Black Ops Patches and Torture Taxis

Hosted byGeorge Knapp

Black Ops Patches and Torture Taxis

About the show

Artist, writer, and experimental geographer Trevor Paglen joined host George Knapp to discuss his research into black ops programs and CIA-sponsored "Torture Taxis."

He noted the symbology of patches associated with military black ops programs and shared information he has deciphered from his vast collection of hard to find pieces. Calling the patches "glimpses into the black world," Paglen revealed that many of them serve as "inside jokes" used by members of the secret programs. To this point, he cited the use of the invisible-at-will cartoon character Pete’s Dragon on patches used by early Stealth pilots. Other interesting symbols included "five stars in one" to signify an Area 51 program and an alien head for space-based operations.

Turning towards his other areas of research, Paglen talked about his investigation into CIA operated extraordinary rendition programs. He said that Guantanamo Bay is just "the visible part of this much broader network" and detailed the means by which the CIA conducts these programs. He also covered his travels to Afghanistan to find purported secret prisons like the "Salt Pit" and the "Dark Prison," a facility described as pitch black with blaring music and Halloween noises playing constantly.

Live from Laughlin

First hour guest Tim Crawford reported from the International UFO Conference in Laughlin, Nevada. He said that the nine-day event was attracting people from all over the world and that the schedule of events included a wide array of speakers along with the "EBE Film Festival" to crown the best UFO film of the year. Describing the scene at the conference, Crawford called the attendees "regular folks you wouldn't mind hanging out with at a barbecue."

Bumper Music