The Hundred Thousand Dollar Fire Starter

[BrotherBart]

Happened here locally last night.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...ae3ea6-b8a0-11e4-a200-c008a01a6692_story.html

In the seventies a guy I know in Texas did the same thing. He got fired on Friday afternoon, went home to drink, decided to start a fire in the fireplace with gasoline and burned down his one year old home.

 

[branchburner]

Their lawyers will tell you these guys “didn’t do anything wrong” when injured. As we all know, these incidents are the fault of manufacturers of gasoline containers... producing gasoline containers obviously incites people to fill them with gas and then use that gas in a potentially harmful way:

(broken link removed to http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/32687100-75/coos-co.-man-sues-walmart-over-gas-can-explosion.csp)

That guy in the 70s was a few decades early. Back then, he just burned down his one year old home. Today he could have burned down his one year old home and then moved into a brand new million-dollar mansion after the settlement.

Thing is, gas cans have long been made with a written warning imprinted, to the effect of "DON'T BE A MORON." Today, no matter HOW stupid you are, your pain is always someone ELSE'S fault.

 

[peakbagger]

Its tough, up north we can handle cold but down south they just aren't ready for it when it comes and unfortunately some folks don't think it through.

On the other hand I have seen some epic fails up north where folks usually with the aid of alcohol do stupid things with gasoline or barbeque grille lighter fluid.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Its tough, up north we can handle cold but down south they just aren't ready for it when it comes and unfortunately some folks don't think it through.

On the other hand I have seen some epic fails up north where folks usually with the aid of alcohol do stupid things with gasoline or barbeque grille lighter fluid.

Yep. "Hold my beer and watch this..."

 

[saskwoodburner]

Gasoline for starting fires...I believe the expression is "less is more". I'm never in that big a hurry, but wouldn't even cotton balls dipped in vaseline or those little tea light dinky candle things work to set something on fire?

 

[Bobbin]

"Stupid is as stupid does".

In the "olden days" if someone bent over to pick up something shiney behind horse, was kicked in the head, and died no one gave it a second thought. They shrugged their shoulders, let their kids have good long look, and used the unfortunate affair as a lesson.

Is there a lesson there?

 

[CrufflerJJ]

Their lawyers will tell you these guys “didn’t do anything wrong” when injured. As we all know, these incidents are the fault of manufacturers of gasoline containers... producing gasoline containers obviously incites people to fill them with gas and then use that gas in a potentially harmful way:

(broken link removed to http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/32687100-75/coos-co.-man-sues-walmart-over-gas-can-explosion.csp)

That guy in the 70s was a few decades early. Back then, he just burned down his one year old home. Today he could have burned down his one year old home and then moved into a brand new million-dollar mansion after the settlement.

Thing is, gas cans have long been made with a written warning imprinted, to the effect of "DON'T BE A MORON." Today, no matter HOW stupid you are, your pain is always someone ELSE'S fault.

And the continuing claims of "it's not my fault - it's THEIR fault" ended up killing off a good company (Blitz). I used their products for years & years. As a result of greedy lawyers, idiotic Darwin Award deserving burn victims, and our Most Benevolent Government, a good company went out of business (after operating for 50 years) & dumped its 117 employees out of work. Way to go, America!

http://www.facesoflawsuitabuse.org/2012/12/the-last-week-how-lawsuits-doomed-an-american-icon/

 

[mopar440_6]

And the continuing claims of "it's not my fault - it's THEIR fault" ended up killing off a good company (Blitz). I used their products for years & years. As a result of greedy lawyers, idiotic Darwin Award deserving burn victims, and our Most Benevolent Government, a good company went out of business (after operating for 50 years) & dumped its 117 employees out of work. Way to go, America!

http://www.facesoflawsuitabuse.org/2012/12/the-last-week-how-lawsuits-doomed-an-american-icon/

I didn't even know about this. All I knew is that I couldn't find a decent gas can anymore. I hate lawyers...

 

[Wisneaky]

I didn't even know about this. All I knew is that I couldn't find a decent gas can anymore. I hate lawyers...

The new style gas cans are such a pain in the a** I've spilled more gas with the new ones than I've ever spilled with the old style. Plus those new anti-spill spouts break so easy.

 

[CrufflerJJ]

I didn't even know about this. All I knew is that I couldn't find a decent gas can anymore. I hate lawyers...

It's not just the lawyers. It's our Most Benevolent Government, and its multiple layers of "I gotta get re-elected" bureaucrats. For another nice article about the new improved gas cans, see: http://www.otherpower.com/gas_cans

 

[branchburner]

The new style gas cans are such a pain in the a**

I refuse to buy one. Yards sales and craigslist for me.

 

[BrotherBart]

I brought this one into the world and I am now taking it out.