America's Financial Meltdown: How has it affected your life?

(Before I go any further I apologize if this topic has already been done. I have used the search function and found nothing aside from this thread which is a bit different from the topic I'm going for here. Also, if this is in the wrong forum please move appropriately.)

I'd like to propose a couple different things I'd like to cover in this thread but first let me review the general topic at hand:

The current state of the American economy. It's no secret by now that us Americans aren't doing too hot. Unemployment is at an all time high, our financial institutions are failing and we're even considering bailing out our auto makers. The media says that we are currently going through a recession. With the Dow plummeting like a fat kid with no parachute it seems like a depression isn't too far off.

The questions I would like to ask go as follows:

• How has this affected your life? - Have your neighbors and/or lost their jobs, home and automobile? Have you lost your home, job or automobile because of all this mess? Have you cut back and started saving more?
• When do you think we will pull out of this? America is surely done as an economic superpower, at least for the next decade or so, but when do you think we will recover (if ever)? How can we recover?
• Your plans over the next ten years - What do YOU plan on doing? If you're not in a recession/depression proof industry, do you plan on aiming for a new career? If you're in college are you switching your major?

Personally, the company I've worked for for over a year now has gone under, I've been unable to drive due to my inability to pay my car insurance and retail stores around here simply aren't hiring. My neighborhood (once a busy suburb) now has "For Sale" signs posted at just about every other house. I was considering a career in Finance once I got into college but now I'm completely revamping my plan. I'm graduating next year and I need to plan quickly and decisively.

Conversely, I have no idea how we're going to fix this problem. And by we I mean whoever because to be quite frank, I don't really know what I'm talking about. I know what I've seen in the news and heard my teachers talk about but I'm well off from having a proper education on the inner-workings of our financial institutions. I would assume that stricter regulations and government intervention is essential for the next decade or so but again, I really don't know too much regarding the situation at hand.

What is going through your mind during these rough times? Are you worried for yourself, your family or friends?

Jam it back in, in the dark.