The past decade can best be described by this quote from Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going directly to Heaven, we were all going the other way."

The past decade will be remembered by future generations for 9/11 and the collapse of the world's financial system. It will be remembered as a time of greediness; it will be remembered as a time of great despair. It will be remembered as a time of great financial gains; it will be remembered as a time of devastating financial losses.