Gizmodo: pyromania

Jet-Engine-Alike Fire Sculpture Will Please Your Inner Pyromaniac

Kit Eaton — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 10:30:00 EDT

Flames, thunderous noise, drama and the threat of explosive, combustive doom: That's why this sculpture by Dave Umlas will please your inner fire-starter. Made from stainless steel, propane gas-air jets and what seems to be a turbine-like system somewhere in its construction, it exists merely to thrill you with flames. If the still photos of the sculpture aren't enough for you, check out the video. It's freakin' firey.

Awesome. I'm not sure I'd stand as close as the guys in the vid clip did: In action, and from close by, it must be like standing directly behind a Vulcan bomber as it lights up its engines and takes off*. Only less safe. [Lost Arts Collective via Makezine via Neatorama]

*This is the single loudest, most impressive and chilling sound I've ever heard. If you're unfamiliar with the Vulcan's roar, check this out.

Fire-Starting Flashlight Will Illuminate, Torch Everything in Your Path

Adam Frucci — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:45:00 EST

Flashlights are generally there to help you out in a time of need, such as when your power goes out and you need to fumble around in the dark. A flashlight that lights stuff on fire because it's so powerful might be neat for goofing around with your pyro friends, but something tells me that if you accidentally burned your house down trying to find candles you'd be pretty pissed about buying such a ludicrous item. Luckily, at $300 it's way too expensive to be a good substitute for matches, so your house is probably safe for now. Hit the jump for a video of the firey flashlight in action.

Suffice it to say, don't shine this in your eyes or you'll become blinder than Ray Charles in a closet. [Product Page via I4U]

Stink Up The Neighborhood This July 4th

Charlie White — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 15:31:27 EDT

On this Fourth of July, remind yourself that we were once but colonies of the great Britannia, with this Union Jack Firepit Brazier, constructed from stainless steel and versatile enough to let you use it as a barbecue grill and then gather around it and sing "Kumbaya" afterward. Now you can join the pyromania as you build a fire in one of these little outdoor smoke-producing devices. It's a fad that seems irresistible to almost everyone as they plod through their lives of quiet desperation in Suburbia, USA.

This is one fancy outdoor fireplace, where it will set you back $368.60. Please, don't buy one of these if you're anywhere in the Midwest, because we have so many of these stinking up the neighborhood that every night it's like we're living inside of a smokestack at a wood-burning power plant. So in the words of our second president John Adams, go ahead, celebrate the 4th with "pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other." Just not in my back yard. – Charlie White

Product Page [Eurocosm, via productdose]