The meeting with the corporate identity firm was terrific. Most of them were in their 20s, no dress code, iPods, stuff like that, but, boy, the ideas were flying. They really get "branding." And, they were right. C'mon, McDonald's sort of owned the concept - the big outdoor sign hooked to one eye-catching number, 15 billion sold here.

For the 2000th casualty, they suggested a combination of subtlety and clarity. "Maybe," one of them said, "just the four digits alone." Large typeface, of course, so the morning drive and rush-hour commuters can see it, but no other visuals, no accompanying language; just these four digits 2000. Don't need to say dead. Don't use soldiers. No need for names or hometowns or family members.

And definitely do not add the wounded, 'cause that will just confuse the message.

I liked them. Why not? They did Reebok and Bank of America and they rebranded Donna Karan, and who in their right mind ever figured that Mountain Dew would come back?

I am also meeting with the heads of the networks and the editors of the newsweeklies. This is going to be really big - 2000. One question that must be addressed is should we use a comma after the two? I'm planning to flesh out the different responses from the heavyweights this afternoon. The corporate identity firm says not to use the comma, but something in my gut says go with it. It's clearer. I just hope no one wants to send this downstairs to "Research."

The networks have their creatives all over this. When they make this type of commitment it gets done right. The newly formatted "CBS News" will most likely use a voiceover during its five-minute closing segment while the audience watches the visual scroll of all 2,000 dead. Very powerful and sad. ABC, I was told, is meeting with outside music people. My hunch is they will use an original composition for their scroll. A pop standard can distract the viewer. Personally, I think a lot depends upon the actual song.

Everyone is preparing like clockwork to send crews and trucks and real news anchors to the hometown of the 2,000th. I'm using the comma now, but only because it makes it easier on paper.

Producers and bookers are clamoring for talking heads. Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and Rove have bigger problems, so no one is figuring they'll get on TV. But those 500-odd members of Congress who voted to send our boys and girls to search for weapons of mass destruction, their press secretaries are working overtime.

You'll see members defending and protesting. You'll see families of other dead soldiers killed in "the war," and get ready for the Cindy Sheehan comeback, the Maureen Dowd column and perhaps an impromptu statement from the First Lady.

The day two story will include experts from the military, some policymakers, lots of print types, shrinks and historians. It's possible Imus could make an appearance - but not on Fox. After all, he's been calling for the Bush girls to enlist. Some clever Op-Ed writer will do a column on the 2,001st casualty.

On day three, the smart outlets will revive the draft story, and if there actually is a hometown funeral, wow, now that can really get emotional.

One nightmare everyone has is if the 2000th occurs on a weekend. Since you want legs for this story, the earlier in the week the better. Thanksgiving, on the other hand, is a tossup. Americans are home and they're watching football, and David Letterman has his highest ratings, but we're talking a mood changer of radical proportions - a bummer, if you will, during chow time.

And then, thank God, it's all back to normal. Yeah, gasoline prices are like skyrocketing, the No.1 name for infant boys in the Muslim world is Osama and the Democrats are all but ready to help the President alter the Supreme Court for a generation or two.

But 2000 will probably coincide with a lot of other cool cultural stuff: the World Series, Britney's baby, Gotti boys, Gastineau girls, Lizzie may be back, Paula Abdul, even a 9/11 miniseries. 'The Sopranos" will return, and "Ali G," and "The L Word," and "Weeds" is a really good show, so there's still quality out there, no matter what anyone says.

Klores is a filmmaker and owns a communications firm.