Exchange What?

Euro 1 = Dollar 1.42 !!??

Can anyone tell me what is going on with the dollar? I am very confused. When I look around the world today I see things on the brink of collapse? Disaster? Japan hit by giant tsunami and earthquake, and is leaking radioactive material as someone with a cut to a vain leaks blood! The Middle East is rolling with the repercussions of civil unrest and war, country after country falling to the whims of an unhappy populace. Then you look at Europe, Irelands banks can’t support themselves it’s economy is crumbling, Portugal is about to fall off the map according to some things I’ve read, Spain, Greece, Italy; all weakened economies with a long way to go toward stability. Germany the lynch pin to it all is contemplating it’s roll in the whole euro endeavor and whether it really wants to be in with all these other struggling countries. It would seem to me that all this would make the American dollar a likeable haven for all those ships that are being tossed about, but it seems like it is not happening and I wonder why?
What am I not seeing? The US economy seems to have taken a stabilizing turn and things are looking more positive. I know if the government can get a handle on spending we will be that much better off, I see a lot more positives in this country than in others and would think that with our solid history of economic dominance and ingenuity, this would have a positive result on the dollar itself but nooooo. I guess this question has even stumped the experts, there are analyses claiming the crash of the Euro by end of 2010, now it is the end of 2011. Reports from spring 2010 had put the dollar on par with the Euro at this time in 2011. I haven’t seen it. If anything the trend is up and it has me confused!
Can anyone tell me?