I guess everyone got started in the IT industry  some way or another, whether just fascination with technology, following in a siblings footsteps or because it pays well....

Personally, I've always had a burning passion for technology, particularly the whole hacking culture.  Not so much the aspect of being able to break into something, but more so the fact that a "hacker" has to be like MacGyver.. He/she has to know a bit of everything in the IT world, from simple fixing of pc's, to in depth networking to programming, or even picking a lock etc..

What first gave me the big WOW of my life, to make me think, I want to know/ be able to do this.. Was when I first watched T2 in the theaters on opening day. In particular, the scene where John hacks into the ATM machine to get easy cash for video games.. That was it for me, no turning back... Super fascination, mom I WANT A LAPTOP! lol..

Anyways, I've found way later in life, since about 2000 when I started my in depth IT training and certification paths, that it's always great to have something to watch or read, that keeps me motivated.

The lack of accurate material out there is shameful.. I mean I loved the first Matrix, Sneakers was okay, but movies like Hackers with Jolie or anything that ever portrays true Information Security is always very inaccurate or just dumb down for the “non technical”.  So I always search for the best fiction cyber thrillers out there to read or listen to after I’m just like “damn I’m tired of computers!”.  It reminds me why I love all of this and rekindles that spark..

I find that the best book I’ve read in a long time that’s actually seemed feasible and was exciting and accurate is Daemon by Daniel Suarez, his follow up Freedom, wasn’t as good, but was needed for closure.  Most other books are either too dated, or just don’t show any true technicalities.
I really hope to see more good books like Daemon come out for us “geeks” , who truly understand the real concepts come out soon and from now on.  Hollywood, well they’ll probably be ten years behind if even that..

Any recommendations out there?
Just a random rant...

I liked Freedom(TM) more than Daemon. Daemon had some great parts and action, but Freedom(TM) struck me to being a lot closer to today than Daemon did.

I could go into my reasons why, but I don't have time to pull supporting links to my points.

Anyway. If you haven't, even though it's non-fiction, read The Cuckoo's Egg. Good stuff

I've been playing catch up in the pod-casts... but I thin it was Pauldotcom 207, where the guest was talking about RFID, and how malls wanted to start using them to track where you are in mall. What you've bought, etc.

2 of the hosts brought up the scene from Freedom(tm) because it sounded like what they were doing in the mall with the HUD glasses.

There are 4 I listen to.

Pauldotcom
Tenneable Network Security Podcast (Paul from Pauldotcom)
Network Security Podcast

And lastly,

Exotic Liability

Now I'm curious what everyone else listens too.