Spies Wanted; No Sex Required

Speaking of spies' online recruiting drives, Britain's MI6 is working hard to to enlist more female agents. "And that means family-friendly hours, childcare vouchers, a maternity package - and absolutely no seducing of the enemy," according to the Mail.

*While the fictional 007... might use the art of seduction to break down the defences of exotic foreign agents, that could put off potential recruits with a husband at home. *

*So MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service, says that -
as a "family organisation" - female agents will "absolutely not" be used as a "honey-trap". *

*"The Service does not use this or similar tactics," a website recruitment campaign says. *

*MI6, like its domestic counterpart MI5, is desperate for more women officers so part-time spying, childcare vouchers and "generous maternity pay" are on offer. *

*And women who are single when they join up are promised they will not have to leave should they marry, and have children. *

The website says: "We're a family-friendly organisation. Women who've been in SIS for more than 12 months may be given six months'
maternity leave on full pay. With few exceptions, partners and children can accompany officers on postings."

In the U.S., more and more intelligence agencies are reaching out to children, online. The Defense Intelligence Agency's site features a bunch of kid-friendly games, like hangman. The NSA tells youngsters that "cryptology is...
so cool. We make codes so we can send secret messages to our friends.
And we try to figure out what other people are writing about by breaking their codes. It’s a lot of fun." And the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency highlights the exploits of "Terry Firma" and "Wanda World" -- and teaches kids how to sort through spy satellite images, in the process.

(High five: RC)