How to lose an election

Political strategists like to proclaim: “Campaigns matter!”

It is our usual caution that elections, where even strong incumbents are concerned, often turn on campaign performance. A cynic might observe, “Strategists always say that, it makes them more important.” But remember Barack Obama’s innovative nomination fight and then his transcendent general election battle? Sadly, for Tim Hudak, the corollary is also true.

Bad campaigns matter, sometimes more.

The McGuinty government should not have been able to achieve even the limited victory it did Thursday night. They avoided humiliation thanks to Hudak’s handlers’ determined effort to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. As a former New Democrat strategist, participant in and victim of similarly ham-fisted failures, I know what a disastrous campaign looks like.

Here’s how it is done. First, you set your campaign strategy in concrete a year in advance and refuse to adapt to changed circumstances. Then you fail to inoculate yourself against predictable attacks, and walk into the traps your opponent sets. Finally, you double down on your errors, spending millions of dollars inflicting more bruises on yourself.

That was the Ontario 2011 Hudak campaign. The same folks who fought the last war using their 1999 message in 2003, attacking Dalton McGuinty’s competence, did it again. The planners of this campaign reran their tired tax message of the ’90s as the economy and Ontarians’ confidence was heading into the ditch. The unemployed, and those fearing a winter layoff, are more worried about getting paid than paying taxes.

Premier Dad made unctuous appeals, several times daily, to trust him and his strong leadership. That insensitivity and false humility sent many voters further left and kept many others at home. Turnout fell embarrassingly below 50 per cent for the first time in history. His “bragging bus” criss-crossed the province covered with boasts about the schools, windmills, hospitals and highway miles he had personally delivered. This would not normally have been a wise or successful campaign strategy for a government that had racked up 500,000 unemployed voters and saddled their fellow citizens with $100 billion in provincial debt, in a province that was once again on the verge of a painful recession.

But bad campaigns matter more than tone-deaf or arrogant ones. Hudak first insulted every Ontarian who had ever feared their families being tagged as “foreign,” then the province’s large and influential gay community, and finally all the province’s teachers for allegedly pushing gender-bending propaganda at six-year-olds. It was a curious approach to political coalition building for a minority party seeking to oust a powerful incumbent government. Given that they had been thumped only four years earlier by the same opponent for preaching the politics of division — mostly unfairly, it is true — their flat learning curve was a little astonishing.

Indeed, there are insiders who think that the McGuinty war room dangled the poisoned meat of their rather silly “jobs for foreign PhD cabbies” program deliberately. They may have tempted the Hudak hardheads into doing exactly what the Grits wanted — providing another opportunity to swing the “politics of division” club at Tory heads.

Meanwhile, to the frustration of both men, Andrea Horwath took a page from Ronald Reagan’s book and smiled her way to success. In the debate, she didn’t quite say “There you go again” to her two opponents. But her dismissive maternal gaze at their sound bites said it all. A greenhorn and a first-timer, the NDP leader should not have been able to take her party from the mid-teens to the mid-twenties in popularity for the first time in 15 years.

Her platform may have been constructed with more than a few wobbly planks, her responses to complex questions on climate change and energy pricing, tax policy and fiscal verities may have made both lefty policy wonks and Bay Street wince, but she understood two political fundamentals: likability trumps angry partisanship, and optimism and confidence trump fear. What her opponents will now discover is that she has a steel spine behind that smile.

For election night’s winner, the political axiom to treasure today is this: “Enjoy your first day in office, it gets worse from tomorrow.” When the cabinet secretary’s team leaves the premier’s office, following their first economic briefing late next week, the premier and his team will look at each other and say, “This is victory . . . ?”

Not since Bob Rae had a similar bucket of chilling fiscal news dumped on him will the triumphant glow of election night have evaporated so quickly. And each team has already begun to plan the run-off.

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How to combat dollar's decline

A DIVING Aussie dollar has rubbed some shine from online retail bargain hunting but some savvy shoppers have been finding novel ways to bolster their buying power.

With our dollar dropping about US15c in the past few weeks, an analysis of transactions by financial services company Access Prepaid has discovered a spike in online shoppers using foreign exchange travel cards to lock in higher exchange rates.

Economists say last week's US dollar exchange rate, at US95c, is still high by historical standards, and the recent fall is good news for everyone except online shoppers and travellers heading overseas.

Many economists predict more volatility in the months ahead amid uncertainty about Europe's debt crisis and global economic worries, but expect the Aussie to be at current levels or higher about 12 months from now.

For online shoppers, the recent 15 per cent plunge in our currency has wiped out 15 per cent of their purchasing power.

The number of shoppers using travel cards to make online purchases - instead of their traditional use for overseas travel - has jumped 50 per cent in the past year, says Access Prepaid's director of global sales and strategic relationships, Graham Perry.

"The use of prepaid cards for online shopping is skyrocketing," Perry says.

"You lock in the exchange rate and you don't expose personal banking details to merchants on the other side of the world," he says.

"Something like 75 per cent of all cross-border online shopping in the world is done in a shop in the US or the UK."

Shoppers, travellers and investors need to put the Aussie dollar's latest fall into perspective. Ten years ago it was trading below US50c and five years ago it was US74c.

CommSec chief economist Craig James expects a turbulent time for the currency over the next few months, but says the recent weakness is "not a bad thing".

Exporters and manufacturers benefit from a weaker dollar, and it can even help the local share market.

"A whole raft of companies benefit when the Aussie's trading lower. It may provide some opportunities for foreign investors to say our shares are super cheap," James says.

CommSec forecasts the dollar to trade at $US1.07 or $US1.08 in the second half of next year.

HSBC Australia chief economist Paul Bloxham is less bullish, tipping the currency to stay near current levels for the next couple of years.

"Forecasting exchange rates is extraordinarily hard to do," he says, adding that people should remember that even after the latest fall, the Aussie dollar is still near its highest levels in three decades.

"If you had said a couple of years ago the Aussie would be US95c, you would be saying that's extraordinarily strong."

"We have had a period where it's been above parity, people have adjusted to that."

"We thought it was a bit overvalued when it was over parity. That's why we have it forecast staying at these levels for a while."

CMC Markets senior foreign exchange dealer Tim Waterer says more weakness in the next few weeks is possible if shares continue to slide.

"Much will depend on how soon the market starts to price out the likelihood of a Eurozone 'doomsday' event happening," Waterer says.

"I see our dollar holding above US90c short term, before regaining parity and above within six months, but it's dependent on a steady rebound in global equity markets."

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How to build mental health wellness in our children

We’ve all heard about the mind/body connection.
Psychiatrist Dr. Chris Wilkes likes to put a finer point on it.
“There is no health without mental health,” Wilkes says, explaining that it is profoundly connected to our physical health and overall well-being.
He’s got the numbers to prove that poor mental health equals poor physical health — and therefore a huge cost to our health-care system.
Wilkes and a group of other Calgary researchers recently published a paper in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry that found Calgarians living with a psychiatric diagnosis cost Alberta’s health-care system three times more for physical (non-psychiatric) health care than those without a diagnosis.
A year ago, the same journal published a study reporting that a person with a mental health diagnosis had a 70 per cent increase in mortality.
“And it wasn’t through suicide; it was through things like diabetes, cancer, heart disease,” says Wilkes.
“There is a health care problem associated with mental health diagnoses.”
Indeed, mental illness costs the Canadian economy an estimated $51 billion annually in terms of health care and lost productivity, according to 2003 figures from Statistics Canada. It’s the No. 1 cause of disability in Canada, with 500,000 Canadians absent from work every day due to psychiatric problems.
Fully 46 per cent of Albertans will be directly or indirectly affected by depression and, according to the World Health Organization, depression will be the single biggest medical burden on health care by 2020.
Typically we think of mental health problems as something that happen to other people and to other people’s kids.
But Dr. Frank MacMaster, a pediatric neurobiologist at Alberta Children’s Hospital, points out how prevalent mental health issues are: “One in five Canadians have a mental illness and four out of five know someone with a mental illness. It’s touching everybody, basically. Most people may not recognize it, but someone in their life does have it. It’s extremely common.”
If you have a brain, the Canadian Mental Health Association likes to say, you can have a mental disorder.
Even if you or your child don’t have mental health issues, “it’s everybody’s problem,” says George Ghitan, executive director, Hull Child and Family Services.
“Angry, unhappy kids become angry, unhappy adults. Mental health issues cost our society billions of dollars, not just in terms of health, but in terms of education services, justice and prisons. Where do you think these problems come from? Most of them start in childhood.”
Mental health experts call for more funding targeted at children and youth as a way to prevent, catch and treat problems early, thereby saving precious health care dollars and untold pain and suffering that can last a lifetime.
In September, the Alberta government unveiled plans to improve mental health services in the province — a full three years after an auditor-general’s report harshly criticized the system for its lengthy waits, lack of co-ordination between departments and agencies, and the need for better standards of care.

Alberta Health and Wellness Minister Gene Zwozdesky acknowledges the need for faster and better access mental health services.
“Right now people aren’t getting these service to the degree we would like; we want to ensure they do.”
He says the first year of Alberta’s new five-year addiction and mental health strategy is focused on a review of all the services out there — government, government-funded agencies and community organizations.
“Then we want to see how these services are or are not complementing each other. Is there duplication? Thirdly, we want to identify where and how we might have to move resources around to support better and more effective services,” says Zwozdesky.
“There needs to be an important shift in mental health services going forward. We’re going to continue what we’re doing in the acute care system, but we know we have to engage the community — schools, workplaces, organizations, places where people work and play — in a much better way. Our first direction in this strategy is building healthy, resilient communities because no government can do this alone.”
A whole community, holistic approach
The children’s mental health system is the proverbial canary in the coal mine, says Wilkes, an associate professor at the University of Calgary and the former division chief of child and adolescent psychiatry for Alberta Health Services.
“It’s a reflection of the general social supports, which includes schools, access to family doctors, access to recreational activities. If those social supports are not available, then the situation deteriorates for children generally.”
He says it’s essential for health care professionals, schools, communities and parents to work together to improve the mental wellness of our children and youth.
There a few bright spots where this whole community, holistic approach is beginning to happen.
Case in point: Because psychiatrists see about only 1.5 per cent of the children and adolescent population needing specialized care — usually the most severe cases in crisis — family doctors, pediatricians, school counsellors and others are left picking up the pieces, often without adequate funding or training. Wilkes says family doctors typically receive only about six weeks’ of training in psychiatry in medical school.
To change this, Dr. Peter Jensen, a world-renowned child psychiatrist from the REACH Institute in the U.S., was recently in Calgary to train faculty in the U of C’s department of psychiatry so they in turn can teach primary care doctors — who may have just seven to 10 minutes with a patient — to do quick assessments and initiate treatments for kids with mental health problems.
“Children can be seen, treated, advised and guided before things get into such a desperate situation that there’s an emergency,” says Wilkes.
The Eating Disorder Clinic at Alberta Children’s Hospital is another holistic example.
Eating disorders are considered a mental health issue — a complex, difficult one in which those who struggle with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa may also battle depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, addictions and more, says Jodie Cossette, a recreational therapist with the clinic.

The intensive treatment program for patients ages 14 and up takes a multidisciplinary approach. Dietitians, family counsellors, occupational therapists, pediatricians, family doctors, psychiatrists, recreational therapists, registered nurses, social workers and teachers all work with the patient and his or her family to address the problems underpinning eating disorders.
Typically, patients are high achievers trying to excel in sports, school and work. They struggle with perfectionism, and the focus becomes hatred of their own bodies.
“We encourage them to focus on the mind/body connection with things like yoga and meditation because the eating disorder — self-hatred — works hard to keep body and mind separate.”
Patients learn how to care for themselves mentally, physically and spiritually. They do art, music and horticultural therapy. Tending plants in the healing gardens on ACH grounds puts them in touch with nature.
“My role is help them explore ways to find inner peace and calm. Perhaps it’s spending time in nature, being in the mountains, interacting with animals or gardening. It’s looking at activities that have the opportunity for healing, strengthening and empowering.”
Developing healthy coping skills helps insulate children and youth against mental health problems, she says, something that ideally starts at home with parents modelling healthy behaviours: caring for themselves and making time for rest and play in our go-go world.
Communities can also play a big role when it comes to promoting overall health and wellness, says Cossette. She recalls hearing Graham Clyne, a child and youth advocate, champion the idea of having recreation centres open and free to provide positive, healthy outlets for kids after school.
Two years ago, the Calgary AfterSchool program began offering quality, supervised and free after-school programs for all Calgary children ages six to 16, Mondays to Fridays between 3 and 6 p.m.
It’s run by the City of Calgary in partnership with 14 agencies and is paid for by Family & Community Support Services, a joint municipal/provincial program that develops and funds preventive social services.
In two years, more than 13,000 kids have participated in 181 programs doing sports, drama, arts, crafts, recreation and more, says Cathie Christenson, the co-ordinator of Calgary AfterSchool. Healthy snacks are included.
Six City of Calgary recreation facilities — Killarney, Southland, Thornhill, Bob Bahan, Village Square and Beltline — offer free drop in for older kids, ages 11 to 16; they can swim, try their hand at photography or cooking or get help with homework.
The programs are designed to give kids a fun, creative and safe environment where they can make friends, spend time with caring adults, build social and other skills, and stay out of trouble during what is often an unsupervised time while parents are working, says Christenson.

They’re also aimed at helping kids develop resiliency and coping skills, and at combatting isolation.
“Kids who spent a lot of time alone tend to develop depressive traits,” says Christenson. “The outcomes we’re looking for around friendships and social skills are ones that extend throughout your life.
“They help keep you on the positive side of life.”
Finally, there’s another bright spot on the horizon: in September 2016, Calgary will host the 22nd International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions World Congress.
Light up the Night Sky is the theme for the biannual event described as the “mental health Olympics for children” that lets professionals from around the world share knowledge about children’s mental health
“It’s great opportunity for Calgary to be directly involved and creating change within our community, within our province and within Canada — to be a beacon, a leader round the world,” says Cossette, who sits on a local organizing committee for the event.
“And it’s a golden opportunity to shine a light on the issues of kids’ mental health.”

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How to ride out the economic crisis

Anxious investors have endured another difficult week – and all the signals indicate that things could get a lot, lot worse before they start to get better.

The Governor of the Bank of England admitted that this could be the "worse financial crisis ever" as he pumped billions of pounds into the banking system in a bid to stave off another recession.

But while "quantitative easing" might help banks and businesses, it will create more misery for savers and pensioners, by pushing up inflation when we have rock bottom interest rates. It's also likely to cause annuity rates – already at an all-time low – to tumble further.

Sir Mervyn King might argue that this is the price that has to be paid to avoid a "double dip". The only problem is that we don't yet know whether it will achieve this end.

If this wasn't enough, there were renewed fears about the financial strength of banks, both here and in Europe, while stock markets remained volatile.

For the "squeezed middle" the question now is how they steer their finances through the dangers looming ahead. Further stock market falls could wipe thousands of pounds off pensions and Isas. Below we look at what you can do to protect yourself – and your finances – from the various perils ahead.

European banking crisis

On Friday the ratings agency Moody's downgraded some 12 British lenders, including Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group, Santander and Nationwide Building Society. It said this didn't mean that they were financially less secure, but that the Government was unlikely to bail them out in full if they got into trouble. And the fear is that Europe could plunge into another banking crisis, triggered by the sovereign debt crisis, which would inevitably affect some of our banks too.
Adrian Lowcock of Bestinvest said: "If the Europeans don't get their act together we could see a systemic collapse of their banking system, which would freeze credit markets and enter the world into another credit crisis, dwarfing the one initiated by the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008."
Consumers and small businesses will find it even harder to get credit, and in the worst-case scenarios some banks could collapse.
What can you do? As a first line of defence, make sure money on deposit is safe. Don't have more than £85,000 in any one institution – this sum is the maximum that is guaranteed by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. European banks offer the same protection (up to €100,000), but in the event of a collapse customers would have to apply for compensation in the country where the bank is based.
For those with significant cash savings – or of a particularly nervous disposition – National Savings & Investments may look attractive as it is 100pc backed by the Government.
There may also be implications for investors. Brian Dennehy of advisers Dennehy Weller said: "Avoid funds with too much exposure to the eurozone banks and financial companies. For example, we warned about Invesco Perpetual Corporate Bond in this regard last December. It is now down by 7pc – despite most people assuming that bond funds are low risk. In contrast, M & G Corporate Bond, which isn't as exposed to these sectors, is up by more than 3pc."

Stock market volatility

Investors have seen some dramatic falls and rises in recent weeks, with markets losing up to 5pc in one day alone. Philippa Gee of Philippa Gee Wealth Management said: "This is clearly a very difficult time and an ultimate test for whether you are comfortable with your level of risk."
Most advisers caution against pulling out of markets now. Ms Gee said: "If you are sitting on money already invested and are seriously considering moving it out, even hiding it in cash, don't. Now is not the time to make such radical changes." Martin Holden of wealth advisers Towry agreed. He said: "Try to stay calm and objective rather than make a knee-jerk reaction. This often just compounds the damage."
But volatility looks likely to continue and few are ruling out further market falls. What steps can people take to cushion their investments? Mr Holden said: "Diversification is key; you don't want to be too exposed to any one sector." It's also important to review your saving and investment objectives. "Are you paying off a mortgage or saving for retirement – these are unlikely to have changed even if the market has taken a hit," said Mr Lowcock.
Ms Gee added: "If you are certain that significant falls are still on the cards, then look for more defensive multi-asset funds. There's no guarantee that these won't lose money, but losses should be more limited, and some offer the prospect of growth, even in a bear market."
She suggested CF Miton Strategic, CF Ruffer Total Return and Troy Trojan.
Jonathan Miller, head of research at Citywire, said some "steady eddy" managers aimed instead for consistent returns. Two of the most successful funds include the Insight Absolute UK Equity Market (Neutral) fund and Standard Life's Global Absolute Return Strategies fund.

High inflation & low interest rates

With interest rates so low, inflation continues to be a real threat to the preservation of wealth over the medium term, according to Peter Day, a partner at the stockbrokers Killik. "Many Western governments, including our own, have been printing money at an alarming rate and this is likely to result in higher levels of inflation in the future," he said.
Those seeking shelter from volatile markets should be aware that cash is not risk free. It is sobering to remember that from 1970 to 1990 inflation eroded the purchasing power of £1 by 86pc – making it effectively worth just 14p. Today, the rise in the retail prices index (RPI) stands at 5.2pc; at this rate your money halves in less than 14 years.
Equity investment has traditionally proven to be one of the better hedges against inflation, and those who can tolerate some risk may want to invest in high-yielding shares (or funds) paying good dividends. Mr Lowcock said: "The primary objective of long-term investing is to keep pace and preferably beat inflation. Even if inflation falls back, we expect it to remain about 2pc to 3pc for some time. So investing in assets generating an income of more than this is an essential part of portfolio planning."
But there are steps that investors can take to protect their money from the eroding power of inflation without plunging into the thrills and spills of the stock market.
Sadly, one of the best weapons against inflation, NS & I's index-linked certificates, has now been withdrawn from sale. But Mr Day said index-linked bonds launched by the likes of National Grid (although this particular one has now sold out) should be considered. These pay an inflation-linked income (known as a coupon) and the redemption price is also linked to RPI. Tesco and John Lewis have offered similar deals.
Stepping down the risk ladder, both Yorkshire Building Society and the Post Office offer savings bonds with inflation-linked returns, although they require savers to lock their money away for between three and five years.
Those sticking with bank and building society accounts should make the most of tax-free savings, such as Isas, pensions or some N S & I products. It is possible to get 3pc or more on instant-access accounts, and 4.5pc if you can lock your money away for five years.
John Eskdale at advisory firm Pilotmax pointed out that borrowers had the opportunity to reduce mortgage and credit card debt. "Make overpayments where possible, this will put you in a better position when interest rates do again rise."

Double-dip recession

Jobs will be threatened, wages frozen and hours cut – which will increase the squeeze on many people's disposable income.
For those worried about their job prospects it can pay to build up a cash buffer in case you lose an income. Insurance such as income protection may also be an option.
In investment terms, Ms Gee said: "A double-dip recession wouldn't have a great impact on stock markets, as one has already been priced in. So don't change any investment strategy as a result of this."
Mr Lowcock added that defensive British companies were better positioned to weather the current storms. Defensive sectors include utility companies, pharmaceuticals, tobacco firms and large food retailers.

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How to hide wires behind your TV wall brackets

After buying a nice TV wall bracket, are you well prepared to install your LCD TV sets to the wall? Do you know what you should pay close attention to during the process of the installation? Look before you leap. You need to make sure that the maximum allowable weight of your TV wall brackets has exceeded the actual weight of your TV sets to determine a perfect position for the installation your TV set. What's more, it is also essential to make clear that you have had a clear plan to conceal those unsightly wires and cables.

A very easy way to conceal the wires and cables behind your TV set is to conceal them behind your TV wall brackets in the wall. Many home owners hide the cables and wires behind some beautiful decorations. This is a very easy and convenient way to hide wires and cables behind your TV wall brackets. It is also very creative to find some nice pictures or wrappings to conceal the cables and wires behind your TV wall brackets. It is so easy that even a little child can do this job very well. In this way it can improve the appearance of your living room very much and perfectly match with the wall. What's more, it is not necessary for you to drill any holes or cut anything on the wall during this process. The cables and wires are invisible because they have been safely hidden behind your TV wall brackets.

When you are trying to hide the cables and wires by drilling holes on the wall, you are advised not to let the wires and cables pass through exterior walls because it will not be an easy job to drill holes on the wall. Moreover, sometimes it is not safe. Usually, you need to prepare a wall socket for the cables and wires. Find some useful tools such as sockets, knife, nuts and screw. Find an appropriate position for the wires and cables on the wall behind the TV wall brackets. You need to connect the cables and wires to the wall socket. If you are installing an extendable TV wall bracket, remember to fit the arms firmly to the TV set and make sure that it is tightly attached and that wires and cables behind the TV set are long enough for the TV to extend flexibly.

Now you can turn on the TV set and enjoy yourself. It's time to lie on your comfortable sofa, relax yourself completely and watch your favorite movies and TV programs. With the superb sound and picture quality brought to life, the LCD TV sets supported by your TV wall brackets can bring you an aesthetic interior design and a pleasing viewing experience. If you are still confused about the cablings when installing your TV brackets, I strongly recommend you to visit the well-known UK TV bracket website Bracketsrus, where you can consult experts about any questions on your TV wall brackets.

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How to win the TNP New Face

SHE felt she had to up her game to win.

So, three days before the big event, Jamie Lim began practising the catwalk on her way home.

It paid off in style - the 19-year-old first year business student at Singapore Management University was crowned the winner of The New Paper New Face 2011, held at Takashimaya Square last evening.

Besides winning a $10,000 cash prize and a $10,000 Maybelline contract, Lim also bagged the Subaru Miss Vivacious and InnerShine Miss Radiant Skin awards.

The second and third spots went to Charlotte Hand, 17, and Marisa Ong, 19, respectively.

Lim said: "I was so nervous before (The New Face Finals) that I began to practise my catwalking on the way back home from the bus stop I get off at."

On the walk that usually takes just five minutes, she would practise not one but two styles.

Giggling, she revealed: "Normally, we have a 'serious' walk and a 'fun' walk, so I tried out both styles.

"I always made sure no one was looking first before I start my catwalk from the bus stop!"

Lim's confident poise, vibrant sashay and megawatt smile wowed the judges.

Her parents, Mr Lim Teck Keng, 46, and Madam Joanna Yew, 44, were beaming with pride.

Madam Yew, a businesswoman, said: "She put in a lot of effort. She would watch videos to learn how to catwalk and how to apply make-up."

Mr Lim, also a businessman, piped in: "Mummy (Yew) was always helping her!"

They both agreed that their daughter should pursue her passions "as long as they make her happy".

But Lim mentioned that she had no long-term plans, preferring to "take it one day at a time".

Runner-up Hand, a mass media management student at Nanyang Polytechnic, was pragmatic about what she wanted to do with her cash prize of $5,000.

She said: "First, I have to buy a MacBook Air, and then be a good journalist."

Second runner-up Ong, an interior design student at Raffles Design Institute, took home a cash prize of $3,000.

She was "stoked" by her accomplishment, hoping that it would "open more doors into fashion and modelling".

The New Paper New Face Finals 2011 kicked off just after 7pm, with a crowd of 700 plus curious onlookers lining the barricades.

Veteran fashion show producer and choreographer Daniel Boey, 46, created a show comprising an eclectic mix of themes.

Two segments stood out - the Levi's Flash Mob, where the girls strutted down the catwalk in denim working attire, and the Black Is The New Black, where the girls, clad in black, sashayed past dancers who were dressed in the same hue.

Finalist Nicolette Yip, 19, an accounting and finance student from Temasek Polytechnic, had a particularly enthusiastic group of supporters armed with placards that spelt out her name.

The New Paper on Sunday's Deputy Editor Natalie Soh, who was also on the judging panel, said she felt as much pressure and excitement as the girls.

When asked before the results were announced who she thought would take the title, the 35-year-old jokingly said: "I'd tell you, but I'd have to kill you."

Another judge, 39-year-old Vincent Ong, a General Manager of Loreal Consumer Products division, said that The New Paper New Face has come a long way, adding that he felt "excited" that his company was associated with the contest in a "synergistic" way.

The 19th edition of The New Paper New Face was presented by Subaru MotorImage and co-sponsored by Maybelline New York, Levi's, and BRAND'S InnerShine.

Past winners include model Vivien Ong, entertainers Angelique Nicolette Teo and Julie Tan, as well as models Shahirah Price and Nargis Mussawir.

Many finalists have found success in the entertainment and modelling industries, including actresses Dawn Yeoh and Jessica Tan, and models Christabel Campbell and Emiko Thein.

New Face 2011 Subsidiary Awards

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How to Make a 'Lowball' Offer

For some home sellers, it was a long summer without a home sale. That means this fall, some buyers -- smelling the desperation -- may be able to cut a better deal.

"Sellers who had their homes on the market all summer are anxious to move on, especially before the holidays hit," says Bill Golden, a real-estate agent with ReMax in Atlanta. The closer it gets to the holidays, the more anxious unsuccessful sellers can become, he says.

Tim Goldman

Other sellers will choose to let their listings expire and try again next year. They, too, may be willing to make a deal in order to sell their properties, even if they're no longer actively trying to sell their place, says Patrick Carlisle, chief market analyst for Paragon Real Estate Group in San Francisco.

The key to making an aggressive "lowball" offer on a home is to start by finding properties that have languished on the market for a long time. The softer the market, the more likely the strategy will work, Mr. Carlisle says.

But buyers can get tripped up. Here are six things you need to do when making a lowball offer.

1. Understand the market

Before submitting an offer, your real-estate agent should do a full comparative market analysis of the property to determine what its fair market value is, Mr. Carlisle says.

For instance, it's still a buyer's market in the Richmond, Va., area, where Susan Stynes works as a real-estate agent for Long & Foster. Ms. Stynes says she wouldn't hesitate to encourage a client to make an aggressive offer, after considering the time the property has been on the market and neighborhood comparables.

But in other markets a low offer won't get you far, says Stephen G. Kliegerman, president of Halstead Property Development Marketing in New York.

2. Pick the right real-estate agent

Some real-estate agents caution buyers against making an offer that is so low it could offend the seller and halt the negotiation process.

But sometimes agents are too reluctant to make aggressive offers, Mr. Carlisle says. They may be more focused on completing a deal and collecting their commission, rather than making the best deal. Or their negotiation skills might not be up to par.

"If it's an appealing, well-priced property that has five or six offers on it, well, going in 10% or 20% under asking isn't going to get you anywhere," he says. But on a property that has been overlooked by the market and doesn't have multiple bidders, it often doesn't hurt to go in low.

3. Back up your price

There's an art to presenting an offer that's substantially under the asking price. A low offer could start negotiations off on the wrong foot if you're not careful, Mr. Golden says. The key is for you or your agent to explain the offer when presented.

"Sellers want to know why you're coming in so low. Include recent [comparable sales in the area] or issues with the property that validate why your offer is so low," he says. Don't be too harsh with your criticism, however -- that can also work against you, he adds.

4. Know what you're willing to pay

Buyers these days have a strong motivation to get the best possible price on a property, especially if they believe that home values will fall even more, says Jay Butler, professor emeritus of real estate at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Their biggest worry is often that people will say they overpaid, he says.

But sellers have limits, too, most often dictated by the amount of home equity they have, Mr. Butler says.

Before negotiations begin, it's important for a buyer to decide what his walk-away price is, Mr. Carlisle says. "At some price point, the deal is no longer worth doing, no matter how great the property."

While a buyer should know how high she is willing to go, don't put limits in the first offer, Mr. Kliegerman says. You lose integrity if you say it's your "best and final" offer, but then are willing to come up with a few thousand dollars more in order to buy the property.

5. Make a clean, easy offer

When you make a low bid, you want other elements of the offer to be attractive to the seller. And a deal that can close quickly often will have appeal.

Make sure there are as few contingencies as possible, Mr. Golden says. It's best if buyers don't have a home to sell in order to buy the one they're bidding on, Ms. Stynes says.

Also, have your financials in order from the start. Loan qualification is more difficult these days, so it's important to have a lender pre-approval letter, Mr. Carlisle says.

6. Be smart about a cash deal

Cash is king, but in the end, a seller often wants the most money for his home -- regardless of if the buyer needs a mortgage or not. So don't think making an all-cash bid will automatically mean an accepted offer.

If the seller is a bank because the property is a foreclosure, the institution may accept a lower offer from a cash buyer, as opposed to someone who needs a mortgage, Mr. Golden says. Banks often don't want to deal with mortgage-related delays.

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