July 14th 1845 that the first affixable postage stamp was issued by a postmaster in New York. How has the post office changed since that date? What happens when the address is illegible? The first stamp was produced by Sir Rowland Hill in 1840. What would that stamp be worth today? Does it exist? What is the oldest stamp still existing? How is the mail sorted? How much travels by air, how much by sea? Just how fast is the mail? Boy's Life, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading, Grit, Parade, USA Weekend, The World and I. Malls The first Shopping Mall, a unified strip of shops, was built in Pomona, California, in 1963. Builders and designers came from all over the country to see and admire. Today it is a series of seedy antique shops and scruffy thrift stores. Is this the destiny of all Malls? Bigger and better in Minneapolis and Canada, but are the retail sales bigger and better? What is projected as the next type of shopping mall?The Rotarian, The Elks Magazine, Kiwanis Magazine, Nations Business, Women's Chronicle, Victoria's Bus. Mandrake A strange plant with a notorious history. It was once used as a narcotic in primitive surgery. Shakespeare wrote that it shrieked as it was pulled from the ground Where in America does it grow? What are its uses today? Is its reputation as a powerful aphrodisiac well founded? The roots are said to resemble parts of a man. In the East it is still used to facilitate pregnancy Has it a place in modern medicine? Readers Digest, Grit, Globe, Knowledge, The World and IAmerican Health Magazine, Better Nutrition for Today. MiniaturizationThe trend today is towards miniaturization. From the huge room-sized computer to the desktop to the laptop. The television shrunk from the large cabinet-size down to pocket size, but suddenly screens became giant-size,a paradox until you realized that they were small movietheater screens. What are the latest things being miniaturized? Will it eventually result in capsule sized dinners? Cellular telephones like a wristwatch? The World and I, In-Flight, Readers Digest, Kiwanis, Ford Times, Independent Business, Quality Living. Mountains Hardly any need for mental stimulation here, your mind must soar in a thousand different directions. Camping, hiking, hang-gliding, trout fishing, skiing. How many people get lost in your local mountains? What part does the National Weather Service play in helping to fight a forest fire? Gold and gem prospecting in mountain streams. Tour guides. Do they enjoy their work? What are their chief gripes about visitors to the mountains? Regional magazines, Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Parade, Good reading, Leisure World, The World and I. Mushrooms It takes an expert to write an article about wild fungiespecially edible fungi, but there are several other ways to interest an editor. How to make a profit from mushroom growing. 15 ways to serve mushrooms. What to do for someone who has eaten poisonous fungi. How do mushrooms grow? How to pick the best mushrooms in the supermarket. Friendly Exchange, Parade, USA Weekend, American Fitness, EastWest, NewBody, Vegetarian Times. Nautilus This unique shell can provide photographs and text for articles aimed at a wide variety of magazines. Note: Check to find out if it is legal to bring theNautilus shell into The U.S. Where does the Nautilus originate. How is it formed? Why is this shell so prized by collectors? How valuable are some shell collections? What is the best way to collect and display shells? In-Flight, Capper's, The Connoisseur, Friendly ExchangeGood Reading, Leisure World, The World and I. Olives Although most of the olives used in America are imported, several states still grow them commercially. Apart from cocktails, how are olives used in cooking? How is olive oil obtained and used? What percentage of olive oil in the supermarket is imported? From where? The olive tree, easily started from a cutting, makes a very attractive bonsaii. Pictures? Instruction? How different is todays olive from those of Bible days?The World and I, Better Health, EastWEst, Health and Faith Digest, Cooking Light, Home & Country Ideas. Opal Opal, a much sought after gem stone is mined in many countries, particularly Australia. Information and photographs readily obtainable from Australian mining companies and Australian Trade Dept. What is a true 'Fire Opal'? Some unscrupulous jewelers will sandwich a thin slice of opal between two pieces of glass. How can theaverage person tell whether an opal is a 'slice' or an inferior gem stone? The Connoisseur, Equinox, Friendly Exchange, Modern Maturity, Grit, Ideals Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine. Orchids Once grown only by the wealthy, orchids can now be found growing in homes in every state of the country. Knowledge, new strains and commercial growing has made the difference. So has cloning. How are orchids cloned? Which orchids can be grown outdoors all year round? How to care for an orchid plant given as a gift. Where in America do they grow in the wild? Is it true their perfume is intoxicating? The Connoisseur, Capper's, Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Modern Maturity, Accent, Home & Garden. Outdoor Ads. Outdoor advertising has come under fire in recent years(The Ugly America campaign), and has also been accused of being a dangerous distraction for motorists. What form does outdoor advertising take today? In your state? Across the country? Billboards versus electronic displays. Which is the most well known of billboard ads? Which media is most effective according to ad. agencies - outdoor, magazine, television? Compare costsRegional magazines, The Elks Magazine, Kiwanis, The Rotarian, Regional Business magazines, Independ. Bus. Peacocks A photographic essay aimed at magazines which use largepictorial displays backed by a small amount of factual text. The peacock is often found in private gardens, parks and zoos. Unfortunately, most zoos do not provide a very picturesque background so differential focus is required. A long focus lens is an advantage. The Connoisseur, The Smithsonian, National Geographic Magazine (Tough), In-Flight magazines, check Juveniles.Philately Stamp collecting as such is best left to the experts unless you have a good background in the subject. Take a look at other aspects:- The greatest stamp collection robbery. Insuring stamp collections and works of art. Which country(s) produces attractive stamps simply for overseas collectors? Stamps which commemorate great events in history. Postage stamps as an investment. Selected Juvenile magazines, In-Flight, Capper's, The Connoisseur, Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Parade. Photography Before venturing into this market, take a good look at the available magazines. Some of them are more interested in discussions of new equipment, others are concerned about techniques, some are 'How-To' while still others concentrate on specific fields - scenics, portraiture, industrial/commercial, nudes/beauty. Almost all articles published today come from the field of photo-journalism so it pays to watch the photographic magazines. Premonitions This is an easy subject to sell but can be difficult to research and write. Try running a few ads in the classifieds of major newspapers seeking people open to interviews on their premonitions. Premonitions that have saved lives. The difference between premonitions and intuition. Can we train ourselves to recognize and act on them? Are children more subject to premonitions? Animals that have warned their owners. The World and I, Capper's, Futurific Magazine, Grit, Good Reading, Knowledge, Friendly Exchange, Read Me. Preservation Smog and the acid atmosphere are destroying historical artifacts, material, books, photographs and documents. How can you protect your cherished photographs? What are acid free storage materials and how do theyhelp preservation? How do libraries with rare collections deal with the problem? How do museums work with natural life specimens? Visit with the local archectural preservation society.The World and I, Modern Maturity, A Better Life For YouIdeals Magazine, Readers Digest, Amer.Collector's Jour.Prodigies Our children are becoming cleverer, smarter and more intelligent with every new generation, but there has always been certain outstanding children - Mozart etc. Is there an outstanding child in your neighborhood? Would local teachers know how to recognize a prodigy? Which national institutions help prodigies? Which country regularly produces prodigies? Do geniuses produce brilliant children? What are early signs of the genius streak in children?The Christian Science Monitor, Futurific Magazine, Good Reading, Ideals Magazine, Sunshine Magazine. Profanity Not too long ago, the word damn was a terrible expletive. To hear a young woman say "Darn" would have raised eyebrows. Today, any word that comes to mind can be said on television or used in print, with some slight regard to time and publication. Has the use of profanity gone too far? Does a forceful expression of frustration lose its power when used too often? Is profanity truly funny? Is profanity on the increase world-wide? Circle K Magazine, Florida Leader, Journey, Grit, Christian Parenting Today, Thinking Families. Red Cross Throughout the world, the Red Cross symbol is fully understood. How did the Red Cross get its start? When? Who are your local Red Cross executives? Where do the funds come from? Their world-wide radio communications network. How are volunteers trained? What percentage of Red Cross workers are volunteers? What international honors have been bestowed? Friendly Exchange, Good Reading, Knowledge, Parade, Readers Digest, Real People, Sunshine Magazine. Sales Once regarded as the world's top sales people, Americans are now giving way to Asians and Orientals. Can we climb back to the top again? The training of store clerks. Has a friendly smile and greeting been dropped from the curriculum? How does the government assist companies trading overseas? What does this help cost the companies? Has multi-level marketing finished its run? Does it pay to buy a franchise? The Rotarian, Readers Digest, Executive Female, Home Business News, Independent Business, Sound Business. Slang What an effervescent subject this can be! Today's idiom is more colorful than at any other time in history. But do we always understand the message? It can be well, like weird, like way-out. How do new words and phrases come into the language? Are colleges or the armed forces the major source of slang? Investigate work related slang and its place in today's world - but stay in the loop. College newspapers and magazines, Living With Children,Parenting Magazine, Readers Digest, Kids and Perents. Theater Nationwide, the theater is showing an upsurge of interest. New shows in the theaters of New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco are playing to record size audiences. Why does the theater do better in times of depression? Interview some of the major show entrepreneurs. Which were the best stage musicals of the past ten years? Which shows were made into movies? The impact of 'little' theaters on the neighborhood. The Atlantic Monthly, Friendly Exchange, Grit, Good Reading, Ideals Magazine, Leisure World, Read Me. Toys The tremendous dollar volume of sales of toys, the money spent on advertising and the continuing parental interest in toys makes an article on this subject of more than passing interest to most editors. In January of every year, the Toy Trade Fair is heldin Chicago. Here are revealed the toys that will be intoy stores the following Christmas. What are some of the most popular toys? What new products are coming to the Nintendo screen? Grit, Ideals Magazine, USA Weekend, The World and I, World's Fair, Kids and Parents, Parenting Magazine. Transport In England, goods carrying trucks were limited to traveling at 30 mph, even on the motorways. This law was passed to enable the government owned railways to compete. What restricting goods transport laws exist in this country? There is a nationwide alliance between drivers of the big 18 wheelers. How does this help to promote road safety? A Better Life For You, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading,Grit, Ideals Magazine, Leisure World, Playboy. Travel You don't have to be a globe-trotter to write travel articles. History and adventure is not too far from your front door - or at least as far as the public library. What well known historical event occurred in your state? Civil War battle? Probably written to death, but there's always a twist. Find out why tourists should visit. Fairs, monuments, flower shows, river rides - there's always something, but find the twist. In-Flight, Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Good Reading,Leisure World, Modern Maturity, The World and I. Vetinarians Articles on this subject almost have to be written for pet lovers and children, but that market is big enough to keep you busy for months. Who cares for zoo animals? Try for personal inter- view and pictures. Dog and cat shows - usually well covered but look for the unusual. Find a twist that makes people read. The training of seeing eye dogs. Dogs trained to assist the deaf. Friendly Exchange, Modern Maturity, Good Reading, Grit,Sunshine Magazine, The World and I, The Friend. Weather You can interpret 'weather' to mean anything you want it to mean. As always, look for the unusual, the twist. Childrens' interest in meteorology. A pictorial essay on clouds. With poems? Can animals and birds predict the weather? They say bees prepare food for and according to the weather in the coming year? True? Ask a beekeeper. Games for children on a rainy day. Grit, Capper's, Ford Times, Futurific Magazine, Good Reading, Read Me, Sunshine Magazine, Boy's Life. Words Partridge said it - Use and Abuse. Find extreme over-use of words in modern literature. How many times do you hear people say, "You know" ? American words and English meanings - Elevator/Lift,Trashcan/Dustbin, Sweater/Pullover, Trunk/Boot, Hood/ Bonnet, Turnout/Layby, Suspenders/Braces. Why is 'O.K.' understood throughout the world? It has been stated recently that the size of one's vocabulary is relative to intelligence. True? Readers Digest, Anglo-American Spotlight, Good Reading,Ideals Magazine, Knowledge, Parade, Read Me. Zoos A review of zoos throughout the world. Who supports public zoos? Do they have a say in how they are run? Private zoos and who owns them. How much does an elephant cost to buy? To feed? A profile of people who supply animals to zoos. The problems of transporting zoo inhabitants. School trips to zoos - less frequent today? Capper's, Ford Times, Friendly Exchange, Grit, Leisure World, In-Flight, Parade, Smithsonian.
