# Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 25, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442 "2022-04-25T22:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 169
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3364 "2023-02-23T00:46:44Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > It’s the question of whether the 21st century began in 2000 or 2001. […] the entirely arbitrary start date […] To be fair, as I’m sure you know, there’s only one way to have every century in the Common Era actually contain one hundred years: namely, by assigning the beginning of every new century to the start of Year xx01 rather than Year xx00. Which is why, AFAICT, pretty much all governments and scientific organizations worldwide concur that the 21st century began at the start of 2001. As far as I’m concerned, the fact that people not unreasonably like to celebrate the start of a new century a bit prematurely, at the moment the hundreds digit rolls over, is a separate issue from the official designation of century boundaries. (And Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle, don’t think I didn’t see that; your name has been written down in the detention book.) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3365 "2023-02-23T00:56:36Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Which is why, AFAICT, pretty much all governments and scientific organizations worldwide concur that the 21st century began at the start of 2001. If you really want to relitigate this… cite? Why would any government or scientific organization care about this? > [@Kimstu](#): > > there’s only one way to have every century in the Common Era actually contain one hundred years: namely, by assigning the beginning of every new century to the start of Year xx01 rather than Year xx00 For what purpose does it matter that each CE century has exactly 100 years? Conventionally there is no year zero, but so what? It’s not as though somebody started a stopwatch on January 1st year 0001 and that anything depends on the precise elapsed time. No real historical event even happened at the Jan 1st 0001 reference point that we use to label dates, it’s an arbitrary reference that was invented retrospectively. If you can think of some purpose for which the elapsed time must be exact (I can’t think of one), just say that BCE 0001 is also called CE 0000. What difference would it make? What matters with dates is just that we have consistent labeling. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3366 "2023-02-23T01:10:52Z")
This entire aside is pointless because the actual, genuine start of the 21st century, the inflection point whose effects will persist for the rest of the century, was September 11, 2001. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3367 "2023-02-23T01:24:02Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > Oh Jesus, Elmo and Derek Smart having a twit together. …well, ain’t that the name of someone I haven’t heard from in _decades_. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3368 "2023-02-23T01:49:50Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > reasonably close to “a year” for all but the most serious pedants. New to the Straight Dope, are you? ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3369 "2023-02-23T02:40:50Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > > [@Dissonance](#): > > > > Oh Jesus, Elmo and Derek Smart having a twit together. > > …well, ain’t that the name of someone I haven’t heard from in _decades_. I hadn’t heard about him in decades either until I did a double take watching a YouTube video on the history of [Star Citizen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Citizen) (still yet to be released after _over half a billion dollars_ in crowdfunding and 12 years in development) a couple of years ago. Apparently, he was spending his time in flame wars with Chris Roberts about his inability to deliver on his promised game. Completely oblivious to any sense of irony. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3370 "2023-02-23T02:56:46Z")
Yeah. While Derek Smart didn’t precisely cover himself in glory, at least he was engaged with someone who still makes him look well-adjusted (relatively). And then he makes common cause with Elmo. I just don’t know what to think any more. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3371 "2023-02-23T03:33:32Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > Oh yeah, just as a reminder, wasn’t Elmo going to step down as Twitter’s CEO? Anyone want to take bets on which will take longer, Elmo stepping down or the time it took for Battlecruiser 3000 to be released in a working state? ⁢ He put up a poll asking if he should, saying he would abide by the results. But when the results were “yes,” he came up with excuses. The first was that he’d have to find someone who was stupid enough to take the job first. But then later someone told him that only Twitter Blue votes should count–as everyone else could just be trolls. And Musk agreed with that. In other words, he’s already reneged on stepping down, AFAICT. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3372 "2023-02-23T03:37:25Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > > [@JohnT](#): > > > > And go ahead and start your thread with Freakouts of the Left. It’s a free board… for those not scared of it. Sam. ⁢ > > Yeah, not my style. I’d rather debate ideas and fun things than participate in another tedious attack on the ‘other’. No one learns a thing, it alienates potential members of the board, ruins people’s moods, and there’s already enough toxic shit on the internet if that’s what floats your boat. ⁢ Which is perfectly defensible as long as you don’t then make those same posts elsewhere on the board. In other words, if you do ever want to discuss left-wing freakouts, please make your own thread. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3373 "2023-02-23T07:29:27Z")
I _knew_ I recognized Sharon’s eulogy from somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3374 "2023-02-23T16:59:17Z")
> **[Elon Musk reportedly gave staff a one-week deadline to turn around Twitter's...](https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-gave-twitter-one-week-turn-around-ads-2023-2)** > > The news comes after Musk apologized on social media for showing Twitter users "so many irrelevant and annoying ads." Speaking about Musk’s completely reasonable firings, and genius-level business sense. Agile ads! ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3375 "2023-02-23T17:05:16Z")
> **[Russian propagandists are buying Twitter blue-check verifications](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/02/22/russian-propagandists-said-buy-twitter-blue-check-verifications/)** > > As the Ukraine war enters its second year, the presence of accounts pushing Russian propaganda on Twitter has skyrocketed. “Making the verification process paid will never have any negative repercussions”, says Russian Ambassador to Twitter on their verified account. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3376 "2023-02-23T20:23:15Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > I’m reading elsewhere that Russian bots are posting recruitment videos on Twitter from the Wagner Group, aimed at American vets. And that Twitter won’t take them down. > > Anyone see any? So, in addition to being an incompetent egotistical asshole promoting far-right agendas, Elmo is now officially a traitor. No surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3377 "2023-02-23T20:45:20Z")
I suppose in a narrow sense that’s true due to the various oaths one must take to attain citizenship, but can you really betray a country you never had any real loyalty towards in the first place and only joined for personal advancement? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3378 "2023-02-23T21:21:40Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > can you really betray a country you never had any real loyalty towards in the first place and only joined for personal advancement? I take exception to the phrase “personal advancement”, which is usually associated with noble and productive objectives, and would substitute the phrase “rapacious personal gain”, particularly in light of the egregiously unethical and totally self-interested havoc that Elmo is wreaking at Twitter. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2023, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3379 "2023-02-23T23:21:02Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > I suppose in a narrow sense that’s true due to the various oaths one must take to attain citizenship I bet his other hand had crossed fingers during those oaths so he’s in the clear. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3380 "2023-02-24T00:53:42Z")
I wouldn’t know. He’s 20000 ft high and out of sight of normal human beings like me ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3381 "2023-02-24T01:57:52Z")
Plus: He’s very agile! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3382 "2023-02-24T04:57:24Z")
Okay, now I’m picturing Elmo as Vault Boy. [![](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1552/15524586/2959670-screen%20shot%202015-11-02%20at%201.42.29%20pm.jpg) ](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/scale_medium/1552/15524586/2959670-screen%20shot%202015-11-02%20at%201.42.29%20pm.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2023, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3383 "2023-02-24T05:05:30Z")
When it comes to twitter, more like this: [![](https://cdn.gamingheads.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/r/pro_big_2_4.jpg) ](https://cdn.gamingheads.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/r/pro_big_2_4.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=168) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442.md?page=170)