As if they'd exist in a bubble universe where the Pacific is not America's backyard, and where their economy wouldn't completely depend on the surrounding markets.
This is the key.
It's a fun idea. (Straight out of cyberpunk - which I suspect is part of why the techies are so into it.) But as long as it's wholly reliant on the US (and California) for food, materials, escape from the claustrophobic confines of the ocean liner...they're not really free. (Esp. as I'd assume that the US could be all, "Um...not so much" pretty much any time, although I suspect they won't unless things get seriously out of hand.)
Also, at $1,600/month for a room, the idea is only really of interest to wealthy tax dodgers and a few highly paid migrant workers who can afford the high costs, but can't get a visa, need to be proximate to Silicon Valley, *and* are okay with the cost/small confines. (I'd imagine that, say, your average brilliant Chinese computer programmer would prefer to live in Hong Kong and Singapore, which are sort of less claustrophobic versions of the same thing.)
With that said, I totally want to visit. I'm expecting a booming tourist trade.
It's pretty doable if you live outside of Lan Kwai Fong. I had a four bedroom, two bath place out by Sai Kung for I think around $1,200/month US (with a living room and Asian-style kitchen). And I knew someone just a stop or two down from the island who was paying around $800/month for a two bedroom place. (And my boyfriend at the time was in Lan Kwai Fong and was paying maybe $1,800/month for a two bedroom apartment.) Hong Kong really isn't that expensive, unless you demand luxury living in the expat districts. (Stanley, Disco Bay, Lan Kwai Fong.) At least from what I can recall.
So compared to $1,600/month for a single room, that's pretty cheap.
Plus, of course, even Singapore is a lot larger than an aircraft carrier.
IDK. I guess I get the advantage in being close to Silicon Valley (in case someone needs to do lots of face to face meetings?) But there are already city-states out there that offer fairly easily immigration (to highly skilled professionals, anyway), that are cheaper and offer a lot more "open space". (Hong Kong, at least, has a lot of it if you're willing to take short bus/ferry rides.)
It's a fun idea. (Straight out of cyberpunk - which I suspect is part of why the techies are so into it.)
I'm not going to lie, the first thing I thought of when I read the article was "Huh, what a great setup for a zombie movie."
But I suspect that your points about a) there being less claustrophobic and cheaper places to live that will achieve the same thing and b) their dependance on the nations around them is probably going to kill the idea before it gets started.
It sort of sucks though that the work visa program in this country is so fubar that something this far fetched seems like a solution, but I suppose that's a whole different discussion.
Well, to be fair, Hong Kong is highly dependent on the People's Republic of China (and is legally part of it), and Singapore is highly dependent on Malaysia. So that would be a common problem. (And both do have issues with their dependence. Singapore regularly freaks out about Malaysia deciding that it's not so into selling them cheap water any more or whatever.) But I can't see how that would be different here, unless Blueseed made it waaaay out into the ocean + was large enough to be self sufficient. (May I laugh hysterically now?)
I do agree that the US really, really needs a better work visa program. (I knew at least one company in HK that had moved there precisely because of the screwed up US visa program. Pretty sad, considering how many roboticists they employed...) And I could see this working pretty handily for tax evasion. (Although perhaps not in the US, considering the tax laws here. But hey, in the UK....)
This is the key.
It's a fun idea. (Straight out of cyberpunk - which I suspect is part of why the techies are so into it.) But as long as it's wholly reliant on the US (and California) for food, materials, escape from the claustrophobic confines of the ocean liner...they're not really free. (Esp. as I'd assume that the US could be all, "Um...not so much" pretty much any time, although I suspect they won't unless things get seriously out of hand.)
Also, at $1,600/month for a room, the idea is only really of interest to wealthy tax dodgers and a few highly paid migrant workers who can afford the high costs, but can't get a visa, need to be proximate to Silicon Valley, *and* are okay with the cost/small confines. (I'd imagine that, say, your average brilliant Chinese computer programmer would prefer to live in Hong Kong and Singapore, which are sort of less claustrophobic versions of the same thing.)
With that said, I totally want to visit. I'm expecting a booming tourist trade.
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In Hong Kong, for less than 1,600 a month?
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So compared to $1,600/month for a single room, that's pretty cheap.
Plus, of course, even Singapore is a lot larger than an aircraft carrier.
IDK. I guess I get the advantage in being close to Silicon Valley (in case someone needs to do lots of face to face meetings?) But there are already city-states out there that offer fairly easily immigration (to highly skilled professionals, anyway), that are cheaper and offer a lot more "open space". (Hong Kong, at least, has a lot of it if you're willing to take short bus/ferry rides.)
Reply
I'm not going to lie, the first thing I thought of when I read the article was "Huh, what a great setup for a zombie movie."
But I suspect that your points about a) there being less claustrophobic and cheaper places to live that will achieve the same thing and b) their dependance on the nations around them is probably going to kill the idea before it gets started.
It sort of sucks though that the work visa program in this country is so fubar that something this far fetched seems like a solution, but I suppose that's a whole different discussion.
Reply
I do agree that the US really, really needs a better work visa program. (I knew at least one company in HK that had moved there precisely because of the screwed up US visa program. Pretty sad, considering how many roboticists they employed...) And I could see this working pretty handily for tax evasion. (Although perhaps not in the US, considering the tax laws here. But hey, in the UK....)
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