Progress?

Looking back...
Over the last few weeks I have been sorting stuff, re- purposing or throwing out stored material of various sorts. Over the years I have kept things that "I might find useful some day" but have reached the stage in life when I can fairly safely say, "Probably not now." On Friday morning I delved into a final area of the garage/workshop. When we moved into the house over 30 years ago there was in the garage a concrete block "box" area that was used for coal storage. We were not going to be storing coal, so I put some things in the box and an old door on top of it. It became a storage area in the workshop for boxes and other bits and pieces. Well I decided it was time to lift the door and look into what I had shoved in there over the years. I found some off cuts of carpet, some timber pulled out of rooms at some stage, an old clock, an old water heater and an old toilet cistern. I cleaned up the timber, de-nailing it or turning some into firewood. I tried to get the clock going (unsuccessfully), pulled bits I wanted off the water heater and deconstructed the toilet cistern. It was made of copper sheet and inserted into a wooden outer box. It had solid brass fittings that I am sure still worked fine. It was made in 1968 and I had pulled it out of the toilet and replaced it with a "nice looking" modern plastic one when we redecorated our bathroom. As an ex-plumber I looked at the parts of this old cistern appreciating the workmanship. The valves had a basic simple mechanism that worked well. The washers could be easily replaced. 52 years ago it was an extremely well made unit. These days modern ones wear out easily, seem to continue to have problems with the mechanism, and if they break down, you can't repair it, you just replace it.  Is it really "Progress"? This old one would go for another 50 years if I accepted having old fashioned plumbing fixtures in my bathroom. I decided, no it was not progress. It is marketing... this old copper cistern I have deconstructed, was a far better unit than modern systems!

I could not discard the copper tank of the cistern. I reckon I could re-use it somehow, for old time's sake.

Computers...
I use computers obviously. I appreciate what a computer can do. But they are always changing. I am being told to update my applications all the time. Often there are no real improvements. Blogger is going to change soon and I looked at it, and thought, "But it is not better?" I am told to change my operating system. Skype is forever changing. Pretty soon programs I have are out of date and my old computer and the operating system cannot run them. Is it progress? I know firms that update their systems, throw well trodden paths and ways of working out the window, and staff have to cope with the "amazing" new change. Just a few years later more money goes down the drain again because newer systems are replacing the "old new system". (Which every body knew and was working fine?) Is it really progress?
Computers
I know a firm which when I was first involved with it, used basic old manual systems. They were intriguing to watch and the people operating them felt like craftsmen. They have gradually changed their systems. They became more and more computerised. An older long serving electrician employed there could not keep up, so was made redundant. The "craftsmen" learned to sit in front of a computer and their job was dictated by computer programs, and machines did much of what they used to do.  But was it really progress? The workers felt less like craftsmen. Others were frustrated.  I recall an engineer saying to me once, "I trained as an engineer, to work with tools, pipes and machines. Now before I can pick up a spanner I have to sit at a computer and sort out how I'm doing it, health and safety issues, and permits to work. Half my time is sitting in front of this 'f....g screen! In the time it takes me to do the computer work for this job, I could have finished the job!" Is it progress?
Woops!
 A local worksite is in the news. The international firm had spent millions linking all their plants in Australia and New Zealand together with a fancy computer system. It was amazing, people in Australia could know what was happening in NZ. Distance was no barrier. The computer systems keep in touch with everything that is happening throughout the whole international firm.
But..... last week some hacker has apparently broken into the system somewhere and mucked up the whole production system in all their plants. They had to send workers home and there apparently is a mad rush happening as they work out the problem, and try to work out how to do their production  manually until they can sort their computer issues out. They will lose millions I suspect. Is it always progress?

Now I know I sound like some old fart from the dark ages, but I think more often than we do we ought to be asking, "Is it progress? Is it really progress?" When we were put in Lockdown many people struggled with getting food supplies. We, being old were not allowed to shop. Our daughter did grocery shopping for us. But it was not often needed. We have an extensive vege garden, we could feed ourselves for many weeks without groceries if need be. We have grown and chopped our own firewood. We did not really depend on modern prepackaged food. Old fashioned, yes, but when things go wrong, so so handy.

I just think what we call "Progress" needs to be questioned more often than we do.

Three intriguing things.... Covid Level 1.

Taiaroa Head Lighthouse. 

The Monarch emptying out the tourist before us.

A blurry photo of a Shag colony - the boat was rocking!

Almost out to sea. The very tip of the harbour.

Covid-19 Alert level 1
New Zealand has moved to Alert level 1 now. There have been 18 days now with no new cases in the country. Alert level 1 is virtually back to normal except the borders are shut, which we can do quite effectively in our Island nation.  This has been quite an achievement which has happened because we have had clear, good communication at the top level of government and decisive leadership which has been guided by science and medical knowledge. The economy has taken a hit so we are now in recovery mode. We have been told that we are a "team of 5 million people" and the 5 million cooperating has essentially eliminated the virus in NZ. (Though the Prime Minister warns we still have to be careful) Now she is saying the team of 5 million need to do all we can to rebuild our economy. One of the troubles is that much of our economy has been associated with tourism, overseas tourists coming to see our wonderful country. Such tourism does not work when borders are closed. So we are being encouraged to "see and enjoy New Zealand" while it is not clogged up with overseas tourists. (or "Loopies" as they are sometimes called) I am thankful for our leadership, thankful that the virus was contained (we had 22 deaths) and thankful that life can return to normal.

Prime Minister of NZ (Jacinda Ardern) & Dr Ashly Bloomfield - Director General of health. Who have essentially lead the Covid-19 response. Both had good communication skills, both were knowledgeable and both were empathetic. 

Chaplain again.
We got to Covid level 1 at midnight last night. I had been stopped from visiting the fire stations during lockdown and since and had been told that maybe I could go back to being their chaplain at Level 1. So during the evening last night I emailed the Health and Safety man at the fire station asking for permission to visit again. This morning he emailed back saying "Yes start visits to the stations - would not like to have the troops robbed of your support." So my wife cut my hair which had got quite unruly, I trimmed my beard which made me look like the wild man of Borneo, and I headed toward the fire stations this afternoon. I have been visiting the fire stations for 26 years, yet as I drove toward town I was nervous. "What if they liked not having me around? What if they reject me?" All these sorts of questions crossed my mind. I went in and was warmly met by most. Others just said "Hi" as if I had not been away for nearly eleven weeks - I was just part of the furniture. But more than that I found I just fell into conversation with a number of people about things that matter. There was again a depth of connection - I felt useful, I came alive and it felt good. They got a call to an alarm at the local sports stadium (which is going to host the first Post-Covid rugby match in the world on Saturday night) and I got invited to travel in the ladder. It felt good to be back.... but as I drove home about 3 hours later I was so tired! ....listening is hard work! 
But the woman who manages us chaplains is wondering if I can take on more? I said that I was nearly 72, at the end of my career. She responded, "Never say never Dave. You don't know what could be ahead." A building firm wants a chaplain? I was a plumber, I worked on big building sites and have done heaps of building for Habitat for Humanity??? Anyway I'm back at being a chaplain and feeling useful.
Tourists seeing the sights.
Dunedin is built around the Otago Harbour. The Otago Peninsula runs up the seaward side of the harbour. At the head of the peninsula there is an Albatross Colony, the only colony in the world on a mainland. Every other albatross colony is on an off shore island. The Royal Albatross, a magnificent bird, nests in this area. There is a tourist venture based at the Dunedin wharf where they have an older wooden boat which takes tourists out to view the colony, to watch the birds, see the NZ seal colony and other sea bird populations. It was advertising half-price tours so my daughter talked us into going with her and her husband and a friend of theirs who lives down the Peninsula. So we drove down the peninsula to a jetty at a place called Wellers Rock, boarded the boat and enjoyed an hour or so cruise down to the Taiaroa Head where the albatross were. We saw these birds in flight. A magnificent wing span of at least 3 metres, gliding up and down and bringing feed back to their juveniles on the hillside. Another smaller albatross breed were chasing fish in the water about us and we could see seals on the rocks with their pups exploring the cliffs. Saturday had been stormy and cold. Sunday, the day of our boat trip was sunny with a breeze blowing. It was cool but a nice winter's day. It was a good trip. We see the "Monarch", the boat, plying the harbour virtually every day. It is a well known Dunedin identity, but this is the first time we have travelled on her. It was a good day. If you are ever in Dunedin NZ, it is worth a visit. 

Taiaroa Head Light House

Racism in New Zealand also.

Racism

The United States of America has been turned upside down because of protests about police aggression toward black people there. (other influences have inflamed the violence too) There are plenty of videos on the internet that show unwarranted aggression by police in America. Recently there was a story by a black university professor about how he was apprehended and aggressively held and questioned when he was just on his way from his parked car to the university to give a lecture. I feel so sad for the USA, for people of colour there and for the mess that seems to be happening there.

New Zealand, "God's own"

We New Zealanders are generally proud of the way we treat people of colour. We say we had a treaty with the indigenous people, and have this "partnership" with them. Indeed I am pleased to live in New Zealand because our ideals, and our laws are pretty good. But I am sad to say that racism happens in New Zealand even among the police force, though thankfully not to the same extent as it seems to be in USA.. 

Our family many years ago. You can see the two adopted Maori/Samoan boys and the youngest Fostered girl has Maori heritage. (The youngest boy is 40 this year.)

We have three mixed race children in our family.  The two boys (Maori/Samoan - now fine men with their own families) have experienced racism. When our oldest mixed race boy began a baking apprenticeship at a super market in town, he lived at the top of a street that ran down a hill to the main street of town, where his work was. He had a string of incidents where the NZ Police treated him badly. Early in the mornings he walked down the hill to work wearing his obvious branded supermarket overalls, and several times he was stopped and quizzed in a most aggressive way. Once he was driving our car from Sawyers Bay, the 10km distance into work and a police car came in behind him, followed him right into the work car park and parked beside him so that he couldn't open the door to get out of the car. Aggressive questioning followed. I took him to work once and on the Port Chalmers Rd a police car in front of us purposely slowed right down to about half the speed limit. We discussed whether we ought to overtake them. My son commented, “Don’t pass, they’ll see a Maori in the front seat and pull us over.” When there was a clear way to pass, I did overtake them safely and legally. As we passed they looked across at us, saw a Maori in the front seat, and immediately switched on their flashing lights to pull us over.  One went to the passenger door, the other to my door and aggressive questioning followed.  I was so angry (3 a.m. in the morning in my pyjamas and tracksuit) as they checked my license and registration and made their excuses for pulling us over I got out of the car, became quite assertive about their tactics and they quickly changed their mind and let us go... If I was a Maori young person would they have backed off?  Add to that I have observed reactions in stores when my boys as teenagers went in to purchase stuff. (It is one way to get service – they don't like Maori browsing.) But I was disgusted that it happens here in NZ. There are assumptions made about Maori (guilty till proven innocent) and I know my boys wore those assumptions. That is just some of the expressions of racism in our society.
But....

But I am not free of racism. During school holidays once, we had items stolen from inside our house. We then tended to get sensitive whenever we saw “unknown  adolescents” wandering our street during school holiday time. But I found I got more concerned if I saw a Maori boy wandering up the road. Why? Unconsciously I have been shaped by racists perspectives in the community about me. I make assumptions because of skin colour. It's no wonder Maori youth get aggressive attitudes. 
There are real social problems with Maori communities in our nation. Poverty, imprisonment rates, health and welfare issues, that are complicated and have to be worked through. But we as individuals have to guard against racial stereotyping, and racist assumptions. We need to fight it within ourselves, so that we do not act upon them. Once when one of our sons did get into trouble (as many older teenagers of any race do.) his comment to us was, “Well that’s what’s expected of us Maori, so why not?” When people live with racist assumptions day in and day out, it can pull them down toward those expectations, and adversely impact on how they value themselves.
New Zealand is a very good place to live, but we are not free of racism.