Does this photo editor make me look fat?

One strange thing that many Arab websites have in common is a weird tendency to stretch photographs to fit into pre-defined dimensions, rather than cropping them. As a result one would see webpages filled with distorted images that look like Silly Putty versions of the originals.

Sometimes, the results are less than flattering.

From Syria's SANA news agency (h/t Soccer Dad via email):

Election of Top Model Syria for 2008-2009

Mar 24, 2009

Damascus,SANA _ In the festival of Top Model Syria which was held last night, Miriam Salibi, 18 years old, gained the title of Top Model Syria for 2008-2009.

The festival was held at the Princesses Palace Hotel and sponsored by Tourism Ministry in the presences of a number of artists and pressmen.

I don't know, maybe the photo editor prefers his women to have some meat on their bones.

And while we are at SANA, here's a typical "culture" article from that brutal dictatorship:

The Italian singer Moraizio Tistoni gave a concert Monday evening at Abu Rumanah Cultural Center, entertaining the audience with Syrian and Palestinian songs in both English and Italian.

Tistoni sang 14 songs in the praise of Syria, its people and its leader. Among the songs were /Good Morning Syria/, /I Love Syria/ and /My Syria…Sweet Syria/.

You almost expect to read "Three audience members who did not applaud vigorously enough were arrested and shot after the show."

Then again, Syria's culture includes things like this.