Where did Hello Kitty go wrong?

I gotta wonder, what happened to Hello Kitty's branding that they allowed this - http://gizmodo.com/search/animal-abuse%20japans-hello-kitty-cat-humiliation-system-282872.php - to happen? And how can I purchase one for Shrapnel? Cats LOVE wearing costumes. It'll come just in time for Halloween!

And in a related story, have you read about how the Bangkok, Thailand, police department is making its police force wear pink Hello Kitty armbands of shame (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/07/world/asia/07cnd-thai.html?ex=1344139200&en=ddb02700f11dedb4&ei=5088&)? The thinking is that the macho macho police officers will stop misbehaving if they know that they're going to be slapped with a girly armband that will broadcast their shame. I'd swear that this is an urban legend but I've seen pictures of such an item.

I was telling my sister, Dustbunny, about this last night, and she told me that now whenever she hears anything Hello Kitty-related, she thinks of me. As a fully mature, functioning adult, I must say that that statement makes me proud.