I found this article very interesting. As a dealer of antiques in Toronto, we have been noticing a downward trend in prices for antiques and good collector items since the last four years.

The downward trend of prices for good quality antiques is world prevalent from what I am seeing. Let's face it! Look at the political mess the world is in. War and terrorism prevail world wide, oil prices are sky high, real estate went sky high, tons of Americans have lost and are still loosing their homes. The American dollar is very weak, the Canadian dollar too high - What do we expect as a end result?

Many younger people are consumed by the "get rich fast" schemes regardless of future consequences and legitimize themselves later in life if it is possible and if they haven't lost their sanity by the time they have arrived.

Many younger people say: who has time to read? I don't have time for that." Too busy hustling the Almighty Buck at any cost!

Ikea furniture and other good looking "compressed sawdust and glue furniture" will eventually be their downfall. Another ten years or so they will all kick themselves in the ass for being so stupid following stupid trends, tacky designer TV shows and making poor investments in poor quality mass produced goods.

Intelligent smart buyers right now have the upper hand. Buy all the good quality now and sell later down the road. If you have money now to spare, buy nothing but the best and you will not be sorry. Quality will always be quality and garbage will always be garbage.

If we can ever get the political mess with the world sorted out, terrorism under serious control, oil prices lowered and the American Dream a little better focused, and poverty on our own doorsteps dealt with in a human fashion - then perhaps we will all rebound.

Distribution of wealth where the middle class is being shoved out to make way for more wealthy at the cost of the lower class is obviously a deeming disaster.

So let's all get it together and realize that there is also a human side to the fast moving world of the computer. Computers are as good as the humans who run them. Use them to our positive advantage. There is no reason for illiteracy today amongst the young with the internet highway.