I have kept silent for a few days, unable to comment on Technology Trends, because of the enormity of what is happening on Wall Street. I am rarely speechless, but to attempt divert anyone’s attention from the financial markets would be an exercise in futility.

Although we at TechForum continue to see a strong demand for security products and services, the number of security buyers and security consumers who are off the market are too significant—that picture is going to change. The body count is too high—consider the people that are out of work, the pensions that are crumbling, the businesses that no longer have customers. The halo effect on the security marketplace will be that solutions that automate functions and streamline operations will rise, business continuity will never be more important and the technology empowered will come into their own. That may disguise the immediate effect of underlying toxic sludge -- fewer jobs, less profitability and smaller markets. Perhaps the large enterprises left standing will swiftly clean up the debris of the fallen. However, it doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that in the process, lesser businesses will break up into smaller pieces and there will be fewer of them. We had better be prepared to survive on our own supplies (keep your job) and skill sets (political savvy) until the clean up teams are finished.

We are in the eerie quiet at the center of the storm. Like the residents of Galveston Island, it may be impossible to rebuild as before.