Pondering during the final days of 2008

The end of 2008 is fast approaching. The world has had to grapple with numerous serious issues. To start with the economic and financial situation is very serious. What are the consequences of this situation that the world is facing? I have always felt that economic dissatisfaction is invariably associated with social unrest. Does anybody know what needs to be done to avert such problems? Talking about enacting policies to address the econoic issues may help to some extent. In that respect I hope the activities of the President elect Obama will have some effect not only in the U.S. but around the world.
The unfortunate incident in Mumbai the day before Thanksgiving, in which innocent people lost their lives was another unforgettable event of 2008. What is the role of economic dissatisfaction in the actions of the perpetrators ? There is undoubtedly some role that dire economic situation plays in the self esteem of any individual. The world needs to pay attention to the economic and educational needs of as many of the world citizens as possible for the security of all.
Steve Lopez, a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, often writes stories that touch your heart. In 2005 he wrote about Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, a homeless musician with schizophrenia who sleeps each night on one of skid row's most dangerous streets http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez-skidrow-nathaniel-series,0,1456093.special. Today's paper has another such story - one about a homeless mother and daughter who live in ther car in a parking lot in Southern California. To add to the situation the daughter suffers from high risk acute leukemia http://www.latimes.com/news/columnists/la-me-lopez21-2008dec21,0,6262927,full.column. This is happening in a wealthy, developed nation. Is this happening because of some kind of inadequacy on the part of the system or despite the adequacies in the system? The human psyche is so complex that one has has to accept the fact that society can do only that much to help some in need of help. Develpoing resources to circumvent traditional modes of delivering help to such individuals and ensuring their safety is absolutely critical.