Focus here seems to be on punishment. Reality is long sentences and death penalty are just as much about making other idiots think twice before they repeat the crime. By manipulating one persons brain to think 30 years is 1000 years does not change the fact he/she will get out in 30 years. What would really be interesting is if you could manipulate the perp's brain to relive the crime as the victim, every day, for their entire sentence (with days off for good behavior of course)...lol...sounds like a George Carlin skit....(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmJ2snsLxWw)

The problem as I see it is it's not the cat that is in quantum entanglement with the particle hitting the switch, its the gas releasing. The cat is just the poor bastard observing. The cat also has 3 possible states - live, die by gas release, die from natural causes waiting for the damn particle to hit the switch. cheers