International news isn’t usually much of a giggle, but today I saw not one but two items that are definitely good for a laugh–or cocktail party chat. First is a new way of disciplining policemen in Bangkok. The police department, according to AP, is cracking down on cops who litter, park illegally, or are late for work. The offenders must wear Hello Kitty armbands. “This new twist is expected to make them feel guilt and shame and prevent them from repeating the offense,” said police chief Col. Pongpat Chayaphan. “It’s not something macho police officers want covering their biceps.” The officers are also put on desk duty, so they don’t have to parade the pink cat cartoon in public. No word on whether that’s to save them public embarrassment, or to avoid the negative reinforcement that could come by making them very popular with small children. A man from Lima, Peru, smuggled a tiny monkey into the United States by hiding it under his hat. The man successfully flew Spirit Airlines from Lima to Fort Lauderdale without being caught. After spending several hours waiting at Fort Lauderdale International for a connecting flight, he boarded one to La Guardia. During that flight, however, the marmoset decided to come out and sit on the man’s ponytail, where he was spotted. He spent the rest of the flight perched on the man’s seat; both were taken into custody upon landing. The Center for Disease Control put the monkey into quarantine; if it’s healthy, it will be sent to a zoo. A spokesperson for Spirit said, “It is kind of a spirited monkey. That will be its nickname, Spirit.” I couldn’t possibly come up with a better comment than one left online, by Chicky667: “This isn’t funny. It could start a whole trend. You know … Monkey see, monkey do …” –Mary Hunt, Editor, eFlyer