# Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 1)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442>\
**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:** 290

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**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5786 "2023-07-25T08:42:23Z")

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People here are so negative! The x branding is awesome and lends itself to so many product or service names.

Direct payments to other X users: DirectX  
A household gadget that handles all X processing: XBox  
A virtual gym : ActiveX

You wouldn’t see a company as boring as Microsoft use anything like that.

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**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5787 "2023-07-25T11:18:15Z")

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> **[Twitter removed half its HQ sign — then the police arrived](https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/24/23140317/twitter-sign-sf-hq-removal-demolition-police)**
>
> No blowtorches in sight.

Agile permitting

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**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5788 "2023-07-25T13:35:16Z")

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> [@Smapti](#):
>
> #### [Deanna McDonald](https://twitter.com/deannagmcdonald/status/1683531563664023552)
> 
> [@deannagmcdonald](https://twitter.com/deannagmcdonald/status/1683531563664023552)
> 
> imagine screwing up so bad that every muppet on sesame street takes turns dunking on your idea

“Dunking” is one way to look at it. Free publicity is another.

The new name is objectively awful, and it’s idiotic to kill an established brand. But the name change isn’t going to be what kills Twitter. It’s everything else Musk is doing.

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**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5789 "2023-07-25T14:21:21Z")

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> <https://twitter.com/chafkin/status/1683475959981264900>

My amusement at Musk’s ineptitude was previously tempered by the damage he was doing to employees’ personal lives and to established networks of global communication.

But that damage is now all done so I am free to laugh at his apparently boundless incompetence. I hope he manages to keep dragging the Twitter corpse along for a while longer so the hilarity can continue.

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**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5790 "2023-07-25T14:34:35Z")

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> [@Great\_Antibob](#):
>
> And if the post about the trademark above is any indication, even dumber to use one owned by Zuck

I kept seeing conflicting reports that X is owned by Facebook and also Microsoft. Then I saw a clarification that Facebook owns the rights to X in the social networking space, while Microsoft owns the rights to X in the e-commerce space. Double whammy.

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**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5791 "2023-07-25T14:36:31Z")

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I’m all for relieving billionaires of their money. And getting them to do so willingly makes it so much easier. Some billionaires like to throw money into a hole in the shape of yacht. Elno like a hollowed-out company.

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5792 "2023-07-25T14:40:58Z")

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I look forward to the amazing tantrum Elmo throws when cease-and-desists start flying for the blatant trademark infringements.

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**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:** [July 25, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5793 "2023-07-25T14:42:36Z")

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> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> I kept seeing conflicting reports that X is owned by Facebook and also Microsoft. Then I saw a clarification that Facebook owns the rights to X in the social networking space, while Microsoft owns the rights to X in the e-commerce space. Double whammy.

He’s used to running roughshod over the little people but I don’t see him getting as much traction against those companies. I can see them letting him flail in many ways, but if they want to keep those trademarks, they do have to actively and publicly defend them.

Also, I like how you called it Facebook. Nobody calls it Meta. Nor does anybody call it Alphabet rather than Google. And they don’t fight it too hard in public.

But Musk can’t be expected to learn a simple lesson about branding like that.

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5794 "2023-07-25T14:44:39Z")

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> [@Great\_Antibob](#):
>
> Musk can’t be expected to learn a simple lesson

This would have sufficed.

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**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5795 "2023-07-25T15:18:01Z")

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Careful. Calling Musk inept will summon the Sam, who has no choice but to defend him.

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**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5796 "2023-07-25T15:36:15Z")

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As long as we don’t call him Xam.

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**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5797 "2023-07-25T15:36:37Z")

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I hope that does not mean there will be a Tesla Colon soon. On the other hand, why not? Would be in character, like the customary poop emoji kneejerk response.

If Mr. Musk believes he is really changing something with a new logo, then he has added an interesting dimension to the word _ **logo** _rrhea. Yes, he of all people, the chatterbox before the Lord, the master of the word bubble and unfulfilled promises, the autonomous ghost driver of announcements. Hats off!  
Well, at least he didn’t fall in love with the letter “Z.” We shall show gratitude for what could have gone worse. One becomes humble.

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**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5798 "2023-07-25T15:49:14Z")

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Hats off? Did I say _hats_ off? For Fu_ **X** _ sake, what was I thinking of? I meant the other word, of course.

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**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5799 "2023-07-25T16:22:11Z")

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> [@yendis](#):
>
> You wouldn’t see a company as boring as Microsoft use anything like that.

Hmmm… boring company. Wait, nope, Elmo already took that name.

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**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:** [July 25, 2023, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5800 "2023-07-25T16:54:13Z")

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> [@Great\_Antibob](#):
>
> Also, I like how you called it Facebook. Nobody calls it Meta. Nor does anybody call it Alphabet rather than Google. And they don’t fight it too hard in public.

That’s because they wisely kept their sites as “Facebook” and “Google”, knowing that the brand recognition they had was priceless. Meta and Alphabet are the parent companies.

If Elmo just followed that strategy and kept the parent as X but left the media platform as Twitter, there would be no controversy.

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5801 "2023-07-25T17:11:03Z")

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I wonder what they call the old Twitter in Brazil?

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**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5802 "2023-07-25T17:44:57Z")

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I’m not that familiar with Brazilian Portuguese but I have a little familiarity with Angolan Portuguese.

I would wager that some variation of “Fila da puta!” would be used.

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**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5803 "2023-07-25T18:17:33Z")

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> [@EllisDee](#):
>
> I kept seeing conflicting reports that X is owned by Facebook and also Microsoft. Then I saw a clarification that Facebook owns the rights to X in the social networking space, while Microsoft owns the rights to X in the e-commerce space. Double whammy.

both of those will be dead any day now … ;o)

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5804 "2023-07-25T18:25:18Z")

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😆 No Doubt!

When I was learning the language, I was told that Brazilian Portuguese did not have the letter X (and one other, I don’t remember, was it K?) which, to even the casual observer was a ludicrous idea. Plenty of words, names and places all containing the letter. It was pronounced “Sheese” more-or-less. Led to some comical situations during my visit.

Was looking at a menu in a cafe. They had Hamburger, Hamburger Grande, Hamburger Especial and the Enigmatic “X-Burger”. I got to wondering… They got regular, larger (double I assumed) and Special, which I figured had The Works. Wow, what is this "X-Burger? That must be really great. To satisfy my curiosity, I asked the waiter in my best Bad Portuguese _“What is the X-Burger?”_

Dude looks at me like I’m the biggest Idiot on the Continent and says, _“Sheese-Burger, Sabe? Con Queso!”_ I will never forget the look on this guy’s face. Here was the look on mine…

😒

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/5805 "2023-07-25T18:30:21Z")

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I think this to be a very astute move.

First of all, the old-fashioned logo of a bluebird is traditionally associated with happiness. This does not fit into the bold vision Musk sees for the company. You’d see it too if you had his talent.

Second of all, New Coke wasn’t a bad idea at all. Just ahead of its time. Essentially, it was an earlier example of brand extension. Like grocery stores selling twenty variations of Snapple or your favourite brand of barbecue sauce. Sure, it was initially criticized by people who knew better. But none of them held the 1996 Olympic Games.

The truth is out there.

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