# Time to Stock Up On Obama Tschotkes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342 "2010-03-13T13:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/1 "2010-03-13T13:24:54Z")
I have the opportunity to buy a lot of Obama “Hope and Change” crap-stuff like t-shirts, key chains, coffee cups, etc. Most of this stuff represents returns from stores-apprently, this crap isn’t selling well now. Should I buy this stuff and store it away? Is it likely to be worth anything, say 4-5 years from now? Or would I just be throwing my money away? ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/2 "2010-03-13T13:45:27Z")
What is your “win condition”? What events were you imagining happening to make your stuff become more valuable? Personally, I don’t see it. If he’d crashed early on it might have worked for the irony value, or if you were buying stuff from when he was still an underdog in the race against Hillary Clinton, but as it is I don’t think what you’d be buying has much chance of being profitable. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/3 "2010-03-13T13:51:34Z")
**Grumman** - I suspect **ralph124c** ’s question wasn’t as serious as you’re taking it. He’s trying to needle Obama supporters by pointing out that Obama isn’t as popular, now, as he was when he was elected. Of course, anyone who has followed any previous Presidential career could’ve told you that would happen as we moved out of the honeymoon phase. I suspect this thread will soon be moved to where it should’ve been in the first place- The Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/4 "2010-03-13T14:08:55Z")
The value of that stuff will increase as time goes by. Imagine what a trinket that had a message like “Jimmy Carter will save us all!” would be worth today. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/5 "2010-03-13T14:55:32Z")
Ralph, this is not a Great Debate. It is a solicitation for (more or less humble) opinions. If you continue posting the wrong threads in the wrong fora, you are going to begin getting sanctioned for it. THINK about what you are posting. Moved. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/6 "2010-03-13T14:56:07Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Is it likely to be worth anything, say 4-5 years from now? 4-5 years is probably too soon. Nostalgia usually runs 20-30yrs back. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/7 "2010-03-13T14:59:16Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > Ralph, this is not a Great Debate. It is a solicitation for (more or less humble) opinions. > > If you continue posting the wrong threads in the wrong fora, you are going to begin getting sanctioned for it. > > THINK about what you are posting. > > Moved. > > [/Moderating] Sorry..what’s a “fora”? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/8 "2010-03-13T15:18:46Z")
It’s a false-latin plural of forum. I actually have an Obama bit of merchandise because it amuses me. Alex Ross did a painting of Obama ripping his shirt open to reveal a Superman costume, and sold it as a t-shirt. The painting is a tribute to a fairly famous Superman painting he did. [http://www.alexrossart.com/rossreport.asp?id=466](http://www.alexrossart.com/rossreport.asp?id=466) Mr. Obama, being a fan of Superman, and one of ‘us’ to some degree (us the geeks), is clearly pleased by this. So I had to buy it, because it just really tickles my fancy for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/9 "2010-03-13T17:03:28Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > It’s a false-latin plural of forum. **Or** it’s a nickname for the Foraminifera, the [hole borers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foraminifera). ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/10 "2010-03-13T18:36:50Z")
Well, yes, but I don’t think Ralph’s been sticking bits of wood _inside_ the Foraminifera. ---
**Author:** ![Perciful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Perciful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perciful)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/11 "2010-03-13T20:08:16Z")
I want an Obama bobble head doll so every time he makes me mad I can thump him upside the head…🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/12 "2010-03-13T21:24:41Z")
A friend of mine who lives in Washington sent me a bunch of buttons after the inauguration, (he’s currently working as an archivist for the Navy while studying for his Ph.D.) Since we’re both into history, (he’s a big time conservative, though!), he thought I’d like to collect them. I think it would be neat, like a piece of history, really. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/13 "2010-03-13T21:55:39Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I have the opportunity to buy a lot of Obama “Hope and Change” crap-stuff like t-shirts, key chains, coffee cups, etc. Most of this stuff represents returns from stores-apprently, this crap isn’t selling well now. > Should I buy this stuff and store it away? Is it likely to be worth anything, say 4-5 years from now? > Or would I just be throwing my money away? Approximately how much are you planning on spending for this stuff, and what kind of discount are they giving you? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/14 "2010-03-13T22:35:04Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > It’s a false-latin plural of forum. What is the correct Latin plural of forum? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/15 "2010-03-14T04:59:06Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > A friend of mine who lives in Washington sent me a bunch of buttons after the inauguration, (he’s currently working as an archivist for the Navy while studying for his Ph.D.) Since we’re both into history, (he’s a big time conservative, though!), he thought I’d like to collect them. > > I think it would be neat, like a piece of history, really. A close relative of mine collects presidential campaign buttons. Working on the campaign, I was able to amass a few interesting ones that I sent over to him after it was all over. If you have some interesting ones, I may want in to send to him, too. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2010, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/16 "2010-03-14T10:06:36Z")
There might be some income in purchasing them for resale in majority Black neighborhoods. I see plenty of Obama t-shirts and images of the President and his family being worn by African-Americans recently. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/17 "2010-03-15T04:06:52Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > A close relative of mine collects presidential campaign buttons. Working on the campaign, I was able to amass a few interesting ones that I sent over to him after it was all over. If you have some interesting ones, I may want in to send to him, too. Sorry, but I’m keeping them. ---
**Author:** ![firstname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@firstname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/firstname)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/18 "2010-03-16T09:50:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What is the correct Latin plural of forum? Well wiki says it is [fora](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum_%28Roman%29), my latin dictionary says that forum is neuter, which would mean that fora is correct. **E-Sabbath** may have been saying that fora is not the correct plural in English. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/19 "2010-03-16T10:39:37Z")
Well, yes, and this is not a marketplace of anything but ideas. I submit that the word ‘forum’ here has been redefined and is thus an english word, to have a proper english plural used, rather than the latin version. (Possibly I thought it was forae. Don’t ask why.) ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342/20 "2010-03-16T12:38:44Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What is the correct Latin plural of forum? orum-fay? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-to-stock-up-on-obama-tschotkes/532342.md?page=2)