This makes me want to barf

I look at this picture and I want to hurl! Makes me absolutely sick. What is that, a gold telephone in the middle of all that bling? What are we doing accepting gifts like this from these oil barons?

Michael Abramowitz writes in The Washington Post: "When President Bush showed up Sunday to meet United Arab Emirates President Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan, he was presented with the biggest bling Secret Service agents said they had ever seen: a giant necklace set with hundreds of rubies, emeralds and other precious stones, holding a medallion that included a hand-painted enamel American flag.

If you read about the opulence that the press corps is experiencing, it makes you realize the extent of the discrepancy between the rich and the poor in places like Saudi or the UAE.

It all reminds me of the Russian Empire. [Even the bling looks similar!] The nobles and monarchy were riding around in gilded carriages. And the peasants were starving. No wonder they want a revolution.

At least it's good to know we've got our secret weapon on the case!