New US spy satellite logo features world-devouring octopus

Post by saraid216 » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:28 PM UTC

jlarocco wrote: post #77

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It implies the agency is insular, unaccountable, and has an aggressive, secret agenda You're giving these people way too much credit. Military and intelligence patches are all about bravado and "USA #1" not some sophisticated and cryptic critique of their employer. I've had a long time interest in this stuff and let me tell you, its all tasteless and dumb, with the occasional touch of humor. The patch critical of t…

It's certainly not a critique. To me it shows that the people in the agency are oblivious to the rest of the world outside of the agency. There have been a bunch of embarrassing revelations about domestic and foreign spying, but instead of being embarrassed or ashamed like they should be, they're as gung-ho and bold as ever. It's no wonder there have been so many slip ups when they're so clueless about public percept…

Post by saraid216 » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:31 PM UTC

mcv wrote: post #5

spodek wrote: post #3

Link-baity title, but warranted, I'd say. The story is that the government is launching a spy satellite with a logo on it featuring a "mascot" -- a giant Kraken-like octopus taking over the planet. Whoever created it could only have been thinking of their bureau's unchecked ability to do what it wanted and not the public's perception of it because the creature, especially its eye, looks menacing, ominous, foreboding,…

Indeed. As the article points out, it's all very super-villainy. They're not even trying to pretend they're the good guys anymore.

Post by dingaling » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:40 PM UTC

mapt wrote: post #39

Yes, it's a ballsy logo, but on the other hand... Wikipedia tells us that NROL-39's payload is actually a Topaz synthetic aperture radar (SAR) node, flying in constellation with two others already in operation, and two more to come. This is essentially not-at-all-threatening to civil liberties, being a ground-elevation mapping platform (and to a second order, some degree of surface roughness), of not particularly goo…

Post by yapcguy » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:52 PM UTC

joezydeco wrote: post #72

rcavezza wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This reminds me of a relevant Mitchell ans Webb clip, "Are we the baddies?". As an American, I'm having trouble deciding if if we are at this point. Edited to add clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv2XGQBcvxQ

I've been wondering the same thing. We used to use this image to portray our enemies... https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ba42Z0lCMAAfkzM.jpg http://iranpoliticsclub.net/politics/IRI-problem/images/Iran... http://streetsofsalem.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/octopus-ge... http://streetsofsalem.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/octopus-ma...

Post by mturmon » Tue, Dec 10, 2013, 4:58 PM UTC

drzaiusapelord wrote: post #74

spodek wrote: post #3

Link-baity title, but warranted, I'd say. The story is that the government is launching a spy satellite with a logo on it featuring a "mascot" -- a giant Kraken-like octopus taking over the planet. Whoever created it could only have been thinking of their bureau's unchecked ability to do what it wanted and not the public's perception of it because the creature, especially its eye, looks menacing, ominous, foreboding,…

> It implies the agency is insular, unaccountable, and has an aggressive, secret agenda You're giving these people way too much credit. Military and intelligence patches are all about bravado and "USA #1" not some sophisticated and cryptic critique of their employer. I've had a long time interest in this stuff and let me tell you, its all tasteless and dumb, with the occasional touch of humor. The patch critical of t…