Wayne Kong Yuk-shan, a branch officer at an Aeon office in the Central business district, says some 100 people, a number of them male, queued every day to apply for the pastel-pink card - and choose their free gift from a selection of Hello Kitty appliances. (These days, the giveaways are Kitty cup noodles and a cushion.) "Hong Kong people are very influenced by Japanese culture, so they like Kitty, " says Kong.

CNN: PRETTY IN PINK SLUMP

Levin says he prefers that the rescue money come from the TARP kitty, but he says Democrats just don't have the votes to pass such a measure.

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"Hello Kitty is a perennial, " says Bangkok-based Dave McCaughan, director of McCann-Erickson Asia-Pacific Consumer Insights.

CNN: PRETTY IN PINK SLUMP

"Perhaps that helps her become what people want her to be, " says Yamaguchi Yuko, the Sanrio designer in charge of the Kitty line.

CNN: PRETTY IN PINK SLUMP