Spy Stuff: Guess Who Was Tweeting During the Oscars?

Guess who was tweeting during the Oscars? It was the CIA, according to a report from CNN.

It was noted that the CIA tweets were “part of the CIA's ‘Reel vs. Real’ series, which seeks to demystify the CIA's mission by comparing what's seen on screens to reality.”

The CIA tweets were focused on the tech on display in Black Panther.

For example, on holograms, the CIA noted: “They’re real-life hot tech right now & as they improve, intel practitioners in the future could incorporate holographic displays for operations or holographic projections to illustrate situations to the President or other policymakers.”

Check out the CIA’s deeper dive on Wakandan tech, based on questions posed to, as the CIA explained, “one of the CIA’s most innovative scientists. We will call her ‘Rebecca’” Rebecca not only has a background in the traditional sciences, but also in emerging technologies and digital innovation.”

Spy Stuff: R.I.P., Tony Mendez

Tony Mendez, who worked for the CIA for 25 years and was portrayed in the movie Argo, died on January 19 at the age of 78. The nation benefitted from this brave American, and is less for his loss.

As CNN.com reported:

In 2012, Mendez told CNN he was the head of the CIA's authentication branch in 1979. They set up fake identities for CIA officers and sneaked people out of foreign countries.
 "So I had an actual staff who specialized in exfiltrations. And we would be working on preparedness worldwide, prepared to handle the walk-in, for instance, that would knock on your door at midnight and say I want to defect," he said.
 When militants took over the US embassy in Tehran in November 1979, they captured 66 people but six escaped and ended up taking shelter with Canadian diplomats.
 Mendez devised a plan to create a fictitious science fiction movie called "Argo" that would be filmed in Tehran. Canada agreed to give passports to the six Americans.
 In January, Mendez and others flew to Tehran under the guise of scouting locations for the movie. Mendez guided the Americans who were on the run through immigration at the airport.
"We always say there's nothing as lovely as the feeling of wheels up. In this case we were still in Iranian airspace for awhile, so everybody was holding their breath until we were out of Iran completely. And then we had a celebration," he told CNN.

Actor and director Ben Affleck, who portrayed Mendez in Argo, declared: “Tony Mendez was a true American hero. He was a man of extraordinary grace, decency, humility and kindness. He never sought the spotlight for his actions, he merely sought to serve his country. I’m so proud to have worked for him and to have told one of his stories.”

CNN also noted that Mendez had just completed his last book -The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics that Helped America Win the Cold War – written with his wife, Jonna Mendez. I certainly will be reading. In fact, I already have pre-ordered it from Amazon.com.

R.I.P., Tony Mendez.

- Ray Keating

For more information and to purchase click here.

Spy Stuff: The Well-Dressed Spy?

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) describes what it means to be a well-dressed spy.

First, the following is noted about an intelligence officer’s appearance:

Their clothing, accessories, and behavior must be as unremarkable as possible — their lives (and the lives of others) may depend on it. This is a responsibility that operational artisans, technicians, and engineers of the Office of Technical Readiness (OTR) take seriously. America's intelligence officers can safely collect intelligence in hostile environments because they know that quality and craftsmanship have been "built in" to their appearances, leaving no traces to alert the enemy.  Thus, intelligence officers who are "unremarkable" in their daily activities, such as walking to buy a newspaper on a drizzly day, bravely collect "remarkable" intelligence undetected by hostile observers.

Second, the CIA pointed out:

What makes an intelligence officer “well dressed”?

A: They wear clothing and accessories skillfully crafted by operational artisans, technicians, and engineers from the Office of Technical Readiness (OTR).

“Well dressed" intelligence officers have confidence, whether attending a formal social event or performing their daily routine, because the clothing and accessories they wear have been expertly crafted to be secure and stylish—perhaps concealing a miniature camera behind a brooch or button.

Check out the CIA’s points here.