Who came up with the idea of selling flamethrowers, and how much money did they make from it?

• Elon Musk first mentioned the idea of selling flamethrowers in December 2017 on Twitter, as a way to raise funds for The Boring Company, which aims to reduce traffic congestion by building underground tunnels for transportation. He initially joked about selling flamethrowers, but the idea gained traction, and within a few weeks, he announced that The Boring Company would actually sell them.

• The company marketed the flamethrowers as novelty items rather than weapons, and each one cost $500. The flamethrowers were shipped with a fire extinguisher and a manual that advised users to use them responsibly and to avoid setting things on fire. The sale of flamethrowers generated a lot of media attention and criticism, with some people raising concerns about the safety and ethics of selling such devices. However, The Boring Company defended its decision, arguing that the flamethrowers were legal and that they were sold as collectibles.

• In the end, The Boring Company sold all 20,000 flamethrowers within a few days, generating approximately $10 million in revenue. Elon Musk later stated that the flamethrower sales helped to fund the development of The Boring Company's tunneling technology.