Many devices have air-vents that simultaneously protect the interior electrics/moving parts etc whilst allowing a free passage of air.
Forgotten Prisoners of The Vent are a range of specially commissioned novelty figures installed during factory stage. They peer out mournfully between the grills/slots of these vents, with their hands gripping the bars like prisoners.
Details of their crimes come with the equipment, along with penalties incurred for releasing them early. ie forfeiture of warranty. In fact the only way they can be properly released is by taking the product to an authorised, designated outlet on its "service by" date. Special tools will then be deployed to release the Forgotten Prisoner of The Vent, who will be presented to the customer as a type of collectible reward.-- xenzag, Sep 17 2011 Belvedere http://www.google.c...r:2,s:0&tx=77&ty=81 [po, Sep 17 2011] //some of the figures should not be there at all// http://www.chicagom...Protess-and-Medill/ [mouseposture, Sep 17 2011] //Occasionally the vent-prisoners will riot// http://news.google....m=1&ved=0CDMQqgIwAA [mouseposture, Sep 17 2011] Malfunctioning Disney pirate of the jail http://www.youtube....watch?v=0o3b-SjAtkMConsequence of improper servicing of equipment [Ander, Sep 19 2011] Chain Gang http://image.shutte...yboard-72897727.jpgThe prisoners are periodically escorted into the country to work the fields. [theleopard, Sep 19 2011] he wasn't keeping the heat down! + http://www.lehmanma...-schwarzenegger.jpg [xandram, Sep 19 2011] Presumably these "Prisoners" will inevitably be the recipients of Fan Mail…?-- 8th of 7, Sep 17 2011 Brilliant! [+] I don't know why they haven't been doing something like this all along. However, if this mirrors real life, I imagine at least one of the novelty figures will be deported upon their release, another one will land right back in the appliance as a repeat offender, while still another one will be killed in the appliance by another "lifer" novelty figure for some minor offense like not sharing a cigarette.-- Grogster, Sep 17 2011 Logically, it follows that some of the figures should not be there at all, and will receive huge compensation payments on their release.-- 8th of 7, Sep 17 2011 And that the person who secured their release will be fired <link>
//taking the product to the designated outlet on its "service by" date.// If you don't comply with service recommendations, they start tapping out coded messages to each other, and keeping you awake at night.-- mouseposture, Sep 17 2011 Occasionally the vent-prisoners will riot and set fire to your PC-- hippo, Sep 17 2011 no user serviceable parts inside. grrrrrr.-- WcW, Sep 17 2011 random, halfbakery