Reverse Pirates

Floating tech incubator piques interest of more than 100 startups (Wired UK):

One of the problems with our immigration system is that we can't give enough visas to scientists and engineers that want to come here and work for US corporations and pay high taxes. Anyone who wants to come here illegally, however, is going to be able to get government support and funding and not pay 1% of the taxes one of those engineers we are keeping out would. Tech companies in Silicon Valley have been talking about putting a cruise ship just outside US waters so those engineers and scientists could work here via 'day passes'. Another group is considering building labs and offices on a former cruise ship so they would have access to the US for employees and material but not be hemmed in by government regulations.

There's a movement called 'seasteading' that thinks we could build communities out in international waters; think 'Waterworld' and 'Atlas Shrugged'. First adopters would be server farms and financial institutions and tech firms. If the cost was low enough, you'd see artist colonies and tourism (go to 'Freedonia' and do whatever drugs you want, fire automatic guns with chainsaw bayonets, get medical treatments that work but are only five years into the FDA's ten-year approval system). It would be safer than you'd think since they'd determine who could and couldn't join, what building standards were and could organize a self-defense and police force. There is an anti-aircraft platform outside the British waters that people have taken over and have sovereignty. 'Sealand' has server farms and some financial institutions that claim residence. It used to give out passports that the UK honored and was actually attacked by pirates trying to put their own people in power; the UK refused to help as 'Sealand' is out of their jurisdiction.

It has an appeal, the idea of a new land without lawyers or regulations or bureaucrats or politicians. I hope they make it.

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