There was a discussion earlier about how tasteless a lot of modern Japanese architecture is. I got a real laugh about this article on the tastelessness of modern dictator's palaces. My favorite quote is a guy describing the interior of Ike Turner's mansion: "I didn't know you could spend a million dollars at Woolworths."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/book/story/0,14684,1586148,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/book/story/0,14684,1586148,00.html