October 24, 2004
On an Island
Yet another Syracuse University Outing Club (SUOC) trip took place over the course of the day, this time to Tinker Falls and the Labrador Preserve. The falls are spectacular for dribbling affair, and one of our resident ice climbing folks posited the greatness that this overhanging water disposal has once it freezes -- a very cool vertical ice spout that is fairly safe for getting into the sport. As with many new things that I've been introduced to lately, I can't wait.
We hike up and over Labrador mountain, pausing for a while from the top (which is often used as a hangliding launch point) to admire the foilage. The Finger Lakes region is definitely peaked for fall color. We hit up Beak and Skiff on the way home as well, and picked up some more Jona Gold apples for baking and eating needs.
As with most weekends, there was also the dreaded SUOC party. This week, we celebrated Jonas' (pictured) and Dezeree's combined 21st birthdays (both Sunday), with a "round the world" drink tour in HAD-HOWL followed by a midnight trip to the bar around the corner. I even got the chance to earn some positive karma taking care of the latter after a bout of alcohol induced stomach self-evacuation. I also learned the wonders of Tiger Balm as an aphrodesiac. The SUOC crew is full of wonders...
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Further back...
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Previous Trips...
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Hiking Mount Whitney, 2007 
Spring Break in West Virginia, 2005
New Year's in Paris, 2003-2004
Coming to America, 2003
Protesting in Berlin, 2003
Prague Bier-Tour, 2002
Dresden, 2002
Recent Reading
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Stealing the Network
I first bumped into the Stealing the Network series when reading the exploits of Joe Grand, one of the book's many hacker authors.
The 'Stealing the ...' series of books follows a rather disparate group of computer hackers as they help a former NSA spook (many of them unwittingly) gather the money he needs to retire.
The stories themselves are not fantastic fiction. The writing is uneven and choppy, the characters are stereotypical and not very well thought-out. What is fascinating about this book series is the technical accuracy of the exploits (at some points *too* accurate, with screen shots and step-by-step instructions).
It's a great series to read if you're a system administrator, or just getting into the wonderful field of computer security.
Rated 
by reid
on March 06, 2011
by reid
on March 06, 2011
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Close to the Machine
Ellen Ullman is one of those authors that somehow avoided my radar. Until now...
Close to the Machine is less a book than a collection of loosely related personal anecdotes from Ellen's time as a very rare thing -- a successful female bisexual independent computer programming consultant.
In the course of her work and relationship life, she learns hard lessons about programming, running a business, being lonely, and loving the wrong people. I found it particularly poignant being a crypto-nerd with difficult times in relationships and a more-or-less NDA'd, secret work life.
This book is a must-read for anyone into running their own business, programming, or anyone dating a person that is a business-a-holic or programmer.
Rated 
by reid
on November 23, 2009
by reid
on November 23, 2009
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The Long Trip Home
I had the joy of dining with the author in Florida. We went to a little Brazilian BBQ where he spoke with our waitstaff in (what I can only assume was) flawless Portugese.
Brian Wyllie spent 1969-1971 living in Brazil working for the Peace Corps. His recent book outlines his trip back to the United States via Bolivia, Peru, and the Carribean chain, by way of bus, train, and sailboat. The format comes spattered with observations from the modern day, and makes me think, "this must be what John McPhee's journal looks like."
The trip sounded like a fantastic one, but I was left wanting more detail...where did the gun (being snuck through customs in a variety of places, no doubt) come from? And how did Geneve's hair smell? Alas, we'll have to wait for another book to find the answers.
Rated by reid
on April 16, 2009
by reid
on April 16, 2009