Remember - always cut AWAY from yourself!

I'm curious how many people ended up in the ER on Christmas day having severely injured themselves in a vain attempt to extract their shiny new console controllers from the impenetrable plastic packaging. No small number of people, I suspect. Myself, I eluded serious harm during my tussle with no less than 3 XBox peripherals, and felt a sense of pride and accomplishment after the fact. I employed my trusty pocket knife for the task, though I wouldn't recommend an open blade as the ideal tool. I'm not sure there is an ideal tool. A laser perhaps. Prior to carving into the plastic with my knife, I paused, and three grisly scenarios played out in my mind. Firstly, I imagined completely severing my thumb and/or forefinger at the middle knuckle. Then, since I was seated at the time, I imagined accidentally plunging the blade into my thigh, slicing the femoral artery. Lastly, and least disturbingly, I envisioned plowing the blade into my in-laws' sofa, at which point I would look up and say, "Well, at least I didn't cut myself!"

What the hell is wrong with a nice, efficient box made of a bio-degradable material of some sort? The sad thing is that the people responsible for this packaging no doubt possess multiple academic degrees. And paid good money for them.

Oh yeah, in case you hadn't figured it out, I got an XBox for Christmas. After skipping the last, oh, 5 generations of consoles, I am now an official citizen of consoledom again.