Well, HARO, there!

My bud Karen over at NouvelleBlogger introduced me to HARO a little while ago. That is to say, I first heard of HARO when she mentioned it in passing on her blog. Naturally, I had to click over and snoop around.

Hmmm...interesting concept. HARO stands for Help A Reporter Out. (No, not out the door. Silly.) It's an email service that you can subscribe to (fer nuthin'!) and receive several emails a day containing lists of active, red-hot inquiries from both print and electronic media. You simply scan the list and if you are qualified to serve up expert information and/or opinion in response to a reporter's query, well, then let 'er rip!

For instance, the email might contain a topic like this:

"Starsky & Hutch" Enthusiasts' Favorite Ritz-Cracker Recipes

Oooh, I can answer that! I have one! So I click through and send that lucky reporter the dog-eared, Imperial Margarine-smeared recipe for Mock Apple Pie (no apples needed!) that my mama got from her mama on her wedding day.

See how that works?

So here's the deal: following is a list of media inquiry topics. Half of them are actual topics that came through HARO and the other half I made up. Can you tell which is which?

1. Factoids on Mucus
   
2. Use of Balloon Animals in Anger-Management Courses
   
3. Tips on Winterizing Your Mullet
   
4. Professional Chefs Who Ride Bicycles
   
5. Benefits to Having Longer Labia
   
6. Men's Sport Kilt: The New Choice for Casual Friday?
   
7. Finding the Right Personal Stylist for Your Baby or Toddler
   
8. Labeled a Slut in High School?

The first person to leave a comment that correctly sorts the real topics from the fake ones will win this (blog catnip - we're not above it):

That's right: it's a brand new, never worn, completely genuine Tito's Tacos cap from our local LA taco stand landmark, complete with embroidered corn cobs and peppers on the brim. (As always, we cover all shipping and handling charges...they're factored right into the LJKGW business plan.) A cap like this will cost you upwards of $12.00 (even more if you don't live here and have to factor in airfare and a rental car), but why should you stand in line to get one when I already browbeat Jon Bon Jovi (not my husband's real name) into doing it for you?

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So, good luck, everyone! I'll reveal the answers - and the shrewd winner - in the next post!

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And remember: everyone looks good in fluorescent yellow!