A. IRS

     The FBI says that most threats and almost half of all assaults on federal workers are directed at employees of the Internal Revenue Service. Interview an IRS worker and find out what his or her life is like. Write 350 words.

B. Pets

     Write a short feature on one of these topics:

1. What are some of the pets students keep on campus? Are there restrictions?
2. Snakes and monkeys are supposedly bad risks for those seeking exotic pets. Why? What are the best bets for someone who wants an offbeat pet at home?
3. Breeds of dogs ebb and flow in popularity. Cocker spaniels were the favorites a couple of decades ago and then German shepherds, poodles and a variety of small dogs. What's the latest favorite? How expensive are these animals?
4. Is raising saltwater fish in the home aquarium as expensive and difficult as it once was? How popular is this hobby?
5. The lure of the cat, to some, is that it is mysterious. Unlike dogs, cats usually cannot be trained. Is this why people keep cats? Interview cat lovers.
6. Do people keep birds as pets? Canaries used to be popular but are no longer. Why? Can exotic birds be kept in the average home?

C. Lunch Box

     What do manual workers eat for lunch? Go to construction sites where workers take lunch boxes and see what is inside. Write 300 words.

D. Dining

     A third to a half of all meals are supposedly eaten outside the home. Interview family heads and single people about their dining habits. Why do they prefer to eat out? Write 350 words.

E. Genealogy

     Interview local genealogists who help people do the research that enables them to find their roots.

F. Portrait

     Write profiles of no more than 350 words on one of the following people:

1. A couple recently celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
2. A person born on February 29.
3. A fry cook at a fast-food outlet.
4. A maid in a local motel.
5. A rookie police officer. The police officer with the longest service record. An officer who works with juvenile offenders, with rape victims.
6. A disc jockey on an all-night radio program.
7. The winner of an award for academic achievement: National Merit Scholar, Westinghouse prize, Phi Beta Kappa, etc.
8. An athlete recruited from a distant city or country.
9. The night clerk in a local hotel or motel.
10. A faculty member recently returned from a trip abroad.

G. Holiday

<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::::/sites/dl/free/0073511935/234798/W8_1.jpg','popWin', 'width=NaN,height=NaN,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif"> (20.0K)</a> Mike Roemer

Write a precede with as much local material as possible on one of these observances: New Year's Day, Chinese New Year, Lincoln's Birthday, St. Valentine's Day, Washington's Birthday, Ash Wednesday, Purim, St. Patrick's Day, Palm Sunday, Ramadan, first day of Passover, Good Friday, Easter, May Day, Memorial Day, Kwanzaa, Pentecost, Flag Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, first day of Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Columbus Day, Halloween, All Saints' Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, first Sunday of Advent, first day of Hanukkah, Christmas.      Also, check your local ethnic, religious and racial groups for any special observances, parades, services. Write 300 to 350 words.