And if IBM's financial services do begin to sputter, the fallout won't mean much near-term loss.

FORBES: IBM Plays Groundhog

And the fallout won't always be pleasant.

CNN: Lessons from the sorority-girl e-mail rant

The fallout isn't over.

NPR: Bernanke Warns Congress of Economic Slowdown

That doesn't mean the foundation won't face some fallout, but its overall future probably won't hinge on Armstrong, she said.

CNN: Livestrong likely to survive Armstrong doping admission

"The casual fallout is going to be significant if we can't do something to try to assist Mexico in stopping it south of the border, " Goddard said.

CNN: Senators want to fight Mexican drug cartels' expanding influence

Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director of Mahindra, says he doesn't regret being trumped by Tata, which had to endure the harrowing fallout of the global recession following its pricey acquisition.

FORBES: The Global 2000

They also can't be sure that the tools they have for protecting Italian or Spanish banks from any fallout will be strong enough - and credible enough - to persuade ordinary depositors that their money is safe.

BBC: Greece: Costing the exit

If this all doesn't do the trick, the 2012 election could be fought not against the backdrop of the fallout from the last economic crisis, but the impact of the next one.

BBC: Republicans ready for Europe crisis?