got geoint?

Welcome once again to our Friday’s Food for Thought post on got geoint?, which focuses on the funny, outrageous and sublime. As many of our readers know, we are at the tail of the USGIF Tech Days, which has been a tremendously productive and valuable week for our community. And, what better way to end the week than to throw an exclusive black-tie event, which is happening this evening at the GEOINT Tech Days Gala. So, think about it. We work in the intel community. The men will be sporting tuxedos and the ladies will be wearing their best dresses. How could we not make the James Bond comparisons? So, today’s theme is all about 007, martinis and the high-life that is portrayed in these movies. Scroll down and enjoy.

Who is James Bond and Why Am I Not As Cool As He Is??
So, who is James Bond and why am I not as cool as he is? This is the universal question that plagues us guys in the intelligence community — heck, it plagues pretty much every guy. The charisma, charm, nice sports cars, cool spy technologies and the ladies — he’s got it all. So, seriously, why are we not as cool as he is? We will state the obvious: he’s not real. James Bond is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. And did you know that the character has also been used in the longest running and most financially successful English language film franchise to date? What does the success of this franchise say about us? We ALL like to live vicariously through 007.

James Bond Spy Gadgets
Remember the dagger shoe that 007 used in “From Russia with Love”? Or, how about the bowler hat from Goldfinger? There are just too many cool spy technologies that 007 has used throughout the years to foil the bad guys. Ever wondered if there is a list on the web of all these technologies? Who are we kidding…of course this list exists on Wikipedia. Speaking of 007 spy gadgets, check out this Dallas Morning News article about real-life James Bond technologies.

History of the Tuxedo
Since many of the gentlemen will be wearing tuxedos this evening at the GEOINT Tech Days Gala, we thought it would be appropriate to do a quick blurb on the history of the “penguin suit.” There are several theories about the “invention” of the tuxedo, but popular belief credits a man with a name as fancy as his creation — Pierre Lorillard IV. Pierre Lorillard was a wealthy tobacco magnate of the 19th century. He and his family lived 40 miles northwest of New York City in a residential colony called Tuxedo Park, founded on land acquired from the Algonquin Indian tribe. The land was originally called P’tauk-seet-tough, named after the tribal chief and meaning “home of the bear.” The town’s founders kept the phonetics of the name and christened the area Tuxedo Park. Read more here.

Spray Tanning; It’s Gone Mainstream
Worshiping the sun is not what it used to be. Remember when SPF 50 did not exist and Tropicana Sun Tan Oil — to guarantee you will truly be fried by the sun — was the norm? Times have changed and spray tanning has gone mainstream. It’s not only for movies stars and Hollywood types. Many women are doing the spray tan thing before their weddings, proms and major formal events. So, why are we writing about this? Reminder the GEOINT Tech Days Gala is this evening and Reston has several spray tans salons worthy of checking out. But, here’s the question…is it OK for a guy to spray tan?? We are on the fence about that one!

The Official James Bond Theme Song
Classic song for a classic movie franchise. What more do we need to say?

Happy Friday and see you tonight at the GEOINT Tech Days Gala!

Tags: 007 Friday's Food for Thought, GEOINT, GEOINT Tech Days, GEOINT Tech Days Gala, got geoint?, James Bond, USGIF