Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Musings: Grieving

I went up to the stream yesterday, craving its cold immersion, curious to see how it had been affected by the flood. It was full and clean, the rocks scoured right down to their grayness and blackness, all the algae gone, all the cans and rubbish and fallen logs, and hopefully that horrid pink hybrid ti, night blooming jasmine and other invasives planted by well-being idiots trying to pretty up a native stream.

I'd already witnessed the shocking results of the flood on the ocean end, at one of my favorite sections of windward coastline, where blocks of what could pass for modeling clay still litter the white coral sand, raging torrents cut deep troughs in the beach and mud blanketed the reef, causing me to wonder just how long life can survive under that suffocating blanket.
Yes, some of it was “just nature taking its course,” to borrow the words that a corrupt state DOCARE officer used to blow me off a number of years ago, when I complained about runoff from the “agricultural subdivision”— aka luxury houses now used as vacation rentals and second homes — that was being developed above the beach. But a lot of it stems from human activity.

Fortunately, county planning inspector Les Milnes did come and look and made one of the oceanfront owners, Norm Caris, change his drainage plan. This caused Norm to get so pissed off at me that he grabbed me by the neck on the beach below his house one day and threw me down on the sand, then threatened to shoot me and my dogs if he ever saw us again. By the time the cops finally showed up, well over an hour later, Norm had already found someone to back up his lie that he never touched me, and he threatened to sue the cops for false arrest. So nothing ever happened, except the cops said maybe best to avoid his stretch of the beach, which was public, last time I looked.

Right.

Unfortunately, things did continue to happen to the beach, both below Norm's house, and on either side of it, where all the drainage from that subdivision is funneled into two channels that dump directly onto the beach. I've watched with alarm how the beach was degraded during previous big rains, but nothing so horrid as this.

You can see Norm's house off to the left.
Here's where the water comes down on the other side of his place. This land is owned by someone else. I love how they post signs telling us not to trespass, but what of their trespasses, by way of mud and vege, onto our beach?
This is what was flowing directly off of Norm's property. Wonder how messed up it would've been if I hadn't bitched and Les hadn't followed through?

Of course, because of all the crap flowing off the land, this is how the usually crystal clear water below Norm's house now looks.
In Googling Norm, I found this article about him and his house in Architectural Digest. Like so many of the `aina rapers, he claims to love the place he's helping to destroy:

The couple also have become very involved with Kauai charities. “We were here in the aftermath of Hurricane Iniki,” says Norm Caris, “and we saw firsthand how strong and resilient people on this island are. We moved here for Kauai’s beauty—and in this house, we certainly experience that—but we also wanted to be part of this incredible community.”

Yeah, just so long as you don't call him any of his shit.

And people wonder why I, and others, get so furious at some of the clueless rich pricks who move here. As a therapist on New Dimensions recently noted, “anger is always covering grief.” U no dat.

But one day, when he's on-island and the wind is just right, I may just have to put some of that wet drift wood to good use and make a big smoky bonfire right below his house.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow Joan, radical!!!!!!!!! What an ass wipe. The pictures tell the story of but one of many instances of this kind of crap that goes on all over Kauai. No wonder our reefs are dying. Norm and those like him are clueless about the place they claim to love. As long as they have their piece of paradise until they ruin it, then they move on to their next piece of paradise cuz they can. Leaving Kauai changed forever for the worse. DOCARE is pathetic bunch of ex-cops or wannabe cops that have no conservation ethic. Fucking sad state of affairs!

Anonymous said...

This guy has no clue. He may know how to make money, but he is a dope about what's going on his land and the ocean he claims to love.

The assault on you, a woman should have been treated more aggressively by the cops. But WTF? The cops on Kauai are not known for their skills nor inclination for solving the murder of women on this island. Too busy watching CSI?

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

not long ago, the beachfront land had only sand. Landscapers bring in copious amounts of dirt fill to create the kind of landscapes the owners want. When we have large rainfall events, the dirt is washing out onto our access paths and beaches in many places.

Anonymous said...

A county planning official that actual does their job the right way.

Wow.

Anonymous said...

A man with that kind of temper, and inability to control it, is full of much anger, depression, and sadness.

Eventually someone will push too many buttons again and he will lose it once more, but hopefully witnesses around.

He will answer for his actions one day.

Karma is real and it's sole belief is payback.

Jeremy

Thanks for the pictures, although very sad.

Anonymous said...

I've known Les Milnes since kindergarden time when his dad was principal of Kalaheo School. His daddy was a proper man of good breeding, and passed on his integrity to his son. Les is a straight shooter and a good man.

As for Norm Caries--he has a history. According to a 4/20/2004 article in the Honolulu Starbulletin by Dave Segal ("Tempers flare in Hawaiian bankruptcy."), while Caries was being interviewed by reporters, he threatened to "deck" Steven Portis of Vx Capital Partners (who was interested in investing in Hawaiian).

Caries is also the kind of guy who would buy a Ferrari "as his third personal car" on Kauai, where the speed limit is 50 mph.

Is it any wonder that he doesn't possess the sense to know that water flows downhill?

Isn't there a specific law which makes one liable for any runoff generated from one's property?

Anonymous said...

With regard the dirt "fill" which was brought in -- and is now flowing into the sea -- the County's grubbing and grading restrictions might apply. I'd report this jerk, but I don't know which beach he's polluting.

Anonymous said...

Found Caris' original building application for his Aliomanu Estates site online, which includes these statement:

"The sloping area along the shoreline and makai of the residence yard will be left in a natural state."

"Planned site and landscape designs will provide proper drainage and sedimentation and erosion controls on the property."

Anonymous said...

Can't you (or someone) tell us exactly what beach this is?

Anonymous said...

Whoa! Anyone who would choke anyone else deserves jail time. These rich bastards are raping our land that should be used to grow food for residents. This is just plain bullshit. Meanwhile, did you notice that the bills are being approved in the state legislature to allow more of these units to be built!

Anonymous said...

Property is located in Aliomanu Estates.

Anonymous said...

You must realize that Kauai was once the size of the Big Island. All that mass has washed into the ocean and we are just observers in a speck of time. Norm and the rest of us will all wash into the ocean and settle in the depths...\

Anonymous said...

He is a good man and the best they've got in that department. The rest are rather useless as far as the public can see.

Ever stand at the counter and wait for someone to make eye contact?

Anonymous said...

A process that happens over millions of years. Before, our wetlands would filter sediment and there was no human interference. No hooved animals existed to eat vegetation, leaving only hardpan. Norm is messing up our reefs and fisheries but hey he can afford to buy fish at market price while fishermen who depend on the ocean for subsistence are outta luck!

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable. How much of Kauai ends up in the ocean every year? I know it's happening naturally but some people, like this guy and Pflueger, just fuck it up.

Anonymous said...

Although I don't think Pflueger attacks women.

Anonymous said...

So if someone had been raped by Norm Caris the police would have just told you thereʻs nothing they can do because thereʻs no witnesses and to move on?

The fact that he told the cops that heʻd sue them should have been enough to help them grow a couple.

But usually as it is they only toss their weight around when itʻs a female that canʻt threaten them.

Most cops are punks that need to feel like men so have the gun to fulfill that. In my opinion they are worse than that Norm creep.

Anonymous said...

One of us will run into the fukka. And there wonʻt be any ʻwitnessesʻ.

He think he can get away with this shit?

Anonymous said...

Yea what whoa?
No ack, stupid.

Anonymous said...

Yea. How do you like like that, the lily whites "whoaʻs". Is that all they can say?
Or are they trying to make more out of what was said.
They can take that anyway they want.

Anonymous said...

What whoa? Post a comment? Just do it. All waha.

Anonymous said...

@March 23, 2012 8:42 PM: Are 'Cops' to blame for someone else's ignorance? Want to see what cops really do, apply for the 'ride along program' for a few days and see what police have to deal with. Then, and only then, tell the citizens of Kauai that "cops are punks".

If you still think cops are punks then apply for the position. People have the right to their own opinion but your opinion should not be based on ignorance.

Anonymous said...

What about the people who base their opinion of cops on good ol experience and 99% of it isnʻt nice?

You want the respect and donʻt want to be called names or called down for unexcusable shit you do, then remember respect is a two way street.