io9: ship

Want to Live in a Real-Life Waterworld City?

Annalee Newitz — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:00:42 PDT

The so-called Freedom Ship, a floating city of thousands, is an idea that has been tossed around for a while. Now the Freedom Ship company has a new set of designs for the floating urban space, which looks sort of like a giant mall parking lot, and sort of like a really giant Love Boat. Here you can see the new design of the ship. The designers estimate they'll have it built in three years. Here are some of the specs on this giant ship city.

According to Freedom Ship International, the city will have:

* 18,000 living units, with prices in the range of $180,000 to $2.5 million, including a small number of premium suites currently priced up to $44 million.
* 3,000 commercial units in a similar price range
* 2,400 time-share units
* 10,000 hotel units
* A World Class Casino
* A ferryboat transportation system that provides departures every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, to 3 or more local cities giving ship residents access to the local neighborhood and up to 30,000 land-based residents a chance to spend a day on the ship.
* A World-Class Medical Facility practicing Western and Eastern medicine as well as preventive and anti-aging medicine.
* A School System that gives the students a chance to take a field trip into a different Country each week for academic purposes or to compete with local schools in numerous sporting events. For example; The Freedom Ship High School Soccer team plays a Paris High School team this week at home and an Italian team next week in Italy, while the Freedom Ship High School Band presents a New Orleans Jazz musical at a concert hall in London.
* An International Trade Center that gives on-board companies and shops the opportunity to show and sell their products in a different Country each week.
* More than 100 acres of outdoor Park, Recreation, Exercise and Community space for the enjoyment of residents and visitors.

Freedom Ship International

An All-Electric Navy Warship

Kevin Kelly — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:45:24 PST

The Navy is developing an electrical warship that will draw all of its power from an on-board nuclear power plant, but it unfortunately looks nothing like Captain Nemo's Nautilus, which also ran on electric power. However, it does look a hell of a lot like the stealth ship from the James Bond flick Tomorrow Never Dies, meaning that the Navy is turning to ten-year-old Bond films for inspiration. Still no word on a grappling-hook watch.

Floating Tetanus Shot Nightmare Docks On Lost

Kevin Kelly — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:24:09 PST

Apparently a rusty freighter is going to be joining the cast of Lost whenever it starts airing again. If internet photos and rumors are to be believed, then the ship is docked in Suva, the capital city of Fiji, and has seen better days. But what does this mean for everyone on the island?

Right now, it only means wild speculation by everyone who hasn't jumped ship with the show already. The season finale for Lost promised good things to come, with everything taking place in the future, but how will this freighter fit into the mix? Is this the ship that Naomi was using as a staging ground in her search for Desmond? Remember, she flew out there in a chopper that had to come from somewhere, and she had a whole crew back onboard waiting on her call on the satellite phone. Of course, Locke backstabbed her, literally, so we're not really sure if that was the truth or not.

Depending on when ABC decides to start airing this show, we should have some answers. Maybe Jack stops wishing for plane crashes and charters this rustbucket in an effort to get back to where he once belonged.

Spoilers: first look at the freighter [Spoilers Lost]