Is the world falling apart?

Terrorism in the U.S with potentially tens of thousands lives unnecessarily lost. Corporate collapses back home - OneTel, HIH, Ansett. How can all this be possible in the information age. We strive in the IT industry to build systems that promote the sharing of information, allowing 'decision makers' to have access to all the information they need in a timely manner. How could such an act of terror occur without warning? How could business executives allow a company to keep running when the daily financial losses are so great, and then shut it down in such a dramatic manner. Investors will lose just about everything. Thousands of people will lose their jobs. Incredible. And yet - it all seems insignificant in comparison to the huge loss of life experienced in the U.S.