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During their investigation of the purchase of a large estate in New Zealand by Peter Thiel, Matt Nippert and Anne Gibson, reporters for The New Zealand Herald, noticed that certain processes required by the Overseas Investment Act had not been followed. The explanation: Peter Thiel is a NZ citizen and hence wasn't required to follow the procedures for an overseas investment.
If Thiel is so sure that Trump will deliver, why does he need a bolt hole and more importantly, citizenship in another country?
One question being asked was why Mr. Thiel became a New Zealander in 2011. Close behind that was how it happened.
If you like New Zealand enough to want to become a citizen, the country's Internal Affairs Department noted on Wednesday, one requirement is "to have been physically in New Zealand for a minimum of 1,350 days in the five years preceding the citizenship application." Another requirement is that you "continue to reside" there after becoming a citizen.
Mr. Thiel, 49, does not appear to have done either.
[...] If Mr. Thiel was not a resident in New Zealand for the necessary amount of time, an exception must have been made. The government has not responded to questions about whether that happened and, if so, what the reason was.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday January 27 2017, @01:05PM
Those assholes ought to be working on the problem of helping to build new institutions to replace those being torn down by the social isolation and paranoia that their creations are inducing. Instead they are running off to the other side of the planet.
It's not their job to clean up your problems. Given how rich people are being scapegoated for everything wrong with the US, they would have to be pretty dumb to not at least worry a little about whether the US will remain a safe place for them.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 27 2017, @01:11PM
> It's not their job to clean up your problems.
Bootlicker.
They made the problems.
They profited from the problems.
They have a responsibility to fix the problems.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Friday January 27 2017, @02:06PM
Let us keep in mind that there are far more poor US voters than rich ones. And a lot of the problems, like the rapidly growing costs of government entitlements like Social Security and Medicaid/Medicare, the rapidly growing costs of things like education, shelter, and health care, or the decline in the quality of basic government services (roads, public schools, law enforcement and emergency services, etc), are due to those voters making bad choices for more than half a century.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Friday January 27 2017, @02:20PM
It's hardly imaginary. It surrounds you every day of your life. When you haul your drunken ass into a cab late at night on payday, what's to stop him from murdering you, grabbing all your cash, and dumping your carcass in a back alley? Nothing but the social contract. There are places in the world where such a thing would happen to you readily, because they do not have that same social contract in place.
It's evident that you are not a student of history or sociology, because it would it would be simple to reference the fall of feudalism or some other example of what happens when the social contract changes or falls apart. But that's the sort of thing the Parent was referring to here.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 27 2017, @06:14PM
It's hardly imaginary. It surrounds you every day of your life. When you haul your drunken ass into a cab late at night on payday, what's to stop him from murdering you, grabbing all your cash, and dumping your carcass in a back alley? Nothing but the social contract.
Yeah, that happened to me once! Darn social contract! If only I had had an obvious rebuttal!
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @12:42AM
It's evident that you are not a student of history or sociology, because it would it would be simple to reference the fall of feudalism or some other example of what happens when the social contract changes or falls apart. But that's the sort of thing the Parent was referring to here.
Then by all means find such an example and do so. Your would-be example of the "fall of feudalism" ignores two things. First, the obliteration of European nobility in a bunch of nasty wars from the 15th to 17th centuries. It's hard to exert power when you're dead. And second, the obsolescence of the system by superior approaches that were stronger both economically and militarily.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 28 2017, @05:25AM
First, the obliteration of European nobility in a bunch of nasty wars from the 15th to 17th centuries.
WTF? Alternative history now? Is this khallow, or has Runaway taken over the account?
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @09:37AM
First, the obliteration of European nobility in a bunch of nasty wars from the 15th to 17th centuries.
WTF? Alternative history now? Is this khallow, or has Runaway taken over the account?
For example, in England there was the War of Roses [wikipedia.org] through to the English Civil War [wikipedia.org]. Feudalism was quite dead by the end of the English Civil War. A key early battle in Continental Europe was the 1415 Battle of Agincourt which saw the destruction of a huge portion of French knights by English bowmen. A similar key ending event in Europe was the Thirty Years' War [wikipedia.org] ending with the Peace of Westphalia [wikipedia.org] in 1648.
And I notice that you have yet to say why you're being derisive. Do you actually know any relevant history?
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @12:50AM
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 27 2017, @03:31PM
> The obvious rebuttal
Its pretty early in the day, but what the hell, Its Friday!!!
Every time you say "the obvious rebuttal" everybody takes a shot.
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=17243&cid=448302 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16849&cid=437967 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=13985&cid=358591 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15453&cid=400343 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15259&cid=395330 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15168&cid=393131 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=9968&cid=247750 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16319&cid=422041 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16518&cid=427099 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=10407&cid=257984 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15451&cid=400237 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=6171&cid=146540 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15790&cid=409076 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=13861&cid=354825 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15899&cid=412132 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=10156&cid=252378 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16621&cid=430615 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16024&cid=414867 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=14796&cid=382957 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=14796&cid=382957 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=12649&cid=319100 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=17028&cid=442427 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 27 2017, @09:53PM
Heh, I love seeing other people bitchslap that fool. I'm not perfect, sue me :P
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @12:10AM
Heh, I love seeing other people bitchslap that fool. I'm not perfect, sue me :P
You do realize at this point, I'm deliberately using the term to get more links on that list? And funny that you should mention "bitchslapping". The whole point behind the "obvious rebuttal" is that people aren't thinking about the obvious a lot. You'll see plenty of that in those links.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 28 2017, @01:33AM
Nah. What you fail to realize is that whenever you call something obvious all you are doing is telling the world that your brain is stuck in a rut. That you are unable to overcome a pathetic ideology that has cemented itself into your belief system so strongly that you would assert the sky is 'obviously' purple and be confused when no one agreed with you.
In other words every time you say something is "obvious" what you are really says is "I am an idiot."
That's why people play the drinking game - your lack of self-awareness is so strong that there is no point in engaging with you, you are incapable of arguing in good faith, so instead we drink.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Saturday January 28 2017, @05:30AM
In other words every time you say something is "obvious" what you are really says is "I am an idiot."
Truer words, never, . . . etc., etc. When khallow says "obvious rebuttal", it is just like the note in the Tiffany's box Melania gave to the Obamas. When they opened the box, there was just a piece of paper with the words "Help me!". So it is kind of cruel to have a drinking game that mocks a fellow Soylentil's learning disability. Maybe if we could show khallow what a free-range, outside-the-ideological-bubble obvious rebuttal looks like, that might help him. We owe him enough to at least make the effort!
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @10:04AM
Here, you're just insinuating learning disability yet you have argued repeatedly in favor of Marxism even though the theory never made sense and is insane and completely detached from reality in today's world. Just who exhibits the learning disability?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 28 2017, @03:37PM
Kinda pissed off, arentcha?
Goose meet gander!
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Saturday January 28 2017, @08:27PM
. What I find remarkable here is the projection of my would-be detractors. The previous poster claims, for example, that I argue in bad faith while simultaneous providing not even the least support for their argument and of course, arguing anonymously. What is there for me to defend myself against?
The obvious rebuttal here, my poor oblivious khallow, is that no one is accusing you of bad faith. You are projecting! No one (almost) doubts that when you say "obvious rebuttal" you actually believe it is one. What we are saying is that you are ideologically incapable of seeing that the rebuttal is not only not obvious, it is questionable. It is no wonder you do not see what you need to defend yourself against. We will wait while you attempt to process this obvious rebuttal.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @10:07PM
The obvious rebuttal here, my poor oblivious khallow, is that no one is accusing you of bad faith.
From earlier [soylentnews.org] in this thread:
That's why people play the drinking game - your lack of self-awareness is so strong that there is no point in engaging with you, you are incapable of arguing in good faith, so instead we drink.
You could at least have read the thread. And yes, this is a fucking obvious rebuttal.
What we are saying is that you are ideologically incapable of seeing that the rebuttal is not only not obvious, it is questionable.
Not much point to saying that when you get trivial things wrong so often. I see this uniformed attitude more as a filter to show me who the idiots are.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Saturday January 28 2017, @10:14PM
uniformed attitude
You remember that bubble thing we were talking about? Yeah, a uniform attitude. But you wrote "uniformed"? What does what someone wears have to do with anything? I certainly do not wear a uniform!
And just because you are incapable of arguing in good faith, that does not mean you are arguing in bad faith. See? Once again your binary view of the world has served you poorly. But it is alright, we know it is not really your fault, you can't help yourself. Now I need another drink. khallow, you are bad for Soylentil livers, you livertarian you!!
(Score: 0, Troll) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @10:28PM
And just because you are incapable of arguing in good faith, that does not mean you are arguing in bad faith.
It's heavily implied.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 28 2017, @10:32PM
Hah. Mr Literal is now claiming something is implied.
That's ironic.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @09:43AM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 28 2017, @03:33PM
Every time you say "the obvious rebuttal" everybody takes a shot.
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=17682&cid=459450 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=17243&cid=448302 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16849&cid=437967 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=13985&cid=358591 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15453&cid=400343 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15259&cid=395330 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15168&cid=393131 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=9968&cid=247750 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16319&cid=422041 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16518&cid=427099 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=10407&cid=257984 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15451&cid=400237 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=6171&cid=146540 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15790&cid=409076 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=13861&cid=354825 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=15899&cid=412132 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=10156&cid=252378 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16621&cid=430615 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=16024&cid=414867 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=14796&cid=382957 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=14796&cid=382957 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=12649&cid=319100 [soylentnews.org]
https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=17028&cid=442427 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by turgid on Friday January 27 2017, @06:42PM
Well, they certainly outdid themselves this time.Pull-My-Finger!
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 27 2017, @10:13PM
You have so little perspective... On one hand I envy you for your warm blanket of ignorance and denial. On the other hand I wouldn't trade my knowledge and experience for all the warm fuzzy feels in the world. Social welfare programs are a problem because the wage gap is so bad that a huge portion of US citizens can't afford basic living expenses. You can trot out examples of people screwing the system, but that is the minority of the cases and is just a straw man argument.
The rich have purchased politicians to reduce their tax rates, they have failed to maintain livable wages, quite a few top corporations are given government subsidies, and here is Khallow with the gall to blame the general public. Using democracy as a scapegoat, and blaming the victims of a rigged system is the height of douchebaggery. You are a massive tool who drank some nasty Koolaid.
People with your world view are literally the cause and continued supporters of all the problems facing the US right now. Blaming the programs that help people instead of the programs that kill people. Where is your condemnation for invading Iraq? We were lied to and the taxpayers funded a massive war with tons of money funneled into the hands of private contractors. You support some of the worst ideas around here, and your judgment is highly selective to the point where you don't even realize you're a total hypocrite.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @12:21AM
You have so little perspective...
Compared to the people complaining about the rich I have a lot of perspective. In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
Social welfare programs are a problem because the wage gap is so bad that a huge portion of US citizens can't afford basic living expenses.
Social welfare programs are a good part of the problem here. The more inefficient the economy is made by taking wealth away from people who actually do useful stuff, the less people are elevated out of poverty. Same goes for the social programs that make employing people more expensive. And another factor is that social welfare programs are a massive bribe for the status quo. This stuff has always been a lever to get voters to crack open more spending on corruption and corporate welfare.
People with your world view are literally the cause and continued supporters of all the problems facing the US right now. Blaming the programs that help people instead of the programs that kill people. Where is your condemnation for invading Iraq? We were lied to and the taxpayers funded a massive war with tons of money funneled into the hands of private contractors. You support some of the worst ideas around here, and your judgment is highly selective to the point where you don't even realize you're a total hypocrite.
Entitlements are the shield protecting the powers-that-be from such condemnation.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 28 2017, @03:59PM
Compared to the people complaining about the rich I have a lot of perspective. In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
As someone who is actually rich, I call bullshit. You have absolutely no idea how the people in my social class see the world. For them you are nothing more than polezniye duraki.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday January 28 2017, @10:22PM
As someone who is actually rich, I call bullshit. You have absolutely no idea how the people in my social class see the world. For them you are nothing more than polezniye duraki.
I never said that people who were wealthy are intellectually any better than anyone else. In fact, if we are to take your post at face value, you're a demonstration that being rich doesn't give a special vantage. After all, you care about dumb, rich peoples' perceptions. I think we have a vast over-supply of small-minded people. Maybe we should try to be less small-minded, eh?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 28 2017, @10:36PM
> Maybe we should try to be less small-minded, eh?
Start by looking in the mirror.
I'm pretty sure you are that guy who is still running around with only 10% of a brain. [sciencealert.com]
Seriously, EVERYBODY sees right through your ayn randian fanfiction. We understand you. You are just too intellectually limited to get past what most smart kids grow out of by the time they graduate from college.