Jump Starting the Economy

MARVELOUS MALIA & SWEET SASHA (I don't know which is which)


Microsoft just announced its first layoff ever. Unemployment is up across the globe, and dire straits is more than a country/rock band for millions. Still, ushering in a new administration has provided a potential goldmine for anyone in the collectible business. QVC lists more than 40,000 items directly related to the incoming president, his wife, his race and his potential pets. As you would imagine, commemorative coins are popular, and there is a gold-plated $5 bill (presumably, Lincoln gets axed on the replica); of course, the requisite newspapers from all major cities are available (many containing promotions for the final sales at bankrupt Circuit City, I suspect); T-shirts abound, mugs, coasters, and, of course, art posters/prints.
My favorite T-shirt design? "Barack 'n' Roll '08"
My favorite art work? a mini poster featuring the new president's image with the quote "I can see America from my house."
A magnet picturing Barack and Michelle in striped pajamas with the title "Obama Pajamas" was cute, but no way was I dropping $5 on it.
Lest you think it was all one-sided, rest assured it was not. One could get 5 "Obama Sucks" bumper stickers for $9, and a T-shirt that opines "I hated Obama before it was cool" are both part of the fare available as well.
If you were fortunate enough to come up with memorabilia during the last couple of years, there's even a web site named eHow.com which lists hard and fast rules for how to cash in on Obama collectibles. I was amazed at the depth of stuff, but I quickly realized that I possessed two artifacts which are worth BIG money, according the the "rules" of how to cash in.
I have an original, signed-by-the-artist poster advertising the King Mango Stomp in Coconut Grove, Florida; a parade held every year...this year's poster featured a likeness of the would-be president and cajoled all comers to "do the MangoBama" at the revelry. Trust me, there is not one of these signed articles on EBay. I also have a T-shirt promoting the same event...worth hundreds, no doubt.
But enough is enough! I'm all for people taking the opportunity to use creativity to make some cash, especially if it doesn't hurt anyone else; however, the Ty, Inc. company has gone past what I would consider the limits of decorum by introducing their newest members of the "Ty Girlz" collection. "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha" are now available for young girls and Beanie Baby collectors worldwide. It will be hard enough to be a kid in a new school, in a new town, with cameras and Secret Service guards everywhere. Immortalizing these kids in doll form CAN'T be a good thing. Oh yes, the Ty people say there is absolutely NO connection to the Obama girls. "They're just cute names," a company spokesperson indicated. Puuulleeez! Look at the dolls! Do they seriously think anybody is going to buy that line of bull hockey? The line of Ty Girlz (which, by the way, have a secret code attached which will allow the owner to go online for chats, shopping and games) already includes Happy Hillary, Bubbly Britney, Paris, Lindsay and Jenna. Featuring no plastic parts and "real doll hair," these are about to become all the rage.
Actually, I'm probably jealous that nobody thought to make a doll of me...except that one person who was sticking pins in it all the time.
The economy is about to boom, and the Supoer Bowl is still two weeks away!