Yes, Lowe-Downers--I am pleased to announce that after three grueling weeks of entering, choosing and voting, we have a Grand Prize Winner.

We had over 500 entries, and as many votes for the three finalists. It was neck-and-neck right up to the midnight deadline, when the winner finally emerged, bloodied but victorious. And he is...

John Mason, of Hollywood, FL, who pulled away with ten votes at the very end (nice job rounding up all your friends and family at the last minute there, John).

The contest cartoon, in case you haven't seen enough of it by now, is shown at right with John's winning caption. When I asked him what inspired his winning entry, he told me that, like so many of us, he'd had a rough 2009 and felt a lot like Father Time shuffling off to the right of the picture. He's hoping to make a fresh start this year.

Congratulations also to the other two finalists, Sandra Thompson ("Don't tell me that you need to be bailed out already.") and Jay Kullmann of Lighthouse Point, FL ("You must have just come through security at the airport!").

Mr. Mason's winning entry will be featured at a date yet to be determined on the Sun Sentinel's op-ed page, and all three finalists will receive official Lowe-Down t-shirts.

Congratulations to all who participated: the entrants, the finalists, the winner, and even the malcontents who groused endlessly about the final three choices.

Keep an eye out for the next contest, coming in a few months!