# Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** elon-musk\ **Created:** [August 13, 2024, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634 "2024-08-13T00:48:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 161
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3222 "2026-03-26T14:52:11Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > He’s sounding more and more like Time Cube Guy every single day. Or [Dr. Bronner](https://www.straightdope.com/21342071/why-the-weird-religious-ravings-on-dr-bronner-s-soap) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3223 "2026-03-26T14:59:34Z")
The other fun thing about making a glorious tunnel under New Orleans is, even if you solve the problem of digging through river silt, and dig down to rock, or clay, or line your tunnels with 6 feet of concrete or 2 inches of stainless steel, or 1/4 in of unobtaniun, the entrances that people use still have to be at ground level. And the next time there is a flood, your tunnels become nice mole tunnels that get submerged. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2026, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3224 "2026-03-26T15:06:32Z")
No problem! They’ll solve that with AI something something mumble. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3225 "2026-03-26T15:36:48Z")
That would at least provide work for some of the ten billion robots he’ll be producing every year. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3226 "2026-03-26T15:38:02Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > And the next time there is a flood, your tunnels become nice mole tunnels that get submerged. I understand that Elon has the plans for one person xubmarines so there isn’t a real problem there. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3227 "2026-03-26T15:49:56Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > They’ll solve that with AI something something mumble. This thread has me thinking Musk is the singer in Donald Fagan’s IGY The future looks bright On that train all graphite and glitter Undersea by rail Ninety minutes from New York to Paris What a beautiful world this will be > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > xubmarines I love that one! ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3228 "2026-03-26T15:55:15Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > I understand that Elon has the plans for one person xubmarines so there isn’t a real problem there. Maybe that’s the plan - flooded tunnels for submarines to move people. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3229 "2026-03-26T15:57:53Z")
Bioengineering to give everyone in New Orleans gills. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3230 "2026-03-26T16:15:43Z")
Will gills be available for rent to tourists? ---
**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:** [March 26, 2026, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3231 "2026-03-26T16:18:06Z")
Yes for a fee to Elon. And they are working on self-driving gills. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3232 "2026-03-26T17:15:53Z")
Self-driving or self-diving? ---
**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:** [March 26, 2026, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3233 "2026-03-26T17:17:57Z")
Ohhhh, I missed an obvious one there! ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3234 "2026-03-26T17:54:31Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > It has a ways to go before it displaces Soyuz It already has. It’s cheaper than Soyuz (which is saying something given the devaluation of anything priced in rubles) and has better cadence. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3235 "2026-03-26T18:07:41Z")
That Bronner ↔ musk duality was already mentioned yesterday upthread: **[Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 2) - #3194 by Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3194)**. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3236 "2026-03-26T18:19:23Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > The other fun thing about making a glorious tunnel under New Orleans is, even if you solve the problem of digging through river silt, and dig down to rock, or clay The problem of boring a tunnel through silt was solved over a hundred years ago with the tubes under the Hudson River to Manhattan. You pressurize the bore to hold the mud back until you can get the lining in place. I thought there had been a couple blowouts but a quick search did not come up with any mentions but there were many about workers getting the bends. You’re right about the flooding though. I have childhood memory of hoses being introduced down the gopher-holes in an infested yard to drive the buggers up to the surface where they’d be dispatched. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2026, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3237 "2026-03-26T18:36:16Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > It already has. It’s cheaper than Soyuz (which is saying something given the devaluation of anything priced in rubles) and has better cadence. Who said anything about price or cadence? The claim was the most successful and reliable rocket ever created. It’s a good design. No doubt about that. But it still has a ways to go before it displaces Soyuz, which has an operating record decades longer covering many more missions. It’ll probably get there soon enough, but it’s not there yet. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3238 "2026-03-26T22:09:06Z")
Not arguing with you but reusability should be in the equation with price and cadence - or is it already figured into the price? Anyway the Soyuz was perfectly cromulent for its time. The Falcon is the current leader. And Elon is psychotic declining drag on humanity. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3239 "2026-03-26T22:48:07Z")
Soyuz is the descendent of the R-7 prototype ICBM first tested in 1957. It became the USSR/Russia’s workhorse launcher for its weight class. It’s simply been around for so long that every way it could fail got hammered out over time. Agreed that it’s as basic as an expendable rocket can be but it’s gone as far as it can go. ---
**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:** [March 27, 2026, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3240 "2026-03-27T02:20:39Z")
Again, not disagreeing with any of that. But that doesn’t make it the ‘most successful’ ever made. At least, not yet. If the standard was “the craft I’d risk my life on if I had to make a choice”, sure. But that wasn’t the claimed standard. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/3241 "2026-03-27T02:33:50Z")
So what exactly does “most successful” mean to you? It’s not a standard engineering term. I’m not trying to be argumentative or say you’re wrong. I just think various folks are using terms they think are universally self-evident that are not really. Once we have a common set of agreed terminology we can use those words to achieve mutual understanding. Maybe not mutual agreement, but at least mutual understanding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634.md?page=160) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634.md?page=162)