Ask Patty, that incredible "Female-friendly" car site with the kind of automotive advice for women that we want - wants YOU to tell your car story. You might just win something.

It can be a funny story, an angry story, an educational story - or a human interest story. Fact is, Ask Patty is giving away 25 CarMD tools. Check it out. Plus, she'll feature your story on the blog - this is your chance for your 15 minutes of fame! With a prize! [Deadline is December 15th]

Now on to today's post: This morning's news had an article worth sharing - bumping all other news I was going to write about. Stay tuned for tomorrow's post from Lena, our Technology Diet (tm)professional, and something really interesting - and unusual - on Tuesday - about kids and credit cards.

For today, Nancy Benac of The Associated Press reports, "Women wielding a new clout" -- in Washington. This is a political story, certainly relevant to current events, but very relevant to marketing to women online. You see, many women are going online today to learn more about their choices in the upcoming elections. The Internet is the be-all place to find out what we need to know. I hope my post mid-last week helped a bit.

[sidebar: in an attempt to find a link to this article, I went to the Associated Press but they, apparently, have never heard of Nancy, nor do they recognize the title of the article. So, I went to the website of my local paper, the D&C, and was prepared to share their link - but they are insisting I fill out a form to access their content. Bad idea! I WILL NOT be held hostage to filling out any kind of form to access news that I'm entitled to. Sorry, D&C, you may lose me as a customer altogether now.]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch - or, at the house (suburban or otherwise), here's some of what Nancy had to say in her article: "I've been calling it the perfect storm for these women," said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rugers University."

She's speaking of our squinty-eyed look at politics and politicians, these days (my description, not hers.) What I found compelling in the article are the stats...

• Of the 140 women running for the House, 98 are Democrats.
• On the Senate side, 12 women are running, 8 of them Democrats.
• Record numbers of women are now serving in the House (67) and the Senate (14).

I don't know what that means because I often find little difference between parties. But, I admit, I usually vote Democrat. So, it's heartening. Further on in the article I found this paragraph striking, "Dennis Simon, a Southern Methodist University professor who studies women in politics, said this year's climate is tailor-made for female candidates. .. They're perceived as candidates outside the old boy network," he said."

Hmm...that has a nice ring to it. 'Outside the old boy network.' Let's just hope these women don't start an old gals network that mimics those old boys.

Are you following the elections with a view on how they will affect your company? It's easy to sit at your desk, or stand behind your counter, and say, "I'm a business person. I don't do politics." But, politicians are the ones setting tax rates, and passing bills into law, and making judgments on where you can sell and what, in your hometown. Their job is to do it at the behest of their constituents...and that would be you and me.

I hope they're women you've elected on purpose, and not by default - de-fault being that you didn't make it to the polls because you didn't think your vote would make a difference. As Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, would say, “If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.”