Govt, wants to hire hackers, but there's an issue...

[nigel]

[I hope this is the right place to post this. It's *kinda* news-y.]

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2014/05/20...ling-with-hiring-policy-concerning-marijuana/

FTA: "A lot of the nation’s top computer programmers and hacking gurus are also fond of marijuana."

Fond of...

 

[JCat]

Popular culture has done us computer programmers a favor ... ("Of course he smokes weed" is the typical response I get when people find out ... the depiction of the computer geeks/gurus/techies in popular TV has definitely eased conventional restrictions on those of us that fall in the category ... especially if you're one of those that are particularly good at your job but slightly eccentric and "different" ... it's like a get out of jail free card )

 

[IWAW]

I know the article is about the FBI, but maybe they should take a page from the CIA's book and start giving drugs to their operatives for free(MKULTRA). Fuck free drugs and a government pension to look forward to I don't think i'd be able to turn that down

 

[Nesta]

Maybe the FBI should agitate for legalization if it would help protect the country.

 

[nigel]

I'm just amused the Feds need talent for InfoSec, and are running into a cultural divide that precludes hiring some of the best.

However, sounds like there was some back-tracking today on yesterday's story.

the depiction of the computer geeks/gurus/techies in popular TV

Hackers (until relatively recently) have been an "outsider" culture, by nature. March to their own drummer kind of thing. So of course the venn diagram of "underground" cultures has some overlap.

But you are right in the thought that Hollywood grabs on to this notion and popularizes it. That and all hackers dress like TV "nerds" or like Neo.

Maybe the FBI should agitate for legalization if it would help protect the country.

Well said.

 

[Curiousone]

Glad to see others found this article interesting. I think we are really in the "age of the nerd/geek". I'm thrilled since many of my so-called friends consider me as one, but I have little to no programming skills save for some BASIC and C+ training decades ago in school. I feel lost and somewhat vulnerable considering the importance coding, programming, etc is taking in our society. Just being able to protect yourself from "hackers" is sort of daunting to me now...curious what others think?

 

[DOOM]

I can only imagine if all companies in silicon valley tested their designers and coders for MJ They know better not to.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-02-28/silicon-valley-is-high-on-innovation-dot-and-pot

 

[Curiousone]

like an earlier poster said, computer nerds were part of the larger counterculture. So all of us freaks, geeks and nerds ran in similar circles growing up. There was always at least one thing that bonded us...

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

like an earlier poster said, computer nerds were part of the larger counterculture. So all of us freaks, geeks and nerds ran in similar circles growing up. There was always at least one thing that bonded us...

Counter Strike!!

 

[SD_haze]

Control the computers, control the system!

I attended a small presentation by Hewlett-Packard's head of Cyber Security earlier this year. She talked openly about being pro-cannabis, even though she personally didn't use it. She was just acknowledging the change of times - and going with it w/ two thumbs up!