News in Brief
from the August 04, 2006 edition

Etc...


E-mail this story
Write a letter to the Editor
Printer-friendly version
Should I be at the dedication?

What do martial-arts movie and TV hero Chuck Norris and Pato Pal have in common? OK, OK, we'll get to Pato Pal's identity in due course. But first, the answer: Both are candidates for the honor of having a new bridge named for them ... in Budapest, Hungary. In fact, they're the leader and runner-up, respectively. Wait, you say, Norris is American. Yes, but when the Ministry of Economy and Transport came up with the idea of asking the public in an online poll for whom the span should be named, someone proposed him because - well, because Hungary then could claim another first since there's no known "Chuck Norris Bridge" anywhere else in the world. As of Tuesday, the "Walker: Texas Ranger" star had almost 9,000 votes. Among the 500-odd other nominees are Szent Istvan, the "father" of the Hungarian state, the late reggae music icon Bob Marley, and - oh, yes - Pato Pal, a character in a beloved poem by 19th century literary giant Sandor Petoffi. Voting continues until Sept. 8 at www.m0hid.gov.hu, although if you don't read Magyar, the national language, it will be difficult to navigate the website until you find the poll. The bridge across the Danube River is projected to open in 2008.


Get Monitor stories by e-mail:
(Your e-mail address will be protected by csmonitor.com's tough privacy policy.)

In Pictures
Born in the USA: Fourth of July-inspired American creations

ELECTION '08 Patchwork Nation
The American voter beyond red and blue

FISHERIES Empty Oceans Series
The sea is no longer so vast.


Daily podcast

Monitor Reports

Discussions with Monitor reporters from around the world


Today

Peter Grier

Honduras has two presidents, but no solution to the country's political crisis.




Making a difference
Making a Difference

What happens when ordinary people decide to pay it forward? Extraordinary change. See how individuals are making a difference, finding solutions, overcoming adversity, and giving back globally.

Jeremy Gilley, founder of the nonprofit Peace One Day, talks with students at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School in Cambridge, Mass.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

People making a difference: Jeremy Gilley

This actor and filmmaker envisions that world peace begins with just one day of peace.