CAJ #11: How does my topic connect to other CAJs?

• Katrin Wiesinger: Asteroid mining

Katrin talks about the the general idea of finding suitable near-earth-asteroids which are rich in one or more mineral resources, such as water, metals, oxygen or hydrogen. Her journal deals with the problems that are connected to asteroid mining and suggests possible solutions. One company that is especially interested in asteroid mining and invests a great amount of money is Planetary Resources. They are interested in the future of space, which connects to my topic.

http://katrinwsblog.blogspot.co.at/search/label/CAJ

• Claudia Schwaiger: Space tourism

As I cover a few great inventions in technology that transfers both cargo and people to orbiting destinations, space tourism is surely connected to my topic.  

• Harald Pasch: Planetary Science

This topic obviously connects to mine as Harald is covering the answer to the question: How do we explore the space? In order to be able to discover new planets space telescopes are of essential importance.

http://heroldflux.blogspot.co.at/2014/06/caj-hubble-telescope-optics-part-3.htmlv

• Heimo Kaspar: Permanent human expansion into the solar system

Heimo is talking about space flights beyond the atmosphere that are supposed to be made cheaper. The Lifeboat Foundation is working on developing non-rocket methods for reaching the orbit. The self-sustaining space habitat ‘Ark 1’ should ensure the survival of humanity in the event Earth becomes uninhabitable, which connects to the humans spaceflights in my CAJ.

http://heimokaspar.blogspot.co.at/

• Maria Dorner: Astrobiology

Maria writes about Astrobiology and the most important goal: finding another way of life. This connects perfectly to space exploration, as the aim is pretty much the same.

http://sharemarysword.blogspot.co.at/

• Sandra Lang: Cosmology

Sandra is mainly writing about the birth and death of black holes and their structure.

http://sparklingsandywendy.blogspot.co.at/

CAJ #9: Developments in Technology

SpaceX

Elon Musk, cofounder of PayPal, is the CEO and chief designer of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, abbreviated SpaceX, which is a space transport services company that manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. SpaceX designs was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling people to live on other planets. They mainly support the enabling of the colonization of Mars by humans. As for now, the company has developed several orbital launch vehicles: Falcon 1, Falcon 9, which is currently in active use, and Falcon Heavy, which is under development.

Falcon 1

The company has developed its first launch vehicle - Falcon 1 - and three rocket engines - Merlin, Kestrel, and Draco - completely with private capital. Falcon 1, which has already been retired by SpaceX, was the first privately developed liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit. It was a small rocket capable of placing several hundred kilograms into low earth orbit. IIt functioned as an early test-bed for developing concepts and components for the larger Falcon 9.

Falcon 9

Falcon 9 was the second launch vehicle to be designed and manufactured by SpaceX. Falcon 9, along with the Dragon spacecraft, was designed from the beginning to be reusable. One of the originally goals was to deliver humans into space. Under an agreement with NASA, SpaceX is actively working toward that goal. With its special care for details in manufacturing, it is capable of landing with the precision of a helicopter. Falcon 9 is known as the first rocket completely developed in the 21 century. It is 68,4 meters tall and has a simple two-stage configuration with nine first-stage engines, which means that it can safely complete its mission even in the event of an engine shutdown. By delivering Dragon into the correct orbit in 2012, Falcon 9 made SpaceX the first commercial company ever to visit the station. Since then SpaceX has made a total of three flights to the space station, both delivering and returning cargo for NASA.

Falcon’s ninth, and latest, consecutive flight was on April 18, 2014. SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft to orbit, carrying supplies and science experiments to the International Space Station.

Dragon Spacecraft

Dragon is a free-flying spacecraft designed to deliver both cargo and people to orbiting destinations. Dragon made history in 2012 when it became the first commercial spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station and safely return cargo to Earth. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth. Although Dragon is currently delivering just cargo to space, it was originally designed to carry humans. SpaceX is now working on the refinements that will enable Dragon to fly crew. The first manned test flight is expected to take place in 2-3 years.

Falcon Heavy

Falcon Heavy is the world’s most powerful rocket - a launch vehicle of scale and capability unequaled by any other currently flying. This powerful rocket was designed to be fully reusable. Falcon Heavy consists of a standard Falcon 9 rocket core, to which two additional Falcon 9 first stages are added as strap-on boosters – this will increase the low Earth orbit (LEO) payload. With the ability to lift into orbit over 53 metric tons (which would correspond a mass equivalent to a big jetliner loaded with passengers, crew, luggage and fuel) Falcon Heavy can lift more than twice the payload of the next closest operational vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy, at one-third the cost. Falcon Heavy draws upon the design of Falcon 9 with a maximized reliability. Falcon Heavy was designed from the outset to carry humans into space and restores the possibility of flying missions with crew to the Moon or Mars.

Historic achievements by SpaceX:

• the first privately funded, liquid-fueled rocket, Falcon 1, to reach orbit (28 September 2008);
• the first privately funded company to successfully launch, by Falcon 9, orbit and recover a spacecraft (Dragon) (9 December 2010);
• the first private company to send a spacecraft (Dragon) to the International Space Station (25 May 2012);
• and the first private company to send a satellite into geosynchronous orbit (3 December 2013).

CAJ #8: My brother does not agree!

The other day I had a serious discussion with my dear brother about the highly controversial topic Space Exploration. It was quite surprising that he had a completely different opinion and viewpoint regarding this topic.

I began the conversation by telling him that am I currently writing a Current Affairs Journal and what topic I chose. I started by asking him what his opinion about space exploration was. To my surprise, he was completely against it. He immediately stated that it is a total waste of money in his opinion. I was shocked. As I could not think of one single negative fact about space exploration, I asked him to tell me his "oh so" convincing arguments. He argued that the money that is being spent in the research is one of the most wasteful activities one could spend money. “There are so many better things that money could be used for. It should be spent on something that could benefit much more the people living on our planet. What do I get from the fact that a new planet is discovered? Nothing. We are facing serious problems on Earth, like the disappearance of the rain forests, the pollution of the oceans, climate change, wars etc. If we put money in hands of people who could fix problems like this, we could have lasting benefits for mankind. Other than that, I really do not want to know about some extraterrestrial beings that are present on other planets. They, in fact, could be dangerous for human life on Earth.” I could not believe all this negativity about the exploration of something new. As I really got absorbed in this topic I was ready to fight back and explain that he is not right. I started off by stating some of the nearly uncountable benefits we, as humans living on Earth, have from the research. Space exploration is crucial for developing areas from medicine to scientific research in general. Many discoveries and products have been developed from the knowledge gained from space exploration. One major discovery would be the satellites which are used to forecast the weather. They have saved numerous lives because satellites can predict hurricanes and dangerous storm systems, and help us prepare for the worst. Another great benefit would be GPS (Global Positioning System) that helps man navigate through land, air, and sea. Even everyday items are discovered thanks to it. For example, non-stick pans and surfaces were also created as a result of space exploration. The internet, parts of the computers that we are using every single day and so on.

I kept on telling that compared to other areas of government spending, the cost of space exploration simply is not that high. How much is seven billion dollars compared to the expenses of the U.S government on military?

He listened carefully and began to ask questions like “why don’t they advertise the products and benefits the have made so far?” “How could people understand those benefits without them being informed about it?” “As I did not do any research regarding the exploration and its benefits, I did not know about them. Now my opinion may have changed a little bit, but the money that is being spent on the research is still enormous.” I told him that it is important to invest money in companies that are working in that field because progress is not made overnight. Maybe in a few years we will be able to settle outside the borders of our planet, who knows. I told him that “If it were up to me, I would certainly start a campaign promoting space exploration and explaining the main aims of the companies. I would try to inform the world about the great achievements that have been done with the science of space exploration. I would show them that the money that is being invested into all the companies is not a waste. Instead of waging wars and the manufacturing of nuclear weapons, people should give more thought on the exploration and colonization of new planets in our solar system. To really achieve great results, I would unite all companies that are currently working on space projects that would help humanity to evolve into a species that will harvest energy from other planets or even become a species that expands to other planets.”

The most primitive sentence I heard while talking to people about my CAJ was to put humankind first. With the exploration of new resources or even a  new planet for people to be able to settle would be the greatest benefit those people could possibly have. Do you really think the scientists are exploring the universe just for fun? NO. Think about it.

I convinced my brother, but unfortunately I do not have the “power” to change everyone's minds on Earth. I hope that with my enthusiasm for this topic I could at least convince some of you that space exploration is of enormous importance. ;)

How to Go Back in Time and Kill Hitler

What is needed:

• history book
• time machine
• a snack (preferably snickers, if there is danger to turn into a diva when you are hungry)
• ultra-bullet-proof-whole-body attire
• black leather gloves
• mask
• a gun
• enough cartridges
• hand grenade

Estimated time needed:

• four hours

Warning! In case you are not yet of legal age, ask an adult for help or forget that you have ever found this instruction!

Going back in time to eliminate one of the worst personalities of history is most probably one of the impossible missions that many would have done with a smile on their faces. Have you ever thought about actually doing this to save the lives of millions of innocent people? If yes, then you will be happy to read this instruction that will, most certainly, help you with achieving this.

Step 1:

Take your history book from school (in case you burnt it after graduation, borrow one from the city library) and choose a time and date you want to go back to. I would recommend choosing a special event you want to go back to. For instnance, 1933 in Rosenheim, when Hitler picks up friends from München. You know that he will be on the road between Rosenheim and the Obersalzberg.

Step 2:

Buy yourself a time machine and learn how to use it. If you do not know how, read the manual.

Step 3:

Place your snack, your gun and sufficient cartridges into your backpack.

Step 4:

Put on your ultra-bullet-proof-whole-body attire, mask and your black leather gloves and step into the time machine.

Step 5:

Turn it on and travel back to 1933.

WARNING!  Be sure to use your gloves before stepping out of your time machine, otherwise you will leave finger prints on the gun.

Step 6:

Park your time machine right on the road between Rosenheim and the Obersaltberg for Hitler to pass. Wait there until Hitler passes by with his car.

Step 7:

When you see the car from afar, aim for his heart or his head and pull the trigger.

Step 8:

In case you see him move after shooting him, throw your hand grenade in front of his car.

Step 9:

Run into your time machine and travel home immediately. Treat yourself with a snickers on your way home.

Congratulations, the impossible mission finally has became possible!

https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/178bVTnDfRD_0UxR3jsfQPFJ7c6fd70xwmPO_t4OUv1Y/edit

CAJ #7: Is space exploration a waste of money?

Space exploration means to explore different and new planets, galaxies, comets, satellites etc. in outer space. To be able to achieve great explorations, a proper technology is need to be invented and used. This technology, however, requires a lot of money. The explorer and campaigner Robin Hanbury argues that “The amount of money being spent on space research is in the billions and it has achieved extraordinarily little except for a bit of improved technology which would probably have come about anyway by other means.” The highly controversial issue whether money should be spent on space exploration or not has been discussed extensively in the last years.

It is not expensive, actually

It is known that an enormous amount of money is being spent on the discoveries of outer space and new planets, but this should not be considered as a wasteful activity. Compared to other areas of government spending, the cost of space exploration simply is not that high. How much is seven billion dollars compared to the expenses of the U.S government on military? Each year, 22 times the amount for space exploration is spent on alcohol, and over ten million dollars is spent in Iraq by the government each month. If you ask me, war and alcohol are not  better ways of spending/ investing money.

Colonization of new planets

Learning about the universe that surrounds us is crucial to understanding more about the world we live in. According to many scientists, this is very important for the survival of mankind since the species on a single planet would very much likely to become extinct in the long run due to various reasons. Lack of natural resources, occurrence of accidents such as comets hitting the earth, nuclear war and worldwide epidemic are some of these reasons. Therefore extending the human habitat out from Earth into the solar system may lead us into the future and eventually allow us to colonize and keep us from getting extinct. When space technology has advanced far enough, we will be able to provide normal life for our future generations. It may take centuries to get to this point, but we will not get the technology without experimenting with it.

Why explore space, when the earth itself is not yet fully explored?

Many people argue that it is better to explore our own planet, the Earth, rather than the space. Even though it is true that much of Earth, including the ocean and Antarctica, are unexplored, it's not as though we're exploring space instead of our own planet. The effort being made to explore the ocean is just a great as that of Space Travel. Money is not really wasted in the process of exploration; rather, it is invested into discovering new things, for the benefit of mankind.

Another discussion point is that the money that is being invested into space exploration should be given to the poor and needy. Money is already being donated and if you wish to rather donate to the poor, well then do it. But humanitarian organizations are “throwing money at their feet”. It would be more intelligent to teach them how to plant crops that survive in their harsh conditions and educate people who are illiterate. What will happen if the money runs out? When they send people to give them prepared food and medication, what will happen when they leave? Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.

New discoveries are made through space exploration

The knowledge that space exploration provides is crucial for developing areas from medicine to scientific research in general. Many discoveries and products have been developed from the knowledge gained from space exploration. One major discovery would the forecasting of weather. (Satellites. Very important for hurricanes and dangerous storm systems, have saved lives and help us prepare for the worst. Another would be GPS (Global Positioning System) that helps man navigate through land, air, and sea. Even everyday items are discovered thanks to it. For example, non-stick pans and surfaces were also created as a result of space exploration.

There are nearly uncountable progress of exploration, and all are beneficial to us all.

Overall, space exploration has provided us with new knowledge and as a result of this, many new and intriguing inventions have been made. Considering all these arguments, is space exploration, then, really a waste of money?

CAJ #6: My very excellent mother just served us nachos

Hey everyone,

As you probably know from my first posts I chose to write about space exploration for ma Current Affairs Journal.

The solar system consists of the Sun; the eight official planets, at least three "dwarf planets", more than 130 satellites of the planets, a large number of small bodies (the comets and asteroids), and the interplanetary medium.

The inner solar system consists of the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

The planets of the outer solar system are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune (Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet)

Memorizing all the planets around our sun can be done easily. There are various funny ways of how to remember the order of the planets in our solar system. I, for myself, am an audiotory learner and remembered them by singing a song. :P Singing a song with a certain melody, helps me to remember things better.

My              M= MERCURY

Very            V = VENUS

Excellent     E = EARTH

Mother        M = MARS

Just            J = JUPITER

Served       S = SATURN

Us              U = URANUS

Nachos      N = NEPTUNE

Those are the eight planets that can be seen with a small telescope.

Some of you may think that I forgot to mention Pluto, but no, Plut is not a planet. It has been decided that Pluto should be classified as a dwarf planet, which is a category distinct from regular planets.

CAJ #5: Avarage Joe Narrative Text

Narrative

Even though it was a day like every other in Neil’s life, he was very excited this morning. He was drinking his black coffee while watching the daily NASA-news on the Science Channel. “We need to answer one of the fundamental mysteries of the cosmos: Does life exist beyond Earth?”, said President Obama determined, while talking to the Space Administration Charles F. Bolden. Neil realized that this question needs to be answered as soon as possible. With this thought in mind he puts on his heavy spacesuit, which he had specially designed for this mission, and steps into his very own, modern rocket. He hoped that today he will be able to uncover evidence of life in outer space. Determined as he was, he decided to explore the second smallest planet in the Solar System –Mars. After a two-hour flight through the space, he finally arrived there. However, to his disappointment, Neil noted a fleet of robotic spacecraft and rovers already on and around Mars. Apparently, he was not the only one with the great idea to dramatically increase our knowledge about the Red Planet and pave the way for future human explorers.

[193 words]

CAJ #4: How can I become an astronaut?

Personal connection to my CAJ

Once, when I was little, I said to my mum: “Mummy, one day, when I am grown up, I want to fly to the universe and look down upon the Earth from another perspective. I want to explore new planets and, who knows, maybe find new life there.”

I am lucky that I got the chance to write about a topic that has always been of great interest and importance to me. I have always been fascinated by the planets that are surrounding our Earth and have always wanted to study something in order to be able to discover new planets. As I have always been fascinated about space exploration, I imagined that working for a space exploring company would be quite interesting. How often have a just listened to the sentence that stayed in our minds like no other “That's one small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind” and thought about what would have I said if I was the first woman to be on the moon? This was, of course, me just daydreaming about flying around in space. I had no idea of the conditions and qualities an astronaut needs. To be able to bear tremendous responsibility while in orbit is not something that is learned overnight. According to ESA an astronaut needs: “A high level of education in scientific or technical disciplines, coupled with an outstanding professional background in research, application or education fields possibly supported by the use of computer systems and applications, is essential. Previous experience with aircraft operations is a bonus, particularly if it involved responsible tasks such as being a test pilot or flight engineer. The more skills and experience an applicant has the better, as this will increase their ability to undertake a variety of tasks.”

One out of a few thousand applicants manages to make a change. I guess that’s what discouraged me in the end and made me study languages (which I love btw). :D

CAJ #3: Introduction

Hey everyone,

Welcome to my Current Affairs Journal. As I heard about STEM and this project we are going to spend quite some time researching information about, I immediately knew which topic I am going to write about. 

I chose the highly controversial topic of Space Exploration because I have been always fascinated in what is happening outside the borders of our planet. I always wanted to know more about the whole idea of getting to know the space and its secrets and, more importantly, how it can benefit mankind. I informed myself roughly and became even more interested. To really get absorbed in this topic, I chose Space exploration to be my CAJ. But what is Space exploration? In short, space exploration is the ongoing discovery and exploration of outer space though the use of space technology. While the study of space is carried out mainly by astronomers with telescopes, the physical exploration of space is conducted both by unmanned robotic probes and human spaceflight. It is also enormously important since it aids the advancement of scientific research, unites different nations, and guarantees the potential survival of humanity.

CAJ #2: Abstract

This Current Affairs Journals aims to provide readers with some essential knowledge about the highly controversial topic Space Exploration. It discusses issues as well as benefits related to this topic. The focus lies primarily on the benefits and new development that have been achieved from the early days of space exploration until now. The paper also covers the main goals which the companies, currently researching for this topic, have. The information that is being presented in this CAJ, in form of scientific papers and articles, was collected over a certain period of time. The information used to underline the arguments for and against space exploration is taken out of discussions and debates. As it is believed that space exploration is not worth its money, many companies have to face harsh criticisms.  However, some responses have included that people should give more thought on the exploration and colonization of new planets in our solar system, as this may help humanity to evolve into a species that will harvest energy from other planets or even become a species that expands to other planets. From the results of the discussions carried out, we can draw the conclusion that more people support the exploration of the space, as it could be a great benefit for humankind.

Narrative Article Homework

The Search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Lana cries. She misses her husband desperately. The last weeks were unbearable for her. Not one single second goes by in which she does not think about him. The constant pain, like a black empty hole in her chest, becomes bigger and more intolerable every day. Ever since the early hours of March 8 en route to Beijing, 239 people disappeared without a trace along with the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. Up to this Monday nothing has changed. At first it seemed to be as horrible as any other day, but the complete opposite was the case. What appeared to be a never-ending, exhausting search, arouse new hope for the affected families. The big impressive Australian naval ship, sailing for days and days across the deep, dark blue Indian Ocean, has detected a series of underwater signals that could match with those of a plane's data, possibly from the missing jet. 

“Clearly, this is a most promising lead,” stated Angus Houston with determination, the lead coordinator of the search. This statement awoke hope for the relatives in mourning. "We want to put an end to this terrible nightmare and start living our lives again."

[194 words]

PSA: After-death avatar

It is being claimed that immortality should be possible for the "wealthy elite" by 2045. This should be achieved through fully functional holographic human avatars. Now you should ask yourself, is it human and normal to talk to a person who has passed away a long time ago? You are still alive and you can't hold on the past. Instead you have to keep all the good memories connected to the person you lost and let bad feelings go away. I mean would you want your brain to be "transplanted into an artificial body"? Give it a serious thought!

Academic Paper

Environmental protection within the EU

Writing the paper

My academic paper will be about the environmental protection within the EU and its organizations. While working on my paper I realized that the sources are going to be one of my major problems. I had a few difficulties with finding some useful sources other than the official website from the European Union, which appeared to be kind of biased to my opinion. For that reason I have started doing some research outside the internet and I found some really interesting books which I borrowed from the university library. If you are also struggling with the same problem I would definitely recommend searching there for some books, articles or magazines. To extend my sources even more I have searched on Google Scholar for some academic texts relating to my topic. I found some books that I can read online without having to buy them. If you lack academic sources, this will definitely help you out.

Surprising Europe

Surprising Europe

Housing Conditions

As the Eurasian primary destination for immigration, Europe finds itself swarmed with hordes of illegal

African migrants desperately searching for living conditions. Unfortunately, those people are often exploited not only in terms of work, but also when it comes to housing conditions. Sometimes they even end up in a worse situation than in their home countries, because after destroying their papers, to avoid deportation, they are no longer protected by any national law. This is best shown in the example of Paris, one of Europe’s biggest melting pots, where almost 90% of the African immigrants occupy unsafe buildings. It is common for up to three people to live in an apartment of no more than 10m², that is approximately the size of a below average bathroom, without radiator or access to hot water. Despite these

unsanitary circumstances the rents continue to increase. Apart from that, the majority of these buildings show incredible deficiencies in the construction. Such as, dilapidated structures missing fire extinguishers and the complete absence of smoke detectors or emergency exits. More than once such constructional defects resulted in devastating fires, causing numerous deaths. In order to combat these grievances various organizations have been founded, for instance the French “Malaika” company (means “angel” in Arabic). Regarding these developments the original objective of elevating one’s life standard is rarely achieved and the situation is even continuing to aggravate.

The European Union - Five related topics

1.) Environment within the EU (EAP)
A topic that, to my mind, is becoming increasingly important, is the EU related to the environment. Pollution is a serious issue worldwide, but why do we need environmental policy? I read a number of articles and have dealt with this subject a few times so it seems to be just the right topic for me. It would be challenging and exciting to find out how the EU deals with pollution and how they are connected to environment protection. What are they doing in order to protect our planet? Are they doing anything? Are there any programs/organizations to stand up against pollution? Are there any events arranged in behalf of the environment?
I would like to write about the environmental protection in the EU because this is a topic that has always been of great importance for me. It fascinates me how some people put all their effort in protecting our planet and their dedication truly touches me. I am thinking about much more that my academic paper will cover, but this is just a little foretaste. I am working on a draft for my work and I will try to focus on one specific topic I want to dwell on.

2.) The EU and Croatia
As I was thinking about some possible topics for my academic paper related to the EU, the first thought that crossed my mind was the newest and youngest member of the EU - Croatia. I was thinking about what could actually be interesting for me and due to the fact that my parents were born in Croatia and I am a Croatian citizen, it would pretty sure be the most interesting topic for me. It would be exciting to find out, what's the background behind Croatia becoming a member of the EU, as it is my home country. In this topic I am planning to analyze why it had become a member? What criteria have to be fulfilled in order to become a member state? Why did they want to become a member? Has something changed since then? If yes, what? If not, why? Are there going to be great changes? When will the "Kuna" be replaced by the "Euro"? Will they be able to adopt the Euro as its currency?

3.) Campaign for 2014
The focus on the coming year 2014 is the wealth of families and their work-life balace. The year is designated as the European Year for Reconciling Work and Family Life. The COFACE stand up for equality, aim to ensure work family life balance, improve social integration and address child and fimily poverty. These are all very interesting topics to be concerned with. In my academic paper I would like to present the aims of this organization, their current process and answer some important questions some might have on this campaign.

4.) Abortion law within the EU
The abortion law is regulated by law all over the world and is of great importance for woman. Since I have dealt with this topic over the summer (it was one of my KGP topics), I would really like to write my academic paper about it to acquire even more knowledge about this interesting topic. How is abortion regulated by law in the countries within the EU? Are they same in every country? Why is the abortion law so restrictive in Ireland, even though Ireland is in the EU?

5.) Jobs in the EU 
It is well known that it is not so easy to gain and keep a job in Brussels for instance. How "good" do you have to be, to be able to work for the EU? Even though I would like to start with EU jobs in general, in this topic I will especially refer to the translation jobs within the EU, as this will probably be my future job. Which languages are in high demand? How can someone get such a great job as a translator?

These are my five topics that I've chosen. I've come up with some ideas how to make a structure but I am still kinda undecided which topic is the most interesting and suitable for me. It is not easy to decide which topic I want to write about in my academic paper due to the fact that the EU is an environment that inspired me with a incredible amount of great ideas. Please let me know which topic you like the best! Thanks ;)