Thursday, February 09, 2006

While We're Complaining About E-mails...

Has everyone seen the e-mail going around about the supposed Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's "house"? The e-mail contains pictures of an incredible building, exterior and interior, and claims the "former president of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu-Dhabi" can afford all this because we're paying $2.55 a gallon for gas.

Well, as I am wont to do, I checked it out on Snopes and guess what? It IS a hotel, not a private residence.

Also, it may be a long time since I obtained my geography degree, but if Abu-Dhabi is a city in UAE, why is the Sheikh named as president of the country and ruler of the city? That's like saying Bush is ruler of Washington, D.C. Or the principal of a school is also the ruler of her office.

My final point is in regard to the oil profits. I'm sure some blame for elevated prices can be placed on the Middle East, but the recently announced record profits based on high prices belong to a Texas-based oil company. Yes, that's an AMERICAN oil company.

I am inspired to invoke that old adage, "when you point a finger, you have three fingers pointing back at you."

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