POSSIBILITIES ONCE, MAY NOT BE LIKELY NOW

I don't recall my age or the year I realized and accepted that some activities I had always imagined I would experience some day, that I never would, such as visiting Paris, Scotland to name a couple foreign locations.  I have always had an appetite not even remotely fulfilled for travel to sites and continents away from my own.

I did fly to South America's Ecuador where I had never even thought about going or imagined I would visit, but leaped when the opportunity was presented.  Taking advantage of such situations when they occur is wise even if sudden schedule and life adjustments may be necessary.  I had to borrow money for the trip from the bank where I was then working in the loan department. 

An unscheduled stop occurred in Jamaica on the flight there.  I made a quick deplane just to say I'd been there before re-boarding to continue the flight.  My return flight had an unexpected stop in Peru where the most strikingly handsome and beautiful golden-skinned couple I have ever seen in my life boarded our plane.  I'll always wonder who they were.

Years later after I wed, I learned my husband was much more enamored with traveling in the U.S.   He said there was so much here that we had never seen.   So, we stayed primarily on this continent, did go to Hawaii but didn't get to Alaska and enjoyed only a limited Niagara Falls trip into Canada.  An anticipated further exploration north of our border never materialized, regrettably.  

Mexico visits were few, but simply walking across the border, except for once when I convinced my husband to drive over.  Thoughts of driving the Pan American Highway intrigued me.  I learned later the highway was incomplete in many places and little more than a dirt road in others as I rode on in Ecuador. 

This trip with my husband was a very brief intrusion into Mexico.  He was  unfamiliar with the Spanish language so turned on to a street with a sign that probably had said the street was closed to traffic for repairs.  I had studied French so was no help.  A workman running toward us, shouting, frantically waving his arms, conveyed our presence was a mistake. His behavior quickly convinced my husband to turn the car around and drive back across the border to the U.S. before we had an accident or got arrested.  The workman probably muttered to his colleagues, "Those loco gringos don't know how to drive!"

Early years before our children were born, we took a few short cross-country flights he privately piloted that were compensating pleasures to foreign travel for me then.  Many scenic drives through numerous states, plus visits to our U.S. national park system and monuments offered a bounty of attractions.   We were unable to visit as many Parks as we had hoped, especially when his declining health in later years altered those expectations.  Lengthy cross country scenic train trips in the U.S. and Canada about which we mused never could become a reality.

All of this came to mind when I recently checked my KCET Public Television Station's (PBS) weekly Friday night movie.  I always wanted to visit Scotland which I learned was the evening's 1983's movie's setting.  I was in the mood for a movie with some beautiful scenery and a light entertaining story line.  No record of Scottish ancestors had been found among those of mine so efficiently researched a few years ago by blogger/researcher Judy at "Onward and Upward -- Ever Forward".   I remain convinced there may be some forefathers preceding those whose identity was named in my English/European background.  

"Local Hero was filmed in several locations around Scotland.   Most of the Ferness village scenes were filmed in Pennan on the Aberdeenshire coast and most of the beach scenes at Morar and Arisaig on the west coast" reported by Wikipedia.

Here's the original 1983 "Local Hero" movie trailer:

Here's a more extensive current link to sites with color photos of film locations offered at "Almost Ginger" by blogger Rebecca Sharp "twenty-something avid cinephile and traveller, as well as a minimalist, optimist, Hufflepuff and proud ginger."  Corrected link to "Almost Ginger".

So, I viewed "Local Hero" -- lovely country and beach scenes, subtle ideas and all that you might enjoy from a Criterion Collection of films I recommend.  Here's some of what Criterion said about the film:

"Bill Forsyth put Scottish cinema on the map with this delightfully eccentric culture-clash comedy.  Riffing on popular representations of Scottish life and folklore, Local Hero follows the Texas oil executive Mac (Peter Riegert), who is dispatched by his crackpot boss (Burt Lancaster) to a remote seaside village in Scotland with orders to buy out the town and develop the region for an oil refinery.  But as business mixes with pleasure, Mac finds himself enchanted by both the picturesque community and its oddball denizens---and Texas starts to feel awfully far away.  Packed with a near nonstop stream of droll one-liners and deadpan gags, this enchanting cult hit finds Forsyth surveying the idiosyncrasies of small-town life with the satirical verve of a latter-day Preston Sturges, arriving at a sly commentary on conservation, corporate greed, and the legacies we leave behind."

An interesting 2019 essay by Jonathan Murray includes:

"Bill Forsyth is Scotland's most famous filmmaker, and Local Hero (1983) is his most famous film---for many, the true subject of Local Hero's title is the Glasgow-born writer-director himself."

Perhaps you have also concluded some once anticipated activities are no longer likely to occur for you during your lifetime.

THANKSGIVING OBSERVATIONS & REFLECTIONS

Thanksgiving will arrive during this week ahead, then we can really get into preparing for the next holiday.   What seems to be happening in recent years is that we're all in such a rush that we start pushing for the holiday that comes after the one we haven't even yet celebrated.

In fact, this year I started seeing promotions for Christmas before we even had Halloween the end of October, much less Thanksgiving the end of November.  I don't hear such early promotion of Hanukkah or any other holidays, especially those with religious emphasis, occurring during that time.

Halloween this year came and went as Christmas promotion became even stronger -- and we still hadn't had Thanksgiving yet!

Well, finally Thanksgiving will be here this week, so we can hardly wait to finally throw ourselves into really, major Christmas promotion, or -- wait a minute -- are we going to skip ahead to New Year's?

I remember my childhood and think about all the little children today.  When I was young Christmas was never promoted until the day after Thanksgiving.   Even then, I thought the time to wait was so-o-o very, very, lo-n-g-g -- I can only imagine how children today must feel -- waiting ... waiting ... waiting ... when is Santa coming?

I checked back to some of my old posts in which I wrote about Thanksgiving.  I typed "Thanksgiving" in that little search box in the upper left-hand corner of this screen on my blog and amazingly to me there were ten blog posts that came up.  I probably mentioned Thanksgiving within other posts most years, too.

Reviewing those ten posts, one, especially, elicited a mixture of feelings for me -- that Thanksgiving was the first one I remembered describing what occurred that year, about 7 months after my husband's death in 2006.  I wrote about my deliberately choosing to go alone to a restaurant as I wanted to know how I would feel.  The piece entitled "Adventure Alone on Thanksgiving" gave an account of what turned out to be a rather unusual experience.

I also wrote one year about a Thanksgiving controversy in our town over our school children's Indians and the Pilgrims tradition.  Another year, I suggested we should move the date of when we celebrate Thanksgiving -- seemed like a viable possibility at the time.

I've shared Thanksgiving memories.  I've written about how I've celebrated the day virtually with my family long before this pandemic which I likely will be doing again this year.  Generally, my Thanksgiving posts have just been a potpourri of thoughts, memories, and experiences.  I invite you to read any of them that might be of interest.

As I write this, I have just experienced an evening of viewing listening to Great Performances on one of my four antenna accessible Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS) TV channels -- a night of intoxicating music and am in a very reflective mood.  

There was the centennial celebration of the landmark Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.  They performed "La Valse" by Ravel, Stravinsky's "The Firebird" (a special favorite of mine) and more led by three renowned LA Phil conductors: current Music and Artistic director Gustavo Dudamel, Zubin Mehta and Esa-Pekka Salonen.  Then, "From Space I Saw Earth" was conducted by those three.

I think of Thanksgivings past, a house filled with laughter, attracting aromas drawing one and all of a variety of ages to a dinner table over-flowing with delicious food and beverage.  That was then, this is now.

May you enjoy every moment of this Thanksgiving season -- that special day you experience this year, the memories you have from yesteryear and look forward to the ones you'll form in the coming year(s).  

We may want to take a few moments to count our blessings -- to think for what we can be thankful.  

Diana Krall sings "Counting My Blessings"

 

This year, as every year, I wish each of you a very happy Thanksgiving.

Perhaps you have a special Thanksgiving memory, thought, or want to share here this year's plans.  

SEN. MCCAIN -- NET NEUTRALITY UPDATE -- DRAMA

PATRIOT

Senator John McCain has been a true patriot – a defender of freedom serving first in the U.S. military, then the U.S. House of Representatives, finally the U.S. Senate.  He has demonstrated courage, honor and practiced bi-partisanship as effective governing requires.  
  

I have respected his efforts to be truthful with the American people, to speak truth to power, especially in a time when many do not.  I have not always agreed with his positions on issues but welcomed his sincere unselfish efforts to consider what is best for our country.

Senator McCain has succumbed to a glioblastoma brain tumor.   He will be missed, especially in this time when we really need champions of democracy, advocates for equality, protectors of our freedoms, leaders with ethical and moral values.

Thank you!    Rest in peace.

August 29, 1936 - August 25, 2018   

* * *

FREEDOM AND EQUALITY ISSUE UPDATE

                

This net neutrality issue continues to be pertinent to all of us which is why I’m updating California’s actions you can read about in my previous post.  California’s legislative SB 822 has passed.  Our state is one of many seeking to preserve these internet protections.  

Recent devastating fires subjected firefighters to experiencing first-hand what can occur with “throttling”, consequently they recognized this rules need as described HERE:

“CPF, which represents 30,000 firefighters as the state council of the International Association of Fire Fighters, “has come to conclude that if net neutrality is not restored, the effect could be disastrous to the public’s safety,” the statement declared.  “SB 822 will help prevent internet service providers from throttling, thereby preventing data speeds to be manipulated, and, in turn, avoid crippling, or worse, deadly outcomes.”

You may want to see what your state is doing on this issue so you can provide any needed support.  Reuters reports 22 Attorneys general and the District of Columbia have “asked a U.S. appeals court to reinstate... net neutrality rules and reject the Trump administration’s efforts to preempt states from imposing their own rules guaranteeing an open internet.”

“The state attorney generals suing represent states with 165 million people – more than half of the United States population – and include California, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia.”

The states argue public safety could be harmed “the absence of open internet rules jeopardizes the ability to reduce load in times of extreme energy grid stress.  Consequently...the reliability of the electric grid”.

If California’s experience is any indication of corporate behavior in an emergency situation we can readily see how easily small businesses and individual internet users speed could be subjected to manipulation of rate charges....and why support of efforts to reinstate network neutrality rules is needed at the state level since our federal government seems to be failing to do so. 

Even though the U.S. Senate voted to keep the internet rules, after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) repealed them, so far the House of Representatives and the White House are still not expected to approve them. 

The states argue without net neutrality the reliability of the electric grid is threatened. 

* * * 

LIFE’S DRAMA

My day-to-day life has been relatively uneventful so far this summer which suits me just fine.   I have no serious drama to reveal which is a welcome state of affairs.  Well, there is at least one matter hanging fire, so to speak, that I’m keeping on a low burner while I ponder how, or if, I want to proceed with what I consider to be unwelcome action.   

I continue needing to sort and organize some materials, to more aggressively enter into right sizing, to consistently engage in exercising-type physical activity, to name a few activities awaiting my attention.   I seem to be lacking motivation to initiate these tasks until I’m lying in bed at night before falling asleep when I become enthusiastic thinking about them.  I have the best of intentions to pursue them the following day. 

I do continue my excursions to the grocery as needed.  Also, I always get my trash, recyclables and greenery bins out to the curb for pickup weekly.  This week I’ve been really unhappy to learn my favored hardware/gardening store is going out of business.  I did shop there since everything on sale.  Now I’ll be stuck having to shop at those big box chains.  My efforts continue becoming more difficult to support independents and smaller business operations as their numbers keep dwindling.    I prefer to continue shopping brick and mortar sites, using internet shopping only selectively.    

Meanwhile, I’ve developed and unhealthy practice of devoting too much time focused on self-gratification – viewing more TV than usual -- episodes of Dick Cavett’s talk shows on Decades that I missed when they aired years ago, plus some mostly music PBS shows.  Also, I keep adding more books to my over-flowing accumulation than my rate for reading them.   I indulge myself some days with occasional afternoon periods of time “just resting my eyes” as my mother used to say when I asked if she had been napping.   

I'm beginning to think I’m in dire need of a self-help group to hold me accountable for not using my time more constructively.  Doing so does not get any easier as I get older I’m discovering.   I may have to actually make a schedule for myself – then somehow make myself follow it -- which goes against the grain for my whole concept of retirement living.  But I’m keenly aware that my time is finite in a way it has never seemed before.  I don’t have unlimited time as it once seemed I did, though on some level I knew that wasn’t true even then.  I will have to review the booklet to renew my driver’s license soon, so maybe that will prod me into becoming more productive.

If there’s one fact I’ve learned over my lifetime it is wise to appreciate any lull in excitement as such a situation is always temporary.  Typically, it’s only a matter of time until the unknown future introduces some unexpected issue or event to challenge my tranquility.   Meanwhile, I ponder just how long can I legitimately indulge myself as I’m doing?  

SPIRIT LIFTING 4th of JULY

Juno is in orbit around Jupiter!

What mysteries about earth's beginnings will we learn?

My spirit is lifted with renewed optimism for the future as I experience feelings of patriotism and pride from Independence Day 2016.    I welcome positive events that stimulate such reactions for me reinforcing that I  live in a great nation and am committed to my country continuing to be so.  These are a couple events prompting such views. 

NASA scientists at Jet Propulsion Lab shared on the internet their ecstatic reactions to the Juno spacecraft's successful precise movement into orbit around Jupiter after a five year journey from Earth.  I viewed NASA's live streaming video of this event July 4th night simultaneously with PBS's program Capitol Fourth orchestral patriotic music playing and spectacular colorful visions of  fireworks filling my television screen.   

One NASA scientist observed  how Italian Astronomer Galileo in 1610 first observed moons moving around Jupiter.  This was just one of his many discoveries but one with profound implications for scientific study. 

This Guardian link features a video of the NASA scientists event mentioned above.

Hope everyone had a special 4th.

2012 PRESIDENTIAL1st TV DEBATE

We've heard the first of three 2012 Presidential TV debates between incumbent, President Barack Obama and challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.   (Note: I wrote this debate night, but only now am finally re-publishing.)      

The term "debate" is loosely applied in describing how these events are conducted, but this has been true since broadcasting these programs was first conceived many years ago.   This time I listened only on the radio since I’m still engaged in my temporary experiment of life without television.   One significant positive without TV  is that I'm not being subjected to negative Super Pac ads, and possible political use of 501C nonprofits ads. 

Formulating a complete debate event impression is significantly disadvantaged without video to actually see the participant speakers and moderator.  Listening only to a radio broadcast as I did, allowed me to hear the words, note the voice quality, tone, inflections, and formulate my sense of the participants emotions.  I was deprived of seeing the body language and facial expressions -- both major perception influencing factors.

I lacked information derived from seeing an opponent’s reaction to what the other speaker was saying.  Also, I could not see nonverbal signals and actions of the moderator which could influence what I might think about his effort to control the proceeding, or a debater whose conduct failed to respect the standard participation rules.

Soon after the debate began I became acutely aware that PBS moderator, Jim Lehrer, whose broadcasting skills I respect, was losing control of this event.   The shortcomings in this TV version of a debate format couldn't have been more obvious.   Candidate abuse of time guideline limitations is always an issue in these TV debates for which there is no penalty if the speaker does not respect such rules, or respond to being told their time is up. Once one candidate oversteps the boundaries as happened at this debate's very beginning, the other rightfully feels they’re entitled to equal time.  Maintaining and/or re-establishing program timeline direction can be adversely affected as was graphically demonstrated in this most recent debate.

Despite all this my personal opinion is that overall Mitt Romney left more of a positive  impression in this TV debate than Barack Obama.  That is not to say that candidate Romney "won" the debate, that his ideas were superior, or the information he provided was more factual, since some viewers might debate that matter.

Romney did briefly elaborate on some specifics, but continues to leave far too many unanswered questions about exactly how he'll make some changes he says he intends.  Voters would be strongly encouraged before voting to verify the credibility of statements Romney has made.  They would be wise to investigate whether his dollar numbers compute accurately, and actually make sense.  Some of his logically sounding  pronouncements are deceivingly simplistic because of significant factual omissions.

Much that is known of a Romney administration plan is very troublesome, coupled with his positions on so many issues that have been all over the map, so to speak, since he came into the political eye as a budding Presidential candidate.  Those inconsistencies should give many thinking voters serious reason for concern – IF they’ve been paying attention since he first came on the scene.  

We know his policies are predicated on channeling funds to private sector entities, taxes, regulations, subsidies that protect corporate and individual wealth, such as his own, for investment purposes -- mostly under the guise of claiming this will benefit middle class Americans -- presumably this has always been the argument he and such supporters have long professed.  Unless all the percentage figures and pie graphs I've seen for too many years are incorrect, these ethical, morally motivated, magnanimous, generous financial industry, corporate business leaders, politicians (not to be confused with statesmen,) and others, seem to be populated with a high percentage of individuals who've been strikingly unsuccessful in accomplishing their middle class re-birth goal by those means.  

Whatever could have gone awry?  The obvious answer is that greed has raped our capitalism.  I've said for the past thirty years that capitalism has been running amok at an escalating rate and degree.  We've reaped the consequences of this behavior for several reasons including:   betrayal by some leaders and fellow citizens, collusion by others through honest sincere judgment errors and, finally, apathy -- especially egregious with too many voters.  (Check the percentage of people who actually vote in all the elections in your community -- local to national, and not just the Presidential elections every four years.) 

If that small  percentage of citizens and corporations with the most wealth among us truly care about prosperity for all, then they should be willing to bear at least as equal a percentage share of the tax burden as the rest of us.   What is their justification for avoiding paying taxes by using legal shenanigans, paying at a tax rate much lower than the average American, or not at all, then hiding riches in non-taxable offshore accounts?   That's not saving to invest in creating American jobs for a strong middle class -- as we're told is the justification for some of these obscene tax rate differences.  This whole tax matter is symbolic of Romney's attitude toward most Americans.

(I still think Romney's tax returns he so zealously refuses to release would reveal information voters would be wise to know before casting a ballot for him.  We would see by what he has actually done tax-wise and with his wealth what he really believes -- revealing whose interests would be of primary focus from such a leader.)

President Obama is going to have to present his positions much more clearly and forcefully in the remaining weeks before election day.  He is going to have to be more concise with facts and specifics reiterating how he will keep this nation on a road to financial recovery through job creation. 

I want to hear from him more stress on the means by which the nation's middle class numbers will grow in America.  Plus I want descriptions of the measures that will protect those who may have need with reassurance he will resist efforts to eviscerate Social Security and Medicare, instead gradually adjusting these programs with reasoned care.   His policies and plans are not without need for refinement on several matters.   His re-election will not eliminate the fact there will continue to be specific issues requiring the public to forcefully make our expectations known to his administration and legislators as well especially in healthcare. 

President Obama’s responses were often indirect to the issues his opponent raised, plus he needs to hone in with focused rebuttals which he did not do in too many instances.  His statements need to culminate with a transition to a verbally offensive position.  (Easier said than done.) 

Frankly, I learned very little new from this debate, or much that I didn’t already know about both candidates, but there are many issue fine points about which we still need to be informed.   

Of course, the reality is that many people have already voted, others have made their choice, but will await voting until the traditional November election day as I will do. So the candidates’ goals must be to convince potential voters who can still register in some States to do so, then to vote.  Undecided registered voters, and potential unmotivated voters must be stimulated to cast their ballots.   

(Voting on the Internet is now available in California, select other States, with varying degrees of ballot security.  Computer scientists Douglas Jones and Barbara Simons have written "Broken Ballots: Will Your Vote Count" highly regarded for reading.   Every tech machine vote must be verifiable Simon says, which to date can only be accomplished with a back up paper ballot.   Simon cites Virginia as one State using some questionably secure voting machines (a system Pennsylvania rejected).  Note that Virginia is also one of the States in which accuracy of ballots and totals is considered to be of special significance influencing the national election's outcome this year.) 

I have great difficulty understanding why citizens don’t vote.   I’ve always believed voting is every citizen’s responsibility for the privilege of living in our republic/democracy – especially if we want to keep our nation from becoming an autocracy,  theocracy, plutocracy, or some other undesirable form of government. 


The very least we can do is to educate ourselves on the issues, candidates and vote – to preserve this nation’s government for our children, grandchildren and future generations.  Maybe then we also won't elect leaders whose judgement much too readily takes our nation to war, squandering our resources while neglecting our nation's infrastructure and handicapping the internal structural elements of our society.   

I think voters with passionate perspectives will vote but am concerned that others with more moderate views may be disenchanted with all government.   Moderates have had their ideas and beliefs marginalized, even discounted, by a vocal few for too long.  Disparate groups promoting a variety of extreme positions representing various minority issues have been allowed to exercise a disproportionate influence on congressional legislation, even preventing problem-solving actions – as witness Congresses past four years failure to meaningfully address major challenges facing this nation. 

Those congresspersons have deliberately failed to act in good faith on behalf of most citizens.  Then they tout what they characterize as a high-minded philosophical ideal to justify their inaction as a form of action.   In reality, Romney's political party members  have categorically said they were more interested in getting themselves elected into positions controlling this government than acting in a conciliatory manner respecting any others views than their own to resolve the problems this nation faces -- despite the fact at least half this nation's population does not agree with their ideas.  Now they hypocritically complain about the state of our economic recovery, the national debt, the slowed rate of job creation, health care cost resolution efforts and actually have the gall to blame the entire situation on this current Administration.

Such repeated frustrating behaviors from these political party bullies may have resulted in fostering an apathetic attitude in many moderates and young people who were previously interested in participating in the governing process through voting and/or service.   These discouraged moderate-thinking sensible potential new leaders and voters may have become so disgusted with the distorted influence of those obstructionist groups, that some moderates have been leaving Congress, other moderates among the public and young people are choosing to not vote in this election. 

This is a time when the nation most needs the moderates support to prevent our country from being lead rapidly by a Romney administration toward becoming a plutocracy – government controlled only by the wealthy.  Even our Supreme Court’s recent past years decisions have increasingly fostered our government’s trend in this direction.

The challenge is to reach the individuals in these moderate groups of all ages, dispel their cynicism, incite their passion to support the election of President Obama and other national legislative candidates -- probably Democrats -- in order to break the obstructive stranglehold used to immobilize our government's more efficient functioning.  Perhaps voters can elect more responsible moderates in both major political parties to Congress in the future.

The next debate will be between the Vice Presidential candidates.  There will be two more Presidential candidate debates in the weeks following with date and other specifics at this  Election Central site.   I'll look forward to viewing the next debates via live streaming video if available on the Internet for those like myself without cable or satellite service.   

DIGITALLY REWIRED SENIOR LIFE

Solution for Senior Over-Population 

(Please note this is a much abbreviated version of an article I had written about this film which may be better.  I’m relying heavily on extracted quotes from the Producer’s email to me in the interest of publishing tonight.   My much more  original content escaped into the digital netherworld during a transfer process to publishing.)

Life after death is a familiar topic often discussed from the view of religion, esotericism, and metaphysics.   Science Fiction often recounts stories of life and afterlife in other dimensions.  A  film I recently viewed suggested the possibility of life continuance in a digital world.

“Life Begins At  Rewirement,” written and directed by Trevin Matcek, is a short film recently premiered at the NYC Tribeca Film Festival.   You may view this film by clicking on the title (24+ mins. - a several sec. promo precedes.)   Public Broadcasting (PBS) is airing the film on many of their stations Futurestates series now in its third season.  

“Elder care in the future and the challenges of taking your loved one into a revolutionary retirement home” is the film focus.   Our goal was to engage and entertain while presenting a thoughtful portrait of one very difficult day for a family."

“Set in the near future, LIFE BEGINS AT REWIREMENT follows a man named Simon Ender on the day he checks his 100-year-old mother, Jessica, into a revolutionary senior care center. The strained relationship of mother and son is put to the test as Jessica transitions from her aging body and declining mental state to a data bank with infinite access to all of her memories. Simon comes face-to-face with feelings of guilt, insecurity and ultimately love, as he decides on his mother’s welfare and what is best for her.”   Related by the film’s Producer, An Tran.

Writer/director Matcek was inspired to create this science fiction film as he considered his own aging parents and health care’s future.   His hope is to stimulate conversation on some of these issues frequently not discussed in mainstream media.  

I found the film to be entertaining, thought-provoking and disturbing pending some unanswered questions deliberately left to each viewers interpretation.   Also, the mother’s dementia is actually Alzheimer’s according to the director in a post viewing chat room conversation in which I participated.  This difference did somewhat alter some of my perceptions and reactions.  All Alzheimer’s patients develop dementia, but not all dementia patients have Alzheimer’s. My view of her communication skills and prognosis allowed for a different perspective.  

Depending on how I viewed aspects of the ending my attitude toward the choice made by the son could be accepting or, possibly strongly rejecting. 

So the questions follow, including:

Is this “eternal life” option a choice you would select for yourself or a loved one?

What do you think of the language “senior over-population?”

Exactly what sort of “life” is this and is it preferable to a nursing home?

What exactly are we proposing here as a way to resolve out-of-control health care costs?

The essence of the elder or senior "lives" on as ...... 

UP DATE 5/23/12

I want to clarify that "Senior Over-Population" is a term not used within the film itself.  "Over-Population" does appear on a screen in part of a welcoming to the retirement community  introductory message the Mother receives while waiting for her son to return to her side.  There is accompanying brief comment about the burgeoning number of centenarians like her.   "Senior" added to it I encountered elsewhere, which I've learned may be attributed to others than the film's writer/director.      .