Rumors, the New Flu and Pvt. SNAFU

Now that the World Health Organization (WHO) is warning of a stage 6 global pandemic connected with swine flu that surfaced in Mexico, there's been a whirlwind of rumors connected with the virus. To remind everyone to keep their cool, here's a reminder from the WWII Home Front. From Warner Brothers, the same studio that gave us Bugs Bunny, the story stars a sleepy Private Snafu, not the flu, but it illustrates how the baloney starts flying when rumor replaces fact. Keep that in mind in the upcoming days, and enjoy the show.

The Flu, World War II and You

While this blog usually addresses savings and budget tips learned in WWII, we noticed there's great concern about the swine flu in Mexico and decided to see how the World War II Home Front coped with the flu. (World War One resulted in the great Spanish Influenza. WWII did not see anything so deadly.) During the Second World War, mass troop movements also created a perfect storm for influenza, with a severe outbreak during December-January in 1943-1944. In the first week of January 1944, for example, doctors reported 126,000 new cases across the country. The flu was even blamed for a subsequent lemon shortage, as ill people used the citrus in home remedies that winter. Then, posters like those above, were used to remind the public to take precautions against sickness. Today, the same good sense applies: cover your cough, wash your hands, and stay home if you're ill being among the sensible precautions to take. For the latest flu news visit the Center for Disease Control's website.

Is Michelle's Victory Garden for You, Too?

First Lady Michelle Obama's new White House garden is the first one since Eleanor Roosevelt plowed a plot of lawn during WWII when patriotic Americans raisied 40 percent of all the nation's greens on similar home plots. The Obamas' garden has received all sorts of praise -- and even grumbling, it's reported, from large agri-business worried that America's recession-stressed consumers will trade convenience for fresh, home-grown produce. A Victory Garden is one more idea in your own budget arsenal. More about the gardens here.

Savings is a Smart Idea

WWII was a savers paradise. With access to consumer goods restricted Americans squirreled away their pennies. We're doing so again. In the last year US personal savings rate have climbed from near zero to almost 4 percent. And the American Bankers Association is rolling out an educational campaign to teach kids savings tips. It's a good thing for everyone. So remember the slogan "The Most You Can Save is the Least You Can Do" and start saving for a rainy day.

The Verdict is Victory: Gardening Saves You Money

First time gardeners and even those hardened, hoe-in-hand tilling veterans are sometimes plagued with doubt. Am I saving money growing my own green stuff? Or is gardening an expensive indulgence? Good news today from the Wall Street Journal. Columnist Neal Templin reports that yes, a garden saves you money. The trick? Keep capital costs low, says his source, Cornell University's Lori Bushway, who says you can "easily triple" your investment. Reap what you sow!

Eat The View: Turning your lawn into a garden

By now everyone's heard about the Obama's plans to install their own Victory Garden at the White House. The organization Eat the View is dedicated to inspiring people to grow more of the food they eat, saving them money and helping the planet. Check them out. Their enthusiasm is infectious.

"Taxes to Beat the Axis"

It's getting close to April 15, and it is hard to believe that Americans once paid their taxes gladly, as a patriotic duty. Donald Duck did in Disney's 1942 WWII cartoon urging Americans to pay their taxes to "beat the Axis." (Donald's total income in 1941 was $2051. He paid S13 to the government) Whatever you may feel about the IRS it does take a little of the sting out of paying to remember that civilization - roads, schools, national parks, police - cost money. Like it or not, we're all in it together.