-------------- Original message -------------- From: John Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" > > > Well, my mom seems to have a trouble with new things. She has a far > > different > > way of looking at things, and when I try to explain them, she keeps on > > asking > > questions that don't lead to understanding. > > She isn't stupid, but at 88 she doesn't adapt well. > > Is your implication that she cannot plug in a cable and a power cord? No, it's subtler than that. She can do such things for things she has been dealing with for the last 25 years. But, she gets confused when its a _brand new thing_. For example, she can handle a VCR but not a DVD, even though you and I see them as subsets of the same problem, they are wildly different from her perspective. >Is she living alone? If so, what percentage of women over 65 do you think >are similarly > incapable and living alone? Many older folks are in that situation. They don't want to lose their indepenence and new technology has long passed them by. John McCain not being familiar with the internet is one example of this. > I'm asking because the implication was about whether the government should > have > prevented the networks from switching over to HDTV in order that elderly > women > living alone who cannot plug in a cable and power cord (or have someone help > them) are able to continue watching their old televisions. What will happen is that there will be a lot of upset older folks, most of whom should/do have folks they rely on (as does my mom). She should be in assisted living, would be happier there (knowing her personality I know she'd have great fun socializing instead of being isolated) but clings to the familiar. I'd argue that the real solution will be to have organizations that are in place that already help the elderly aided by the government (the rebate program should be most of the expense) in helping the elderly take advantage of the rebate program. My mom has had cable for years, so I don't worry about her. > > BTW, welcome to Brin-L. I have been the least liberal loud person on the > group, > > Thanks. Liberal loud :-). Nice description! Well, to be clear, it appears that you fit in well with the frequent posters and represent a voice/perspective that was lost when folks to the right of me (Eric, JDG and Gautam to name 3 I can think of) left. I like a wealth of perspectives. I'm taking a bit of time off in Duluth MN, now that I know there are folks who will take care of my house. (It's win-win, the person who's doing it is an old family friend who lives in a mobile home and will invite 4 friends who also live in mobile homes to stay at our house). Her kids are taking in all the blowables from the yard, so I'm very happy with that. I'm going to try to take time off to try to respond to your ecconomics email as a mental health exercise (going 14 hours a day working at my age is hard). When I do, I'm going to ask some questions that others interpret as setting strawmen. They are not I'm just asking to set boundaries, since it's much easier to discuss a topic with someone when one has a general feel for their viewpoint. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
