Python vs Java garbage collection?

["Martin v. Löwis"]

Robert Oschler wrote:
> A big hearty agreement. I've been pushing the "destructors please" issue for
> quite some time too.  

Can you please explain what a destructor is? If it is a fragment of code 
executed when an object ends its life, what exactly is it that you are 
pushing? since both Python and Java have such a feature.

If it is an explicit statement "this object ends its life now":
a) what happens to references that still exist to that object? and
b) why can't you use a method for that?

Regards,
Martin