FF Summer Contest: And the Winner Is...

We’ve had some spectacular entries for our summer contest in Davos speak.

We’ve had some spectacular entries for our summer contest in Davos speak. (Actually around the office we have a less polite name, referencing a prominent Washingtonian who has made a spectacular career out of such portentous banalities.)

Some entries had to be disqualified on grounds that they were too original and funny to soothe the Davos ear. Such as for example this one, posted in the comments by reader “Dante”: “The more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets.” Or this by Cheves Ligon: “Every single sentence in The Audacity of Hope.”

Others sounded more like a press secretary practicing the arts of evasion. Reader “Carney” posted in the comments: “To be sure, the Mideast peace progress has faced, and, I would venture to surmise, will continue for the foreseeable future to face, significant challenges.”

This submission we had to disqualify because it was an actual headline on an actual op-ed: “The missing link in the peace process: Trust.”

Meghan Cox Gurdon emailed the bland and smooth lede from a David Broder column: "The Tea Party phenomenon is one of the significant puzzles of this year's politics -- exciting to some people and alarming to others."

I loved this by John Guardiano: "Economic growth is an integral part of American prosperity.” That is worthy of a prize in itself, but since John is a regular FF contributor, we’re going to have to apply the “friends and family” rule enforced by the higher-class state lottery commissions.

Now to the outstanding qualifying runners-up, with the 3 winners bringing up the rear.

“Innovation brings change to the table.” (Tweeted by reader PinkoMamma)

“On the internet, no one can see your wheelchair,” (Emailed by reader Seth)

"Our future is determined by how we act in the present.” (Emailed by reader AV)

“Nation-building in Afghanistan will require establishing a viable national government.” (Emailed by reader Faiz)

"The ultimate goal with healthcare reform is nothing less than reforming healthcare in our nation.” (Emailed by reader busboy33)

“What we have not learned from the past, we will surely forget in the future.” (Emailed from reader DB)

"We've been investing in the future, but there's no guarantee that the future will invest in us." (Emailed by reader BFK)

"The only poll that counts is on election day." (Emailed by reader NP)

"I don't have a time machine, and I don't know what the future will hold.  But I do know with every fiber in me that it will reward those who are able to adapt." (Emailed by reader DM)

“In the aftermath of the past decade, we are faced with an unprecedented challenge: how do we live together?” (From reader BD)

“Whichever position you take as to capital punishment, we can all agree to knowingly execute an innocent man would be a grave mistake and must be avoided at all costs.” (Emailed from reader DB)

"Ultimately, the challenges that the European economy faces will require solutions: some may be simple, some are likely complex." (Emailed from reader ZM)

"Our representative government must represent us all." (Emailed by reader NT)

“Thinking outside the box doesn’t work if you don’t have a box.” (Emailed from reader DB)

“To take advantage of alternative energy, we simply must develop alternative strategies.” (Emailed by reader AV).

“All we are asking for [Insert Name of Monopolistic Industry] is a level playing field in our dispute with [Upstart Competitor].” (Emailed by reader Saltwood)

“This is a critical moment in history.” (Emailed by Ben Domenech).

"In an era unlike any other in the sweep of human history, beset by global challenges that transcend the boundaries of nations large and small, rich and poor, north, south, east and west, it can hardly be denied, however great the differences among us may be, that leaders are needed -- men and women of diverse races who'll daily steward their respective countries into a rapidly approaching future, one whose precise contours are unknown, but that we face together, armed with the accumulated knowledge of generations to guide us through successive years, until the legacy we leave is the inheritance of the next generation." (Emailed by Conor Friedersdorf).

And now the winners.

The bronze from reader DB: “China is a country of immense potential and many contradictions.”

The silver goes to reader ZM: “"Knowing what we know now, America's approach to international terrorism before 9/11 would have been completely different."

And the gold for CL: “Human life will never be perfect.  But change is not only possible, it literally happens every day."

All three medalists will receive a FrumForum mug coffee mug – a subscription to Foreign Affairs – and our earnest recommendation when the search committee for the Carnegie Endowment presidency comes calling.

Thank you to our special guest judges, Eli Lake and Noah Pollak, the game's inventors.

And please watch this space tomorrow for announcement of our next contest.