Make do and mend

The Make Do and Mend book was published in England during World War II. Many of us might be adopting that philosophy, due to faltering economies in both the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Photo of exhibition at the Castle Museum, York, England.

While George W. Bush continues to insist the economy is strong, the United States appears to be in an economic downturn, if not edging towards full-blown recession. From the mortgage crisis, to three dollars a gallon gasoline to 47 million Americans without health insurance, it's not just the poor who are affected. Two of our staunchest symbols of capitalism, Citibank and Merrill Lynch, have incurred enormous losses. Now they're being bailed out by the Saudi royals, the Bush family's wealthiest foreign friends. And Bush's solution to America's troubles is to suggest a vague rescue plan issuing small tax rebate checks to some Americans?

Bush already has poured billions of taxpaper dollars into Iraq, but says we don't have enough money to continue to fund SCHIP, the program providing health care to millions of children. Late last year, the president issued his second veto on legislation to expand children's health coverage. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a vote January 23 to try to override the president's veto. The House fell 13 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to quash Bush's first SCHIP veto.

Please consider contacting your Congressional representatives and asking him or her to vote to override Bush's SCHIP veto. Shouldn't every child be provided with adequate access to medical care?

More potential for identity theft in Britain

Meanwhile in Britain - also suffering tremendous economic fallout from the American mortgage crisis - more incompetence in safeguarding citizens' private information has been revealed. Personal details of 600,000 people have gone missing, after a Royal Navy officer's laptop was stolen. Police are investigating the theft of the laptop, taken from a vehicle in Birmingham. The computer contained personal information - including passport details, national insurance numbers and bank details - about British citizens who had expressed interest in joining the Armed Services.

Why would a laptop containing such sensitive information be left in a vehicle? The theft was discovered January 9, so why wasn't the news released publicly until nine days later? Defense Secretary Des Browne is expected to appear before Members of Parliament next week to answer these questions.

The theft was revealed on the same day a motorist found documents bearing people's personal details near Exeter Airport, Devon. In December, the same motorist found similar documents at the same spot! And in November, two computer disks containing child benefit records were lost, after HM Revenue and Customs sent unregistered and unencrypted disks to the National Audit Office.

Comments

[Madeline]

As Corey said, I look to you to hear the news because I trust your voice. What I read online barely skims the surface if it even touches it at all. I learn so much more by reading your blog. Thank you for your voice.

[Rosa]

Grrrr. It all makes my blood boil. Let's hope Americans are paying a little closer attention this election. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[Sunrise Sister]

I find your posts of interest. That's always a danger that we reply to only those we wish to support and shy away from those who we should be confronting. Keep up the good work. I am recommending your site to a couple of my good blog friends - probably in agreement with you as well.....but you shouldn't be out there on a limb by yourself anyway. Warmest regards.

[parisbreakfasts]

I love the making and mending books...I can't think when was the last time I mended something..sad really

[JanePoe (aka Deborah)]

Bush's short-sighted solution is consistent with his inability to forumulate successful policies either at home or abroad.

[marita]

economical crisis come and go, forced upon us by manipulating and corrupt administrations. throughout the past decades i have learned to mend and bend crisis or not, just for my very own sake!
the deficit in the us has raised up to an unspeakable amount.
how to clear this situation in the coming years??
i hope americans will make a serious and well thought choice in the coming elections!!

[Di Overton]

This identity theft in the UK beggars belief. We are fined £5000 if we are found sending someone an email from our databases if the person has registered to not receive them. God knows who the agency is that fines us - nobody seems to know. Yet the government can't keep a hold a the CDs and Laptops that contain sensitive information on us all.
In my experience, over the years, government agencies are incompetent. lazy fools.

[tinker]

I don't watch scary movies anymore - nowadays, the news is frightening enough ~shiver~
Love the vintage books - but I sure hope we won't be needing their advice anytime soon - I'm not very handy with a needle and thread, lol ~xOx

[Colette]

Perchance the billions of dollars being sunk into the Iraq war has something to do with the depressed economy at home? You have to ask why is it that people are losing their homes, children are neglected, jobs are getting scarce...when so much money is being spent abroad??? Mr. Bush is clearly living in another reality. And people in general don't seem to be asking this crucial question: Why am I losing my house when billions are funding a war.

[apt. a {berriehead}]

NO JOBS to be found in my city. The want adds have dwindled down to one small paragraph??????????????????????? and those jobs are for Mcdonalds etc. grrrrrrrrr! how on earth will the middle class earn a living? It's very very bad. Bush is living in a fairy tale gowd I hate that man!(sorry, but when one can go back and say they were doing BETTER financially 10 years ago) something just aint right...and the scary thing is? Most all Americans can honestly say that! Oh and get this? My oldest son is disabled He received a notice from the government and guess what? they made a mistake...in the mailing everyones ss#s were accidently printed right on the front of the mailed envelopes! wtf?

[Carla]

And to add to all this info that you've just given us...Canada, the US, and Mexico are trying to come to some sort of agreement which would create the North American equivalent to the EU. Lots of concerns right now. There was a huge forum here yesterday...we're just trying to figure out what the facts are. No politician seems to be giving us the straight goods.

[Jeanie]

Love the "Make, Do, Mend" graphic! It's quite perfect.

On another note, I might add that if President Bush really thinks the economy is strong, he should join us here in Michigan for awhile, which is awash in layoffs, mortgage problems, and numerous other issues we hear don't really exist. It's absolutely dismal...

[tongue in cheek]

Thank you Tara, I look to you to hear the news. I trust your voice.

[Becca]

Living in Michigan, one of the hardest hit of all the states, I am alternately saddened, terrified, and incensed by the mismangement of our country. The choice we make in 2008 is more important than at virtually any time in my lifetime, I think. I pray for our next leader - she/he will require enormous amounts of intelligence, foresight, and courage.

[rochambeau]

Dear Tara,
Isn't it ludicrous? All the things you say are true! And the strange thing is that many Americans because of watching propaganda on tv have absolutely NO IDEA! I fear for our this country and our world!! I hate feeling pessimistic, it is so unlike me. ;~(
Thank you for the link to contact the representative for SCHIP.
I was unaware of the laptop scandal, but heard this morning that
the same thing happened in the US. Something about JC Penny's loosing the same amount of peoples private important info!

I wish your words could be read by more people in the world!
Hope all is well. Thanks for being you.
xo
Constance
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