MovieChat Forums > Surfwise (2008) Discussion > How did 11 people survive off branches?

How did 11 people survive off branches?


Can't eat branches all your childhood?
and I'm sure with 11 people that 1950's doctor salary dried up quickly.
pretty cool though.

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From the trailer they used up all their money which makes me wonder how they got enough money for gas? They all seemed like a very healthy family however.

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there must be a kfc nearby

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He was exagerating a little bit. What you heard was one of the sons describing this trail mix they had every morning for breakfast.

In the film they discussed briefly that the dad had a book that listed remote places in need of doctors. He'd pick a place that hadn't had a doc in several years. I believe he got a little money that way.


Whadda ya hear, whadda ya say!


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Doc worked as a doctor. Also, once they started the surf camp, that was their main source of money. But it's not like they had extra money sitting in the bank. They used what they had when they had it, and if they got hungry, they went fishing. They spoke extensively in the film about how poor they were, but they never starved.

Soo... you care about the opinions of a woman whose pet peeves are sobriety and kindness.

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it was mentioned the father ate fish whole. I'm guessing the kids did as well. Fish have many nutrients, thus you could live off fish alone if you ate all the parts.

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no, you could not. fish have almost no fat. fat is a macronutrient. you will die if you do not eat fat.

they probably got their fat from nuts ...and drinking their mothers breast milk

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[deleted]

As mentioned earlier, Doc Paskowitz practiced in rural areas during their childhood years. Also, we've gotten away from it in modern society; but humans have an incredible ability to adapt and survive. Go to any major city and you can see homeless folk doing it every day, all with less resources and mental facility than old Doc.

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OK, I can see how they might have been able to survive off odd doctoring jobs (but aren't doctors licenced by each state?) while living in the camper, but how is 84 y.o. Doc living in an apartment in Hawaii right now? It didn't appear luxurious, but I don't think he had a surfer's pension or a 401K either.

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I think doc. is a pretty smart old puppy. He obviously worked it out where he landed on his feet. Then again, maybe the universe just found a way for him because he's open to it. One day these kids will see through what they don't have and see the beauty of what they did get. I think there are parts of doc's life we don't see in this story, but I still found him a true American.

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He may have had a pension from his pre-RV days, and I've been told that Hawaii doesn't have to be expensive if you know where to live. In addition, I think he's made some money from his book, and speaking fees.

As for licensing, yes, you are correct, but I don't know how stringent this was in the 1960s and 1970s. And if you work for the Federal government (i.e. VA or Indian Health Service), you can work at any facility in the United States if you have a valid license in any state, not necessarily the one where you are working.

Don't know about back then, but locum tenens physicians can make a LOT of money. Nowadays, I've heard of locum ER doctors making $200 an hour.

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