Of course.  I only was commenting on homelessness in Japan in response to gsmoke's comment upthread.  Basically, my point was that while homelessness, when you see it in Japan, is shocking and pitiable -- as it should be everywhere -- its occurrence is far lower than in other developed countries.  Even in the happiest country in the world, Denmark, the number of homeless as of the beginning of 2007 was conservatively estimated to be 5253.  Out of a population of just under five and half million, that comes to 0.096% -- better than France (and of course the U.S.), but still six times worse than Japan's rate.

techno: Of course, I will always argue that the BEST way to eliminate homelessness is to create more good-paying jobs (well, duh!)  And the surest way to prosperity is to employ people to build an infrastructure that operates on solar income rather than burn natural capital.

If we do the right thing by the ecosphere, we can afford to do the right things socially.

Hear, hear.  That said, doing right by the ecosphere is not sufficient: there also has to be political determination to do the right things socially.

... all progress depends on the unreasonable mensch.
(apologies to G.B. Shaw)