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Plastic Packages Cause Injuries, Revolt

massysett writes "Everybody has been frustrated by plastic retail packaging that's nearly impossible to open. New toys and electronic gadgets arrive encased in plastic bubbles. Manufacturers say the packages protect goods and make them look nice, but opening them can be difficult enough to cause injuries that land people in the emergency room. Manufacturers have an appropriate term for the frustration: wrap rage. One man even invented a cutter designed specifically for cracking open plastic clamshells."

35 of 533 comments (clear)

  1. Cutter. by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny
    > One man even invented a cutter designed specifically for cracking open plastic clamshells.

    Did it look anything like this?

    1. Re:Cutter. by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, more like this

      --

      A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
    2. Re:Cutter. by billsoxs · · Score: 2, Funny

      no - that is not strong enough. You need something more like: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_boring_machine

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      This message was brought to you by "Lack of Sleep."
  2. this story was accepted at the wrong time by circletimessquare · · Score: 5, Funny

    editors: you should have waited 25 days, and accepted the story at about... oh 11:00 am on december 25th

    then you would have gotten a buttload of seriously frustrated, angry, and demented comments in the affirmative

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
    1. Re:this story was accepted at the wrong time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      don't worry, it will be

  3. Re:What do other people do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You can order online and they'll arrive at your door..........in a nice, shiny, plastic clamshell

  4. Geez by Reality+Master+101 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, I agree the packaging is annoying, but all the comments here are perplexing me (e.g., "how do the manufacturers expect people to open these?", "Using a knife is dangerous!!")

    Like, have people on Slashdot never heard of this fancy gadget called "scissors"? Come down from the trees, my monkey brethren, and let me show these wacky things called "tools".

    --
    Sometimes it's best to just let stupid people be stupid.
  5. FUNNY - Domesticus - Plasticus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny
    I work for one of those companies that import, sell, and manfuacture products just like that.

    Do you know how many times the US Customs dept calls up and asks us what specieces of CLAM is we are importing?

    Our answer is always: "Domesticus Plasticus" followed by a long pause...

    1. Re:FUNNY - Domesticus - Plasticus by Aenoxi · · Score: 2, Funny

      Ha ha, reminds me of something that happened at work a couple of months ago. One of our partners was on business in the US. He managed to lose his Blackberry and so our tech support guys in Hong Kong couriered him a couple of new ones. The package got stopped by US customs. When we inquired why it turns out that our tech guy had listed the contents as "Blackberries" and the customs had detained them as an illegal unlicensed food import... doh

      --
      "The sum of all knowledge does not imply the knowledge of all sums" Kurt Gödel (paraphrased)
  6. In other news... by freyyr890 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Kevlar-reinforced DVD cases! Annoying plastic wrap got you down? Our-easy to open* kevlar-reinforced DVD cases will prevent in store theft! *requires purchase of our new thermite-based case opener. May potentially destroy contents. Thermite case opener now shipped in new kevlar casing.

  7. Re:What do other people do? by Numbah+One · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lightsaber.

  8. Re:just had this happen by Afecks · · Score: 3, Funny

    How about when are trying to force something open and your hand slips making you hit yourself in the face? Do you give your hand a look of betrayal like I do?

  9. After using aviation snips by Harmonious+Botch · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...And while you are at Home Depot buy some glue, so after you open the clamshell you can repair the thing you ordered.

  10. Re:And what do they expect *us* to do? by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd rather we entrap the executive in a clamshell.

    Ok, we can provide an airhole if you insist.

    --
    You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
  11. Sealed ketchup bottles by Joosy · · Score: 4, Funny

    You flip open the top of a new bottle of ketchup. You squeeze. Nothing comes out.

    Oh, yeah. You forgot about the inner seal.

    You unscrew the top and are faced with a circular round piece of foil which seals the opening. Attached to this is a white plastic semi-circle. This is sticking up, implying that by pulling you will also remove the silver foil seal, allowing access to the product.

    You pull at the semi-circle [gently|firmly|side-to-side|straight up] and it detaches completely, leaving the silver seal in place and the product as inaccessible as before.

    --
    I'm sick and tired of these hip, "ironic" sigs. This is an actual, honest-to-goodness no-nonsense sig!
  12. Re:Now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    A buxom babe tied immobile with plastic straps... *awh yeah!* that's what I'm talk'n'bout!

  13. Re:What do other people do? by bitflip · · Score: 2, Funny

    why haven't there been any personal-injury lawsuits yet from all the people who've tried using a box-cutter or other sharp knife, which always gouges out sideways in a wickedly unpredictable and unsafe way

    Excellent. I was wondering how I'd pay for Christmas, and now I know...

  14. Re:just had this happen by jlarocco · · Score: 5, Funny
    How about when are trying to force something open and your hand slips making you hit yourself in the face? Do you give your hand a look of betrayal like I do?

    You are much to lenient with your extremeties. I suggest removing the limb immediately. Make your vengeance swift and unmerciful. The hand has openly defied you in the midst of its peers. It has opposed you once, and there is no telling how far it may go next time.

  15. Re:And what do they expect *us* to do? by Ninjaesque+One · · Score: 1, Funny

    Phew; at first, I thought I was reading about some esoteric sexual fetish the involved clamshells and the cutting of dingly things with said clamshells, and the mutilation of the clamshells afterwards. And then, you would lick the clamshells. . .

    What?

    --
    Ninjas and pirates. How piquant.
  16. Re:And what do they expect *us* to do? by redneckHippe · · Score: 2, Funny

    But I'm allowed to own a knife you insensitive clod.

    --
    It'll quit hurtin' once the pain stops.
  17. Re:just had this happen by Odin+The+Ravager · · Score: 1, Funny
  18. Re:What do other people do? by camperdave · · Score: 5, Funny

    My lightsabre is still sealed in its wretched clamshell. No wonder real Jedi make their own.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  19. thank god condoms by LM741N · · Score: 5, Funny

    don't come packaged like that

  20. Re:Funny, just sliced my leg yesterday by geekoid · · Score: 2, Funny

    That IS funny!

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  21. Re:What do other people do? by eggoeater · · Score: 2, Funny
  22. Re:And what do they expect *us* to do? by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 3, Funny
    I'd rather we entrap the executive in a clamshell.

    Ok, we can provide an airhole if you insist.

    You mean an airhole for the asshole?
  23. Re:Very Dangerous by Nahor · · Score: 4, Funny
    do you know what it's like explaining to your family why your finance has a slashed open wrist 2 weeks before your wedding?
    There is something Freudian there, but I'm not quite sure how to interpret it. Is it your future wife or the wedding that you find expensive?
  24. Re:What do other people do? by kennygraham · · Score: 5, Funny

    (Lets face facts here, I'm paying for the convenience of the packaging (which includes the DVD itself AND the case), not the movie itself, which is available for free (minus ISP costs) online).

    I would like to humbly thank you for properly nesting your parentheses. You, sir, are truly a programmer.

  25. Re:plastics by mrbcs · · Score: 3, Funny
    Second time on Slashdot I've seen an AC Pwned by a teacher / professor.

    Priceless... I LOVE slashdot!

    --
    I'm not anti-social, I'm anti-idiot.
  26. Re:And what do they expect *us* to do? by Ashtead · · Score: 2, Funny

    /me is showing hands

    I've been wondering about this spaghetti or more often, pasta, packaging myself. But at least this packaging which is frequently supposed to be re-closed, can be dealt with using scissors.

    Other kinds of packages are worse: I once bought a power-supply for notebook computers at an airport, one of these nice universal ones that would allow using 12V from the car or 100-240V from the mains. Since I had put the ordinary supply for the computer into checked baggage and I was waiting to change planes at the airport I thought I'd get a power supply from one of the stores there, and be able to sit down and use the computer, which was low on battery.

    But this power supply came in one of these armored plastic packages, and of course, air-side, there is not much of scissors or knives available at all, thanks to the paranoia generated after September 11 2001 ... even the only restaurant there that served something more substantial than sandwiches had only flimsy plastic knives and forks. So, no computing for me until I came home. I still found use for the power supply, as the bag with the original one was delayed.

    --
    SIGBUS @ NO-07.308
  27. Re:What do other people do? by sacrilicious · · Score: 4, Funny
    I would like to humbly thank you for properly nesting your parentheses.

    Here's a tough problem I agonize over, and wonder if you'd have an opinion. Let's say you write something in parens and it's funny enough to warrant a smiley face. Can/should the paren for the smiley's mouth count as the closing paren? In other words, is it better to do "(that was funny:)" or "(that was funny:))"?

    --
    - First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then ???, then profit.
  28. Re:What do other people do? by 1u3hr · · Score: 3, Funny
    2 open's and one close

    I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume this is ironic.

  29. the second is wrong by The+Creator · · Score: 4, Funny

    "(that was funny:)" or "(that was funny:))"?

    You'd need to escape the smileyparen. Like so: "(that was funny:\))" :)

    --

    FRA: STFU GTFO
  30. Re:just had this happen by bxbaser · · Score: 2, Funny

    I hate when that happens, but the makeup sex is the best.

  31. Re:What do other people do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Tell me about it. I buy food wrapped in metal all the time. I can't tell you how many scissors and knifes I'd ruined before I finally gave in to the scam that is: the can opener cartel.