5 ms·

A former CIA chief of disguise shows off a five-second mask (2020) [video]

73 points by choult 5y ago

blamazon 5y ago
I was really hoping to see someone put on the mask but the one featured in the video was made with one person’s facial topography in mind and so I assume they can’t just throw it on anyone.
- WaxProlix 5y ago
  Yeah, this feels like a very modern day exposé- lots of talking about a thing, some buried lede action, and eventually no payoff. Was this video created by a procedural SEO algorithm with a novel neural net approach? There's basically none of the promised content here.
  - SV_BubbleTime 5y ago
    > Was this video created by a procedural SEO algorithm with a novel neural net approach? I’m leaning towards CIA PR campaign.
- chunkyfunky 5y ago
  Was very disappointed too, I fully expected her to pull off a mask at the end and it would be Tom Cruise underneath :(
- me_me_me 5y ago
  Especially since she called it 5 sec mask. It feels like exaggeration but who knows for sure. I don't think I ever seen it is a movie, but you could theoretically put it on turning a corner do 180 and evade someone.
- danielyaa5 5y ago
  It’s be funny if everyone totally knew it was a mask, but it was the equivalent of Halloween in Russia so nobody said anything
textech 5y ago
Reminded me of the line from one of the MI movies. "CIA is like Halloween, a bunch of grown men in rubber masks playing trick or treat".
- TMWNN 5y ago
  Which of course is ridiculous, given how IMF agents are constantly donning and removing their own rubber masks!
- mhh__ 5y ago
  Alternatively, the phrase (as said by the NRO) "Doing God's work with other people's money" is quite apt.
nyx 5y ago
If you liked this, WIRED has done several videos with Jonna Mendez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASUsVY5YJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASUsVY5YJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUqeBMP8nEg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUqeBMP8nEg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD841NmJbjM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD841NmJbjM
- culturestate 5y ago
  The True Spies podcast also did an interesting episode with her: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-spies-espionage-investigation-crime-murder-detective/id1508522747?i=1000477235442 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-spies-espionage-i...
kneel 5y ago
A Former CIA Chief of Disguise TALKS About a Five-Second Mask
- saltedonion 5y ago
  It’s a recruitment video
practicalpants 5y ago
Not sure disclosing all this helps their image, if people now understand they're capable of faking any sort of public appearance of anyone they need to.
strictnein 5y ago
If you're interested in this and a lot more disguises and trickery, the book you're looking for is "The Moscow Rules". https://www.amazon.com/Moscow-Rules-Secret-Tactics-America/dp/1541762193 https://www.amazon.com/Moscow-Rules-Secret-Tactics-America/d...
dang 5y ago
Some past threads: How the CIA Trains Spies to Hide in Plain Sight - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18690409 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18690409 - Dec 2018 (76 comments) Former CIA Chief of Disguise Explains How Spies Use Disguises [video] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18291780 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18291780 - Oct 2018 (82 comments) I thought I remembered others...
ranguna 5y ago
I can't reject cookies on this page?
Clampower 5y ago
This might be the most annoying cookie notice I’ve ever seen. I can’t reject cookies on the page, have to click through to another page, where I cannot even find the option to do so. Shame on you Atlas Obscura, this should not even be legal. Does anybody know if this is in line with GDPR?

73 points by choult 5y ago

I was really hoping to see someone put on the mask but the one featured in the video was made with one person’s facial topography in mind and so I assume they can’t just throw it on anyone.

WaxProlix 5y ago
Yeah, this feels like a very modern day exposé- lots of talking about a thing, some buried lede action, and eventually no payoff. Was this video created by a procedural SEO algorithm with a novel neural net approach? There's basically none of the promised content here.
- SV_BubbleTime 5y ago
  > Was this video created by a procedural SEO algorithm with a novel neural net approach? I’m leaning towards CIA PR campaign.
chunkyfunky 5y ago
Was very disappointed too, I fully expected her to pull off a mask at the end and it would be Tom Cruise underneath :(
me_me_me 5y ago
Especially since she called it 5 sec mask. It feels like exaggeration but who knows for sure. I don't think I ever seen it is a movie, but you could theoretically put it on turning a corner do 180 and evade someone.
danielyaa5 5y ago
It’s be funny if everyone totally knew it was a mask, but it was the equivalent of Halloween in Russia so nobody said anything

textech 5y ago

Reminded me of the line from one of the MI movies. "CIA is like Halloween, a bunch of grown men in rubber masks playing trick or treat".

TMWNN 5y ago
Which of course is ridiculous, given how IMF agents are constantly donning and removing their own rubber masks!
mhh__ 5y ago
Alternatively, the phrase (as said by the NRO) "Doing God's work with other people's money" is quite apt.

nyx 5y ago

If you liked this, WIRED has done several videos with Jonna Mendez: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASUsVY5YJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JASUsVY5YJ8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUqeBMP8nEg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUqeBMP8nEg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD841NmJbjM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD841NmJbjM

culturestate 5y ago
The True Spies podcast also did an interesting episode with her: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-spies-espionage-investigation-crime-murder-detective/id1508522747?i=1000477235442 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-spies-espionage-i...

kneel 5y ago

A Former CIA Chief of Disguise TALKS About a Five-Second Mask

saltedonion 5y ago
It’s a recruitment video

practicalpants 5y ago

Not sure disclosing all this helps their image, if people now understand they're capable of faking any sort of public appearance of anyone they need to.

strictnein 5y ago

If you're interested in this and a lot more disguises and trickery, the book you're looking for is "The Moscow Rules". https://www.amazon.com/Moscow-Rules-Secret-Tactics-America/dp/1541762193 https://www.amazon.com/Moscow-Rules-Secret-Tactics-America/d...

dang 5y ago

Some past threads: How the CIA Trains Spies to Hide in Plain Sight - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18690409 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18690409 - Dec 2018 (76 comments) Former CIA Chief of Disguise Explains How Spies Use Disguises [video] - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18291780 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18291780 - Oct 2018 (82 comments) I thought I remembered others...

ranguna 5y ago

I can't reject cookies on this page?

Clampower 5y ago

This might be the most annoying cookie notice I’ve ever seen. I can’t reject cookies on the page, have to click through to another page, where I cannot even find the option to do so. Shame on you Atlas Obscura, this should not even be legal. Does anybody know if this is in line with GDPR?