OK, I'm not sure what to think of this....
Someone I don't know sent me this message (to my old e-mail address, no less) from the New York Times website:
Changing opinions for halflings means a new modelling career for Thailand's young folk... Any of this sound familiar?
And here's the article it linked to (nb. free registration required in order to view articles on this site.):
Oh Blue-Eyed Thais, Flaunt Your Western Genes!
Increasingly, the round face, arched eyebrows and small mouth of the classical Thai look have given way in popularity to the sharper and more pronounced features of the West. There has been a similar easing of prejudice in other Asian countries, but nowhere has the look taken over quite the way it has in Thailand.
In a poll conducted two years ago to name the sexiest men and the sexiest women in Thailand, seven out of the nine top scorers were of mixed blood.
It's an interesting enough article, but again, how I received the link for it is just a little weird....