Vancouver Today

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Vancouver Today

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Wednesday April 22, 2009

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You didn't think I would forget McDonald's did you?

This is where I wound up at the end of the day -

at McDonald's Headquarters in Burnaby.

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When you examine the webcams below the first cam is of the Burrard

Street Bridge. That is the bridge that I am driving over in the pictures above.

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Vancouver, B.C. Webcams

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A look inside Iran

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Pressing on with the meaning of life

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Pressing on with the meaning of life

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by Carl Baydala

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Dear Friends. Take a look at the above picture and tell me what you see. Take your time and think about it and what it means to man and to yourself. Actually, you could look at any picture and you will find that different meanings would emerge for different people.

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That meaning of course lays at the basis of the meaning of life. What is meaning? An honest question so let us attempt to answer it. Meaning for me is the understanding or wanting to know the reason why we are here and what are purpose is on being here. This is the most broadest of the term meaning of course and the one that should occupy the mind of a man wanting to know the most profound question of all. This is the boundless question of the ages of man; he simply doesn't know why he was born and where is going, if anywhere, after all is said and done.

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What are the tools of man's enquiry or what aids him in his understanding of things. The answer is nothing but his surroundings; there is nothing else to go on; it is all he has and he has no more. For any gods and ideas that he has created to explain things for him came out of his mind, and nowhere else. And, so let us examine our picture once again. What do you see?

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I see a building, some trees, some other structures and a sky that is fading into darkness. That is all there is and that is all there will ever be for man. His environment is his knowledge and there are no more aids to discovery; these are his aids to his formulations of meaning.

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A darkening sky informs man that his day is ending, and that hopefully, there will be another one to take its place; that is his dream at least, if he is interested in the business of living, that is. If he is living a satisfying life and if he is healthy then the darkening sky is of no concern to the man - it is a good thing and it is beautiful in its manifestation. A man plagued by doubt, however, or one injured by society in some way might not look too kindly upon the scene in front of him. Maybe he sees the tall structure as something being created by his enemies who would control him and hold him back from any potential that he may have. Perhaps, he thinks he does not have any potential at all and would simply be a harsh critic to the scene in front of him. The proud building and glorious twighlight would be neither of things ( neither glorious or or proud ), except they would remind him that another day is coming and it would most likely be just like the one that he is finishing; another day of agony and complaining about his station in life.

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And, yet another man would stand in awe at this picture and know that man has the potential to build tall and handsome buildings. Inside that building are people happy at their work and being productive citizens and contributing to society. They most likely drive cars and own their own homes and are happy and industrious. Or maybe they are students looking forward to a prosperous career and getting married and living happily ever after.

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Dear friends, a picture is worth a thousand words and never was a wiser phrase brought into being. The meaning of life is what you make it to be and it can be no other way. What you see is what you get. You might see good and you might see evil in the picture, but if you are alive at least you are able to see something. And, that is the meaning and purpose of life; it is the ability to know that something exists and for every man to be able to provide a meaning for it. And, that meaning I think all would agree is something that the human mind contrives, and that formulation of something that we call meaning is a combination of things which are entirely personal. No one has the same kind of meaning as another. Who is to say that God did not create the above scene for us as prescribed by his Divine nature and purposes? And, who is to say that a man sees in this picture what his mind tells him to see, completely unaided by anything remotedly called a god? Why would a god allow some men to see good in the picture while allowing other men to see bad?

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I think if we are seeking meaning we need to look beyond the idea of gods and what they can accomplish. We are not categorically denying the existence of a Supreme Being, but we are saying that there are more options available. And, one of those options is to say that meaning is a very personal thing indeed. I think the human animal is a true testament to this reality; we are not all created the same way at all; we see differently and we learn differently. But, what we learn is our meaning and it is no one elses. So, dear friends, even the man who would criticize the picture as an example of an injustice has something which no one can lay claim to - and that is his individuality. His individuality is the true source of his meaning. The purpose ( if any ) and meaning of life is going to found within the confines of mens' minds. I think we might start here to become more knowledgeable about this business of meaning. That is my recommendation at least for what it is worth to you.

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An Emotional Update and other things

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An Emotional Update

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and other things

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Picture above is me

in my new unit

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Part of my job is to keep my readers informed as to the condition of my emotional apparatus. Actually, things are OK for the moment and I have no depressing or disconcerting news to report to you at this time. Everything is functioning smoothly, well, as smoothly as can be expected shall we say. Now, I don't need to go into details concerning the very inner happenings in my life as my regular readers know about all of my personal problems anyway. There are no serious personal problems to report at this time, so I am sure everyone will be glad to know that.

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I have started getting quite aggressive with the posts on the Dear Diary portion of my blog. I have something to say everyday so I would encourage all of my readers to stop in once in a while and take a look at my life. I have my digital cameral with me most of the time now so I will be able to get some snaps of important events as they happen on the road. And, if you are interested in the geography and scenery of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland Region then I will also be able to help out in this area as well.

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I am still making appearances at the track on Saturday afternoons as well so maybe we can touch bases out there some time. I did a post just today over on Dear Diary concerning one of these race track visits. So, you might want to check that out. That link and others are off to the right.

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I am still concerned about the stock market and I do not trust the current rally that is underway. I think the bankers are up to something quite frankly and I fear that they will try and maintain their control over the political elite of the country. They have a good thing going and they do not want to lose it. They caused this financial mess and they know it, but they do not care. So, I hope all of you guys keep that in mind when you are reading the news and studying the financial data. These guys are major players and they are not going to go down without a fight. And, neither is the Federal Reserve Bank, which is essentially a group of private bankers that control the nation's economy. I consider these people to be the real enemies of the system quite frankly and many have called for the abolition of this institution. They hold a lot of power and they know it. I believe that we as citizens and as market players and investors have the responsibility to understand their relationship to the rest of society and to deal with it accordingly. Anything else will simply mean more of the same and an economy that will continue to rack up debt and the associated costs of that debt.

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I have made attempts in other parts of this blog to show you the relationship between my emotional past and the economic realities of the present era. And, nothing explains it better than this little piece of video right here: Every Breath You Take

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Here is another Emotional Update found on my site:

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An Emotional Update

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A timely article found in Alternet here

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Have a nice day. And, hang in there.

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If You're So Smart How Come You're Not Rich?

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If You're So Smart

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How Come You're Not Rich?

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Carl Baydala in 1967

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An interesting philosophical question to be sure, and a fitting one for any philosopher who would be willing to take it on.

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I see no need to take it on because if I did it would just leave me open to criticism, from my critics that is. And, I am sure they are numerous so why give them fodder when I have the ability not to? An appropriate defense don't you think?

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But, the question remains of course: if I am so smart how come I am not rich? My answer is: First of all, I might not be that smart anyway, but smart enought to survive. And, secondly, regarding the idea of richness: I am rich, in my own way. Maybe not monetarily as society determines richness, but rich in another way perhaps. Is this a philosophical answer? No, not necessarily, it is only philosophical if you do not agree with me. Otherwise, you will completely understand where I am coming from. Did Jesus Christ need a bunch of dough to impress the chicks and his followers? Not likely. He had something else to offer: a way of life and a road to eternity. So, he had something really good to sell to the public. He didn't need money and wealth and a bunch of status symbols to make his mark in society. And, neither does Carl Baydala. Carl Baydala is rich because he is alive and because he has someone to believe in, namely himself and the girl of his dreams. Pretty basic stuff eh? Well, that is my definition of richness and that is all that counts to me. So, have a nice day.

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Vancouver, B.C. Webcams
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Business NewsNetwork

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Important on-line petition below:

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http://petitiononline.com/galcan09/petition.html

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Carl Baydala at Sixty: Diamonds, Erotic Love, and Philosophy

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Carl Baydala at Sixty:

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Diamonds,

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Erotic Love,

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and Philosophy

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Well, here I am on my sixtieth birthday - the diamond anniversary. Diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend, so maybe this fact will help me out with my love life.

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Speaking of my love life, as my regular readers know, I have been contemplating ideas about erotic love, and love in general, for the past quarter century or so. This really has been a full time occupation of mine and the origins of the interest are based on personal experiences and the influence of an acquaintance of mine. In fact, my interest in things like Erotic love shows up as a regular feature in my blog.

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Well, now that I am sixty and in my diamond year, so to speak, perhaps things will improve for me. Maybe love and Diamonds, coming together as they are now, can be transformed into something more real and meaningful for me. Diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend, so maybe this sixty year old person can now impress the girl of his dreams and use his age to his advantage.

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Now, I have just told you about this small detail of erotic love which is part of my life experiences. Plato, the Greek philosopher, dealt with this issue over 2000 years ago. There are two kinds of love ( Romantic love ) according to Plato; there is erotic or physical love and there is the virtuous brand. To simplify things for you, Plato is saying that an over emphasis on physical love is a bad thing. And, doing things for your lover out of true love is much preferred. Listen to the discussion on erotic love just below here ( Plato and erotic love ) and also the discussion of love in Philosophy Talk found at the bottom of this page.

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You can read about Plato's famous dialogue below:

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Plato's Symposium

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and listen to a very good analysis of erotic love on Philosophy Bites.

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Plato and Erotic Love

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So, I was just thinking, now that I am in my diamond year so to speak, perhaps there is hope in my personal love endeavors. Maybe I can make myself into a diamond as it were and try and impress the girl that I am interested in. Not a physical diamond of course, but perhaps something as equally attractive in the eyes of my beloved. Girls love diamonds and they truly are forever. And, I am now a diamond kind of person. I think that might be an interesting route to take. I will attempt therefore to make myself as attractive as any diamond could possibly be.

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Another problem that is developing in my life is the fact that I might actually be getting married in this my diamond year. I told you about this detail in my Bold Predictions in prior posts concerning the possibility of me getting married. It would be a special kind of wedding of course as you would not expect anything else from me. Now, this poses a real problem for me - this whole business of getting married, I mean. The problem is that I would like to become a bachelor philosopher and this most surely cannot be accomplished if I get married. I mean, just think of the problems that could occur if I was to get married. For example, a philosopher needs to think - all of the time - and without interruption. What if I was to become married and me and my wife were driving down the road. And, myself in complete thought of course and my spouse blurted out: " Honey can you pull over right now I have to go to the bathroom " Well, can you just imagine the problems that would create? And, I am sure there would be numerous other examples as well. Where would my freedom go? But, I think you can see my point. A wife would be a distraction to a thinker. How would I keep her from talking or otherwise bothering my train of thought? I really do need to tread cautiously here as regards this marriage business. However, I have promised my readers that some type of marriage would occur this year. And, I am still planning for that event and it is incumbent upon me to make that happen for you.

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Have a nice day and see you all at the racetrack one of these Saturdays.

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Picture of girl found here

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Philosophy Bites

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see also the entry on love in:

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Philosophy Talk

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revised on Saturday, February 7, 2009

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Bachelor Philosopher Number One: Carl Baydala

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Bachelor Philosopher Number One:

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Carl Baydala

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1949 - present

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This is my first installment of my new blog: The Bachelor Philosophers. I would categorize the study of philosophy as my main area of interest at this point in my life. I am in the process of gaining insights into this fascinating study. I would call myself ' a philosopher in training ' and I am learning on the job as it were. My main tool of study is my computer and the internet.

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Anyone who begins a study of philosophy will immediately discover that many of the well-known philosophers were in fact, bachelors. I thought this was a telling revelation and part of my philosophical job will be to try and determine why and how these men became philosophers. Did their bachelorhood have anything to do with their frame of mind and the things that they were interested in? What was the effect of the women in their lives and how did they influence their philosophies? Is their something about the ' solitude ' of being a bachelor that aids these men in their insights? I would be interested in these kinds of issues and many others as well. You may appreciate, for example, that I feel a sort of kinship or brotherhood with these men and I feel that I have discovered some new friends. I would encourage anyone who is searching for new friends or some new ideas to discover these men and their ideas. You will not be disappointed.

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As my study of philosophy entails something that interests me, and, in fact, amounts to a hobby if you will, there will be no firm strategy as to how to proceed in this new field of mine. I will go where my mind tells me to go. And, when I discover another bachelor philosopher I will do my best to tell you about him and what I have learned from him. And, I will do my very best to try and attempt an original analysis of the man's work; I will make a determined effort to offer an opinion on what I think the philosopher is saying or trying to accomplish - from my point of view.

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And, finally, I could not in any way purport to be an expert in any of the philosophies of the men that I will present to you. Rather, I think a better approach would be to focus on some aspect of the mens' work that jumps out at me and causes me to think or to construct an idea as a consequence of being exposed to their thoughts. I don't think much more than that can be expected.

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Interests:

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philosophy of love; the problem of lust; the personality of God; idealism and materialism; the existence of God; the idea of power.

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Education:

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Simon Fraser University, 1973

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Carl Baydala Wants You To Know....

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Protecting your on-line privacy

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Happy New Year 2009

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Happy New Year 2009

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Carl Baydala's Bold Predictions for 2009

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( scroll to bottom of page for details

on these breath-taking announcements )

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Carl Baydala's
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New Years Message:

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Living in the past and living in the future,

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A friend of mine thinks I spend too much time living in the past. Watch this short video below to see what I am talking about:

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Carl Baydala lives in the past

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Now, I certainly appreciate my friends sending me things to let me know that I live in the past, but that should also let you know something about my personality and what my interests are as well. Maybe I do spend a lot of time in the past, harboring old dreams and wishes and that kind of thing. But, what is so wrong with that? I am still moving down the road and travelling into the future just like everyone else. I am just taking my baggage along with me on my journey. I think that is the best way to deal with this kind of criticism from my friend. I am taking along a suitcase full of memories - I am taking my friend that I think about all of the time with me on the road into the future. Is that so bad? To want to take your friends with you on the journey into the future? I do not think so. Think about a time when you went abroad somewhere and you took a friend with you on that trip. Did you ever have any conflicts about where to go and what to do? Did you even argue or fight about it? I remember one time I went on a trip with a friend somewhere and there was quite a bit of conflict about what to do and where to go. Well, living in the past with a friend solves this conflict for you. You can go on the journey of life into the future and take your very best friend, the one you really want to be with, with you. And, you get to call the shots on where you will go. Even though you may be crazy about your friend and really like them you get to have the say about where you will go and what you will do. Now, that is just one positive aspect of living in the past with a memory about a friend. Now, I know that sounds a little selfish on the surface, but it really is one of the positive features about living in the past.

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The other great thing about living in the past is the fact that you do not lose sight of your roots and your dreams and your aspirations and that kind of thing. It also defines your personality as well. I am going into the future with a past - a very vibrant past. In fact, my past is so important to me I never want to let it go. Some people have a philosophy of discarding the past or their friends on a moment's notice. Perhaps this is where we came to develop something like the disposable society; you know fast restaurants like Mcdonald's and all the rest. Or, going through friends and relationships and just simply discarding them after you use them. Well, to me friends, really good friends ( or people that I want to be my friends ) are things that I do not simply use and then discard. That is why I spend so much time in the past and dwelling on things that I deem important. My friend thinks that I am spending too much time on one thing or one person. Well, the point is that I am spending time on something that is important to me. What happens when I quit doing that? Are you going to notice a change in Carl Baydala's behavior? Is he going to be a different person - a person of the future perhaps? No, Carl Baydala is not going to change, because if he did he would not be Carl Baydala. His personality is intact. And, part of that personality is living in the past. And, the harder he lives in the past will be an indication of just how important certain things are to him. I think if you take another look at Carl Baydala you will come to judge him a little differently. His living in the past I think you will find is a measure of his commitment to things that are important to him. He does not want to go into the future alone - he wants to take his friends with him. And, the harder he thinks about them is the measure of how strong he wants them to be there with him. This is my response to my friend's comments who I know only has my best interests at heart.

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Happy New Year

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to all of my friends, relatives,

and acquaintances....

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Carl Baydala's Blogs and Related Links:

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Special Events Page

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Dear Diary

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The Existence of God is Under Review

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My Home Page and Blog Organization

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My 1967 High School Classmates Here

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Vancouver, B.C. Webcams

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Carl Baydala's

Bold Predictions for 2009

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Prediction # 1.

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Carl Baydala will live until his 60th Birthday;

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Prediction # 2.

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George Bush really will leave the White House;

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Prediction # 3

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Barack Obama will shock the world with one of his policies;

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Prediction # 4

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Gladys Baydala will live to enjoy her 83rd Birthday;

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Prediction # 5

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Carl Baydala will not completely retire in 2009;

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Prediction # 6

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Carl Baydala will win a sizable win with his triactor betting system at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey;

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Prediction # 7

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Iran will survive another year of harassment by Israel and the U.S.;

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Prediction # 8

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The Toronto Stock Exchange will gain at least 5% by the end of the year;

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Prediction # 9

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Carl Baydala will ask Karen Lenihan to get married once again;

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Prediction # 10

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Carl Baydala will get married for the first time at the age of 60; it will be a marriage made in heaven and be sanctioned by the gods.

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Al Jazeera TV

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Carl Baydala's Christmas Message

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Carl Baydala's

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Christmas Message

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Merry Christmas

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Karen Lenihan

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and to all of my friends, relatives, and

other acquaintances as well....

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....I thought it might be useful on this Christmas Day to recapture for you my thoughts regarding an incident that occured on the job this past week. Here is a post that I did on karen lenihan's home page .

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I hope you will

find my sentiments and experience here useful. Here is a reproduction of those thoughts and the incident that I am referring to:

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Today is Tuesday December 23, 2008
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Vancouver, B.C. Webcams
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....saw a rather gruesome scene on the job yesterday. I was coming out of a McDonald's right in downtown Vancouver at lunch time. As I was walking out of the store I heard a loud thunk. It was an accident, a person had been struck by a car just across the street from where I was standing. I missed viewing the actual impact, but as I looked over towards the alley I noticed how quickly people were responding to the person's plight. In less than a minute someone had phoned an ambulance while onlookers were placing their coats on the victim on the ground. I crossed the street as my work vehicle was parked in the lane where the vehicle who hit the person was located. I noticed that the victim was a young woman; blood was dripping off her head and her whole body was shaking. She was lying in the snow and ice in the middle of the street. I proceeded to walk to my vehicle. There was nothing that I could do of course as there were already many people helping to comfort the young woman. I thought of Karen as I witnessed this accident. She must deal with this kind of stuff all of the time. The blood and the pain and the whole works. She must be used to it and would most likely deal with this kind of thing in a very professional manner. It would just be part of her job, just like mine is delivering letters. It is just something you do. I jumped into my vehicle and got on with my job. I thought of this young woman and how life changes so quickly for us. Her Christmas would be ruined and her loved ones would be devastated. The only reason that I witnessed this gruesome scene is because I decided to leave the lineup that I was in inside the McDonald's store. I had to leave the lineup to perform my job, which was more important than feeding my gut and buying a coffee. And, this is what I experienced as a result of that decision....I know that this is not much of a Christmas present, me telling you a story like this. But, in a way, it is something to think about on Christmas. That is what Christmas should do anyway; it should make you stop and think just how lucky you are to be alive. Because being alive is something that you cannot always count on from one minute to the next...

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...remember, if there is a God, He or She might not necessarily love you. So, I think it is better to love yourself and maybe someone else as well. If you do this, at least you will be able to derive some meaning and purpose for this thing called life......

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Father Charles E Coughlin Christmas Message 1938

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..a note about Father Coughlin. I have only recently discovered this interesting public figure. He was wildly popular during his day and spoke out about the excesses of capitalism. Some criticize him as being anti-Semitic, and in fact, he was denied public access on account of his views. He denies his anti-Semitism and blames his critics for this obfuscation or misinterpretation of his views. If anything, he was against atheism, and hence his distaste for communism. He also concluded that the international bankers were atheists and supported Nazism over communism as a consequence. Think of this idea as a lesser of evils type of approach for the Father. This would most likely be the source of any possible anti-Semitism charge against him. But, in listening to the man I think you will find a sincere man interested in social justice, based upon the teachings of Jesus Christ. I think Father Coughlin is a timely figure for us, as we are now experiencing similar conditions ourselves as to what occurred in the thirties of the last century; we are entering depression-like conditions, and, as then, many fingers are pointing to the international bankers as a source of our problems. So, it is easy to understand the connection of something like the Federal Reserve Bank ( the Father criticized this institution ) and of its role as a cause of our current financial dilemma...

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Carl Baydala's Blogs and Related Links:

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Special Events Page

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Dear Diary

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The Existence of God is Under Review

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My Home Page and Blog Organization

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My 1967 High School Classmates Here

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Vancouver, B.C. Webcams

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For Members Only

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The Karen T Lenihan Fan Club

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Closing the book on the Karen Lenihan Project;
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Please see relevant post(s)
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here
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For Members Only

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Mission Statement: to celebrate the life and achievements of Karen Lenihan; to honor a beautiful and talented woman.

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Founding Member(s)

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Carl Baydala, Surrey, B.C., Canada

( December, 19, 2008 )

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Honorary Members:

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" Boo " Baydala

" Trixie " Lenihan

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Club Organization:

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Executive Director: Carl Baydala

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Executive Committee:

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1. vacant

2. vacant

3. vacant

4. vacant

5. vacant

6. vacant

7. vacant

8. vacant

9. vacant

10. vacant

11. vacant

12. vacant

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Purpose and function of the Executive Committee:

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The primary purpose of the Committee will be to provide advice and ideas concerning the advancement and adoration of Karen Lenihan and her work. As per the Mission Statement of honoring a beautiful and talented woman, all efforts will be made to celebrate where, whenever and however possible, the numerous feats of the woman known as Karen Lenihan. Specific tasks of the Committee would be to provide advice on internet postings and celebratory outings undertaken by Club members. The Executive Director has the sole responsibility for the operation of the Club and all of its decisions. The Committee is an advisory body only.

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New Members

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General:

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There are currently no membership fees to join the Club. The Club is a non-registered non-profit organization. New members may want to contribute monies to the Club in order to finance activities that would enhance the awareness of Karen and her contribution to society. No public appeals will ever be made for donations. Some members may have a strong desire to contribute in order to advance the aims of the Club. If any monies are forthcoming those receipts will be acknowledged in a public manner. Any monies received will be primarily used, but not limited as, funds for betting at the racetrack, specifically at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey.

. . Any wagers will be made in honor of Karen. Any profits derived by betting for Karen will be used in such a manner as to honor Karen and her work. Presents and other offerings for Karen will be considered as suitable uses for any racetrack profits. Other possible uses of racetrack gains might include the production of media material outlining the various successes of Karen throughout her career. As a successful career woman she could act as a role model for younger women and publications and other media productions could be produced to display her talents to a broader audience. No specific guarantee is made that any racetrack profits or other revenues will be used for any of the ideas so outlined and the disbursements of the funds will be at the sole discretion of the Executive Director of the Club. For example, in lieu of presents and educational projects, the Director may decide to purchase a meal and drinks for all of those present at the racetrack festivities. This would be considered an appropriate use of racetrack profits made on behalf of Karen. Racetrack profits are not always earmarked for presents or projects and it may be decided instead to hold a party for those in attendance. This party would act as a gift for Karen. The celebration in her honor would have the same effect as purchasing a gift for her. Qualityis@shaw.ca Man marries his cat

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If anyone is interested in becoming a member please feel free to leave a comment at this page or e-mail me at the address below:

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Carl Baydala,

Executive Director,

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The above is a proposal only.

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Special notice: the greater success of the Club would depend on some input by Karen herself. It is my express desire therefore that Karen be made aware of the proposal as outlined above and that she would approve of such of an idea and my efforts to promote her in this manner. This is entirely a good faith proposal and I am the most happy when I am doing things for her. The foregoing is a note by the author of this page.

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Dear Members and potential future Members:

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" Our hearts beat as one "

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Added on May 4, 2010. Here is a little tidbit I thought you might enjoy. It is an article about a man marrying his cat. Her name is Cecilia. There is even a picture of her in the article. I laughed to myself when I read this article as I hope you will too. Why do I insert such an article as this here? Because I am a former cat man as Karen is a former cat woman. So, we have something in common. Who do you think Boo Baydala and Trixi Lenihan are? Why they are cats of course. What else could they be? See link below to article:

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God as a consolation prize

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God as a consolation prize

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by Carl Baydala

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You know what I have learned about life so far? I have learned that you can't always have the things you want. I think that is a given. But, you know what the consolation prize is? The prize is that you can keep on believing that it is going to happen. Now, a consolation prize indicates a degree of failure I suppose. In the game of life, however, I think the consolation prize is actually not a bad prize at all. It might represent a degree of failure or some kind of a loss, but it also represents a certain degree of hope too. That is exactly what believing in God is too - it is wishful thinking at its best. Belief in God is another sort of consolation prize. It is something you get to believe in when you cannot have the real thing. So, God is a pretty good thing if you think of that way. What do you think?

How God Teaches us about Love

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How God Teaches us about Love
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by Carl Baydala
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A perplexing and growing problem for modern man is the realization that God does not love everyone. Perhaps you are one of those people and can feel the pain of His non-love for you. Alternatively, you may feel blessed that you know God and can therefore feel His love for you.
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How do you know if God loves you or not? Most people who live without the love of God already know that He does not love them. Others simply live not even realizing this fact. For the believers in God of course this is not an issue. But, for the non-believers it can be a cruel revelation - a revelation that brings the very idea of God into question.
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The discerning mind will know of course that conditions cannot be otherwise. It is not possible for God to love all people all of the time. This is just the way He conducts his business. It is in fact a simple business decision for Him to act in this way. The believers feel blessed of course knowing that God loves them, while the non-believers and the un-loved simply have to accept their fate. Why did God choose to act in this way? God chose to act this way in order for us humans to understand the very concept of love itself. One cannot know something without knowing its opposite. It is the simple construct of meaning. Human beings are simple creatures and meaning for them comes only through experience. To take the example of love, God had to provide examples of love and non-love all at the same time. Simply put, if God loved everybody then nobody would understand what hate or non-love was. And, no one would truly understand or be able to feel love. That is why he created religion and those religions which stress his love for some and not for others.
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The un-loved should not feel the pain of rejection and think that God does not love them. Think of this way: God decided that it would be wise to create men as well as women. These things are opposites, but while being opposites they are attracted to one another. But, they are not attracted to each other by the simple virtue of their differences. God made them come together by the mechanism of lust or sexual attraction. Why did God do this? Well, if God did not create lust then man and woman would simply stare at one another and wonder just what each others purpose in life was. Lust gives purpose to life and that is why we should support and believe in this very important attribute of man.
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So, you can see now why God decided to love some and not others. While He created love and lust He had to go further and provide the mechanism that would allow a human understanding to occur. Some religions say that God loves all. But, do not believe these people for they are espousing false doctrine. It is not possible or feasible for God to love all. It would ruin his plans for the universe and His creation and purpose for man. All men and all women are capable of lust - it is part of their inner being. All men and all women want love, but all of them cannot have it in the ways that others experience it. It is a desired thing, but it is not meant for all. Perhaps this is why the Hebrews created their God Jehovah and had a special relation with Him. He would provide love for them, but not for others. I think this is the simplest way to understand just how God really works in the human mind.
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Why did God do this? God did this to teach us about fairness. I think that is the most likely explanation for the way the world is set up according to man. If you are on the end of things which excludes love and perhaps entertain a non-belief in the very idea of God then you are very knowledgeable about unfairness and thoroughly understand this thing. You will know about unfairness by virtue of the fact of your treatment by others. If you are one of the people that believes that God loves then you do not really know about fairness because you will not know of its opposite, which is unfairness. And, you do not really know about love either. You may feel love and lust but your meaning of the thing is limited by your experiences. That is because you cannot truly feel something or know what it means if you do not know its opposite.
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I think God works in very mysterious ways. And, the people who He does not love are truly blessed indeed. The un-loved are the ones with the experience to know the difference. They desire to have something which is not readily available to them. You will not be able to know God and love if you are not able to experience the opposite of these things. And, you will not be able to appreciate what life really has to offer if you do not desire something. A man without desire is not a human being. It is like a man who lives without lust in the midst of his opposite. What would be the point of having an opposite if you could not desire it? And, if you did not desire it then why does it exist? Think of it this way: once man discovered the idea that it was possible to live forever that it is when he came to desire it. If it did not exist in his mind then it would have no meaning and it would not be desired.
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The lust which I referred to above and which brings male and female together is truly a marvelous creation. I believe that man uses this physical gift to bring forth his other desires as well. I believe that lust is the catalyst of all human desire, mental and physical. So, you can see now just how God teaches us about love. He gave us lust and He made us desire by creating opposites. But to really know these things that He provides requires a degree of unfairness and a wanting. For in the wanting is the knowing. The wanting is the breeding ground of desire; it is the opposite that needs to be felt before meaning can be acquired.
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My 1967 High School Classmates Here
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