lol..too many dead contests here... the admins should look into it.. not good for us designers when we work like hell and the contest starters just disappear...
Blimey I always feel awful having to pick a winner after people put effort in but to not care at all that's evil. Pity there can't be a system where things over say $25 have to be paid up front so someone wins or the money gets split by worthy participants if person disapears or something like that, but obvioiusly not easy to do here. OP could also have taken ill or something of course....
the best thing would be that when someone starts a contest, the lock the money on DP. That way the contest will end on the given time.. Also, there should be a rule wherein, if the contest starter doesn't reply on this thread for a certain amount of time, the locked money should be equally divided among the designers participating in that contest and the thread to be locked. just my 2 cents. I know DP staff know how to get this thing working..