Sometimes AskPatty stumbles across something that's so smart and such a no-brainer, we're ashamed we didn't think of it ourselves! Here is one of those things, found in a product review by Real Moms Review Panel Member Sara Lilly:  the Chicks and Cubs "Car Seat ID Kit."

"Why is this such a good thing?" you ask?

Well, here's a scary thought. When I take my grandkids to crowded places, such as theme parks or on vacation camping with Gramma, I always ensure they have one of my business cards in their pockets to help rescuers identify them and locate me. That's pretty much a safety no-brainer.

But in the car, I install them in their carseat, and I assume my family is safe and together. And I assume we'll STAY safe and together... but what about if there is an accident? Sara asks "Did you know that in the event of an accident, paramedics almost always transport the child in their car seat to the hospital? Have you ever thought about what it would be like for your child if you were not with them or were not able to talk for him/her?"

Saturn is sponsoring "Pictures of Hope," a photography project led by an award-winning photojournalist that gives children in transitional living programs the opportunity to take photos that reflect their hopes and dreams and are then featured in a set of greeting cards. In October, a number of Saturn retailers across the country will host reveal events where the children, along with their families, will see their photos for the very first time.

During the summer, Saturn and celebrity photojournalist and author Linda Solomon visited six transitional housing organizations that provide support services to women and children who have experienced dire circumstances that have impacted their living situations. Solomon conducted photography workshops at each location and the children learned photo composition and photography techniques. The children were then sent on an assignment with a single-use camera to capture photos of their hopes and dreams. Each child will have one of their photos featured on a Pictures of Hope greeting card.

The project provides financial help to each of the participating organizations. "The images the children captured in the Pictures of Hope program -- and the dreams they represent -- are truly inspirational," said Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak. "Saturn and our retailers chose to be a part of this program because the local community has always been extremely important to Saturn and our retailers. We think of this opportunity more as giving forward than giving back."

With the 18th Annual Conference & Exhibition for the Metal Construction Industry, METALCON INTERNATIONAL, approaching, COILMART is excited to announce that IndyCar Series Star Milka Duno will be appearing at booth number 1423 on October 2nd for two hours starting at 1 p.m.

Along with Duno, a COILMART-themed IndyCar Series machine will also be on display for visitors to browse.

"I'm excited to meet all the vendors and visitors of Metalcon," Duno said. "I'm looking forward to representing COILMART and making those that visit better educated about the products and services of the company."

Duno has just finished her sophomore season in the IndyCar Series. In 2008, she made 11 starts with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing with a best finish of 14th. Among female drivers, she led the most laps throughout the season and had the highest finishing position in the Indianapolis 500. Off the track, she released a new childrens' book, "Go, Milka, Go!" as well as launched the "MANA Milka Way" initiative. Both seek to motivate students to achieve academic success.


An interview with Alli Owens, one of the youngest women on the professional race car circuit today and the public face of NECA-IBEW's effort to recruit new entrants into the world of electrical workers, is among the features in the latest edition of ElectricTV.net. A joint production of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), ElectricTV.net is the only Web TV program dedicated to reporting the latest developments in the electrical construction and information systems industries.

Sponsored by NECA-IBEW, the 20-year-old Owens, participating this year in the ARCA RE/MAX series, races her #12 car emblazoned with the URL electrifyingcareers.com. The website is part of the two organizations' wider effort designed to bring new recruits to their joint apprenticeship program. Owens and her car make personal appearances at high schools and job fairs around the country, getting people's attention to let them know about career opportunities in the electrical industry. Says Owens, "Every time I go somewhere, it's not just me strapping in that car but the hundreds of thousands of IBEW electrical workers and NECA contractors out there, in the race car with me."

Also on this edition of ElectricTV.net are highlights from LIGHTfair International, the world's largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference; a spotlight on "The Carolina Initiative," a joint NECA-IBEW program that's boosting market share; and a piece on Power*e Glass, a unique electrified solution to heat loss through windows.


IndyCar Series driver and owner of Sarah Fisher Racing, Sarah Fisher, was stunned when her name was called as the winner of the fifth annual Indy's Best & Brightest under 40 Awards Thursday afternoon at the Gene B. Glick Jr. Achievement Education Center in Indianapolis, Indiana in front of a crowd of 650 business professionals. Fisher beat out nine other finalists in her industry specific category-Media, Entertainment & Sports-one of 100 total finalists across 10 categories.

"I was honored just to be nominated and become a finalist and didn't expect to win," gushed Fisher. "Being new to the whole entrepreneur thing is challenging for me as I'm use to just doing the driving part of being in autoracing but we're enjoyed our time building Sarah Fisher Racing. There are so many talented people here today that I had the honor of meeting, which is inspiring. For everyone on my team, for all my sponsors and of course, to the fans, thanks for all of your support. The 2009 racing season will be here before we know it."


Former North Carolina State University media relations assistant Allison Barry has been appointed to the position of Manager of Public Relations/Media Services by the American Le Mans Series/Panoz Motor Sports Group, effective September 24.

Barry, an honors graduate of North Carolina State in Communications with a dual concentration in Public Relations and Mass Media, will be responsible for day-to-day public relations and media services on behalf of the Series, including working with event-market, national and international media outlets and representatives. She also will play a key role in the coordination of Series-related media activities with event promoters, teams and manufacturers as well as media advance work, Web site writing and pressroom operations.

Barry joins the American Le Mans Series from the Four Seasons Hotel in Atlanta where she was a member of the marketing and sales team, and served as the implementer of the hotel's 'green initiative' program.

During her North Carolina State tenure, she was a member of the varsity tennis team, earning the role of captain in her senior year, and actively involved in the community. She was recognized by both the Atlantic Coast Conference and the City of Raleigh, NC as the top contributor in community service projects around the state.



Makita Suzuki Factory Racing congratulates newest team member Nico Izzi for being honoured with the prestigious 2008 AMA Motocross/ Supercross Rookie of the Year award.

“Getting AMA Motocross/ Supercross Rookie of the Year caught me by surprise,” admitted Izzi of the accolade. “But I’m really pumped about it. My team mate Ryan Dungey got the award last year and it’s great for Rockstar Makita Suzuki that we won it two years in a row. It’s also a confidence-builder for me going into the 2009 season.”




Nascar Craftsman Truck Series race at Gateway International Raceway outside St. Louis featured Chrissy Wallace, a 20-year-old driver who many believe will be the first female Nascar superstar. Like many of today’s Nascar drivers, Ms. Wallace started competing at a very young age—10. She has worked her way up through the ranks and won a number of races and championships in a variety of minor-league racing series. She was the first woman to win a race at Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway, a small oval an hour west of Charlotte that produced many of Nascar’s early stars, including father-son champions Ned and Dale Jarrett.

I had an opportunity to test drive the Subaru 2009 Forester as a rental car to drive from Portland to the Oregon Coast to speak about becoming Certified Female Friendly at the Independent Oregon Automobile Dealer Association's annual convention.

Oregon's nearly 363 miles of pristine, public coastline is made up of diverse terrain that changes from rugged cliffs to evergreen forests to Sahara-like dunes and boundless sandy beaches. From Astoria in the north to Brookings in the southern tip, follow the shoreline past a smorgasbord of one-of-a-kind attractions including scores of quaint towns with a penchant for serving up legendary seafood, Oregon Wineries, historic lighthouses, breathtaking viewpoints, stunning state parks, a cornucopia of galleries and museums and a world class aquarium. Mild temperatures, dramatic scenery, and a wide range of recreational activities make the coast one of the state's most popular regions.

As part of September’s Baby Safety month theme, Saturn of San Diego is taking it a little further by teaming up with the Safe Kids Coalition to remind children to USE YOUR HEAD and WEAR a HELMET!  Wearing your bike helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85%.  Visit this Female Friendly Saturn location   in El Cajon on Saturday, September 27th from 1-4pm. The first 150 children 12 and under will be fitted with a new free bike helmet!   USE YOUR HEAD and WEAR a HELMET!"

In recognition of Child Passenger Safety Month, Safe Kids Buckle Up, in partnership with Chevy and GM, scheduled nearly 900 community events all across the United States during the month of September to educate parents and caregivers on how to keep children safe in and around vehicles.

This follows on the heels of the Safe Kids Buckle Up program reaching a very important milestone: one million child passenger safety seats inspected since the beginning of the program! What an awesome program! Join Rod Gillum (GM Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Diversity) and experts from Safe Kids to learn more about Safe Kids Buckle Up and how to ensure your child is safe on every trip, along with Safe Kids' Spot the Tot initiative and other programs designed to help keep children safe in and around vehicles. 

Rod will be holding a chat on GMnext.com on Tuesday, September 30, from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT. To join the chat, simply visit www.gmnext.com/livechat.aspx and register on the site. The chats are open to everybody, so feel free to invite your friends and family members to join in as well.

AskPatty came across something, er, unusual for train fanatics as well as those who seek out-of-the-ordinary entertainment. Each year, Erasmus P. Kitty's Hand-Car Regatta blends art and science into one gigantic experience of moving parts, sounds, and people. The Hand-Car Regatta supports art as an experience by taking art out of the gallery, into a public space, and incorporating science, math, and human ingenuity. The Hand-Car Regatta offers up an easily accessible, all-inclusive, creative experience for all who attend.

Here is an example of just one of the entries being produced for the event: Called "The Lumbering Contraption," the team at almostscientific.com   has created this human-sized hamster wheel to compete in this year's event. You can even watch video of its initial testing - complete with human hamsters inside - at flickr.com.

The railcar races at the center of the Regatta highlight innovation and human ingenuity to devise cheaper, viable, and hitherto undreamed-of methods for transport beyond the standard notions of today. As commuter rail transport has become a highlighted alternative method of transportation in our era of rising fuel prices, the annual Handcar Regatta provides a platform for playfulness and sustainable concerns within the realm of human powered transportation. Examples of such contraptions can be viewed here at the Regatta's Railcar Videodeon.

Thomas Weller -- a kind-faced, gray-haired gentleman -- is the local hero of San Diego area highways.

A mechanic by trade, he cruises the roadways playing good Samaritan in a Ghostbusters-inspired rescue vehicle, fully equipped with power tools and even an air compressor to handle practically any roadside mechanical emergency. This three-minute CBS video we found at darynkagan.com shares his inspired story of kindness.

Weller handles everything from overheating engines to changing tires with a cheery can-do attitude, which is clearly bolstered by a heroic uniform and heavy-duty boots, which help to reinforce the overall presentation of his benevolent behavior.

In the last few years the American public has become more concerned with cars and the environment, striking an ongoing search for a balance between energy consumption and fewer CO2 emissions. The public view on renewable energy and clean diesel has significantly influenced the marketplace. Automotive research companies and organizations are discovering new ways to reduce America’s petroleum usage and CO2 emissions.

The Diesel Technology Forum is dedicated to raising awareness of available diesel technologies and commissioned both Yankelovich TSC and the Martec Group to research the public view on clean diesel and the future impact and benefits of diesel trucks on the environment. The research was presented in the Forum’s Clean Diesel – Driving California’s Energy Solutions webinar on September 10.

This September marks the 25th anniversary of Baby Safety Month, sponsored annually by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA). This year, JPMA is helping educate parents and caregivers on the safe selection and use of child restraint seats by providing valuable information for keeping baby safe in the car.

JPMA is proud to support Child Passenger Safety Week, which is happening RIGHT NOW,  September 21-27, 2008! Child Passenger Safety Week is sponsored by NHTSA as a reminder to all parents to use a child safety seat in the back of their vehicles, restrain their child properly, and in accordance with their size and age.

All 50 states have laws that require the use of a car seat. All car seats manufactured today must be designed to meet stringent safety standards set by the Federal government. In fact, child restraints sold in the United States are required to satisfy the rigorous performance standards established by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and are certified by their manufacturers as compliant before they can be offered for sale.