I’m currently reading the book “Getting Things Done”.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142000280/sr=8-1/qid=1144584136/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-6726123-6659239?%5Fencoding=UTF8

I have not posted much so I figure I can just update on what is going on.

I am currently reading Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent link here (www.amazon.com) It is part of the stealing the network series. It is a great read. Mostly a mixture of real exploits and technologies is a sci-fi thriller. Not too many new technologies used in the book, but some great concepts on how to get around systems that may or may not be vulnerable.

I am a huge fan of nmap and have always used this tool in all of my jobs and projects. So I came about this book from reading an interview with fyodor over at insecure.org. Here is his comments about the book Many great names in the security industry were asked to author parts of this book. It makes for a great read.

If you are interested in security or possibly just curious about hacking this may be a fun book to read.

I am currently reading a Carl Hiaasen book called “Sick Puppy”. I was turned onto this author from a friend at work. He knew I like the Jimmy Buffett style books and recommend Carl. So far I have read 2 other books. “Skinny Dip” and “Strip Tease”. I really enjoy his style and writing.

From what I can tell all of his books are set in Flordia and are very funny. If you have free time, pick on up. It is hard to put these books down.

One of the individuals I work with recommend I read Carl Hiaasen. I had not heard of him before. But, I was told his books are somewhat like Jimmy Buffett books and very enjoyable to read. The kind where you get lost in both the story and the characters.
Well this book hit that mark. It was a hard to stop reading kind of book. Where the guy gets the girl and the bad guys go to jail. I won’t ruin the story, but it is worth reading. I have more Carl Hiaasen books on order.

I tend to read a lot during the summer.

It is summer and I read a lot during this time of the year. I often slide between some technical book (currently reading extreme hacking) and fun books. The book I just finished was “Odd Thomas” by Dean Koontz. I have read a few of his books and they are always entertaining. YOu can find out more here http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/koontz/ot_book.html

Very good read. And also quick. I do have to say the ending caught me off guard.

I am currently reading Touching the Void A great Book about 2 climbers facing danger and the great outdoors. It is Joe Simpson’s account of a near-death experience in the Peruvian Andes.

I will update you on the status of this book later on.

Follow up entry on my experience on riding public transportation. On my second day riding the bus I was up to speed on how to figure out the schedule, pay and get a ticket, how to inform the driver I want to get off, and where to sit. Even with all this knowledge the second day was still very interesting. I started to realize there is some type of stigma that follows people who ride the bus. As I looked around at the people on the bus with me I realized that they are just normal people. In my mind I figured that people who rode the bus were just down and out. But that is not true at all. So far I have seen some of the same people on the bus, I am starting to enjoy this bus thing. These people are construction workers, nurses, and students. I did notice a large number of students taking the bus to school. These are the kids with the headphones on.

As I was waiting for the bus to pick me up, I started to realize the strange perception that people have when riding the bus. I had mixed emotions. On one hand I was really excited to try a new experience and use our mass transit system. I was also excited to only pay 1.30 to get to work and save on gas. I started to get the feeling that I was in a big city and just commuting. On the other hand, as I was waiting for the bus, I realized that all the people that I may know on this side of town and the people who we go to church with would be seeing me waiting for the bus. I started to wonder what they would think. Why is jim riding the bus? are they having money issues? Do they not have a car? etc…? All these things were going through my head, it was the strange sensation that riding the bus was not cool. Or that riding the bus was some type of underclass means of transportation. I could not shake this thought, why would we see mass transportation that is cheap, reliable, cost effective, and good for the environment as lower class.

Well enough babble. I have to say I am enjoying riding the bus. I have not missed the Car so far.

The book that I am currently reading is Splinter Cell by Tom Clancy. You can read more about it here at (www.amazon.com)

So far it is another good book by Tom Clancy. I currently 80% into the book.

Well I just finished Jimmy Buffett’s - “A Salty Piece of Land”. View link here (Amazon)

Great book. I have been a fan of all Buffett books for a long time. Since I first read his short stories back on college. This book takes us on a fantastic ride with Tully Mars. From the cattle ranch out west to the bone fishing lakes in the Keys. If you have some free time and want a great relaxing, fun, and eventful read, pick this one up.

Jim Ranking : 9.5