Free Elian? No, free enterprise!

Suddenly, the eBay online auction site is overflowing with merchandise related to -- or at least claiming to be related to -- Elian Gonzalez. At Net speed, the youngster's painful ordeal has been transformed into e-commerce fodder.Punching the name "Elian" into eBay turned up more than 120 items. Some sellers earnestly claim their goods have been touched by Elian himself, while others suggest parody or a hoax. Still others admit their merchandise has nothing to do with Elian but figure it's worth mentioning the boy anyway since "Elian" is such a popular search term.

One seller even promised to deliver Elian himself. "ELIAN GONZALEZ FOR SALE! NO RESERVE," screamed the listing, which asked for $10 million. "We pulled that down," says Henry Gomez, a spokesman for eBay, San Jose, Calif. "Obviously you can't sell a human being."

Among the items for sale:

"Elian! Hair retrieved from trash bin in FLA!" No bidders, asking $50 to start. "On or about April 19, 2000, Elian's cousin gave him a haircut. These hair clippings were retrieved from a trash bin outside the house, here in Florida. Authentic hair."

"Toothbrush resembling Elian Gonzalez's." Bids reached $750.22 before the item was removed from the site. (EBay removed some items in accordance with its policy barring, among other things, illegal goods or merchandise that infringes on copyrights.)

"Jar Of Air From Elian Gonzalez's Neighborhood." 10 bids, $14,999.50. Item removed.

"100% Genuine Raft Used by Elian!!!" This unlikely item claims to be the actual raft used by Elian and his mother during their journey from Cuba. The seller, a Mount Laurel, N.J., man, says a business partner picked up the raft at a government warehouse auction. How would a buyer authenticate the item? "That I'm not at liberty to speak about right now," he says. EBay says it is looking into the matter.

"Miniature Elian Raft," commanding $21.09 after four bids. This 5-inch-long model is "signed, dated and numbered by the artist." Becky Snow, whose husband, Andy, made the miniature from balsa wood, says it's not a joke but a political statement. "We both feel he should be with his father," she says. "But the way they took him out of that house was totally wrong."

"Elian Gonzalez God Bless America Bear." Asking $7.95, no bids. "The collectible bear that Elian dreams of but will never have when he goes back to Cuba. Buy and keep in your closet."

"Elian Gonzalez's Beanie Babies," at $15.50 after four bids. "Someone told me these beanies were played with by Elian," states the seller. "Seems if you say this, people from all over come and look at your auctions and actually bid on them." The listing adds that the plush toys come from a smoke-free home: "No Cuban cigars here folks!!"

"LOOK! Dirt from Elian's Play Yard," at $510 after four bids. "Carefully scooped up dirt from around the end of the yellow side, where Elian's feet, hands and touche (sic) touched the ground."

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An electric guitar in "beatnik burgundy." $149 after one bid. "This is the guitar Elian would play if he was old enough to play the guitar."

Internet Web addresses, including "thestoryofelian.com," "elianrights.com" and "ElianNation.com." Seller describes the latter as "a clever play on the classic sci-fi satire "Alien Nation." Various prices.

"Holy Water of Elian Gonzalez, La Agua de Elian." $43.50, six bids. "This is the water from Little Havana, Miami, where Elian was staying. The water comes in a glass bottle and is BLESSED by a priest."

Also for sale on eBay are several newspaper and magazine clippings about Elian Gonzalez. So save this story -- who knows what it might be worth on the Internet?

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