Elon Musk's flamethrower makes $3.5 million in sales

[Calista241]

Source: CNET

The Boring Company decided to start selling flamethrower weapons over the weekend, and it appears to have become an aspiring supervillain's newest shop. Elon Musk's company has made $3.5 million in sales after the CEO announced the weapon on social media Saturday.

The flamethrower has The Boring Company's logo emblazoned on it and sells for $500 (roughly £355 and AU$620). Musk announced early Monday on Twitter that 7,000 of the 20,000 available flamethrowers have already been ordered, bringing us to $3.5 million using a little multiplication.

Musk, who is also known for leading Tesla and SpaceX, promoted his new fiery toy with glee in an Instagram video featuring him turning on the flamethrower and then running at the cameraman (Please don't do this, EVER!).

And accompanying the flamethrower on the website is a branded fire extinguisher, which The Boring Company openly advises is overpriced at $30 (roughly £20 and AU$40). Those should decide to order one should expect to receive the weapon this spring, notes the store website.

Read more: https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-the-boring-company-flamethrower-makes-3-5-million-in-sales/

[brooklynite]

1. Beat you to the punch...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210156988

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Your link only works for you because it is an EDIT link. . . nt

[brooklynite]

9. Fixed

[Richard D]

2. There goes any idea I've had . . .

. . . of ever owning a Tesla.

[sweatlee]

5. TESLA is selling weapons now?

Maybe I don't really need a Tesla model 3, even though I have one on order. I used to trade their stock. Glad the electric car market is getting more competitive. If visionaries like Musk are going into the weapons business, I am out of Tesla business.

[Plucketeer]

3. Aha!

Now I can ditch my frustrating old gas grille.

[marble falls]

4. Morons with too much disposable income. There will be news-worthy unintended consequences...

Last edited Mon Jan 29, 2018, 08:47 PM - Edit history (1)

because after all, what possibly could go wrong?

[Marie Marie]

7. Hold my beer....

[bucolic_frolic]

6. I knew a guy in the 70s

had a WWII army surplus flamethrower. Fired it up with kerosene. Used it for weed control and cracking rocks, he said. He was a harmless type, wouldn't hurt a flea.

[SeattleVet]

10. Looks pretty much like this, with a fancy plastic stock added:

https://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-with-push-button-igniter-61595.html

[Callmecrazy]

15. I use this weed burner to heat PVC pipe...nt

[NutmegYankee]

11. Propane versions are already commonly owned

They are the best method to eradicate some weeds or invasive plants like Japanese barberry, known for providing an ideal habitat for the ticks that spread Lyme disease.

[Rollo]

14. Probably also would be useful for decontaminating raccoon cages...

...because of Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm. The eggs are in the scat and only destroyed by flame. Seriously, the recommended way to clean a raccoon cage is with a blow torch. A flame thrower would do, too.

In humans, raccoon roundworms can cause visceral larval migrans, and have been known to infect brains, eyes, etc of the very young, very old, and immune compromised, sometimes leading to death. Of the human.

Not that anyone should be keeping a wild animal like a raccoon in a cage or worse, as a house pet. Cruel to the animal as well as quite dangerous to the people in the vicinity.

[NickB79]

12. That was.... anticlimactic

If I'm going to spend $500 on a flamethrower, I want something that has a range of more than 2 feet!

Because, ya know, shit happens......

[X_Digger]

13. Oh the pearls, they must be clutched. n/t

[MicaelS]

16. Some moron will misuse one, and..

And then the Prohibitionists will have a new horse to ride and flog.

[FrodosNewPet]

17. $500? What a deal!

This scene is why I've always wanted a flamethrower, as well as being glad I did not have one.