I can’t remember where I’ve seen this, but I like the use of “Neutral Hungry” in this case. The True Neutrality of a, for example, kodiak bear is a different thing than that of someone too apathetic to care about anything.
Organized Chaos Cults is an oxymoron, yet they’re pretty much a trope. The only way they are even mildly rational is if (as is usually the case), they’re just causing chaos so they can sweep into power. In which case they’re not really chaotic, they’re only using chaos as a weapon.
Nitpick: It was eight grand.
HAL 9000 is a computer, yes, but is artificially intelligent, seems to have free will as much as any human, and makes choices. It is determined to go forward with the mission and tries to deal with (as Clarke wrote in 2010: Odyssey Two, and as was shown in the movie sequel inspired by it) contradictory programming by murdering the Discovery astronauts who might stand in its way. I think we may fairly give it an alignment, and that is Lawful Evil.
Agree - definitely NE in my book. For my credentials I submit that my father owned a comic book store when I was kid. I read mostly Claremont / Lee era X-Men (mostly pre-Blue/Gold, some after), although I was more into the Liefeld New Mutants / X-Force and Claremont / Davis Excalibur (as far as mutant stuff goes).
GLaDOS is an interesting case. She does seem to have rules that she operates under, and will not or cannot break, but those rules are so twisted and mangled that it’s impossible for anyone, probably including her, to tell what they are. Neutral Evil is probably the best bet for her (and I don’t think there’s any dispute that she’s Evil).