Many people make resolutions for the New Year on New Year's eve. I've never done that before but maybe I will do it this time. And to make them harder to break I will write them down on my blog. So here we go.
I promise to
- finish my eMBA thesis by end of April
- get my MSc. degree by end of May (only one course missing)
- learn to cast flies better than before
- break my "fly salmon" record
- not to drink or eat more than my share
Monday, December 31, 2007
Waiting for the summer
I've seen dreams of fishing in two nights during the latest week. The winter isn't here yet (no snow in Oulu) and I'm already dreaming of summer and fishing...it's going to be a loooong winter.
Right now I'm wondering what fishing equipment to acquire for next summer. A two hand rod would be nice now that I've learned how to cast with it (or at least I know how it should be done) But I still have some learning to do with the one hand rod and shooting line I bought last summer. So I think I'm only going to get couple of more shooting heads, one intermediate and one sinking. I also need to buy a handful of new flies as I still haven't started tying 'em myself. I think I have to ask my body Jaakko if he could tie me couple of red butts (sizes 12 and 10). His flies look so delicious you almost eat them yourself.
Right now I'm wondering what fishing equipment to acquire for next summer. A two hand rod would be nice now that I've learned how to cast with it (or at least I know how it should be done) But I still have some learning to do with the one hand rod and shooting line I bought last summer. So I think I'm only going to get couple of more shooting heads, one intermediate and one sinking. I also need to buy a handful of new flies as I still haven't started tying 'em myself. I think I have to ask my body Jaakko if he could tie me couple of red butts (sizes 12 and 10). His flies look so delicious you almost eat them yourself.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Snowmobiling and greenhouse effect
It seems like there's going to be a second snowless Christmas (at least Christmas Eve) in a row in Oulu. Last year it happened the first time in 30 years. I have no doubt that the greenhouse effect is true and actually happening right here right now. There's no denying global warming.
This raises an important question: is it ethical to drive around for fun on a snowmobile burning oil and causing CO2 emissions? I'm sure all the "tree huggers" think it definitely is not ethical and should be banned all together. And then there are the sledheads and all other motor crazy people that don't ever even stop to think about this. Most of the people, such as I, are somewhere between these two extremes. Personally, I think this is not an insignificant question at all. So far I have been driving my snowmobile with a mad grin in my face having a lot of fun. But I have to admit I do think about the environmental effects of snowmobiling and in recent couple of years more and more. Although I only drive 1200-1500 km/year this concerns me.
I know the emissions caused by my motoring even including commuting to work by a car are so small it doesn't affect anything. This makes it a bit easier for me to enjoy my hobby. But surely if everyone thought this way, no one would do anything to cut down CO2 emissions. So this still doesn't get me off the hook.
I also know that CO2 emissions caused by all the traffic on earth represent only a very very small fraction of all the CO2 emissions. Now it's getting a bit easier to breath but still I'm not quite sure if I can sleep and still keep snowmobiling.
I've also learned that this is not the first time the global warming is taking over. Actually our beloved Tellus has "lately" seen warmer periods in about every 100 000 years. Now it is almost 100 000 years from the latest temperature peak and we are getting close to the temperatures back then. So I believe that even if man never inhabited the earth, it would be about as warm now. But surely the emissions caused by us do have an effect but how big it actually is, I don't know. As far as I see no one can really say if what we have done so far has affected the global average temp by 0.5 Celsius degrees or 3 Celsius degrees. Phew, what a relief.
So I will still keep on snowmobiling but I'm not at all sure for how long. Will I stop when there is enough evidence to show that what man do actually has a great effect in the global warming? Probably. Will I stop if the great public opinion becomes hostile against it? Likely. Will I stop if my wife says so? For sure.
At latest I'll stop when there's no more snow, but will I start a new hobby with equally bad environmental effects like replace the sled with an ATV? I hope not.
Merry Christmas!!!
This raises an important question: is it ethical to drive around for fun on a snowmobile burning oil and causing CO2 emissions? I'm sure all the "tree huggers" think it definitely is not ethical and should be banned all together. And then there are the sledheads and all other motor crazy people that don't ever even stop to think about this. Most of the people, such as I, are somewhere between these two extremes. Personally, I think this is not an insignificant question at all. So far I have been driving my snowmobile with a mad grin in my face having a lot of fun. But I have to admit I do think about the environmental effects of snowmobiling and in recent couple of years more and more. Although I only drive 1200-1500 km/year this concerns me.
I know the emissions caused by my motoring even including commuting to work by a car are so small it doesn't affect anything. This makes it a bit easier for me to enjoy my hobby. But surely if everyone thought this way, no one would do anything to cut down CO2 emissions. So this still doesn't get me off the hook.
I also know that CO2 emissions caused by all the traffic on earth represent only a very very small fraction of all the CO2 emissions. Now it's getting a bit easier to breath but still I'm not quite sure if I can sleep and still keep snowmobiling.
I've also learned that this is not the first time the global warming is taking over. Actually our beloved Tellus has "lately" seen warmer periods in about every 100 000 years. Now it is almost 100 000 years from the latest temperature peak and we are getting close to the temperatures back then. So I believe that even if man never inhabited the earth, it would be about as warm now. But surely the emissions caused by us do have an effect but how big it actually is, I don't know. As far as I see no one can really say if what we have done so far has affected the global average temp by 0.5 Celsius degrees or 3 Celsius degrees. Phew, what a relief.
So I will still keep on snowmobiling but I'm not at all sure for how long. Will I stop when there is enough evidence to show that what man do actually has a great effect in the global warming? Probably. Will I stop if the great public opinion becomes hostile against it? Likely. Will I stop if my wife says so? For sure.
At latest I'll stop when there's no more snow, but will I start a new hobby with equally bad environmental effects like replace the sled with an ATV? I hope not.
Merry Christmas!!!
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear scooters roar and moan
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear scooters roar and moan
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