Movies: Cop Land. I had forgotten what an amazing cast was in this movie – Sylvester Stallone, Robert DeNiro, Harvey Keitel, Michael Rapaport, Ray Liotta. Stallone’s performance as a fumbling sheriff is unlike anything I’ve seen him in before or since – subtle and shambling. Although there is way too much story to fit in one movie, this was still engaging enough to keep me up until 1:30 this morning.

Man on Fire. Denzel Washington gets shot a lot. Dakota Fanning is precocious a lot. Marc Anthony clenches his jaw a lot. The photography in this film was jarringly annoying – ragged and jumpy and just irritating. I probably should have gone out to see Hitch instead.

Mobile PC magazine has come up with an astounding list of The Top 100 Gadgets of All Time.

Selected items with which I have a personal connection:

99. Swingline stapler (red) that was immortalized in the movie Office Space. My assistant will be receiving one of these for Assistant’s Day this year.

88. Dustbuster – I’ve owned one of these for many years and wish the guy who created the Dyson Cyclone vacuum would invent a cordless version.

87. Radio Shack TRS-80 computer – the first home computer I ever used. I tried to set up a stamp collection tracking system for my father. It was a spectacular failure, thus assuring my career in management.

81. Zippo Windproof Lighter – an accessory my father always carried.

75. Laser pointer – if I am ever in a movie where ruffians torture the audience with one of these, there will be blood spilled.