Back to Normal?

Well, it's over a week after the worst tragedy in American history and life is attempting to return to normal.

But, will it ever be normal again?

I'm still in shock.

Now the economic impact is becoming painfully clear. Everyone's talking about how much money this will cost our economy. And, how many people who are losing their jobs due to a slow-down in travel and the fear and uncertainty. Sure, this is terrible, but we will recover. Our economy is not the real loss here.

The less obvious, but more unfortunate loss is the loss in brain power.

Do you realize the number of geniuses we lost last week? Some of the smartest financial minds of the world were lost in that tragedy. Almost 40 countries lost super-smart financial brains behind their businesses when those twin towers collapsed. Our military lost some of the world's best strategists. So many lives and so much brain power.

I think that will ultimately be counted as a major, if not the major, tragedy.

But, many of you have asked me to write about what's next for us, the ProAV market. I am still getting e-mails every day from people all over the world offering condolences for what happened. I'm not even close to New York or Washington and haven't even seen the devastation first hand, but since I am in America and I am an American and they read KNews from another country I am their connection.

One I feel I must share with you went:

I am writing to you regarding the tragedies in America, this past week.

From an Australian point of view, my country is in shock and total disbelief, as to the disasters that have happened. I guess, like many people, I am looking to put into words the feelings and emotions that have been running through me in the last week. The mood in Melbourne has to say the least, been subdued. Everyone that you meet feels as though they have lost a close friend.

Personally I worked late here on the day. When I got home, I turned the television on to hopefully catch the late news. The first image I saw was the live footage of the second plane crashing into the World Trade Centre. At first I couldn't believe at how real this movie special effect looked. Then the truth set in.

The next day, with very little sleep, I dropped my kids at daycare, only to find out the woman who looks after them, has a brother-in-law who works on the 100th floor of tower 1, even after a week, they still have not heard from him.
This news hit hard. But I can only guess that it is not even a tenth of the feelings and emotions that Americans have right now.

I am sure that I am rambling on a bit, but I guess that like people the world over, I am trying to find some reason for this terror. Everyday there are natural disasters, we can not prevent these. While you feel sorrow for the people involved, for everyone else, life just goes on. However this is not a natural disaster, this was caused by humans, therefore I believe this is a tragedy that will not only be remembered by this generation, but mourned by those who follow...

...Gary I know that you are not a counselor, but you are about the only American I know, hence this letter. When I started this, I knew that I wanted to write something for you to pass on to your fellow citizens. Not an official parliament notation, something from the heart of one person to another. For the last week I have thought about what I could write, nothing seemed right. So I just sat down at the computer, opened a new mail, and wrote.

I thank you for your time taken to read this letter.
May those lost, now rest in peace.

Brett
Australia

Brett was in a class I taught last year in Australia and he's a reader of KNews. I am sure his feelings are shared by many all over the world.

But Chip, a great friend of mine in New York, someone who owns an AV company and was also a volunteer firefighter and went to help out at "ground-zero" in New York City this weekend, asked me for help. He asked me to write something uplifting to help us get out of this state and encourage the AV market.

I'm not sure I even come close to having that kind of power, but I will make a few observations:

1. I'm not afraid to travel as much as I am afraid of getting stuck. With that, I believe that videoconferencing facilities and equipment may grow exponentially.

2. A financial investment by the government in any business economy is always better. This will ultimately trickle-down to the ProAV market.

3. Communication, worldwide, needs to and will get better. We serve communication in the ultimate of all communication and we will all benefit.

4. A re-investment in New York and Washington will eventually require AV technology.

5. Although our world economy was weak and may be further weakened in the short-term, ProAV gear is generally considered a business necessity by most companies that have "discovered" it and the value it brings. Rest assured we will enjoy benefit from that.

6. Almost everyone is rallying behind us, the US, and our desire to rid the world of terrorism that kills innocent people, this should create a world-bond like nothing we've ever experienced before, and this would ultimately trickle-down to us as well.

However, I am not a fortune teller nor have I ever lived through an event of the magnitude such as this one, but I feel good. I feel that things will be good and will serve the better good for everyone.

And, I still think the ProAV market is the ultimate technology field to be in.