i agree. my first was a 42 inch plasma that i got in 2005 -- don't remember what brand it was, but it had a feature on the remote that would swivel the tv to the left and right. paid $2500 for it, but ended up taking it back to the store for a refund when i moved back stateside because my insurance would only cover tvs for a max of $1000, and everybody told me how easy plasmas get damamged during shipment.
so anyway, i got a 50 inch plasma about 6 months ago for roughly $1100....i'm used to it now, but when i go to my brother's or my dad's house i definitely notice the difference. i'll never understand why someone with a regular 27 inch tv would splurge on a riding mower and neglect to get a big screen tv. some people just don't know how to set their priorities.