Know you folks have me thinking how something like this might look. Given the comments and assuming that people are not next door, I wonder how best to approach an IT services company of some description with a focus on "seasoned" professionals? Experience is paramount, age not a factor, honor, integrity, and honesty also critical components. I think if you dare to lead, the lemmings will follow...;-)

Sadly, yes, agreed. To be honest, within honor, and integrity is surely a minority anymore. Hey!, where's my protection? ;-)

Your strategies imply deceit is the ticket to employment? You know, I'd rather be under a freaking bridge and happy than a liar just to appease others who are employed and don't really give a f... Seriously, I was once told "You don't know how to play the game?" and I replied, "I don't want to play the game." This is real life with real people. I so much want a system based on merit, no PC, demographic, politically motivated BS. I fear I will be dead before anyone sees it. Depressing...

I'm interested! Let's do this. I've spent a good deal of time creating products that make millions for others, but haven't branched out on my own in a long time. It's about time.

Of course you heard nothing, too much potential for liability. Silence is not a crime in this case. I think us 40+ folks should get together and create a startup: Grey Computer Corp. =- Only us "seasoned" folks will get this. Lol....

Well put and I shall put it to use. I am 40+ with 20 in the biz, have been unemployed for about a year, lost just about everything and am scratching my head. I think the title of this article is appropriate. It's all economics. There is nothing worse than seeing a manager with a smirk on his/her face low balling you simply because they can. Plus the external expectations that you will foot the expense to keep yourself up to date on technology is a bit much too. Which one, at what cost, and how far to take it? Cops, firemen, and many other professionals get, as a benefit, some training that is required to maintain their roles, not IT. IT is not unlike the software industry; here, sign this EULA that exempts us for any liability resulting from the use of our "killer," must have app even though it was run through some code mill and subject to limited testing. Security was not a consideration, sorry. Tell that to GM. I bet the auto industry would love to be allowed to use and apply EULA's. Yes, I am a bit bitter today as I digress.

I'm a normal looking guy, but older than most in the computer industry at ~46. I have some white hair, but otherwise look young for my age. During my Google interview it was clear that the people I was talking to were extremely surprised to meet me. I had to check to see if I had a potted plant on my head or a 3rd arm growing from my chest. I could tell it was the age that put them off. I did extremely well in the interview, but based on the reactions I got I did not expect to get the job, which I did not. No reason was given, but that is their normal policy.

A strong AT&T has been the Internet ruin for a long time. They have lobbyests and have far more input than most. It's their fine work that kept the telephone under their control for almost 100 years. A strong AT&T is part of the reason South Korea has Intenet speeds 200 times faster at half the price. AT&T doesn't care about anyone other than AT&T and have proven this over and over again whenever they can.

Basically, here AT&T and the wireless carriers are asking the vioctim to go out of a 2nd date with their rapest.

The US and the world would be a better place without AT&T. It's time we grow up and throw out the monoplies, and the congressmen they own.

It's far more clever than that. Normally the small business owner can appeal for help and fight. This is something that works for the public good to keep goernment in check, but they made even asking for help impossible. 1st rule of FISA Club is you don't talk about FISA Club. The act of mearly asking for help would land a person in prison.

This is a false argument. If a country is wrong in what it's doing, it's wrong. The US government is wrong in this case. They should have marrowed the search to specific accounts. They wanted to capture all communication, which cannot be justified without false statements. If it's wrong it's wrong, even if the person pointing it out is in a worse situation. People in far worse countries have always looked to the US to set the example. They have just as much right, if not more, to feel let down. We are not the leaders of the free world as much as we are the leaders of the mass spying on the free world.

Do we really have proof we can verify that the NSA is actually worth having around?

That was then. This is now. Most likely they spied on the USSR, and those people are retired or dead by now. Also, I'd like some verifiable proof, after all they are an agency that sees no need to tell the truth, before I go all gushy on how the agency of lies. If the proof shows that some people there had been amazing in the past then I would be sad for that since the NSA would have fallen since then, if not it's just gone from ineffective to horrible and ineffective.

Tor doesn't kill. People do.

Innovation was here long before patents, and it will still be here long after patents. During, there could be some trouble.

Who said that?