Curse upon the land

All the talk lately about the credit crisis in the US and world financial markets with dire predictions about the credit markets seizing up if something isn't done to provide liquidity, reminded me of these verses in the Book of Mormon:

And now there began to be a great curse upon all the land because of the iniquity of the people, in which, if a man should lay his tool or his sword upon his shelf, or upon the place whither he would keep it, behold, upon the morrow, he could not find it, so great was the curse upon the land.
Wherefore every man did cleave unto that which was his own, with his hands, and would not borrow neither would he lend" -Ether 14:1,2

Also, the recent revelations about the corruption among lawmakers in congress and their partners in crime at lending institutions and on Wall Street reminded me of Alma's warning to the Zoramites:

"...the foundation of the destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges." -Alma 10:27