The fabric of our lives, naturally preserved artifacts, can be worth some serious dough — but people rarely get away with heisting these valuable artifacts due to the major security in museums all over the world. Riots and looting, however, sometimes trump these security measures and many artifacts are destroyed in the process. But shameless looters are not the only reason you won’t see your favorite Chinese tombs in a museum near you — natural disasters, careless construction workers and angry evangelists also make appearances on this list of 5 incredibly valuable artifacts that were destroyed.
 
 

The Museum of Egyptian Antiques

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Loot like an Egyptian? With political unrest reaching a fever pitch throughout Egypt earlier this year, a group of protestors in Cairo decided to focus their anger on the past instead of the present when they broke into The Museum of Egyptian Antiques . At first taking to the newly renovated gift shop and café for over-priced jewelry and snacks, the looters then moved into the museum itself and ran amuck on some of Egypt’s most valuable pieces currently in preservation. By breaking through the glass-paned ceiling and sliding down ropes, nearly 50 Tom Cruise-wannabes trashed various artifacts in the Late Period gallery, stole ancient treasures and destroyed a well-known statue of King Tut on a panther. Which is upsetting, because that sounds both incredibly noble and visually hilarious. 

National Museum of Iraq

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Looters were also the cause of more cultural devastation as groups of aggressors managed to steal more than 15,000 registered objects from the National Museum of Iraq during the month that preceded the 2003 Iraq War. While precautionary measures were attempted in order to secure the museum in the months leading up to the war, looters still managed to walk away with some of the museum’s most historically important pieces. Most of the stolen antiques were assumed destroyed, but nearly 5,000 items were later recovered –Three of which were determined to be the most valuable pieces missing: the Sacred Vase of Warka, the Mask of Warka and the Bassetki statue. Various items were reportedly scattered throughout Jordan, France and Switzerland; the headless stone statue of the Sumerian king Entemena of Lagash, however, was found in the good ol’ U.S. of A (along with almost 1,000 additional artifacts), thanks to aid from a New York art dealer who had encountered the piece. For his troubles, the dealer asked the Iraqi government for his full commission rate and a live scorpion. Neither was granted. 

Chinese Construction Mishaps

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So who’s the jerk in China who ripped into 100 ancient tombs like a 7 year-old on Christmas morning? No one seems to be certain, but because of the “improper excavation of the local cultural relic department”   in Xi’an’s Chang’an District in 2005, they’re all ruined. WAY TO GO, GUYS. The tore-up tombs were evidence of several dynasties (Han: 206BC-AD 220, Sui: 581-618, Tang: 618-907) found scattered in the Zhixin Cherry Blossom Garden in Guodo Town. Apparently this is becoming an unfortunate trend in China though, as construction workers in Nanjing accidentally destroyed 10 more ancient tombs in 2007. What were they working on, you ask? A magnificent cultural institution? A stately cathedral? Nope. An Ikea. They ruined artifacts dating back 1,800 years to construct a Swedish furniture store. Let’s hope they’re enjoying their Dagstorps and Karlstads, because who wouldn’t want a loveseat that lasts a year instead of a piece of history that has lasted lifetimes?

Women’s Club of Huntington Beach fire

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It was neither stupidity nor greed, but instead fire that resulted in the loss of a century’s worth of artifacts at the Women’s Club of Huntington Beach. In 2005, a tremendous fire, which required the attention of more than 50 firefighters and several gallons of always-comforting ice cream, burned the Women’s Club to the ground and engulfed everything inside it. The Women’s Club moved into the building in 1916, and some of the items lost included an antique grand piano, dishes that were used to serve regular meals to members during its inception and decades-old paper records. The club was renowned as an important part of the local community as well as an important part of local history. The members of the club helped establish the city’s first library and held countless educational programs in the early 1900s that were widely unavailable for women at the time. Women’s Clubs everywhere intended on holding candlelight vigils in memoriam of the tragedy, until they realized it was likely a fire hazard and drank wine instead. 

Nigerian Pentecostal Church burnings

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Several years ago, many members of the Pentecostal Church in Nigeria started burning centuries-old, extremely valuable African artifacts to blatantly erase history. Because if someone burns a shrine in a forest, it never really existed and no one ever prayed to it and congratulations, you are probably going to hell for that … right? Led by pastors of the Pentecostal Church, members have been urged to both reject and destruct any “paraphernalia of ancestral worship.”  That means that anything they own, as well as anything their neighbor owns, should most definitely be bonfired. One community in the rainforest belt has repeatedly had to defend its carved god figures and ceremonial costumes from looters and recently instated a gong to sound an alert for intruders. One participator happily confessed his involvement in the bonfires saying that “I had experienced a series of misfortunes and my pastor told me it was because I had not completely broken the covenant with my ancestral idols. Now that I have done that, I hope I will be truly liberated.” Let us know how that works out for you, buddy.

In the past, traveling usually meant being disconnected from life for chunks of time while in transit. Things have changed dramatically and today travelers can stay connected throughout their trips. However, the ease and cost of staying online during a trip can vary. Here’s a look at the best airports for travelers out of the 40 busiest airports in the US.

Via: Online MBA News

Source: MetroFax – Online Faxing

International Income

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Interest has surrounded General Electric’s supposed tax cutting maneuvers for years. The New York Times reported that G.E. paid very little in American taxes and claimed $3.2 billion in tax benefits, but a CNNMoney Fortune blog stated that there were inaccuracies in this data (stating that the company said it would not be receiving any tax refund).

Despite the debate and confusion, even that same CNN article says that G.E. “has been an aggressive tax-minimizer” for decades, so this behavior isn’t much of a secret. So how does the company accomplish this drastic feat? By concentrating its profits offshore, G.E. doesn’t qualify for typical U. S. profit taxes.

According to ABC News, Google has used similar tactics. In three years, Google saved $3 billion in income taxes. The profit made overseas never came back to the U.S. and thus didn’t get taxed here. Google funneled its overseas profits through Ireland, The Netherlands, and Bermuda to avoid even overseas taxes.

The Greatest Saver

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Pepco Holdings had a company tax rate of about minus 118% in 2010, according to a Washington Post article about a report compiled by the Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Pepco claimed $270 million in federal tax credits, and paid the lowest rate of all firms investigated in the report.

An author from the study said one way the company could have accomplished this amount of savings was by using accelerated depreciation, but the CFO of Pepco responded in a column stating that while accelerated depreciation reduced taxes, the company paid many other taxes like real estate taxes, payroll taxes, etc.

Made in America

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Just because a car has a foreign label doesn’t mean it was built in another country. Many manufacturers based in different parts of the world have plants in the U.S. and assemble many of their vehicles here. The Honda Accord was the first Japanese-branded vehicle built in the U.S. This was back in 1982, and people criticized the decision to start assembling cars here.

Why were people so critical? Because they saw the action as way for the company to avoid taxes and tariffs that would have applied if they were importing the cars instead of building them in the U.S. (whether this was true or not). In theory, it is possible to avoid taxes by simply building the cars in the U.S.

Sign it on the Sea

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Some companies can sign documents on international waters, at a certain altitude in the air, or cross state lines to avoid paying tax. In theory, to avoid paying the documentary stamp tax in the state of Florida, someone could possibly send the documents to a person located outside of Florida’s jurisdiction using an online faxing service and complete the transaction there. The tax applies to documents that transfer an interest in real Florida property. Examples include warranty deeds, contracts for gas and oil rights, assignments of contract or agreement for deed, and more.

Conclusion

Gaps in tax law have allowed many companies to make money and sparked many controversies about whether or not laws should be amended. Do you know of any other instances of major tax loopholes leading to major profit? Feel free to share them in the comments.

In 2010, 88% of online retailers participated in Cyber Monday, and the event only looks to be gaining more steam. This infographic breaks down the rapid growth of one of the biggest shopping days of the year and explores the retailers’ behind-the-scenes attempts to keep up with the increasing customer volume.

Cyber Monday is growing by leaps and bounds every year as people realize that it is far easier to make a purchase online than it is to wait outside a store at 3 am. We can expect to see even more buyers participating in 2011, with sales going higher than ever.

Source: Modis – IT Staffing Agency

In 1672, the first mail services in Americas were unofficial routes between the northern colonies’ largest cities Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. As the colonies grew they found their need for better communication growing. This need would spawn the evolution of communication in United States of America. Starting in 1844 with the invention and use of the telegraph by Samuel Morse, to the first use of a fax machine in 1922, and finally the dawn of the of the digital age in 1971 with the first email. Since then America’s need for constant communication has moved into online faxing, video sharing, live web conferencing and more. See what led us down this path and what the future holds for communication in America.

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<br /> <a href="http://www.businesspundit.com/the-evolution-of-communication/"><img title="The Evolution of Communication" src="http://www.businesspundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/evolution-of-communication.png" alt="" width="400" height="1827" /></a>Presented by:<a href="http://www.metrofax.com/"> Metrofax – Internet Faxing</a></p> <p>

Being a boss takes a lot of hard work, and while 55% of employees enjoy socializing with their bosses, the rest find it comfortable, unnecessary, or just difficult to do. Because it’s always a challenge to foster a team of happy, productive employees, the best bosses in the country should be recognized for their leadership and good communication skills. Vote in the America’s Best Boss Contest to make sure the greatest boss in the country gets the accolades he or she deserves.

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<a href="http://www.businesspundit.com/how-to-win-over-colleagues-and-influence-executives"><img title="How To Win Over Colleagues and Influence Executives" src="http://www.businesspundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/win-over-colleagues-influence-others.png" alt="" width="400" height="2228" /></a>Source:<a href="http://www.adeccousa.com">Adecco USA</a></p> <p>

The infographic below explores how Americans spend Labor Day.

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All data for the graphic was provided by Adecco USA – Labor Day Survey

There are over 1,000 different smartphone apps for businesses, and it can be difficult to weed through which ones offer the best tools and resources that can help your business grow. To help make your search easier, here’s a look at some of the best apps to download to your iPhone or smartphone that can help you see your business grow.

Freshbooks App

No business can thrive without the ability to bill and collect money from clients and vendors. The Freshbooks app gives businesses the ability to create invoices right on their smartphone. Invoices generated on your smartphone can be sent directly to the client or vendor’s email or fax machine for faster, simpler billing. Faster billing procedures can help you see your business’ client base and finances grow.

MetroFax App

The MetroFax iPhone app has just released and is a great addition to any business that is looking to grow and expand. MetroFax offers you the ability to send and receive faxes from your iPhone. This business tool offers you the chance to network and expand your business, without having to worry about missing an order or important fax from a client.

LinkedIn App

Networking is a great way to help your business grow and expand. With the LinkedIn app, you can network with prospective clients, business partners and vendors with just a few touches of your iPhone or Android smartphone screen. You’ll be able to network anywhere, at any time with this valuable business app.

Evernote App

There’s a lot of work behind growing and expanding a business. Between the various to-do tasks, emails being sent back and forth, and meetings you need to attend it can get very hectic. Everything from screenshots, websites, notes, emails and lists are saved and retrievable from your smartphone with the Evernote app. With the help of this business app, you’ll be able to organize all the information you need to help your business grow.

Dimewise App

Part of helping a business grow is knowing exactly where the business’ finances are going and what is bring brought in. The Dimewise app can help you track and record all business purchases right on your smartphone. You can even compare the information to your bank account and assess whether or not you are spending the business’ funds in a way that will help promote growth. With the help of this app and the ability to organizing your business’ finances, you’ll be able to prepare your business for expansion and growth by gaining the assets to you need to make it possible.

It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to see a business grow. With the help of the five business apps listed above, you’ll gain access to various tools and resources you need to expand your business.