Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Watergate I & Watergate II

WATERGATE I
The chief of Hungary’s secret services – the National Security Office (NBH) – quit last Monday,
saying his position had become untenable due to the way other authorities handled a scandal over a private security firm allegedly used to spy on politicians.

In his resignation letter, Sándor Laborc spoke of “anomalies” in the way the public prosecution service and the NBH handled the
UD Affair...

The UD scandal, over which Laborc would eventually resign, began last September when the head of the small conservative opposition party, th
e Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) received an audio recording of one of UD’s owners talking to the owner and CEO of OTP Bank, Sándor Csányi, about a commission to collect data on her.

Ibolya Dávid claimed that someone was trying to discredit her in the run up to the MDF’s party leadership election...
Dávid last Tuesday said during a television interview that the UD affair had turned into a Hungarian "Watergate." (more)

WATERGATE II
via Gizmodo.com...

Instead of creating the usual steel turnstile, the Watergate's designers used the primordial liquid as a psychological barrier.
Their logic: People won't like to get their clothes wet...

It's a good idea, because most people will actually respect it. Another good thing: If something happens, people can run to the exit without having to go through gates:
Water is only a psychological barrier.

Fleeing, panicking persons can escape through the gate without being hindered by any rigid media. Clever.


An added advantage is that
people in wheelchairs or carrying luggage can easily pass through them. Very clever. (more) (video)