A Healthy Solution to Budapest Bridge-Naming Standoff

As we reported on Tuesday, a government-sponsored contest to find a name for the new bridge over the Danube had degenerated into an embarrassing gag-fest. While the initially strong showing of martial arts king Chuck Norris has since faded, as of yesterday the suspiciously-appropriate current leader (Szent Korona-híd, or "Holy Crown Bridge") was neck and neck with Víziló Vili-híd ("Vili the Hippopotamus Bridge," named for an obscure cartoon) with just over 70,000 votes each, followed closely by Hofi Géza-híd, inspired by the late humorist of the same name.

Meanwhile, other contenders include Az Igazságos Gyurcsány Ferenc-híd ("The Just Ferenc Gyurcsány Bridge," in "honor" of the current prime minister), Húsz év türelem hídja ("Bridge of 20 Years of Patience"), Szánalmas-híd ("Pathetic Bridge") Adófizetők hídja ("Taxpayers' Bridge"), Na végre!-híd ("Finally! Bridge"), 30%-os gázáremelés-híd ("30% Gas Price Hike Bridge"), Erről is a Fidesz tehet-híd ("This Is Also Fidesz's Fault Bridge"), Több hidat építünk, mint a fidesz 4 éve-híd ("We Build More Bridges than Fidesz Four Years Ago Bridge"), and Ha rosszak lesztek, itt is Combinok fognak járni!-híd ("If You Behave Badly and Combinos Will Run Here Too! Bridge").

Almost lost among all the more eye-catching entries was one that, while probably meant as a joke, may actually offer the most workable solution: Gabonapehely-híd ("Cornflakes Bridge"). Seriously: In a country where any two people can be counted on violently disagree on just about anything, it's hard to think of something less controversial than a generic breakfast cereal. It's cheap, it's healthy without being too austere, and has both a long history and a guaranteed future. And best of all, it comes complete with a deep-pocketed sponsor who might be willing to foot the cost of the entire long-suffering mega-project, or at least the couple of billions forints the people running the naming contest are busy working to cream off and chow.