Not a flop. A great PR success, that apparently ended up convincing California that a high-speed train was not needed — hey, Elon is going to build tunnels for Teslas!
netsharc · 19h ago
Huh, good point. I've also read (hah do we have Musk legends now, does he also fart lightning out of his arse) that he hates public transport, because it means mingling with the lower classes.
Wasn't the tunnel for that other vaporware idea, hyperloop, and this was the combo that killed the high-speed train?
I was going to write, having a 12-figure net worth is a dangerous thing, because you can fund any dumb idea you have...
dlachausse · 18h ago
California politicians and their incompetence were the ones that killed the high-speed train.
It's a massive boondoggle that is way over budget, years behind schedule, and now estimated to cost $135 billion.
Fundamentals haven't changed - smaller tunnels are far cheaper to build than massive ones and going 3D is still the way to solve traffic.
bell-cot · 20h ago
The lost money and perpetual non-achievements really don't matter - because Boring Co. is just one of an inattentive zillionaire's expensive hobbies.
Much like Bezos and his Blue Origin.
Zigurd · 15h ago
I've made a number of video essays about both SpaceX and Blue Origin, mostly from the point of view of management style. To most sane people Bezos can look more competent. But he fired his experienced rocket guy and replaced him with the Alexa guy.
Running a rocket company with KPI dashboards turns out to produce about the same non-results as running your rocket company out of the K hole. Space is hard. Though if I were to bet on one, it would be Blue Origin because they haven't done as many wild ass design decisions that have the potential to scuttle the whole project.
dlachausse · 19h ago
I don't get the hate here. I'd rather see them do stuff like this than buy more mansions and super yachts.
Even if Boring Co. and Blue Origin end up ultimately being commercial failures, they are at least pushing the envelope on engineering.
bell-cot · 18h ago
Yeah.
Average-ish primates tend toward love/hate relationships with 900 lbs. gorillas.
Bashing on Elon feels like boosting one's own social status at his expense. In a small band/clan/tribe/troop/whatever, that would actually be the case. But vastly more dangerous to do.
Wasn't the tunnel for that other vaporware idea, hyperloop, and this was the combo that killed the high-speed train?
I was going to write, having a 12-figure net worth is a dangerous thing, because you can fund any dumb idea you have...
It's a massive boondoggle that is way over budget, years behind schedule, and now estimated to cost $135 billion.
https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article311508045.html
Much like Bezos and his Blue Origin.
Running a rocket company with KPI dashboards turns out to produce about the same non-results as running your rocket company out of the K hole. Space is hard. Though if I were to bet on one, it would be Blue Origin because they haven't done as many wild ass design decisions that have the potential to scuttle the whole project.
Even if Boring Co. and Blue Origin end up ultimately being commercial failures, they are at least pushing the envelope on engineering.
Average-ish primates tend toward love/hate relationships with 900 lbs. gorillas.
Bashing on Elon feels like boosting one's own social status at his expense. In a small band/clan/tribe/troop/whatever, that would actually be the case. But vastly more dangerous to do.