Fiction v reality

In Lucifer's Dragon, Jon Courtenay Grimwood imagined the consequences (social, technical and political) of re-creating Venice in the middle of the Pacific using old ships as its foundations and biotech to fill in the rest. With the passing of the Lord of Sealand I wondered what would happen to that idea. Satisfyingly, the idea has not died but been resurrected in a different form - now lots of rich folks are going to build it off the San Fran coastline. Even more satisfying, the main mover behind this particular island dream is Patri Friedman, the son of monetarism guru Milton Friedman. This stuff writes itself.