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Markets in everything
There's a hot market for demilitarized ICBM silos. There are three of them on offer at eBay right now, with the asking price of $500,000 per silo, which includes underground and above ground support facilities. Hundreds of ICBM silos have been sold off in the last twenty years, as new missile forces were reduced with the end of the Cold War, and the enactment of arms reduction treaties. Most of these are located in remote areas. For example, the three silo complex being offered on eBay sits on 57 acres in central Washington State.
Here is further information.
And while we are on the markets in everything topic, here is what Indians will do for you (if you pay them).
And here is a New Zealand market: lingerie for men (TC: clicking on this site is a mistake, please don't do it, if only to avoid the music), who said small population and fixed costs limit product diversity (though they do ship by mail, how much of their business is Kiwi)?
Thanks to several loyal MR readers for the pointers, at least one of them may wish to remain anonymous.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on October 4, 2007 at 07:20 AM in Economics | Permalink
Comments
The lingerie for men site appears to be a joke. But I'm sure you knew that.
Posted by: Pelkabo at Oct 4, 2007 7:45:05 AM
That NZ joke aside, there ARE real and growing markets in lingerie for men. In Japan.
I wrote about it on my other (obesity) blog some days ago:
http://obesityheadlines.blogspot.com/2007/09/big-in-japan-wear-control-tights.html
Posted by: Shefaly at Oct 4, 2007 8:26:42 AM
I'm so disappointed ... the missile silos don't come with the missles and warheads :(
Posted by: Peter at Oct 4, 2007 9:25:22 AM
But seriously ... what in the world could you DO with an old missile silo? It doesn't seem to have any useful applications.
Posted by: Peter at Oct 4, 2007 9:28:43 AM
@ Peter:
".. what in the world could you DO with an old missile silo?"
Not to you and me, but for many, otherwise hiding in Afghan caves, this could be a great chance for geographical diversification!
Posted by: Shefaly at Oct 4, 2007 9:35:58 AM
Peter, you just lack a little imagination.
In the star trek universe, zephram cochrane used an old missle silo to launch the first warp capable ship the humans ever produced. (It was a heavily modifed ICBM.)
Maybe we're a little closer than I thought.
Scott
Posted by: scott clark at Oct 4, 2007 9:42:59 AM
Might these missile silos be popular with the End Times set?
Posted by: Ryan at Oct 4, 2007 9:46:09 AM
If you do buy the silo, you'd probably want to write a nice letter to the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces asking the silo to be taken off of their target list, or you could potentially have a really bad day.
Apparently, people have bought then and turned them into unique dream homes complete with landing strips see the New York Atlas site at This Missile bases site for a neat (and expensive) example.
Posted by: ak47pundit at Oct 4, 2007 10:17:30 AM
...friend of mine actually did his architectural thesis on converting grain silos....wonder what the application would be for missle silos...I'm sure you could convert them.
Posted by: shawn at Oct 4, 2007 10:18:54 AM
"My first [assistant] was John Locke. Actually, it was a guy using the pseudonym John Locke, a character on the TV show 'Lost.'"
-from the LA Times story
Could it be that perhaps, just perhaps, this Indian fellow had named himself after the English philosopher and not the character on "Lost"?
It's all irrelevant, I suppose, seeing how the character is named after the philosopher anyway.
Posted by: Jeff at Oct 4, 2007 10:41:03 AM
At least one old Nike anti-missile base (albeit mostly above ground) has been turned into a paintball park.
Given their size and shape I would think the silos would make great beer brewing facilities. Make ale, not war?
Posted by: The other Eric at Oct 4, 2007 10:44:22 AM
If you do buy the silo, you'd probably want to write a nice letter to the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces asking the silo to be taken off of their target list, or you could potentially have a really bad day.
If things got to that point it would sorta be a crappy day for everyone.
Posted by: Peter at Oct 4, 2007 11:29:38 AM
What would I do with a missile silo? Fools! Soon you will understand my true genius ...
(apologies to Soon I Will Be Invincible: A Novel (Hardcover))
Posted by: odograph at Oct 4, 2007 4:25:23 PM
I seem to recall a few years ago that someone was arrested who had a massive LSD lab in an old missile silo. Apparently he set up a small chemical factory and his front business was that he was a chemical firm.
Posted by: Lucas at Oct 4, 2007 10:54:12 PM
The NZ lingerie site content has changed considerably. A week ago, it was rather plausibly a real site. Now, it's a Snickers ad...
Posted by: Eric Crampton at Oct 5, 2007 7:52:21 PM
