I suspect that the general value of namecoins will go down just because miners/pools who make nmc as a byproduct will likley liquidate them for added BTC.
This is not to say that the value can't go up with new investors/miners who are interested.
It shall pose as something interesting to watch because I suspect every other chain that comes along will soon thereafter include merged mining in their source.
Once again that will create more supply than would have existed if merged mining did not exist.
Anyways...
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