"Millions could be lost in accumulated depreciation alone." warns smart, rich, young Silicon Valley Internet expert.

As the story first broke, most of us felt disbelief. How could Taiwan's "high tech" area, though nowhere near as wealthy or properous as Silicon Valley, but an almost inhabitable place for contract laborers, be struck by such a horrible quake?
As the details emerged on our tiny cell phones and portable web devices, most of us could only sip our cappachinos in disbelief.
"Proverbial God in Heaven, no!" cried one exec as he realized his order for 400 new Azzis motherboards may be in jeopardy. Across Silicon Valley, a rolling wave of sympathy went out to Azzis, the Taipei Taiwan based hardware company.

"While I realize that it was physical hardware that was lost, and not hardware that was yet on any Silicon Valley purchase receipts, we have to understand, most of this hardware would of been destined for the Valley. No one else can afford a $1900 PC system." said one Internet Executive. "I understand that a warehouse holding some just-manufactured motherboards fell over, trapping thousands of the b3p-1494 PIII motherboards inside."

    
The Azzis b3p-1494

While there has been no official comment from Intel, Intel execs are said to be "highly disturbed" after hearing reports that rescue efforts might be slowed from workers attempting not to crush the 60-80 contractor laborers trapped inside.
"Intel has made it clear that this is an "at will" employement. The trapped workers are relieved of their jobs, and must go home now, so that motherboards can be returned in a safe, timely manner. Former employees are strongly discouraged from bleeding on *any* hardware, lest they face extreme penalties.

    
A Taipei lab, filled with expensive
equipment and cheap contractors

At least one good peice of news can be taken from this deep financial tragedy: The sheer amount of people killed near the Taipei Labratory will create a large new labor source: homeless, parentless, small handed orphans.

"One always has to look on the bright side." said one wealthy internet executive.

A new, $40 a week worker? Orphans
work long hours for little money.