Some indications of the economic mess here are that Expat Egghead had his salary cut, Imshin's job might be in jeopardy, and yours truly is working hard at zero salary. Worse off are people who I know that have been unemployed for months. A few people blame the government's budget priorities and monetary policy, but the simple explanation is that the tourism and high-tech industries are in the tank - and that it doesn't make much sense to try to refocus the economy elsewhere.

I'm inclined to agree with people who think that the "new new economy" will be about decentralization, but money folk are still thinking in tune with the "old new economy". In one respect the technology industry currently resembles the early 90s: companies - even competing companies - are required to cooperate with each other rather than attempt to force customers into proprietary solutions.