Ask Patty Around the World Blog Carnival: April 16, 2008

Welcome to the AskPatty Blog Carnival, where we provide a midweek fix of female friendly news and interesting automotive tidbits from around the blogosphere. It's April, but we're not fooling around here: we've got serious stuff to share, from life-saving and educational programs at BlogHer and ConsumerReports to fun family travel. Have you got something to share? Email Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com to include your own blog bits in next week's carnival!

BlogHer has launched a special campaign with GlobalGiving to raise money for lifesaving programs for women around the world. Their goal is to find out how many women's lives we can save by blogging to raise small donations -- $10, $15, $25, $50 --for critical clinics and educational programs for women, children and girls specifically in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Darfur, Nepal and South Africa.  By harnessing the power of women online, these contributions will improve maternal health and save women's lives. Your donation to one or more of these projects can save women's lives by supplying health care, birthing kits, education, trained birthing attendants, meals, and much, much more. Click the link and make a difference!

Speaking of saving lives, Consumer Reports says  200 lives a year would be saved if all pregnant women wore seatbelts. According to CR, the myth that pregnant women should avoid wearing seatbelts because they may be unsafe for unborn children has been debunked by a team of researchers at the University of Michigan. The study found that as many as 200 unborn babies would be saved each year if expectant women properly buckled up every time they get in a car.

Why we like Manuals: In this item over at LeftLaneNews.com  a man was re-arrested just moments after being released from the Palm Beach County Jail, after an unsuccessful carjacking attempt in which he tried to steal a Nissan 350Z and then realized he didn't know how to drive the six-speed stickshift. But wait, it gets better: a Pastor who mentors and teaches inmates at the jail pulled a gun on the would-be carjacker until Sheriffs could take him into custody.

It's only been a couple weeks since Blogger Bossy waved goodbye to her husband, kids, and dog, and began a drive across the country in a cool collection of Saturn vehicles in a stunt she calls "Bossy's Excellent Road Trip." Bossy has embarked on this journey in order to meet the bloggy friends she knows solely through her comment section--because they have become like family to her -- and because Saturn is sponsoring it. More than 250 bloggers across 182 cities in 42 states have signed up to participate in Bossy's Excellent Road Trip and meet the hellafunny woman. Check out her adventures in her extremely entertaining blog entries at www.iambossy.com.  We likey!

There's no shortage of places to visit in Seafarer's carnival of cities over at blogs.BootsnAll.com.
If you're already thinking about taking a road trip with your family over the summer, why not start here and browse the collection of offerings on places to eat, locales to visit, and events to attend across the United States and around the world. Whether you want to see museums, amusement parks, historical locations, or just watch a baseball game or look at pretty flowers, there is something here for everyone!

Speaking of travel, what's more enriching to the spirit and soul than travel? FREE travel, of course! The folks over at AutomotiveTraveler.com are wading through the internet to find the most exciting opportunities for FREE travel, and posting the contests for users to browse. Stop by and check out their collection of automotive related travel sweepstakes and contests from around the web including a trip to Maui sponsored by Jaguar, a 2009 BMW 750Li, or a chance to attend the 2008 Baja 1000.  Be sure to let us know if you win anything!

And that's it for this week's AskPatty Cars Around the World Blog Carnival! Make sure to submit your article for next week's "Automotive Advice for Women Blog Carnival" using the online form (http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_464.html) or by emailing Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com.

By Brandy Schaffels
AskPatty Editor

And that's it for this week's AskPatty Cars Around the World Blog Carnival! Make sure to submit your article for next week's "Automotive Advice for Women Blog Carnival" using the online form (http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_464.html) or by emailing Ask Patty at info@askpatty.com.

By Brandy Schaffels
AskPatty Editor