depression 2008 economy

What is this article (on great depression, economy today) talking about?
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2008-11-03-economy-depression-recession_N.htm
can you sum it up on what its talking about please? best answer 10 points. thank you
The author is comparing the present crisis to the Great Depression just before the world war and saying that this period is nothing compared to what America saw during those fateful years. Also the contours of the economy in America are different in that whereas in the past US was a manufacturing giant, presently its mainly into service industry. So the full recovery will be different, and may take some time.