As ever, the media loves to sensationalize everything and put the willies up the general public...sells more papers.
I'll admit I cribbed this from an editorial but I think it sums up the situation...The fall of some banks and institutions is not Capitalism in crisis but Capitalism in action. Lehmans was allowed to fall because it had been avaricious and arrogant. Merril Lynch was saved because it had been more prudent. These are savage times but they will flush out the rotten and the strong will survive. At the end of it, us poor punters should have a more realistic situation to deal with.