Because a LOT of people are missing the point:

[cstross@wandering.shop]

Because a LOT of people are missing the point:

No, Elon Musk is NOT serious about putting a million data centres into orbit. It can't work: laws of physics say "nope".

But SpaceX is expected to go public this year.

Elon is talking up his company's future prospects in front of gullible investors because he needs a growth narrative beyond Starlink, which is already priced in. Something to justify the Starship proram beyond NASA's lunar ambitions.

So it's salesman's bullshit, lies for fools.

[kthy@helvede.net]

@cstross Bullshit has always been what he excels at.

[dubiousblur@social.treehouse.systems]

@cstross it’s interesting how he keeps talking about solar energy, still, while the rest of the right wing mysteriously seem not to. How far off the predictions in your essay about him & space & solar energy collection are we, I wonder. (Did he get lapped by the cost of batteries dropping as they have? It seems likely.)

[mkoek@mastodon.nl]

@kthy @cstross and that, infuriating as it is, works

[konosocio@mastodon.online]

@cstross and there is the Kessler syndrome to look forward to.

[junklight@mastodon.art]

@cstross the fact they are stupid enough to fall for it is the thing I'm finding infuriating (& I've had enough personal experience of investors, them thinking they are brilliant all the while knowing nothing and constant group think to be pretty bitter about this) - like - this, OBVIOUS, grift - works

the worship of the rich, as though they are somehow more insightful than the rest of us, while watching them exposed as dubious people & marks falling for cheap tricks is depressing.

[uilebheist@polyglot.city]

@cstross I wouldn't put it past him to actually believe his own bullshit though.
He'd be "Yes, it breaks a law, big deal, we have lots of lawyers", without actually knowing that no, lawyers can't argue against physics.

[cstross@wandering.shop]

@dubiousblur Remember he owns massive battery factories. However, China more or less has a monopoly on PV panel manufacturing.

[tony@toot.hoyle.me.uk]

@cstross And the announcement timed after he appeared in the epstein files.

Now we're talking about this BS instead..

[nicovel0@mastodon.social]

@cstross @dubiousblur I remember reading somewhere that in China BYD makes batteries for Tesla, so they may well be losing their edge there as well.

[taschenorakel@mastodon.green]

@cstross Just another reckless person collecting stupid money by selling them snake oil.

[utterlymundane@hachyderm.io]

@cstross it also provides a fig leaf of justification for a public SpaceX to shovel money to xAI when “because I want to” becomes harder to justify. They’ll need somebody to provide expert design partnership to solve these difficult technical problems. (Or the other way around if required.)

[bjn@mstdn.social]

@cstross It was obvious bollocks (just like hyperloop, the boring company etc…), just I didn’t know why he was boosting it as I didn’t realise he was planning an IPO this year. Tosser.

[isaackuo@spacey.space]

@tony @cstross Also right after the poor Tesla sales statement.

[pierrette@mastodon.uno]

@cstross
After all he Made his statement from Mars
Oh
Did he ?

[manchestermelly@universeodon.com]

@cstross I'm pretty sure he also wants his name in the news with stories newer than his email begging Epstein to let him come rape some kids, as if he thinks everyone will forget he's a nonce.

[danielswann@mastodon.social]

@cstross see also: paypal’s original mission and what it became. overpromise, underdeliver, criticise governments, live off government funding. Musk is a charlatan

[asprinkleofsage@mastodon.social]

@cstross Elon, bullshit? Sir! I request you consider retracting that statement!

[bubblegumyeti@mastodon.social]

@cstross scam, like always... Just to keep his stock from collapsing.

[knud@mastodon.social]

@cstross

Lying worked for Tesla, so he wants to pull the same thing again.