Luk's Global Communication and Media Project.

I have this Facebook friend who posts some of the best links on his profile page. He's literally done half the research for one of my papers because when he posts the link, he also posts his opinion on it which, as you may know, can be highly productive in getting through writer's block (and no, I don't plagiarize this poor guy...). The coolest thing about this is that this is a Facebook friend who I wouldn't see on a regular basis because we live in different countries. 


You guys may have heard about the "Facebook Revolution" that happened in Egypt? Part of the Arab Spring, per chance? These mass protests and political coups were organized through the online networking site Facebook. The Facebook group that sparked the revolution in Egypt? Formed in America. The world is becoming more connected. Because of this, ideals are being more quickly shared and in that, assimilating to the same basic principles. On a macro scale, this means that democracy, and likely with it capitalism, is moving its way into more and more countries around the world.


So how does the Middle East apply to Europe? Connectivity, my friend.

The same guy who's been doing my research posted a link about how Iceland re-wrote their constitution over the internet. Consequently, I decided to make my Global Comm and Media project on how this same concept can be applied to Greece. If you're reading this, I feel that it is safe to assume that you know Greece is fixing to default something major on a shit ton of loans. However, could this situation be bettered if the people of Greece were allowed to re-write their Constitution, like the Icelanders, and decide their own fate- as opposed to the owners of their bonds and treasury bills? Is it possible that Greece is even in a place technologically, socially and politically where the country would benefit from such actions? 


I guess what you think depends on where your money is.

Killer Algae!!!

Don't worry, no poorly acting damsel in distressed or flailing armed monster here...just the invasive specie, Caulerpa taxifolia.

Caulerpa taxifolia gets the name Killer Algae from being highly adaptable to any habitat, rapid growth,  and capabilities to produce high concentrations of toxic secondary compounds, out-competing native seaweed species.

The algae is popular for being aquarium tank decoration. In the early 1980's  a professor at the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (France), found a patch of the algae in front of the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco. Theories say the algae was released after an aquarium cleaning. (Analysis showed that it was the genetically altered aquarium specie not the wild strand, so natural dispersion is not an option)

Once introduced to the Mediterranean it easily multiplied throughout the coastline due to anchors, fishing nets, and dumping ballast water.
Its has a  highly toxic chemical defense, so it's barely eaten by herbivores, having no competition the average growth rate is 1 cm per day.

The species is conflicting with many ecosystems, threatening biological stability in the marine environment. Caulerpa taxifolia is known to kill many fish species, it also is harming tourism, decreases the pleasure of boating, recreational, and has a financial impact on commercial fishing.

The removal process:
Many removal ideas have been tested, to manual removal, suction pump, hot water, electrolysis with copper electrodes, copper ions through an ionic selective membrane, and the use of chlorine. Some biological control ideas are to introduce grazing tropical species but it might lead to unexpected consequences.
But the most effective methods of removal is to seal off a patch of Caulerpa taxifolia cover it with a heavy plastic sheet that is sealed to the bottom, at the top is a small port that releases a herbicide. But that can only treat on the small scale, large scale removal is still out of reach, due to low public awareness and low priority. But this killer algae is a full threat to the marine biodiversity.

Tuk