It is pretty clear that 2009 will not be a great year. At best, we are likely to see a continuation of what we have seen in the recent past--lots of bankruptcies, more foreclosures, lots of layoffs. At worst, the situation could suddenly become much worse--a major oil exporter could suddenly collapse; the US may experience hyperinflation or deflation; or the US could experience a major hurricane and not be able to recover from it because of credit/import problems.

What can we do to make the year a better one for ourselves, our families, and our communities? We can perhaps plant a garden. We can learn to be more thankful for what we do have. We can let jobless relatives (children, parents) move in with us. Are there any good books that people have read that they would recommend? What are people doing now to cope?