September 26th, 2006 -- Thank you to all of you who submitted posts this week and last week! We are getting more and more submissions every day. Keep it up! So here we go again, right into another Tuesday Ask Patty Automotive Blog Carnival. We've collected the latest and greatest for you to check out. Rev up for some fun!

Recently we posted about Ford Motor Company's award for being one of the Top 100 places to be if you are a working mother. This list of 100 companies came straight from Working Mother magazine. Turns out some other manufacturers made the cut, including DaimlerChrysler. Ask Patty gives a big thumbs up to those companies striving to make it easier for all the working moms.

Off-roading isn't just for men anymore! Ann Job writes about how the daredevil sport of rock crawling is enjoyed just as thoroughly by the softer sex: women! She and four other women tried their skills in Hummer H3s on the Rubicon Trail in the Sierra Nevadas. Ann spent a few days climbing rugged terrain and learning the H3s limits. She learned some history too: "The first person to drive a car on the trail in 1908 from the Tahoe area to Rubicon Springs—some dozen miles down the trail—was, in fact, a woman, according to trail history."

We like to support alternative fuel vehicles and anything that will save the environment and our pocketbooks. The recent opening of the movie, "Who Killed the Electric Car?" stirred up some questions about why they halted production of the EV1, the star of the movie. An entire electric car rally was held at the opening of the movie!

Speaking of emissions, California filed a global warming lawsuit on Wednesday against Ford Motor, General Motors, Toyota and three other automakers, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have cost the state millions of dollars. Wired News has the full story.

For more reading on the topic concerning lawsuits against the automakers, see what Jennifer Marohasy has to say. She details what it would mean and mentions the concerns of all different parties involved.

What if there was a car dealership that was running green? Could a dealership power their heating and cooling systems with waste oil from the service department? Could they build their buildings out of 80% recycled materials? The Pat Lobb Toyota Dealership in McKinney, Texas, is doing all that and more!

Teenagers and cars together is a scary thought for most parents. The test drives, the teaching, the crazy reckless driving, parties in the car, cell phones to ears, radios blaring...that's the picture most people think of. Well, you should be thinking of insurance too. Make sure you read up on Tips on Teenage Insurance on Families.com.

As if your teenager on their cell phone while driving wasn't enough to freak you out... people are talking about outlawing the use of cell phones in cars! That means you can't use yours either! The Car Blog did a post on this issue concerning phone usage on the car. The bill in question prohibits any cell phone use unless you are using a hands-free device. What do you think? Should we limit people to hands free or not?

Ever had Road Rage? Oh man, I think everyone has experienced it one time or another. Would you like to channel it and be free of it altogether? Would we ever! There is a study--headed up by Tracey Naughton who is working on her doctorate degree--that is trying to prove you can overcome those extreme emotions. No more vengeful fantasies about that Honda in front of you!

Pamela E. Rodgers, owner of Rodgers Chevrolet, Woodhaven, MI., will be honored by the Women’s Automotive Association with a Professional Achievement award at the Detroit Athletic Club, Detroit, MI, on Thursday October 26th, 2006. There will be a 6 p.m. Cocktail Reception, the dinner and award presentation at 7 p.m. For tickets and table sponsorship information for this event, visit the Women's Automotive Association International.

Carsopia's post on "Questions To Ask When Buying A Used Car" was so popular last week, we are bringing you Part Deux!

Ready for some car humor? This video is reminiscent of the Mercury commercial, but it's to an extreme so we love it! How far would you go to not let your spouse take the "fun" car to work? Would you cook his head à la Home Alone?

Get this: Apparently there are issues with some of the letter combinations you may choose to use for a personalized license plate. Who would've thought you would need to know Police lingo to avoid being issued an accidental ticket because of your plates! Automotive.com Blog has the scoop.

Great, we need a price hike on cars like we need a large scuff on our best leather shoes! Be prepared for a possible price jump in domestic-made cars in 2007. Our very own expert panelist, Lauren Fix, said she believes the job losses in the business will have a greater impact on the overall economy than most people realize. What does that mean? Yup, higher stickers. You better open that savings account soon!

EZ Lube, a popular oil change and lube station, could be shutting down because they haven't stopped their illegal activity. EZ Lube has been slapped with fines and corrections because they were charging customers for work that was never done. Time will tell if they are sanctioned by the Department of Consumer Affairs and asked to close their doors.

Be sure to catch our next carnival on October 3rd, we are featuring posts about dealerships and automotive manufacturers who support Breast Cancer Research, Educations and Charity programs to kick off the October Breast Cancer Awareness month! Go ahead! Submit an article about a dealership or automotive company you know that is supporting the fight!