![]() ![]() The TV show BURN NOTICE (2007–2013) is VERY LOOSELY based on the life and times of REAL ex-spook named Michael J. Argo was based on his exploits to get some “journalists” (yeah right) out of Iran. Life intimating art? The now famous Ben Affleck movie ARGO (2012) was based on the guy who copied the rubber mask technology from IMF TV show and he and his wife did a reverse technology transfer. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (1966-1973) was so much liked by “them” that “they” tried to imitate a lot of it. It appears they really like her ex-husband better. So much so they did a remake with Jennifer Garner (CIA’s favorite actress) called ALIAS (2001-2006). as if we weren’t supposed to know who they really meant. For some reason the writers were compelled to change the acronym yo S.I.A. I personally liked the 1960’s TV series IT TAKES A THIEF (1968) with Robert Wagner. ![]() Posted in Fiction, Hackaday Columns Tagged fiction, fictional hacker, James Bond, Maxwell Smart, OSS, SOE, spy, spycraft, tradecraft, westen Post navigation Granted, many of the portrayals are not too accurate, but probably no worse than the depiction of doctors or lawyers. Clearly, the general public has an idea now of solving problems with ad hoc technology - pioneered, perhaps, by. He’s certainly not the stereotypical nerd hacker. It would be interesting to know how the general public thinks about a hardware hacker like. Robot to the completely far-fetched scene from NCIS you can watch below). If you include computer hacking, there are lots of hackers showing up in TV and movies (ranging from the reasonably plausible Mr. Of course, real spy work is probably more writing down numbers and operating broadcast radio stations. In fact, some shows like 24 (which is sort of a spy show) routinely give explanations so flawed that you wonder how the writers could have such a misconception (my favorite being how when someone uses a GPS to get directions to an address, the government can access the satellite to find out the address if that makes sense to you, go read about how GPS works). This is a far cry from most spy shows where gadgets just show up with no mention of how they might really work. He did make a cantenna that could have been right off a YouTube instructional video (see left). He also usually explains–at least minimally–what he’s doing with some plausible explanation. However, it is interesting that when is modifying a cell phone to work like a bug or something, he has at least some appropriate tools (like a soldering iron) and seems to be actually doing something. Using a stun gun to zap a vacuum tube with enough high voltage to generate X-rays seems a little suspect to me. Like any fictional work, I’m not sure how many of these things would really work. What’s interesting is that uses a variety of gadgets ranging from a makeshift X-ray machine to a bomb made out of a microwave oven and some household products, makes a variety of gadgets out of whatever he can find around or buy at Home Depot. The spy in question, (see right), has been cut out of his espionage job for some reason and is trying to figure out why using his wits and the few people who are still speaking to him. There’s a show that ran for seven seasons called Burn Notice that is decidedly different. ![]() (When you watch the video below, remember that at that time, a personal phone going off in a theater was unknown as cell phones were years in the future.) But, like grenade-launching ink pen, to shoe phone, those gadgets came from some organized lab. I do know that during World War II, the various secret services like the OSS and the SOE did have gadgets like secret transmitters and concealed weapons. I don’t know if it is true or not today, but in fiction, spies depend on lots of high-tech gadgets. ![]()
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