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British Spy Agency Searches For Real-Life 'Q'

Posted by Soulskill on from the grow-up-double-oh-seven dept.

suraj.sun writes with this quote from the Associated Press:"Britain's domestic spy agency — MI5 — is hunting for its very own 'Q,' of sorts. MI6's sister organization, which carries out surveillance on terror suspects inside Britain and gives security advice to the government, is searching for someone to lead its scientific work. Projects could include everything from developing counterterrorism technology to tackling a biological or chemical attack. 'Looking for a chief scientific adviser to lead and coordinate the scientific work of the security service so that the service continues to be supported by excellent science and technology advice,' MI5's Web site ad reads. MI5 has long had a roster of scientific staff tasked with developing high-tech gadgets, but an official said the service now wants a high-profile figure to lead pioneering work in technology and science. The adviser's work will focus chiefly on creating sophisticated new tools to help security service officers carry out surveillance and analysis work, said a government security official, who requested anonymity to discuss the work of MI5."

5 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. Q? by jrothwell97 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, I can think the requirements for entering the Continuum, including omnipotence, a flagrant disregard for all other races and a fondness for haunting starships would be rather difficult to find...

    oh, right.

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    Those using pirated Tinysoft signatures(TM) are a real threat to society and should all be thrown in jail.
    1. Re:Q? by Workaphobia · · Score: 5, Funny

      You know you're reading slashdot when a summary mentioning MI6 and Q needs a !startrek tag.

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      Evidently, the key to understanding recursion is to begin by understanding recursion. The rest is easy.
  2. Re:FYI by zebadee · · Score: 5, Funny

    But they are exactly like the TV shows (Spooks/MI-5)

  3. There was a real life Q by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The model for Q didn't do science or engineering per se. He just knew where to get anything. If you wanted to send an agent into Germany, everything about him had to be absolutely authentic. Q could find a German tailor in Manchester who would create an absolutely perfect garment for whatever purpose. A garbage man's uniform would be stitched differently from a general's uniform.

    You agent might be caught but it wouldn't be because a watch pocket was on the wrong side. Q was an absolute stickler for detail.

  4. Just for the record by Adilor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Some of these are jokes, yeah, but it appears other people are genuinely confused. We're talking about the James Bond Q, not the Star Trek Q. RTFA.