If you haven't noticed, the U.S. economy is kind of in the gutter. As a result, changes are about, and one of them is the priorities of consumers. One specific example is luxury items such as big screen televisions. Basically, they're low on the list of what people are really after now. Interesting, no?

Analysts are saying TVs 46-inches and above (anything three grand or more, pretty much), are going to suffer the slowing economy.

Tayyib Shah of Longbow Research says the number of  "shipments are tracking in line but people are spending less on TVs. People are buying smaller sizes and concentrating their spending on lower-priced models."

It appears this will result in an overall better situation for the environment as well as consumers, as companies are likely to cut production costs to move this stock, and some have already done so, in Asian markets at least.

TV company iSuppli's Patel speculates lower prices will rouse up some demand, and rising airfare costs will provoke more home entertainment purchases.

To our American readers, here's your homework for today: have your demands shifted in light of changing economic conditions? Will they? How and why?