Misbehaving Thai police have to wear big bright pink Hello Kitty armbands with their dull grey uniform as a part of punishment for committing trivial offenses, such as showing up late, parking illegally, and getting in fights with other officers! This new approach is expected to produce a feeling of fault and discourage them from committing the offence. Wearing these armbands would act as deterrent and stop officials from indulging in such activities, thought the policy makers. Who would have imagined that a famous Japanese pop culture icon could be used to discipline Thai cops!

In medieval times, Ohaguro was a custom of dyeing one's teeth black in Japan. The Japanese used to dye their teeth and the practice was popular in Japan until the Meiji era. A similar custom is also common in the south-eastern parts of China, Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia. In Japanese culture, this was a common practice for over a century as black was seen as beautiful back then. Things that were pitch black, such as glaze-like lacquer, were considered beautiful. Mainly married women would indulge in this practice but men did it occasionally as well. Medically, it would prevent tooth decay, and was believed to be an equivalent of modern day dental sealants.

What came first? Orange, the colour or orange or the fruit? The fruit came before the colour. The word 'orange' originates from the Arabic 'naranj' and arrived in English as 'narange', slowly losing the initial "n". This continuous wrong usage of the word has also left us with the word apron (from 'naperon') and umpire (from 'noumpere'). Orange as a colour was first used in 1542. That leaves us with a question, what colour is the fruit then? Oranges are a hybrid of tangerines and Chinese grapefruit (pale green or yellow), and were first grown in south-east Asia. They weren't actually orange in colour, but green.

When you paint dirty or oily areas, the paint will chip off easily. So, it's a must to first clean the dirty areas with a powerful cleanser meant for pre-paint cleaning. This technique works well on clean painted, varnished surfaces to improve the bond of the new paint so it lasts longer. These cleansers are perfect for clearing greasy or oily areas like kitchen and bathroom walls and dirt around light switches and knobs. Take the cleaner and wipe in a circular motion using a cotton cloth or rough pad. Start from the bottom and work it up. Once the surface is clean, fill in any marks or cracks, then sand them before painting. These cleansers can be bought from available paint stores or utility shops.

When painting a home, what is the ideal order one must follow? This may seem obvious, but it's important to paint in a sequential manner. Professional painters also experience some amount of drops, splash and spills. So, make sure you follow this order while painting. Start with the ceilings first. Begin by painting the strip on the ceiling where it collides with the wall. Use a roller with an extension pole, start with one corner and work across to maintain a wet edge. Next, paint the walls. Paint sections of the walls one by one. Use a roller for creating a clean, uniform look. Once the walls are done, continue with woodwork and paint all spaces around doors, windows, ceilings and floor.

You've just finished painting your walls and you are proud of the work you've done. Extend the life of your walls by using these nifty cleaning habits. For basic cleaning, wait till 2 weeks after painting. Use a soft cloth dipped in mild soapy water and wipe in a circular motion, gently. Then, rinse with a clean, damp cloth. Remember, leaving it wet will attract dust and too much water can ruin the paint itself. In case of spots, use a home remedy of baking soda and water. It works wonderfully well. Rub the solution over the spot, rinse with a sponge and dry with a cloth.