Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Musings: So Junk

Big, bold Jupiter reigned in a brightening sky inhabited by a few stars when Koko and I went out walking this morning. It was so quiet I could hear the cattle chewing, a horse biting an itch, and all the while the crickets sang in harmony.

A band of dark clouds was approaching from the east, settling in around the Giant and promising rain, though likely not before we returned home. The sky over Lihue wore the dull red of urbanization — light pollution, if you will — as it always does. And Waialeale was clearing, though still gathering a white cloak modestly over her summit.

As you may have noticed from the recent dearth of postings, I haven’t been much in the mood to blog lately. Perhaps it was delving deep into depleted uranium munitions — a topic that dominated this past weekend as I worked on an article — and global climate change that wore me down a bit. As one reader noted astutely in a comment left on my last post:

I just read your August 11 post. We're like junkies. We know we're ruining the habitability of the planet but we just can't help ourselves.

Boy, does that say it all. It prompted me to pull Anne Wilson Schaef’s excellent book, “When Society Becomes An Addict,” from the bookshelf, and when I opened it at random, I found this:

The addictive process is so insidious, and dishonesty and denial are so integral to it, that it is difficult to see and know that our system is morally and spiritually bankrupt. The system itself is its own disguise. Add to this the fact that living in it robs us of the clarity to recognize it for what it is, and things become even more confusing.

Must we placidly await the destruction that is the promise of the Addictive System? I do not think so, and again, I am drawing on what I know about the treatment of addicts. It used to be believed that addicts could not begin the recovery process until they had “bottomed out.” Until they had gone as far as they could in their self-destructive downward spiral, they were not ripe for recovery. More recently, some treatment centers have been accepting addicts before they are brought to their knees, and the resulting treatment had been successful. Let us hope that the same holds true for the Addictive System.


Well, that book was written back in 1988 and though celebrities galore have gone through rehab, society as a whole has yet to start the process; indeed, some folks still refuse to admit we’ve got a problem. So hope wears thin.

In the meantime, there’s solace in nature, which seems to be to be the antithesis of the Addictive System, which Schaef describes as having a nonliving orientation. That’s why I also liked a comment that another reader left yesterday:

Nature and all of its glory make politics almost insignificant except when politics impacts the magnificence of nature. Something that is happening all the time.

That alone offers reason enough to get involved, to care, which is probably what prompted a friend to send me this early morning email:

See todays tvr article with the smile of the mayor, does the smile say 'the tvr owners donated so much fucking money my way, I'm stoked to sign this bill?’ or does it say 'fuck you to the rest, i'm happy as a pig ...

Yes, the lei-bedecked mayor, flashing a shaka, was the file photo The Garden Island chose to accompany its article on him signing the newest incarnation of the transient vacation rental bill into law.

Well, it wasn’t actually an article, just a rewrite of the county’s press release. So that’s why it doesn’t mention that even though supporters kept saying it wouldn’t result in any new TVRs, it actually opens the door for TVR owners not just in the ag district, but everywhere else who didn’t apply the last time around.

It does mention that folks will need to submit “plans signed and stamped by a licensed engineer accurately representing the property as it exists today,” thus ensuring work for Jerry Kaluna, Cesar Portugal and other engineers associated with the county. But it doesn’t mention that no inspection is required, so we’ll just be taking their word for it that their representations are legit.

And it doesn’t say a word about what kind of impact this is going to have on the economic viability of agricultural lands for agriculture, or how the county plans to deal with property tax assessments or the deep, underlying concerns about the legality of TVRs on ag land.

Instead, we’re left with the assurance of the politicians that this bill will “stop the bleeding,” make all our problems associated TVRs go away.

Which, I suppose, is to be expected, because denial and wishful thinking are the two hallmarks of addiction.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

This will make matters so very much worse for the county. It aint over...

Anonymous said...

Ah, Is that how Bernard has such a huge treasure chest. Quiet, but stealth, liked your smiling picture comments... it's very sad what is happening to Kauai. We deserve more

Anonymous said...

Irreversible damage. Shame on them.

Anonymous said...

What's worse is the fact that 5 council members and a mayor have effectively put agriculture lands out of reach of the true farmers on Kauai. Take a look at the prices of ag lands now. It is impossible to farm. They have successfully created the crisis that can only be solved by raping our lands. I hope the people remember this despicable acts during the election.

Anonymous said...

Every time I see Bernard he's singing while strumming an ukulele or tooting his horn on hoike with County employees who look uncomfortable. The talk story with the Mayor appears so contrived and without substance. His public relations at nearly every event in the County leaves me wondering about the critical issues that he doesn't seem to be addressing. Where is the substance?

I didn't vote for him because I didn't think he had depth or insight to do the job. Kauai doesn't need a figure head as Mayor. We need a visionary...a true leader. He seems to be a nice guy who goes the path of least resistance.

His signing the tvr bill reflects a lack of knowledge about the complexity of this issue. He buys the spin or he's reaping benefits from the likes of the Hughes.

Palolo lolo said...

this won't help...sorry
http://cryptogon.com/?p=17068

Anonymous said...

"have effectively put agriculture lands out of reach of the true farmers on Kauai. "

please describe how. these are suppose to have been established back in 2008 - how does it change others ability to buy currently available ag land and farm it?

Anonymous said...

"have effectively put agriculture lands out of reach of the true farmers on Kauai. "

please describe how. these are suppose to have been established back in 2008 - how does it change others ability to buy currently available ag land and farm it?

Anonymous said...

Take a look at ag lands for sale. Tell me how a farmer can afford to purchase these lands.

Anonymous said...

Take a look at ag lands for sale. Tell me how a farmer can afford to purchase these lands.

It's not because they're loaded up with TVRs. Red herring.

Anonymous said...

Having a TVR on ag land has an impact on the market. All you had to do was listen to all of those people who cried about not being able to afford their property unless they could have a vacation rental. The realtor probably told them not to worry about the price because they could engage in resort activity.

Anonymous said...

What is the percentage of ag land with TVRs? 0.000007%? Get real. TVRs on ag land have had no impact whatsoever on prices. It's a dumb theory.

Anonymous said...

When TVR owners can generate income to pay inflated mortgages that they couldn't afford otherwise, you think that has no bearing on the value of the property? Why do you think Michele Hughes is hiring lawyers to lobby for this bill while she markets her properties around the world?

Anonymous said...

"on the value of the property"

correct - THE property in question - it would theoretically affect those properties of roughly the same or similar, size, amenities, zoning, etc., in taxes and fair market value/sales price.

Anonymous said...

You think all the ag land is priced by what it would be worth with a TVR on it? That's ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Not all ag land, just those in Seacliff, Kalihiwai Ridge, Kilauea Farms, Anini Vista, etc., you know the faux farm lots with the fancy houses. Yeah, TVRs don't affect their values.

Anonymous said...

If the ordinance required farming activity and a schedule F tax return (what you file to the IRS for farming income) it would not have helped the faux farmers like the Hughes for example.
But at the full council, Kaneshiro made a quick change that took the farming requirement out, and added "any other reason" for not farming works. Took out the schedule F requirement

The ordinance was For people like the Hughes and these faux farms, the county council was completely swayed by their attorneys last minute insistence the language be changed.
It was kaipo who objected to the last minute changes and wanted it deferred to give the public a chance to testify on this crucial change of removing the farming requirement as a condition of approval.
You have no idea how many applicants will apply. With virtually no tools, no teeth what is the planning commission supposed to do other than be frustrated and all say aye cause there is no farming requirements for their resorts despite the fact they were permitted as farm dwellings.

Anonymous said...

Next the county should Grandfather in marijuana farmers, it's bad economic times, they rely on the income

Anonymous said...

Tim Bynam sucks, he's pathetic, maybe criminal. How much did Michele donate to his campaign? Can someone please check the TVR list of who applied on AG land with the donation report? Would be interesting.And post the results...mahalo

Anonymous said...

I agree...vote Bynum out! I am tired of his dribble. His constant woe is me I'm a victim. Deal w/ it man to man off camera. I applaud Uncle Kaipo for his stand on tvr's. A glimpse of the man I voted for in years past.

Furfaro's grandstanding as if he is the only rational one amidst the controversy is annoying. Obviously he's using the situation to his political advantage this election. Vote him out too.

Anonymous said...

how does

nakamura
kualii
rapozo
kawakami
yukimura
chang sound? who's number seven? bynum, furfaro, asing? u pic'em!

Anonymous said...

"it actually opens the door for TVR owners not just in the ag district, but everywhere else who didn’t apply the last time around."

really? I don't think that is an accurate statement. I thought it said something about 2008 use date?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...

how does

nakamura
kualii
rapozo
kawakami
yukimura
chang sound? who's number seven? bynum, furfaro, asing? u pic'em!

Good picks are: Ken taylor, Bieber.
Maybe Rapozo and Kualii.

Sounds bad.
Nakamura will make it 10 X worse.
Yukimura is not honest.
Chang is a fool.
Bynum*&*^&%*&(
Furfaro is one stuffed peacock Kauai does not need.
Asing needs to retire.

To get your guy in: VOTE for ONLY ONE.

Anonymous said...

do you really think ken or rolf will knock off dickie? neither one will beat ted daligdig.

Anonymous said...

Taylor and Bieber? It would be a change. Kaipo and Joann? Been there, done that. Kaipo can point out the problems but can't come up with solutions.

Anonymous said...

Joann is soooooo stupid. Everything she does turns to more problems.

Anonymous said...

So, what shall we talk about now, excluding local politics and farming, which have been beaten into the ground ad nausium?

Anonymous said...

"it actually opens the door for TVR owners not just in the ag district, but everywhere else who didn’t apply the last time around."

really? I don't think that is an accurate statement. I thought it said something about 2008 use date?"

Think again, it is an accurate statement. Properties that had TVR's but knew they were not compliant with zoning laws (not building violations Tim) such as those that were operating as multifamily tvrs, ones that had flood violations(enclosed on the ground floor( and all that knew they could not pass a inspection, or those who knew their structure is currently not as the building permits show, all those people will come in now and apply. Of course it will result in more

And Tim, if the new ordinance didn't open the process back up for moe business' to apply, why didn't the new language just address ag?

Anonymous said...

Did our government blindly accept tax money from illegal ag tvr owners and not bother to pay attention to where these businesses were located? Is that why we are now forced to reward these lawbreakers with a chance to apply for a permit?

What about local folks who followed the law because they KNEW tvrs on ag land were illegal. Do they get to apply for a permit or is it only limited to liars and owners who live on the mainland...

Anonymous said...

They paid a state TAT, the state does not check associated permits with tax payments. The tax payment was for money earned, and in no way did it make the county have to give these guys a permit to turn ag land into resort forever, And this ord may be overturned because it makes 2 classes of property owners in the same area, and laws have to apply fairly. This one doesn't, as you mentioned, the liars and cheats get to do it, law abiding non pushy people, you are screwed.Farm, hey, whatevers
And if they were trying to be fair, why allow people to apply for another year, what is the logic there?
Vote Tim out,he's acting like Gary Baldwin, another fat haole who came here pushing his power until he went to jail