Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Bubble Wrap Torture Chamber

Cruel and unusual punishment
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There is one characteristic that separates human beings from the rest of the animal kingdom, one primal, quintessentially human urge, and it is this: to pop bubble wrap. Rare indeed is the human who can resist this urge, when faced with a sheet of fresh, unpopped bubble wrap.

Imagine, then, the psychological torture of being locked inside a room where the walls are covered from ceiling to floor with unpoppable bubble wrap.

Skilfully crafted to look as soft and crumplable as normal bubble wrap, the plastic used is tough enough to resist the prisoner's attempts to pop it. Even if, by some unlikely chance, he manages to tear a small piece away, it will be in vain, for this will not produce the popping sound and squishing sensation that bubblewrappoppingophiliacs (which is to say, almost all of us) yearn to hear and feel.

Care is taken to ensure that the prisoner cannot relieve his frustration by other methods: for example, his drinks are served either in bottles with the labels glued on so firmly that he cannot peel them off, or in glasses with plastic ice cubes that he cannot crunch.

So much more effective than a normal padded cell, the bubble wrap torture chamber slowly but surely compels prisoners to surrender their secrets, their sanity, or both.

imaginality, Nov 11 2006

Bubble Wrap http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_wrap
[imaginality, Nov 11 2006]

Bubble Wrap Room Bubblewrap_20Room
Same idea, but with normal bubble wrap. See what a pleasant, happy feeling the thought of being in this room evokes? The bubble wrap torture chamber will produce the opposite sensation! [imaginality, Nov 11 2006]

Bubble Gunn Bubble_20gunn
[2 fries]'s invention might also come in handy somehow [imaginality, Nov 11 2006]

Bubble Wrap Tests Bubblewrap_20Multip...ce_20Tests_20v2_2e0
Interesting idea and discussion [imaginality, Nov 11 2006]

[link]






       I think it would work better if the prisoner knew it *could* be popped. The guard could approach from the outside and, appropriately sedated (to prevent addiction) and equipped with a long popping stick and earplugs, he could pop one every now and then. As a safety precaution, there could be a smash glass device, nearby, with a roll of bubble wrap inside, just in case the guard lost self control.
Ling, Nov 11 2006
  

       While I find popping bubble wrap to be most relaxing I also find it to be most annoying when *someone else* pops, slowly, with no beat or pattern. Just a random <POP>, then , wait for it, wait for it, nothing. Then you think, "Cool, no more popp<POP>Arrrgh!"   

       So add that to your torture cell. Unpoppable bubble wrap, with the sound of unstoppable pops. Oh God, just sets my teeth on edge thinking about it.
NotTheSharpestSpoon, Nov 11 2006
  

       // There is one characteristic that separates human beings from the rest of the animal kingdom //   

       Actually, we have a dog at work that loves to chew bubble wrap (under adult supervision, of course). He attacks the bubbles and keeps chewing and ripping until he is satisfied that he has gotten them.
MoreCowbell, Nov 11 2006
  

       It would be even worse if every 1000th or 10000th bubble was _actually_ poppable. If it never works, you'd give up. With the occasional poppable bubble, you'd end up on a "gambler's schedule." Such a cruel invention...
cowtamer, Nov 12 2006
  
      
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