Tips for think-tank pundits: ten ways to drive your panel wild.

• Position: Ten Miles Squares - Asia Policy Point's measure to calculate a speaker's effectiveness

By Asia Policy Point

In times dominated by momentous questions of war and foreign policy, a particular kind of Washingtonian is bound to thrive: the think-tank pundit. But competition is relentless. Good judgment and extensive research may help advance a career, but what really matters in Washington is an elusive quality known as "Say-so Superiority," or SOS. Staffers at Asia Policy Point, a Washington foreign policy research center, devised the following highly scientific measure to calculate a speaker's SOS score (and to keep themselves awake during luncheon talks).

Points Sentence used in speech given Mention of previous government employment or appointment: "As we used to say in the Oval Office ..." 10 "While it wasn't the hardest peace negotiation I've ever led ..." 9 "After boarding the Secretary's plane to Serbia ..." 7 "One reason my lanyard policy decisively improved embassy morale ..." 0 Mention of recent trip to a war zone or country not recognized by the U.S.: Sadr City 10 Fallujah 8 Tora Bora 7 The Green Zone Burger King 3 Darfur 1 Mention of recreational activity with senior U.S. official: "When I was jogging recently with ..." Condi 9 John Negroponte 8 Bob Gates 8 W. 4 The Vice President 0 Mention of recreational activity with foreign official or leader: "When I was skiing recently with ..." Prince Bandar 9 Tony Blair 7 Angela Merkel 6 Hugo Chavez 2 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 0 Mention of relationship with former U.S. president or cabinet official: "When I was...