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It's the biggest investment most of us will make.
But often, standing between you and your dream home is someone like the guy pictured at right. Ryan Serhant is a top New York City real estate agent and a star of the Bravo reality show "Million Dollar Listing New York," whose second season is scheduled to begin in May. Serhant knows the property game inside and out -- here are some inside secrets. 1. Real Estate Is a Darwinian Struggle for Survival "Sometimes real estate can get dirty," Serhant told ABC News' Deborah Roberts. "This is a bare-knuckle business, and there are no refs on the sidelines." Why? "In New York City alone, there are 27,000 real estate agents," he continued. "Last year there were 12,598 contracts, right? That means a lot of real estate agents did not do deals." Was he a shark? "You have to be," Serhant said. 2. Web Listings Are Often False "I can take a photo from anywhere around the world, and I can just create a listing page," Serhant said. "Or sometimes people will ... keep up a listing that has been on the market [after it's sold]. They sold it two years ago, but they've never taken it down." What do they do when someone calls and wants to see it? "They'll say something like 'The apartment is no longer available' ... or 'It just went into contract. Can I show you something else?" 3. Listings Are Littered With Misleading Sales-Speak Sandra Rinomato -- a real estate agent and veteran of what is foreclosurre the popular reality show "Property Virgins" -- revealed a few examples. "'Cozy' means small," Rinomato said with a chuckle. "'Awaiting your touch' means, you're going to have to do a lot of work here." "'Partial view' means ... you have a partial view of the water because you're looking at it through a building," Serhant said. "You have a very 'bright' apartment just because there's fluorescent lights, not because it has direct sunlight. You can have a 'loft-y' apartment just because there's very small furniture in there, and it makes the ceilings look really big." 4. If You Can't See It, Agents Don't Mention It "The biggest ethical issue that I see in the real estate market is dishonesty," Serhant said. If someone was hurt or killed in a home, or if it had bedbugs or termites, many agents will keep mum and, if pressed, simply say they didn't know, Serhant said. 5. Open Houses Are More for the Agent Than the Seller or Buyer "The real reason why a realtor does an open house is for self-promotion," Rinomato said. "We're short sale stock using the 'For Sale' sign or the ads, the Internet presence, to get buyers to call us, and then we can convert them." 6. Agents 'Double End' You to Get Bigger Commissions If you're selling your home, the highest offer wins, right? Not necessarily, Rinomato said. Agents for sellers sometimes keep a higher offer from the seller to avoid splitting the commission with another agent, she said. "I have registered an offer on someone else's listing, and the sellers never knew about it. I chased down that agent ... for days, and then saw [the listing] posted as a 'sold' on the board," Rinomato said. "He of course 'double ended' it. He had a buyer in his pocket and didn't want to see my offer." 7. You Don't Need to Hire a Pricey Company to Help Stage Your Home Agents often recommend expensive companies to spruce up your property, but in reality, Rinomato said, losing the clutter and adding a fresh coat of neutral paint does the job. Overview
There are some restrictions on what types of real estate a foreign national can own in Malta. Generally speaking, a foreign national is able to buy one piece of residential property that will be used as that person's primary residence or that will be used by that person as a holiday residence during part of the year. With this in mind, an individual foreign national is not able as a general rule to buy commercial or industrial real estate in Malta. There are some instances in which a foreign national will join with citizens of Malta to form a joint legal venture -- usually in the form of a limited liability company -- to by non-residential real estate. It is important to keep in mind that this type of arrangement does require approval from different governmental agencies in Malta. Even for EU member state nationals (Malta is now a part of the European Union) the ability to own real estate in the country is limited at this point in time. There is some natural and necessary movement to relax different real estate laws in regard to foreign her explanation nationals in the future to bring Malta more inline with the open market concept that is the centerpiece of EU membership. Investment Real Estate As has been set forth previously, there are some pretty stark limitations on what type of real estate a foreign national can purchase in Malta. With this in mind, the opportunities for investment in real estate -- beyond the ownership of a primary residence or a holiday home -- by a foreign national are limited. Again, and as was discussed, there are some instances in which a foreign national will join together with citizens of Malta, to develop a legal entity that will take possession of real estate in that country for investment purposes. Even with this noted, the number of foreign nationals who are involved in such a venture is not significant due to the hurdles that must be surmounted in order to win governmental approval and authorization to purchase real estate beyond a residence. There may be some relaxation in the laws governing investing in real estate by foreign nationals who are from European Union nations in the future. Of course, the concept behind the EU is to allow for a free economic flow between member nations. Thus, with Malta now a part of the EU, it is likely that there will be changes in its real estate laws my latest blog post as they same pertain to investment in different types of real estate in the country by citizens from other European Union nations. Residential Real Estate - Single Family Dwellings Generally speaking, it is only residential real estate that can be purchased at this time by foreign nationals in Malta. Although Malta has joined the European Union, where there can be found a broader ability of foreign nationals who are from EU member countries to by real estate within the EU, this barrier has not been fully surmounted in Malta. The primary reason that there is a heavier restriction on foreign investment in real estate arises from the fact that there is, indeed, only a limited amount of real property available to sale within the borders of that country. Unlike many other nations, that still have undeveloped frontiers and a significant amount of space still available for development, such is not the case with Malta. A foreign national, with relative ease, can make the purchase of one piece of residential real estate -- either to be used as a private and personal residence or as a holiday home. This will be discussed in greater detail shortly. Many Europeans have purchased larger homes in Malta that have become favored second residences, holiday homes. A foreign national can stay within Malta for a period of up to three months at a stretch with no tax consequences or special filing requirements. A foreign national can spend between three to six months in consecutive succession in Malta with permission of the government. Generally, there will be no additional tax consequences on a foreign national in Malta until that person remains in country for a period beyond six months. Residential Real Estate - Apartments Upscale apartments remain attractive choices for foreign nationals looking to purchase real estate in Malta. As will be discussed shortly, a foreign national can make the purchase of residential real estate in Malta provided the property is valued at $50,000 MLT (the Maltese national currency) as is to be used only as private primary residence or as a holiday home by the purchaser. These apartments -- high end apartments -- are in significant demand by foreign nationals at this point in time. These people, who enjoy spending part of the year in Malta (with its idyllic climate and easy lifestyle) are attracted to these apartments. Vacation Real Estate With its nearly perfect climate the entire year around, Malta has long been a favored travel destination for men and women from different countries around the world. The trend has continued unabated into the present day and age. As a consequence, there is a growing number of foreign nationals who are interested in finding real estate to purchase in that country for holiday or vacation purposes. Indeed, as will be discussed shortly, there are general limitations on the ability of a foreign national to purchase real estate in Malta, generally restricting these men and women to being able to purchase one piece of residential property that can be used as a holiday home or as a permanent residence. Successfully Purchasing Real Estate in Malta: Specific Steps to Buying Real Property in Malta Despite the fact that the real estate purchase process in Malta is a relatively easy process, there are some definite restrictions that apply to foreign nationals who are interested in purchasing real estate in Malta. Generally speaking, a foreign national can purchase a residence in Malta that is going to be used either as a holiday home or a that purchaser's primary residence into the future. In addition to this general restriction, there are some more specific requirements when it comes to a foreign national investing in real estate in Malta. First of all, the value of the real estate that is being purchased must not be less than 50,000 MLT (the national currency in Malta). Second, all of the funds that are used to purchase this real estate must be derived from outside of the country. Third, the real estate that is purchased cannot be rented out to anyone else. This includes property that is purchased for occupancy as a holiday home during only part of the year. Unlike in many other countries around the world, a foreign national buying such a residence in Malta cannot lease out the property to someone else when it is not in use by the purchaser and owner. There is one interesting exception to this prohibition. The owner of a residence with a pool can, in fact, lease or rent out the property to someone else when he or she is not utilizing the property for his or her personal benefit. Finally, on resale, a foreign national can repatriate the funds generated from the sale to his or her own country of origin. Once these restrictions are appreciated and understood, the actual process of buying and selling real estate Home Page in Latvia is simple. The initial phase involves the execution of a contract for sale. At this time, the buyer is obliged to post a deposit that normally is in the amount of 10% of the overall purchase price of the real estate. The preliminary agreement normally is valid for a period of three months. During this time period, the purchaser will obtain financing and the seller will make sure that there are no defects associated with the title that will prevent a clear conveyance of the property to the purchaser when the sale is concluded. The final contract ultimately is entered into between the parties. It is at this time that the buyer pays the remaining balance due and owing on the property. Additionally, it is at this juncture that the buyer will take physical possession of the real estate. There is some effort in Malta at the present time to relax at least to some degree (and most likely for residents of other EU member nations) the real estate laws in that country. Most of the proposals that are being considered center on allowing foreign nationals a bit broader usage with their residential property. For example, there are proposed laws being considered that would allow a person who owns a holiday home or residence in Malta the ability to rent or lease that property to someone else during those times of the year when the owner is not personally utilizing the real estate in question. Again, any such changes more than likely will be targeted towards citizens from EU member nations. When you are negotiating a short sale or note purchase through the bank on a defaulted property it's easy to overlook the possibility of a mortgage judgment being filed against the homeowner after the sale. It can be common practice for a bank to file a judgment against homeowners fro the remainder of a mortgage after a property has been sold for less than its mortgage.
A typical short sale involves negotiating with the bank to let you buy a property at a lower price than what is left owed on the mortgage to the homeowners. This allows you to pick up a property cheap, the bank to unload a mortgage that the homeowners just can't make payments on and the homeowners to get out from under a mortgage that's downing downhill fast. What Happens after the Short shortsale information Sale? Sometimes you'll find that the homeowners don't get away from this deal as Scott-free, as they were led to believe. The bank may say okay, we'll let you buy this mortgage or this property for say $60,000 when the homeowners still owe $100,000, but we're also going to court later on to get a judgment against the homeowner. This judgment against the homeowner basically says that the now former homeowner still owes the bank $40,000, which was the amount of the write-off the bank took on the sale of that property to you. That judgment will remain attached to the homeowner for 2 years and can really mess up their ability to get into a new home. It can also attach to another house that the homeowner buys after selling you the property. So the homeowner automatically gets a $40,000 debt property for sale tacked onto their other mortgage. The bank can also decide not get a deficiency judgment against the homeowner for the write-off on that defaulted property. While you are negotiating with the bank for that property you can also negotiate with them to not get that mortgage judgment against the homeowner. When the bank doesn't get a judgment, it is required to send out a 1099 form to the homeowner. This 1099 form shows the $40,000 write-off by the bank as income for the homeowner for that year. What to Do about the 1099 Form? As you can imagine, most homeowners will be terrified by this possibility. Either they get a deficiency judgment against them for the remainder of the mortgage or the IRS views that $40,000 write-off as income. Be sure to tell the homeowner, that when they get this 1099 Form they need to see their CPA or someone who is certified to do their taxes. The CPA will be able to tell them how to work with the IRS, so that this 1099 isn't shown as income. The homeowner may qualify for an 'exclusion' from the 1099 for selling their own home if they have lived in that home for the past 2 out of 5 years. In addition, there is a Form 982 that the homeowners may be able to fill out that shows they are 'insolvent' and have no funds from this sale. If they qualify through this form the IRS may not require them to pay taxes on that $40,000 write-off. Don't blame the banks for this little predicament that can pop up and ruin the homeowner's deal. They are required by law to get a judgment against the homeowner or to send out a 1099 form to the homeowner. Just make sure that you lee the homeowner know in advance that if they take the short sale or note purchase deal they will face one of these two possibilities. As the inventory of properties on the market increases, new home
buyers may consider foreclosed properties as a viable housing choice. But there are pros and cons home buyers need to consider when purchasing a foreclosed property. A foreclosure occurs when a bank repossesses a home from a borrower who has failed to live up to their obligations on the mortgage note. The foreclosing bank then offers the home for sale at a public foreclosure auction. The highest bidder at the foreclosure auction purchases the property "as is" and is awarded title to the property with all liens and encumbrances that come with it. Many times, the bank holding the note on the property is the highest bidder at the auction. In this case, the property becomes "bank-owned" or "real estate owned" (REO) property. For the average first-time home buyer, purchasing a home at a foreclosure auction is a risky endeavor. Two potential pitfalls are buying a mortgage foreclousre online system property without the opportunity to complete a home inspection or buying a property without even entering the home. You won't know about any major repairs until it's too late. You might also lose your deposit if you are unable to get a mortgage in time for the auction. Additionally, when purchasing a home at foreclosure auction, you become responsible for all outstanding liens and debt against the property (such as unpaid property taxes). And if the former owners are still living in the home, it is your responsibility to evict the current occupants in accordance with the law. A better option for the first-time home buyer may be to purchase a bank owned property. Typically, once the bank owns the property, it addresses any outstanding issues. You also gain the ability to have a home inspection done as a contingency to purchase. With that said, an REO property should still be viewed as a potentially distressed home in need of repair, because many times these properties are vacant for months. There are many people involved and many decisions to be made by the bank and its investors before an REO property can be sold. By working with an experienced Realtor, one who has dealt with bank-owed properties before, you can minimize your headaches and anticipate bottlenecks throughout the process. Anticipate delays Purchasing an REO property also requires special negotiating skills. This is where an experienced Realtor can help as well. The fewer contingencies you have in your purchase and sales agreement when making an offer the better it is for the bank. However, it is a greater risk for you. You need to find a balance between what you can live with and what you need. Selling banks have committees or individuals real estate commercial href="http://www.guildwars3gold.com/tag/va-loan/">property and homes for sale that review each offer on REO properties. Adding contingencies increases the time needed to review your offer, so get it right the first time. On the mortgage side, not only do you need to qualify for the mortgage, but the property needs to be qualified for the mortgage. Do not make an offer on a home until you are pre-approved for a mortgage. Understand and know the limitations of your mortgage. If you need bank approval or a home inspection on a property, write that into the purchase and sales agreement when you make your offer. Also, on the day of dosing, always do a walkthrough of the property first. If the property has been vacant, there may have been changes to the property since your last visit. The risk of buying a "money pit" can be real if you do not educate yourself and take all precautions to ensure that you are buying what you think you are buying. With a little work, purchasing a bank-owned property can be a worthy investment opportunity if you have patience, good communication and an understanding of all the risks. Andrew Cadorette is education coordinator of the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. Flight nursing jobs are one of the ultimate traveling nursing jobs. Among nurses with an itch to wander, flight nursing jobs are very in demand and have great pay and benefits. This unusual calling is not for every RN or LPN, but for those with a desire to tackle a truly intensive nursing career, then a flight nursing job is worth exploring. What are the requirements? What are the working conditions like? How is the salary? These are all very worthwhile questions and well worth exploring further if you are sincere in one of these high-in-the-sky traveling nursing jobs
Requirements for flight nursing jobs: Generally, registered nurses are desired with either a bachelor's degree in nursing or a two-year degree. Skills needed temp agencies jobs also include Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Basic Cardiac Life Support not to mention Pediatric Advanced Life Support as well as other training. Experience is the real key. Companies like AirEvac or AirMethods generally will not consider someone with less public employment agency definition than 2 to 3 years' experience and 5+ years is preferred. Beyond this level of experience is also the quality of experience. Flight nursing jobs are looking for nurses that have Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Room training. Any nurse that has great experience in an ICU or ER knows how to think under pressure and under difficult circumstances. Another way to gain useful experience is to be an ambulance runner. Nurses staffing these transport vehicles, again, gain valuable triage and emergent responsibilities which are what nursing agencies are looking for in a great employee. Jobs are sometimes difficult to come by so a great nursing candidate will have a wide variety of experiences and solid education to help make them stand out from the rest of the competition. Flight nurse working conditions: This can be almost anything! A flight nurse might work on a jet a small prop plane or a helicopter. The working conditions can be cramped, noisy, hot or cold. Bad and unexpected weather conditions can make matters even worse. Imagine treating a gunshot wound in the back of an ambulance with a patient flailing and resisting. Now imagine if you and the patient are in a tight, hot place that is being bounced around by air turbulence and a great storm. It takes nerves of steel for a nurse to remember her training under the most difficult conditions. Flight nursing jobs salary: The salary can vary greatly. There are commercial flight nurses and even jobs as a military flight nurse. Experience and certifications and education will also play a role. A common figure quoted as an average salary is $60,000. True figures are harder to come by as there are many factors involved. Salary is almost on a case by case basis. For adventurous nurses with a sense of danger and a strong sense of bravery, traveling nursing jobs are plentiful but none offer the thrills and adrenaline rush like flight nursing jobs. The ability to travel, strong pay and real sense of accomplishment draw experienced nurses into flight nursing jobs. Not just any nurse is good enough and competition is strong. Gain as much experience in ICU and trauma conditions and as much education and continuing education as possible. Someday, the flight nursing job you have been seeking may be there on the tarmac. Last Updated Nov 19, 2010 10:24 AM EST
(Credit: Flickr photo / greenwenvy08) You head to Costco to stock up on staples -- say, paper towels and cleaning supplies -- but you walk out with three salmon filets, a tub of cream puffs, and a ream of printer paper. Why? Most of us are notoriously poor at assessing a true bargain, says C.W. Park, professor of marketing at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, and editor of The Journal of Consumer Psychology. Seduced home furniture diy by the prospect of saving money, we give in to impulse buys. Eventually, we regret the purchase or throw much of a past-its-prime product away. It's called the Costco Effect, and it's actually part of the store's incredibly successful retail strategy. But the effect on your wallet is that you spent more than you would have if you'd never seen that "bargain." 5 things to buy at Costco 6 Clever Tricks for Holiday Shoppers Not So Fast: 7 Things to Buy After Christmas Here are four product categories where you're better off going somewhere other than Costco. Designer Clothes You might score the occasional pair of Lucky jeans or a Speedo swimsuit, but designer duds aren't exactly Job 1 at Costco. Even if you do see an item from a top-tier name brand, you can't assume it's the same quality as the similar-looking product at a department store. "Just because it's a national brand name, an item of clothing doesn't have to meet the standards you'll see in other stores," says Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst at the NPD Group, a market research firm. Kathryn Finney, founder of The Budget Fashionista, says it's no secret that most name designers make cheaper lines just for warehouse clubs or outlet stores. The tip-off, says Finney, will be in the packaging and/or label on the garment. Labels on the sub-brands are just glued on, and are usually stiff and crunchy, while labels on high-end goods are softer or silky, and stitched all around. Imported Shrimp Most shrimp sold in the U.S. is imported from countries in Latin America and Southeast Asia, where environmental regulations are often lax or not enforced, according to the Environmental Defense Fund, (EDF), an education and advocacy non-profit. The EDF classifies shrimp imported from these regions as "eco-worst" for the environmentally destructive ways in which they are often farmed. Greenpeace took aim at Costco's seafood sustainability practices last June with an aggressive campaign called Oh No Costco. While Costco seafood buyer Bill Mardon says his company has entered into a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund to set global standards for shrimp farming, the specific objectives are still being discussed. "Costco gets credit for starting down the road," says Tim Fitzgerald, senior policy analyst for oceans at of the EDF, "but they are still very early on." In the meantime, you're better off buying shrimp at Trader Joe's, which is much further along on the same path. After Greenpeace launched its Traitor Joe campaign in early 2009, Trader Joe's pledged to remove all non-sustainable seafood from its stores by the end of 2012, and it's already taken concrete steps in that direction. More on MoneyWatch: Sheets and Towels "Target and Wal-Mart have this market cornered and they do a great job," says Budget Fashionista's Finney. Costco, by contrast, rarely stocks more than a handful of top-selling colors in sheets and towels. "If you want 20 colors, this isn't the place," admits Jim Klauer, Costco merchandise manager for bedding and the home. 12-Pound Crates of Navel Oranges Sure, it only costs $11.99, but it's not such a good deal if you end up throwing away half the fruit. Same goes for the package of six hearts of romaine lettuce, and the 3-pack of whipped heavy cream (240 servings) unless you're, say, hosting a sleepover for your child's entire soccer team. And their opponents. Teri Gault, founder of TheGroceryGame.com, which helps shoppers save on food, says that when it comes to produce, it's often more cost-effective to shop at your local supermarket and combine coupons with seasonal specials. Also avoid Costco's candy aisle -- do you really need a 5-pound bucket of licorice twists? This article is part of a package on shopping at Costco. Read the other article on 5 things to buy at Costco. © 2010 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Occasionally the shields which are presented to you neither suit your wood stove nor your taste. Right here is really a way you can make your own wood stove heat shield that may work out much less costly than purchasing one and fit in perfectly with the décor in your home.
You don't want to harm your heat shield so prior to establishing the wood stove, ensure that the stove is far sufficient away from the wall. The ground regrettably, you cannot avoid. The stove will be in extremely close proximity to the floor as a result it also needs to be protected. The heat shield needs to cover the wall straight at the rear of it and also the floor. Initial starting using the region behind the stove, map out an area 3 occasions the width of the stove and twice as high. Tile the ground region with the identical quality clay tiles. It might be necessary to organize an elevation, particularly if you're putting the burner on a wooden ground. Similarly, instead of tiling the region you can put up a shield made from encounter bricks, these are also ideally fire resistant and act as being a ideal shield. Clay is a very heat resistant material since it sets under extremely high temperatures. Making your own heat shield from clay could be enjoyable and deliver out the creativity in you. It may be advisable to do it under the guidance of a potter whose kiln will come in custom made furniture useful! The dimensions of the wood stove heat shield will remain the identical regardless of what material you choose, but you can select any shape, perhaps an arch way. By utilizing a skewer to sample the clay, you can create a Japanese effect or customize it with quaint cottage designs. You can find more information about wood stoves at http://thegreatfireplace.com/wood-stove-heat-shield-home-and-family-safe-and-warm/, where you can read about wood stove heat shields. Christmas is one of those times of the year when many Americans clean out our closets and donate some of our used clothing to a charity. Perhaps we hope that Santa Clause will replace them with shiny new shirts, jeans, blouses and shoes. Or maybe we just want to do some good.
Watch World News with Charles Gibson, 6:30PM ET for more on this story. In New York City, AnnMarie Resnick told ABC News why her family donates clothing at Christmas time. "By the time my kids grow out of it," she said, "it is generally in good condition, and I want someone else to get good use out of it." And who does she think is benefiting? "We hope, and we think we know, it is people in our neighborhood who just aren't as fortunate as us. And who need it." And the same sentiment from Marc Kaplowictz, who told ABC News: "I am assuming that is helping people who need it more than we do." But do most Americans really know what they're doing when they donate clothing? For instance, do you think you are giving your beloved but worn jeans to someone with no money to buy their own? Perhaps some poor person in your hometown, or even far away in Africa? Wake up and smell the money. Your used clothes are usually sold, not given away. According to various estimates, here's what happens to your clothing giveaways. In most cases, a small amount of the items, the best quality castoffs -- less than 10 percent of donations -- are kept by the charitable institutions and sold in their thrift shops to other Americans looking for a bargain. These buyers could be people who are hard up, or they could be folks who like the idea of a good deal on a stylish old item that no longer can be found in regular stores. The remaining 90 percent or more of what you give away is sold by the charitable institution to textile recycling firms. Bernard Brill, of the Secondary Recycled Textiles Association, told ABC News: "Our industry buys from charitable institutions, hundred of millions of dollars worth of clothing every year." So, at this point, the charity you have donated clothes to has earned money off of them in two ways -- in their shops and by selling to recyclers. Then the recycler kicks into high gear. Most of the clothes are recycled into cleaning cloths and other industrial items, for which the recyclers say they make a modest profit. Twenty-five percent, however, of what the recycling companies purchase from charities is used not as rags, but as a commodity in an international trading economy that many American may not even know about. Brill, from the textile association, picked up the story. "This clothing is processed, sorted and distributed around the world to developing countries," he said. Take that pair of bluejeans you may have recently donated. Your jeans are stuffed with others into tightly sealed plastic bales weighing about 120 pounds and containing about 100 pairs of jeans. The bales are loaded into huge containers and sold to international shippers who put them on ships bound for Africa and other developing regions. Again, the price of your old jeans has increased a bit because the shipper had to buy them. By the time the bale of jeans is unloaded from a container here in Accra, Ghana, it is worth around $144. That's $1.30 per pair of jeans. But when the bale is opened up and the jeans are laid out for sale in the so-called "bend over" markets, customers bend over and select their purchases from the ground for an average price of $6.66 per pair of jeans. That's a 500 percent increase in value just by opening up the bale of clothes. So now you know that about 70 percent of your old donated jeans are being used as cloths to wipe oil off of engine parts and the remaining 20 to 25 percent of pants that left your closet with no value are ultimately sold in Africa, where American clothes are extremely popular, for an average price of about $7 per pair. That's a bargain for African shoppers -- most of them are low-income earners who cannot afford to buy newly made U.S. clothes. And jeans are by no means the only American charity clothing items on sale here. I saw everything from T-shirts with U.S. logos like "General Motors" to major league baseball caps, name brand dresses, sports shoes and even underwear. All of them used. There are two ways to look at all this. One view is that it is wrong for entrepreneurs to profit from what you give away to charity, and that by dumping huge amounts of cheap U.S. clothing on the streets here, African textile industries are closing their factories and laying people off because they cannot make clothes as cheaply as those American items found in the bend over markets. Bama Athreya, deputy director of the International Labor Rights Fund in Washingtron D.C., told ABC News: "Many of these countries in Africa used to have a fairly well-developed indigenous market for textiles and clothing and particularly for hand-crafted or hand-tailored clothes. And we've seen those markets virtually disappear over the last decade or two." Athreya concedes that the African market for used U.S. clothing is not the only reason African workers have lost jobs. ABC News has spoken to various sources who point out that Africa also lags in production techniques and suffers from lack of infrastructure, job training and from corruption that undermines efficiency. But, added Athreya, "There is no question that the secondhand clothing market has had a significant impact on domestic African clothing production. The tailors, the small producers have been put out of business. Those were good jobs for Africans and there are no jobs taking their place. This is a trade that feeds on the poor rather than benefits the poor." And if Africans can't keep their factories open in order to make clothes, they can't make clothes to export to the United States, thus they continue to suffer economically. Neil Kearney, general secretary of the Brussels based International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers Federation says the practice is exploitative, "It is neo colonialism in its purest form. It's exporting poverty to Africa, a continent that is already exceedingly poor." This state of affairs upsets AnnMarie Resnick, a woman we met in Manhattan while she was donating clothes, who told ABC News: "It stinks. I don't like it, but I would still give. There are a lot of people who are going to constantly profit, because this is probably happening with really nice people. With us -- and we profit too -- we get a tax deduction. If I knew how to send to Africa myself, I would." Marc Kaplowictz, whom we also met while he was donating clothes in New York City, has mixed feelings: "And who ends up with the profit there? Big picture, obviously I would be against that. I am obviously the little guy in this process. I don't know. I don't think the answer is to have people stop donating." The other view is that the donated clothing market is actually the American way, that your old clothing is used at every step to create new wealth and to help people who are less fortunate. First of all, charities like Goodwill Industries and The Salvation Army make clear on their Web sites that proceeds for charity and thrift shops, as well as from bulk sales to recyclers, go directly to support education, work and drug rehab programs for people who would otherwise suffer greatly. After all, isn't that the spirit in which you gave your clothes to begin with? Brill, of the Secondary Recycled Textiles Association, told ABC News that it is a win-win situation. "It provides thousands of jobs here at home [in the U.S.] and it provides hundreds of thousands of jobs in Africa." And he added: "It also diverts waste material that would otherwise go to land fill. It goes to recycling, so it helps to protect the environment." Both the Goodwill and the Salvation Army point out on their Web sites that much of the donated clothes are sold in their charity shops to raise money for a variety of good causes. But there is no mention of the fact that some donated items are sold overseas at a profit to private enterprises. One Goodwill source stressed that Americans should continue to donate their used clothing because U.S. charities need their cut of this market in order to help other Americans in need. Most people we spoke with seemed to agree. Lynn Novick, also donating in New York, told ABC News: "So someone's making money every time they are sold? At least they are not going in the garbage, and going totally to waste...I will continue donating." And Valerie Adam, of Manhattan, said, "It is kinda the American way, isn't it.? Somebody discovered something and turned it into a business. I will continue donating. We Americans we collect so much. We accrue so much." And here on the streets of Ghana, Africans, for better or worse, end up buying a lot of what we give away. The Indus Valley Civilization, often mentioned as the Harappan Culture is surely one of the earliest and the greatest settlements in the history of Urban development. Little has been discovered about their ways of life. Almost all our knowledge about the Harappans, or the Indus Valley people (whichever we choose to call them) come from the elements of archaeology and other branches of modern forensic judgement. As such, their social and economic sides of life have been induced to a logically gratifying extent.
Society-The Indus Valley script of writing is yet to be deciphered and all we know are outcomes of our understanding of whatever is left mod commercial furniture of them in the form of Seals, Coins, Structures, and other remains. Of their society, the various dimensions of their life have are estimated as follows- Food-The Indus Valley people were, in all probability, vegetarians (at least the greater force of them) for evidence of agriculture is profound. Further, they are believed to have worshipped animals. As such, it is very decisive to conclude that they were indeed, vegetable eaters. Among the crops they grew-rice, barley and wheat are sure to be known. In addition, Palm, fruits and other vegetables were also consumed. Dress-It appears that the Indus Valley People generally made use a single piece of cloth to cover their bodies. Considering men, the dhoti is known to be popular and archaeology indicates that the dhoti was worn in such a way that it extended to the right hand arm. Women, on the other hand, Ornaments-Ornaments, beyond doubt, were of great value to the Indus Valley People. As is evident, both men and women made exclusive use of ornaments. These were generally considered as embellishments to beauty and jeweller was made. Cosmetics-It has been suggested that the Indus Valley People, women especially, were aware of Cosmetics. The indiansaga website mentions that women made prolific use of Cosmetics. Furniture and Utensils-These were varied and designed. The remains of furniture and utensils of the Harappans suggest that they were surely led a jovial life full of enjoyments. Conveyance-Seals bear testimony to the use of several forms of transport by the Indus Valley People. The presence of the modern equivalent of the Ekka(Horse drawn cart) is evident from the seals. However, the most popular form of conveyance was certainly the bullock-cart. Amusements and Recreation-The Harappans, as mentioned earlier, were merry-making people. It is evident that they took much delight is recreational forms such as singing and dancing. Further, their festivals consisted of the drinking of certain forms of wine. Economy-The Indus Valley people were economy conscious to be precise. It is not from nothing that a great civilization of theirs came into being. The various ingredients of their economy were based on Agriculture, Domestication of Animals, and Trade. Agriculture-The Harappans were an agricultural tribe. The very site of their settlement near the Indus river make this pellucid. There were frequent floods which brought in fertile soil and this probably formed a platform for easy crop growing. Domestication of Animals-The most popular animal to be domesticated was the Cow. Other forms of cattle too was domesticated. Further, dogs and cats were kept as pets. Trade-Several evidences indicate that the Indus Valley people had a resonant interest in trade. Indus Valley Seals have been found in Mesopotamia and other ancient cultures suggesting that a trade link did exist. |
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