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A comment on Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies. Parent comment

Re:Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies by ComputerGuru on Monday May 19, 2008 @11:59AM (#194155)
They're in the ocean. Typically, that would involve eating fish and drinking water :)

Then again, this is the 21st century. I cannot imagine the food they eat would differ too much from the food you're currently eating in Seattle/Chicago/SV/London/etc.

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Re:Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies by Prrometheus on Monday May 19, 2008 @01:22PM (#194238)
This is what they plan to eat and drink:

http://seasteading.org/seastead.org/commented/paper/infra.ht...

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Re:Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies by Tichy on Monday May 19, 2008 @12:05PM (#194158)
fish occurred to me, too, but is it sufficient?
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Re:Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies by ComputerGuru on Monday May 19, 2008 @01:18PM (#194230)
In this day and age, whether or not something is available is no longer really a question. The only thing that is relevant becomes how much it costs to get it. In this case, the cost of shipping perishable goods to these "islands" on a daily/weekly basis.

Even if fish were sufficient, I don't think any of the inhabitants would appreciate eating fish and fish alone day in, day out. Non-perishable goods like crackers, chips, Pepsi, coffee, sugar, flour, etc. can be shipped in large quantities and cheaply (via barges). But stuff like eggs, milk, fresh meat, and other goods that can be held in storage for long periods of time without adversely affecting the quality and nutrition of their constituents need some other solution.

At any rate, they'll have an easier time at getting something to eat than the inhabitants of the International Space Station for sure :)

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Re:Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies by hugh on Monday May 19, 2008 @06:09PM (#194500)
Just because it's in international waters doesn't mean it has to be in the middle of the ocean. If they're willing to accept being outside the territorial waters of any country but still in the Exclusive Economic Zone of one, then they can sit 24 miles off the coast from a port, and do weekly grocery runs with an ordinary vessel.

If they can't stomach being in somebody's exclusive economic zone (not that it makes much practical difference) then they'd have to be 200 miles offshore, making grocery runs a bit more of a pain but still possible. A reasonably fast ship will get you there and back in a day.

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Re:Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies by stcredzero on Monday May 19, 2008 @10:59PM (#194693)
They should pay the government of Nauru to rent their sovereignty. They can keep the "island" above sea level by building a mooring tower and tie seasteads to it. Their territory can be the 200 mile economic zone of Nauru.

Also, there's lots of healthy stuff that can be kept in dry form. (Fruits, Legumes, and grains.) They will also have the ability to keep things frozen. Chest freezers can be highly efficient. Especially if they are not opened very often.

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Re:Peter Thiel Makes Down Payment on Libertarian Ocean Colonies by davidw on Monday May 19, 2008 @01:20PM (#194234)
"Hey everyone, guess what? Fish for dinner again!", followed by a beating of the cook and a mutiny.

Joking aside, they could probably trade something to have someone float a few cows their way.

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