Tightening budgets and belts, Prozac and Mad Men, and an undecided voter in Nashville...

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October 9, 2008

Hi everyone,

1. Cutting our budgets NOW: Dow Jones falls to five-year low
2. Moment of silence for those most vulnerable in an economic crisis
3. Debate #2: An undecided voter goes to the Nashville debate
4. Prozac, Mad Men and Fall TV
5. Breast Cancer Awareness Month
6. Pumpkinfest, Part II
7. If you have an extra dollar, these women have earned it

I'm sitting here in my home office with a stack of unopened financial mail. And I'm not alone: With the Dow Jones Industrial Average at a five-year low, many BlogHers say they are counting their blessings and trying to ride out increasingly dire financial times -- and when you read item #2 below, you'll see what I mean by dire. This week, we're talking about how to stretch every dollar (and maybe even donate one), as well as sharing news about the second presidential debate, what we're watching at home on TV (for free!) and how to make the most of harvest time. Here's what's hot:

1. Cutting our budgets NOW: Dow Jones falls to five-year low
"My brother and I happened to be watching the Dow plummet as the mailperson came and we all got our 401K statements," blogs Erin Kotecki Vest in First Time In Five Years: Dow Plunges Below 9k. "I watched him shake his head as his slowly opened the envelope, take out the paper, and sigh..."

2. Moment of silence for those most vulnerable in an economic crisis
This week, BlogHer Contributing Editor Nordette wrote an especially important series on children who are falling victim to tough economic times -- and shortsighted legislation. "[I]t's scary for me. It's a short walk from customers cutting back to my job being cut, and I need it. I require more than a freelance income source to make ends meet," blogs Nordette in Families and the Economic Crisis: What's cut from your family budget. "But my problems are tiny when I consider Gary Staton's situation. He's the widower and father of 10 who recently fell into the spotlight when he abandoned nine of his children at a Nebraska safe haven..."

Yes, you read that right. Read more in the link above and in Nordette's original post: Nebraska's Abandoned Tweens and Teens: Parents Use Infant Safe Haven Law to Dump Older Children.

Related post:
Clizbiz: Foreclosure pets: Furry victims of financial crisis

3. Debate #2: An undecided voter goes to the Nashville debate
"I'm not a Democrat. I'm not a Republican. I'm not liberal and I'm not conservative. I'm moderate and I'm Independent. I vote for the candidate, not the party, and typically my ballots include votes for members from both parties. So at this point in the presidential election, I'm feeling a little lost..." blogged Suburban Turmoil on BlogHer.com, as she prepared to attend the second debate between senators and presidential hopefuls John McCain (R-Az.) and Barack Obama (D-Il.).

Wonder what she decided? You might be surprised: Tune in to her Notes from the Presidential Debate, which begins, "Neither heavy rain nor three thousand members of the media all crowded into one large tent nor the realization that Greta Van Susteren can't possibly weigh more than 90 pounds could keep me from last night's presidential debate..."

Related posts:
Melanie Nelson: Not Sure Who to Vote For? You're Not Alone
Erin Kotecki Vest: Which one? THAT one!
American Princess: Nailin' Pailin...?

4. Prozac, Mad Men and Fall TV
"Betty Draper, tragic semi-heroine of Mad Men, needs an anti-depressant," blogs Morra Aarons Mele in Prozac, Mad Men and the Beauty of Choices. "At no time am I more grateful to live in our current era than when I watch her alone in the middle of the day, angry, bored, and depressed to her core. I just want to jump into a time capsule and deliver Mrs. Draper a bottle of Prozac and a copy of the Feminine Mystique. Unfortunately, Betty pre-dates both, although not by very long..."

5. Breast Cancer Awareness Month
This week, a mother of twins who blogs in BlogHer's network posted a very special piece. In Breast cancer took my morning, Blogger Diana writes, "found a breast cancer support group that was worth going to on a Saturday morning. The speaker got me thinking about so many things … where am I going? What am I leaving behind? Is it peaceful at the center of my own labyrinth?"

Related posts:
Suzanne Reisman: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Catherine Morgan: October is Lupus Awareness Month

6. Pumpkinfest, Part II
Denise cannot stop or be stopped with her 31-day ode to pumpkins, and thank heavens! Cinderella Perfect Pumpkins, Pumpkin Warts, Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Carving Tricks and Pumpkin Pancakes.

7. Great news! If you have an extra dollar, these women have earned it
Great news and thank you! BlogHers have raised $489 so far through the DonorsChoose challenge in support of public education projects! What's more, I received a thank-you note from one of the four projects to which I donated. Check out these programs to see what BlogHer's contributing editors recommend:
Maria Niles: Donors Choose Challenge: A Doll Like Me
Gena Haskett: Appalachian History, DonorsChoose and Music To Soothe Our Souls
Liz Rizzo: Donors Choose Challenge: Keeping Things Current in Health

Here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend and week. We look forward to continuing the discussion with those of you who will be at BlogHer Boston and BlogHer D.C.

Best,
Lisa

for Elisa, Jory and Lisa, BlogHer co-founders

Tightening budgets and belts, Prozac and Mad Men, and an undecided voter in Nashville...

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