App update failure

Question

Submitted this question yesterday as a Safari failure but since discovered that it affected mail and addressbook too, along with the app that communicates with the cloud I think, as address book on my IPad is a problem too.
Updates failed in the middle of the process, got an "unexpected interruption" message of sorts. Following is a long history of my interaction with Apple support folks today, leaving me the worse off than when I began. Hope someone has further suggestions:
Computer problem history:  3/15 to date
got an notice that there was software to update, which I activated as I usually do with automatic updates. Did not, at the time, unfortunately, look to see what those updates were:
The Updates failed, got a message that update quit unexpectedly with the advice that I should contact "developer" to be sure that it was compatible with operating system.
I wrote to Apple support community, been helpful in the past:
joannefrommontclair      Montclair, NJ
Mar 17, 2013 12:36 PM
the version is 5.1.8. Is that compatable with OS 10.6.8?  Message says to contact developer which seems either impractical or impossible.
How to I fix this and get back to using Safari?
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Magic Mouse
The answer I got was about SIMBL plugins and problem with Safari. Didn't seem to have that installed. Also discovered that the update crash affected mail, address book and the app that communicates to the cloud, I presume because Address book on my IPad was affected too.
Called Apple support, advised to sign on to a new user and update the apps there.  That didn't work.
Called back and through a series of trying stuff, including going to the app tab and installing updates from there, next resetting PRAM (Command Option PR at startup) didn't work either.
Shutting down and opening in safe mode and going to app tab to try, didn't work either.
The next step was going to be reinstalling from the Snow Leopard disc. Instruction was to shut down and reopen in safe mode preliminary to using the disc.
Coming back up, extremely slow. After a while advised to shut down and then start the startup (safe) again and give it some time to boot up. Someone else would call back in half an hour.
At the next call, computer had not started again, still "spinning" so advised to insert operating system disc, shut down and then restart holding down the option key.
Choice on screen was Hard drive or Disc drive. choosing  start up from disc, also did not work.  (started the day with usable computer, after help, no longer useable.)
Advised to take it to Apple store.

Answer 1

Yes, this did solve the problem.
When I did go to account settling, it was already set as USA., but after I did confirm the country and regon,
then all update app. started to donwload normally.  Honestly, I still do not understand what is the change or
correction, but it did work., thank you.
Best regards,