It went by nearly unnoticed. If you remember back to 2001: A Space Odyssey, the HAL 9000 computer that ran amok was supposed to have been born in January this year. This was completely eclipsed by the 20th anniversary re-release of Star Wars, and the release of Star Trek: First Contact. Now these movies are all very nice, and they have been merchandized to within an inch of oblivion. But they don't have the cosmic staying power of 2001. I didn't understand the plot then, and if you watch it again today you should be happy if you understand it even as an enigma. All this points to an amazing get-rich-quick opportunity. I am writing up the business plan for a start-up that would merchandise 2001 toys. Focusing on confused youth and Generation Y premees as a target market, I'm sure that there's huge revenue opportunity in making plastic replicas of the monolith, the big ship, and the main "eye" lens of the HAL computer. Maybe we can also make a rubber big-embryonic-baby- orbiting-the-earth plush toy...although I'm not so sure that one would be all that easy to make, even with the cleverest Chinese sweatshop workers. As part of the business plan, I've already acquired the first NASDAQ symbol that has no letters (2001), trademarked a catchy tag-line for the line of computer desk accessories ("what year-2000 problem?"), and commissioned a hip-hop version of "Also Sprach Zarathrustra" This is will be a winner for sure, and I'll get funding as soon as I can figure out an Internet angle for the thing.