Two photos are attached to this post: (A) a grand building; and (B) the blue sea behind a few medium-sized skyscrapers.
Let us take B first. The blue sea is the Black Sea, the medium-sized skyscrapers presumably hotels, and the place Sochi, the largest Russian resort city, the site of the XXll Olympic Winter Games in 2014 and the FIFA World Cup in 2018. Behind the photographer are the snow-topped mountains of the Caucasus.
Now we come to A, the grand building. If you click www.ruleaks.net/1901, you will see views of the interior and the grounds. Ruleaks is the Russian off-spring of Wikileaks and it is strongly suggested – but not firmly stated – that it is Vladimir Putin who is the owner of the grand building.
Some have observed that the grand building reflects the tastes of a nouveau-riche petit-bourgeois who wishes to be Louis the Fourteenth.
Surely, only bad-tempered envy can have triggered such an uncharitable thought.
Eric Koch’s book, The Weimar Triangle, is available at Indigo-Chapters and in your local bookstore. 
Assuming that having power presumes taste is highly questionable.
May I recommend a wonderful book that will enthrall you with its sheer tackiness. The title is Dictator Style: Lifestyles of the World’s Most Colorful Despots by Peter York (Author), Douglas Coupland (Foreword).
Thank you, Michael. I will look for it in the Library.
Speaking of buildings and Putin, if Putin ever visits Montreal I hope that he will be taken to the roof of a well-known hotel there. I would like to see “Putin on the Ritz”.
Alas, the Ritz in Montreal is no more. Converted to condos.
Pity! Is there not a Ritz opening in Toronto?
Yes. The Ritz Carlton. 5 Stars. 181 Wellington Street West. Opening this month.
It is true that the Muslim Brotherhood is laying low and has had no significant part in the Egyptian uprising. However, if there is turmoil after a possible departure of Hosni Mubarak they may be able to seize power, a la Iran. Contrary to Iran there is no obvious opposition leader, not like Khomeini. But that is the fear in the West. Not so unjustified, but unpredictable. Carter “betrayed” the Shah because the people obviously did not want him. He did not want the US to be on the side of the dictator.
If you have the time watch this:
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/rizkhan/2011/02/2011238843342531.html