When you sit back, close your eyes, and imagine the first successful autonomous freezone, the first thing that comes to mind is probably at least 10 miles square – and on solid ground. That’s not the picture that is being drawn at this moment. The Principality of Sealand – located 6 miles to the east of England is a WW2 guntower in operation as a data haven. Although the country is too small for a colony of any size, it is becoming a refuge from regulators of all stripes - an internet refuge, that is. Now offering anonymous remailers, mailing list servers, and a referrals program, Sealand has some high-profile backers including Avi Freedman of Akamai and Sameer Parekh of C2Net Software. Most of its current clients are in the areas of finance and casinos. Rather than administering internet servers, Sealand lets its clients do their own administration, and would prefer to sell a rack to a hosting company and resell the service. Single server packages currently start at $750 per month.
Another coast-less autonomous freezone project that seems to be making some headway is Freedomship. On January 12th and 13th, a free “Meet the Management” conference was held at the Belleview Biltmore Hotel in Clearview, Florida. The event is said to have attracted a wide audience - including backers and aficionados. Interested parties were offered the opportunity for individual meetings with company brass. A 12-foot model was on display. The Freedomship - which will be built offshore - is being marketed as an offshore city. Over 4/5ths of a mile long (4500 linear feet), this multi-level barge will slowly circle the globe and remain within international waters. Airplanes and boats will bring residents to shore and visitors aboard to visit its gigantic duty-free shopping mall and other attractions – including a library, hospital, schools, banks, 10,000 hotel rooms, restaurants, warehouses, manufacturing enterprises, parks, waterfalls, aquariums, the stern marina, &c. To date, over 8 years and 15,000 man-hours have been put into concept development, feasibility and marketing studies, engineering design, construction site searches, and financial analyses. The company employs 4 full timers and 100 individuals assisting on a part time basis.
Perhaps the most exciting news regarding floating cities is The World of ResidenSea – the first residential cruise ship. The World is scheduled to depart Oslo this month, and cruise to exciting ports throughout the world – following the sun’s annual vertical transit so as to remain in the most pleasant climate. While docked, The World will serve as a premiere resort in a prized location – the marina. This community sets itself well apart from the rest. In order to qualify for a residence you will need a net worth of at least $5 million. That’s supply and demand folks. Not to worry. More vessels are in the cards.
Now blacklisted by the international banking community, the Bahamas have already lost a major player - Citibank. This underscores the need for free banking zones to be independent, and to have banking privacy enshrined in their legal foundations.
The Tax Trial Blackout – More Constitutional Chicanery
How many people know that the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution is on trial – or even that the income tax is in dispute? On February 27th and 28th, representatives of the IRS and DOJ will be on hand to answer questions fielded by experts in constitutional and tax law.
It has been eloquently argued that the 16th Amendment was never properly ratified following the Constitutional requirements of Article V. Before the income tax was implemented, Federal tax funds came from State coffers, and were derived from population numbers rather than income – following Article I Section 9. Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (MD) along with assistant Attorney General Dan Bryant has made a written agreement that he will do everything in his power to see through the Tax Trial.
Now Bartlett has been under pressure from his own staff to weasel out of the trial. That would seem to indicate that the constitutionalists have a pretty good case. Nevertheless, the trial will proceed even if the defendants don’t show. And a mass tax protest on April 14th at the Washington Mall in DC has been set in case that occurs. Participants will toss 1040 forms into metal drums and publicly refuse to participate further in the “tax scam”. Now how will the bad boys be able to cover up something as beautiful as that? Will they be able to stop a chain reaction? Keep your fingers crossed - and pass the word.
As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
John Kosanke – Director – Las Portadas (cop.b3.nu)
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