Now that I have your interest, Jaberwock...

Oh, we got into the market, alright--directly--starting about June, 2008.  Yes: no typo on the year.  

Wife bought many inverse EFTs. The worse it got...the better it got for us. Even on camping holiday in Jasper, that summer: left the camp site, went to town, bought a couple of hours computer time at the little library. EVERY day we were there. Worked at it months thereafter, too, me in the kitchen (breakfast; dinner,) her upstairs at the computer. It was a unique, never-to-be forgotten experience for both of us. Both of us had jobs, but kept at it after dinner, for a couple of hours, and an hour before I drove her to Calgary's Somerset-Bridlewood train station each morning to go to work downtown.   

By November, we'd made tens of thousands of dollars while millions were losing money they'd invested for years. By 8 each night we were glued to CNN, watching Anderson Cooper and gobsmacked Jim Cramer. Paid off the house; jump on retirement.