National Basketball Association (NBA) Players Union free essay sample

Examines causes, league response, financial issues, comparison with baseball strike outcome of 1995 players fight to decertify union. In the fall of 1995 the National Basketball Association was threatened by several of its own members who wanted to decertify the union just as the union was negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Decertification would mean the end of the union, and this drive was being spurred by several big-name p-layers who believed that the players would be better served by the protections under federal antitrust rules. Others point out, however, that the end of the union would also mean the end of certain benefits and even pensions for many players. The effort by these basketball players challenges the idea of sports unions in general and raises a number of questions concerning the supposed necessity for decertification, the relationship between the state of athletic bargaining agreements and other agreements, and the degree to which this area of work differs from others in

Political Parties Essays (1221 words) - Elections,

Political Parties Since the last of the Whig party left office in 1852, the American political system has been primarily a two party system. The Democrats and the Republicans have been the two parties fighting for the Presidency since that time. There have been many other parties since that time, but mainly, these two have gone unopposed against each other. However, how much good do these parties actually do? Would our country be run as effectively if the presence of political parties was no longer a factor? It is the opinion of the authors that the U.S. Government would exist without political parties and may, in fact be stronger. The concept of political parties seems to go against what it means to be a politician: to represent his or her constituents. More time, money and effort, it seems is put into getting elected to an office than actually doing work for the people in that office. One fairly recent example is seen in the case of the proposed federal Balanced Budget Amendment. Mark Hatfield, Republican Oregon Senator, went against his parties wishes and voted against the amendment. His party nearly abandoned him for choosing the people over his party. Many senators are faced with the same decision every day, but instead stick with party beliefs and not what they feel would be the best for the people. In order for true democracy to be achieved in our government, we feel drastic changes need to occur. Review Of The Literature Since the mid 1850's, the Democrats and Republicans have had control of the nation government. The only place where opposition was felt was at the state and local levels. However, in the early days of our country, third and fourth party candidates played important roles in politics. A few of these parties from our history are the: Democrat-Republicans, Jefferson Republicans, Whigs and Federalists. Many other lesser known or hardly known at all parties were the: Socialists, Unionists, Farmer-Laborists, Progressives, Communists, States' Rights, American Independents, Libertarians, New Alliance, Populists, Consumers, National Economic Recovery, Right to Life, Workers league, Socialist Workers, Peace and Freedom, Prohibitionists, Workers World, American, Grassroots, Independent and Third World Assembly. This immense list goes to show that not all American history has been two party. What we know today as Democrats and Republicans derived from some of these parties to be what they are today. The emergence of the parties has come mainly as a reaction to history where most of the rulers have been dictators or kings. The people do not favor dictatorship and therefore created political parties to better represent the feelings of the voters (Madron, 1974). This is not a time of a dictatorship and we have achieved representative democracy. We have evolved as a nation and have grown out of the need for political parties. The 1992 Presidential election was a definite sign that the usefulness of political parties is crumbling. The Democrats came out on top, followed by the Republicans, however, a third party candidate, Ross Perot, emerged and ended the race with nearly 10,000,000 popular votes. Perot made himself out to be the only one who could clean up the mess in Washington, and came through with an impressive finish (Wolfson, 1994). From this example, it is obvious that the way we know political parties, or perhaps political parties as a whole, are being phased out by the people. The world in which we live is constantly changing and getting faster and more efficient at making news readily available to the people. Back in the times before radio, tv, the internet and e-mail, people had to find out somehow about politics. The main source of their information came from political parties to educate them as to who was running and what they stood for and believed in (Carlin, 1992). Now, if someone needs information on some kind of politics, they can simply turn on C-Span, surf the ever-expanding net, or write an e-mail to the President himself. Another strike against political parties is evident. Lately, politicians have had their way in separating themselves from the voters whom they are supposed to represent. A greater gap is growing between the two. Voters do not like being just a number (Wolfson, 1994). The basis of democracy, in case some have forgotten, is equal representation for all people. By separating themselves from the voters, politicians are only creating a stronger case against political parties. Another such argument against parties can be seen in the fact that lately, voters have been straying from voting for one candidate. Instead

Geography and Environmental Determinism Essay Example

Geography and Environmental Determinism Essay Example Geography and Environmental Determinism Paper Geography and Environmental Determinism Paper History shows many examples of how geography and environmental determinism played a huge role in the development of early civilizations. It can be seen as early as Mesopotamia, where the constant tension between nomadic and settled lifestyles was an important aspect of early historical development. The Sumerian culture developed in southern Mesopotamia, near the Persian Gulf. The civilization was generally pessimistic in outlook, an observation based mainly on the evidence of religious sources that depict a gloomy picture of the afterworld as a place of misery, because of the uncertain floods of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that destroyed river valleys. Although the geography negatively affected the Mesopotamia civilization, it eventually had a positive effect because there was a strong push towards stronger irrigation systems and tech analogical advancements. Jarred Diamond, according to his book, Guns, Germs, and Steel, characterizes an instance such as this as environmental determinism because a civilizations environment positively affected everyday life. Political systems were also influenced by the geography because regional city-states near the rivers plopped strongly under leadership of the upper class. Although, at first, the geography of Mesopotamia had a negative effect on the belief systems, it eventually produced widespread development in political, economic, and social organizations. : In contrast, Ancient Egypt developed and remained optimistic in history because of its environment. Geographically, the Nile River unified the region and made agriculture possible while the desert offered protection from nomadic invaders necessary for the evolution of centralized political authority. The Nile provided the civilization with optimism about the future because it produced soil-rich areas for agriculture. Egypt more defensible geography and sea-nourished Nile River resulted in a more politically, socially, and economically secure civilization. In Asia, geography plays a major factor in the development of many civilizations. Separate regions caused economic diversity, racial differences, and diversity of language. China development was very original because, just like Egypt, deserts, seas, and mountains isolated it. However, Chinas environment was characterized by the Yellow and Yanking rivers as well as patterns of mountain ranges that created disunity throughout Chinas history. Downfalls in dynasties inhibited political, social, and economic developments. It can be seen that a civilizations geography greatly contributes to its own future because of the major effect it has on whether it succeeds or does not. In the regions of Micronesian, civilizations developed based on intensive agriculture. Geographically, the region of Mesospheric was a complex patchwork of zones divided into tropical lowlands and coasts. These climatic variations created different possibilities for human exploitation. The Elms have been called the mother civilization of Mesospheric. They grew maize, especially along rivers, and it provided the basis for a state in which complex religion dominated life. Their impressive settlements, drainage systems, temple complexes, and ability to move stones weighing tons attest to a high degree of social organization and artistic skill. Geography influenced the development of this civilization because many other civilizations were developing elsewhere in Mesospheric and had influences on the Elms religiously, socially, and economically. There was shared technology, and cultural elements were diffused to indicate political expansions during the time. Lastly, geography and environment influenced development in the Andes, specifically the Chapin culture. This culture was characterized by artistic motifs that spread widely throughout the Andean region. The Chapin artistic style was so widely diffused that archeologist call this a horizon, a period when a broad central authority seems to have integrated a widely dispersed region. Geography played a part in the political, social, and economic development of this region because permanent agricultural villages were established in the Andean highlands where Maize was introduced, crops Were grown, and pottery was made. The highlands provided a place for irrigated agriculture to produce crops, for Llamas and related animals to be domesticated, and for dense populations and hierarchical societies to be formed. It can be seen throughout the world that the geography and environment of a specific civilization greatly affects its overall success and development through history.

Quotes That Show Macbeths Intentions

Quotes That Show Macbeth's Intentions The motor that drives the tragedy of Shakespeares  Macbeth  is the lead character’s ambition. It is his primary character flaw and the trait that causes this brave soldier to murder his way to power. Early on in the famous play,  King Duncan hears of Macbeth’s heroics at war and bestows the title Thane of Cawdor on him. The current Thane of Cawdor has been deemed a traitor and the king orders him to be killed.  When Macbeth is made Thane of Cawdor, he believes that the kingship is not far off in his future. He writes a letter to his wife announcing the  prophecies, and it is actually Lady Macbeth who fans the flames of ambition as the play progresses. The two conspire to kill King Duncan so that Macbeth can ascend to the throne. Despite his initial reservations about the plan, Macbeth agrees, and, sure enough, he is named king after Duncans death. Everything that follows is simply the repercussion of Macbeths unbridled ambition. Both he and Lady Macbeth are plagued by visions of their wicked deeds, which eventually drive them insane. Brave Macbeth When  Macbeth  first appears at the start of the play, he is brave, honorable, and moral- qualities that he sheds as the play develops. He comes on the scene soon after a  battle, where an injured soldier reports Macbeth’s heroic deeds and famously labels him â€Å"brave Macbeth†: For brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name- Disdaining Fortune, with his brandishd steel,Which smoked with bloody execution,Like valours minion carved out his passageTill he faced the slave.(Act 1, Scene 2) Macbeth is presented as a man of action who steps up when he is needed, and a man of kindness and love when he is away from the battlefield. His wife, Lady Macbeth, adores him for his loving nature: Yet do I fear thy nature;It is too full o th milk of human kindnessTo catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,Art not without ambition, but withoutThe illness should attend it.(Act 1, Scene 5) Vaulting Ambition An encounter with the three witches changes everything. Their premonition that Macbeth â€Å"shalt be king hereafter† triggers his ambition- and leads to murderous consequences. Macbeth makes clear that ambition drives his actions, stating as early as Act 1 that his sense of ambition is â€Å"vaulting†: I have no spurTo prick the sides onlyVaulting ambition, which oerleaps itselfAnd falls on the other.(Act 1, Scene 7) When Macbeth makes plans to murder King Duncan, his moral code is still evident- but it is beginning to be corrupted by his ambition. In this quote, the reader can see Macbeth struggling with the evil he is about to commit: My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical,Shakes so my single state of man that functionIs smotherd in surmise.(Act 1, Scene 3) Later in the same scene, he says: Why do I yield to that suggestionWhose horrid image doth unfix my hair,And make my seated heart knock at my ribs,Against the use of nature?(Act 1, Scene 3) But, as was made apparent at the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a man of action, and this vice supersedes his moral conscience. It is this trait that enables his ambitious desires. As his character develops throughout the play, action eclipses Macbeths morals. With each murder, his moral conscience is suppressed, and he never struggles with subsequent murders as much as he does with killing Duncan. By the end of the play, Macbeth kills Lady Macduff and her children without hesitation. Macbeth’s Guilt Shakespeare does not let Macbeth get off too lightly. Before long, he is plagued with guilt: Macbeth starts hallucinating;  he sees the ghost of murdered Banquo, and he hears voices: Methought I heard a voice cry Sleep no more!Macbeth does murder sleep.(Act 2, Scene 1) This quote reflects the fact that Macbeth murdered Duncan in his sleep. The voices are nothing more than Macbeth’s moral conscience seeping through, no longer able to be suppressed. Macbeth also hallucinates the murder weapons, creating one of the play’s most famous quotes: Is this a dagger which I see before me,The handle toward my hand?(Act 2, Scene 1) In the same act, Ross, Macduffs cousin, sees right through Macbeths unbridled ambition and predicts where it will lead: to Macbeth becoming  king. Gainst nature still!Thriftless ambition, that will ravin upThine own lives means! Then tis most likeThe sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth.(Act 2, Scene 4) Macbeths Fall Near the end of the play, the audience catches a glimpse of the brave soldier who appeared at the beginning. In one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful speeches, Macbeth admits that he is short on time. The armies have amassed outside the castle and there is no way he can win, but he does what any man of action would do: fight. In this speech, Macbeth realizes that time ticks on regardless and that his actions will be lost to time: Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrowCreeps in this petty pace from day to dayTo the last syllable of recorded timeAnd all our yesterdays have lighted foolsThe way to dusty death.(Act 5, Scene 5) Macbeth seems to realize in this speech the cost of his unchecked ambition. But it is too late: There is no reversing the consequences of his evil opportunism.

The Spinster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Spinster - Essay Example She added to her stock a female swine which she tended till it was old enough to breed. She was so glad that the swine had sixteen breast nipples because these would indicate it can have many piglets. She had her artificially inseminated. She must not have imagined a boar over her beast! Alter ego! After few months the beast delivered seven piglets. She was so glad tending the young ones and hoping to sell them at a better price soon. What a profit! Unfortunately, one morning while she was busy tending on her pregnant cattle, a mad dog drop by and bit three of the piglets. Eventually, all the piglets including the mother swine went crazy. It was so horrible for her that at the blink of an eye her capital went crazy and eventually underground with the dead. But, she did not despair. She still has her chicken and almost skinny, but pregnant cattle. Surely, the cattle delivered another female after a long wait. It certainly meant profit! Happily she goes to fields with plenty of free grass feed for her cattle' every morning, leave them to fodder till the late afternoons, when she brings them back home and give some water with little salt. One morning when she was ready to tow the cattle for fodder, the cattle just went crazily jumping around and around that sh

SEE BELOW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SEE BELOW - Essay Example In the closing paragraph, an appreciation and a positive expectation of a future was stated to the customer. Thank you for your letter about your $1000 CrossWalk 570 treadmill equipment. Fitness Equipment Store appreciates your inquiry concerning your CrossWalk 570 treadmill equipment and wanted to satisfy our customers with high-quality. Fitness equipments should be built to last is what Fitness Equipment Company believes just like you do. This is the reason why we stand behind our products with a one year warranty. However, we can still help by repairing your equipment with $35 repair service fee. Fortunately, we have the following service fee promo for this first month of the year that you can avail: Please take or package the equipment carefully to our store in S Morgan Street, Chicago with your name, address, phone number, and a brief description of the malfunction along with a check of $10 initial examination. After the assessment, we will send you a written estimate of the needed parts. Then please let us know if you want to make the repairs by calling this number, 312-2222. Thank you again for inquiring for our service. If you want to inquire about the latest fitness equipments, feel free to visit our website at www.fitness_equipment.com. If you want to have the newest model of treadmills, Fitness Equipment Store will provide a generous assistance for

Hydraulic Fracking Essay Example for Free

Hydraulic Fracking Essay This paper explores the hydraulic fracturing process, exactly what it is, what the fracturing process does to the earth and the surrounding environment in addition, to the consequences. Hydraulic fracturing is fracturing of rock by pressurization. This process by which oil and natural gas can be forced from the earth. The hydraulic fracturing process takes millions of gallons of clean water, sand, chemicals and pumps them underground at high pressure to break apart rock to release gas and or oil. My research has led me to the discovery that there are as many proponents for fracking as that are those that oppose the process. One thing no-one can deny or easily hide is that once the damage is done and something has gone wrong, the evidence usually speaks volumes that this is not something we should be doing to our planet or its people. The diagram on page 3 outlines the process defined as fracking for an easier understanding of how invasive the process is to the environment. Hydraulic Fracking Research Paper and Why the process of Fracking is bad for our environment Hydraulic fracturing experimentation started in 1947 and it had its first commercially successful applications by 1949, so it has been around for a long time. In twenty-thirteen, it is estimated that well over sixty five percent of all new oil and gas wells worldwide are using the process of hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing, has allowed the United States to tap into domestic sources of natural gas and oil that were previously not economical to extract from such as shale beds. This has created numerous economic benefits for communities and governments in a time of economic instability. Hydraulic fracturing Scientists are worried that the chemicals used in fracturing may pose a threat either underground or when waste fluids are handled they are sometimes spilled on the surface which can cause site contamination or find its way back to water clean water. The natural gas industry defends hydraulic fracturing, or fracking as safe and efficient. Thomas J. Pyle, president of the Institute for Energy Research, a pro-industry non-profit organization, claims fracking has been â€Å"a widely deployed as safe extraction technique,† dating back to 1949. What Mr. Pyle fails to explain is that until recently energy companies had used low-pressure methods to extract natural gas from fields closer to the surface than the current high-pressure technology that extracts more gas, by digging to deeper levels and it also uses significantly more water, sand and chemicals. There have been serious environmental impacts associated with the process which has raised public concern. At this point, a causal relationship has not been established but increasing attention opens the possibility that further government action could be imminent regarding the practice. According to Baumgartner and Jones’s Punctuated Equilibrium theory, policy processes are generally characterized by stability and incrementalism in the subsystem level of government, but occasionally if enough attention can be garnered toward an issue, then large scale change can occur. Thus far, policy regarding hydraulic fracturing has been incremental and mainly consists of agency rules and state regulations. However, it can be argued that if a definite relationship can be established between fracking activities and public health risks, then the likelihood of a major punctuation occurrence would increase and allow for significant policy change on a national level regarding this issue. The issue is being brought to the forefront due to the changes in the fracking process, the original method forced fluid down a vertical shaft to create fissures in the bedrock to release more gas or oil but this method limited extraction to directly under the well. Now, the current method forces fluid under extreme pressure down a vertical shaft with horizontal or directional sections that allows for extraction from a wider area within the formation. The pressure and fluid create fracture systems that allow the natural gas or oil to move more freely from rock pores to production wells that bring it to the surface. The fluid used is mainly composed of water (ninety percent), propping agents (such as sand account for nine percent) and chemicals (point five percent). The specific make-up and combination of chemicals is often considered confidential or a â€Å"trade secret† by many companies. The Democratic Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce found that 750 different chemicals are used in fracking and range from harmless substances such as salt and citric acid to extremely toxic ones such as lead and benzene. Assertions have been made that the chemicals used may be contaminating water sources and causing air pollution however, confirming the pollution is a result of fracking has been difficult. The line is very light gray it has been difficult to prove the relationship which has contributed to allow the industry to operate with minimal regulations until recently. According to the American Petroleum Institute (API), fracking has produced 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 7 billion barrels of oil and is projected to account for 70% of future natural gas development. Natural gas is considered by some to be a â€Å"bridge† fuel that will allow for the transition from petroleum to alternative fuels. Over its full cycle of production, distribution, and use, natural gas emits just over half as many greenhouse gas emissions as coal for equivalent energy output,† wrote the Worldwatch Institute. The promise of a significant domestic energy supply is extremely attractive as the nation strives to find a way toward energy independence. Fracking has also been touted as a job creator and economy stimulator. American Petroliem Institute (API) estimates that the development of the Marcellus fairway (which covers Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia) could generate 300,000 new jobs, over $6 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenue and nearly $25 billion in value added to the economy by 2020. In the northern part of South Texas Eagle Ford Shale, Exco Resources will acquire about 55,000 net acres in Zavala, Dimmit, La Salle and Frio counties. The properties contain 120 producing wells that had average net daily production of 6,100 barrels of oil equivalent during May. Chesapeake Energy Corp. plans to sell assets in the Eagle Ford and Haynesville shales to Dallas-based Exco Resources for $1 billion. According to the American Chemistry Council, fracking has decreased the price of natural gas which has resulted in more industrial companies choosing to keep their business in America. Investments from these companies could hit $16 billion and create 17,000 direct jobs and 400,000 indirect jobs. However, these economic benefits need to be balanced against potentially negative environmental impacts including water contamination and air pollution that could cause serious health concerns. Problems with Hydraulic Fracturing Fresh water is one of the most precious resources on earth and also a very scarce one. Fresh water makes up only 2. 5% of all the water on earth and of that, 1. 3% is surface water and 30. 1% is groundwater. The rest is in the form of ice and snow in either glaciers or ice caps, according to the United States Geological Survey. Water is necessary for life on earth, it is extremely critical that it be protected from harmful pollution. Allegations have been made that fracking has led to the contamination of both surface and groundwater sources. Groundwater consists of all water located below the surface. Fracking activities have been linked to ground water contamination in a variety of ways. Most fracking happens at about 8,000 feet below the surface depending on the geological makeup of the area, while most underground water aquifers are located about 1,000 feet below the surface. Fracking proponents argue that there is no way for the contaminants to migrate due to the significant space between the activity and the aquifer. However, the composition of the earth may be extremely porous, have natural fissures or fractures that would allow contaminants to migrate. Combine a porous formation with the extreme pressure used in the fracking process and the potential for migration increases. One particular worry is methane gas, which occurs naturally in the earth, and is released in concentrated amounts when the fracking process breaks apart the rock formations. According to a study done by the National Academy of Sciences, methane gas concentrations in drinking water wells increased with the proximity to the nearest gas well at levels that had the potential to be an explosion hazard, in comparison to dissolved methane samples in wells next to nonextraction sites. In Dimock, Pennsylania, the study found that some residents’ water wells that were in close proximity to where fracking activities were known to be happening had their wells explode or their water could be lit on fire due to concentrated levels of methane gas. In Texas, several cities and surrounding counties of Lubbuck, Weatherford, Beaumont and Ft Worth have complained of methane contamination in drinking water. Levels are confirmed up but the cause has not yet been determined. Another possible point of aquifer contamination is in the construction itself. Oftentimes, the shaft is drilled down through the aquifer on its way to the shale formations below. If the shaft is poorly constructed, there is potential for the fracking fluid to leak directly into the aquifer as it is going down or coming back up as flowback. Contamination to ground water can also come from the fracking wastewater that is brought back to the surface. Once it has been used, it can be disposed of in an injection well. Currently, this waste is considered â€Å"oil/gas waste† and not â€Å"hazardous waste† so it is not subject to the stricter disposal guidelines associated with the hazardous distinction which leaves the potential for hazardous chemicals to reach groundwater sources if the injection well is poorly constructed. Besides ground water contamination, fracking activities have been blamed for surface water pollution as well. Surface water consists of all fresh water on the surface of the earth usually in rivers, streams or lakes. Fracking creates millions of gallons of wastewater that is extracted back to the surface in the recovery of the oil and gas. Typically, the flowback is treated by waste water treatment plants and released back into surface waters but is only tested for tier 1 2 chemicals, not tier 3 which are volatile chemicals. If they cannot dispose of it in this manner, some companies will utilize large â€Å"containment ponds† which are lined and used to hold the wastewater while it evaporates. Recently in Texas fracking operations have been blamed on recent increase in air pollution, perhaps these containment ponds are the issue. The liners are typically plastic and sometimes crack or get damaged which allows the contaminated fluids to leach into ground or surface water. Another potential danger comes from plugged wells. During the fracking process, large amounts of pressure is used and if the cement plug used to close the well is not sealed properly, there is a risk of it exploding and spewing the fracking chemicals into nearby surface water. In some areas, naturally occurring radioactive elements, such as radium, have been found in concentrated levels in local waterways due to fracking activities. In addition to water contamination, there have been serious allegations of air pollution caused by fracking activities. Natural gas fracking extraction emits greenhouse gases, smog-inducing compounds and potential carcinogens causing health and environmental concerns. Increased levels of methanol, formaldehyde, carbon disulfide, and benzene have been found near fracking sites. These pollutants are known to cause asthma attacks, cancer, and even premature death. Some airborne pollutants from fracked gas wells, like volatile organic compounds, can react with sunlight to create smog. Loopholes The Energy Policy Act of 2005 exempted hydraulic fracturing from the restrictions and standards of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). It created the â€Å"Halliburton Loophole† which prohibited the EPA from regulating the injection of fracking fluids under the SDWA except in cases where diesel is used. Since the exact chemicals used in fracking are often considered proprietary by the industry so it is difficult to ascertain when or if diesel is used in a fracking operation. Some companies have chosen to disclose the chemicals they use on www. fracfocus. org. While this is an encouraging first step, it is entirely voluntary at this time on private land. The Department of the Interior has mandated that companies drilling on public and Indian lands will be required to disclose chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. The new rules also set standards for proper construction of wells and wastewater disposal. These rules could serve as a model for state regulators. Some states such as Wyoming, Michigan, and Texas, have been proactive and required full public disclosure of fracking fluid chemical constituents. The other federal law that governs water is the Clean Water Act which authorizes the National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System to provide permits to companies who dispose flowback into surface waters. Currently, flowback that is released back into surface water is not tested for volatile organic compounds which can cause cancer or birth defects in humans. The Clean Air Act allows the EPA to regulate industry emissions into the air to protect its quality and the stratospheric ozone layer. According to an April article in USA Today, the EPA released first-ever air pollution rules for â€Å"fracking† wells, requiring that drillers burn or capture the gas and its smog-producing compounds that are released when wells are first tapped. The rules went into effect in June of 2012 but have a two year transition period. During that time, drillers may burn off the gas and chemicals but will need to move towards capturing them (called â€Å"green completions†). EPA estimates that this will cut 95% of the smog-related chemicals that are released by fracking wells. Given the lack of a definitive link between fracking activities and public health risks, fracking was allowed to develop with minimal regulations for decades because it was not on the public radar. It has only been in the last few years that the practice has come under scrutiny due to the increased usage of fracking and the undeniable potentially harmful impacts of the practice. Therefore, until it can be proven that the danger to human health posed by the environmental impacts of the practice can be shown beyond a doubt, fracking is going to continue. However, there needs to be more regulation of the industry and monitoring of the impacts of the practice to ensure that it is done in a safe manner. . If this happens, the likelihood for policy favoring more vigorous regulation of hydraulic fracturing is greatly increased. However, if there continues to be ambiguity and questions raised by proponents of fracking the changes will likely be small and incremental on the subsystem level. The response by the industry and its political allies to the scientific studies of the health and environmental effects of fracking â€Å"has approached the issue in a manner similar to the tobacco industry that for many years rejected the link between smoking and cancer,† say Drs. Bamberger and Oswald. Not only do they call for â€Å"full disclosure and testing of air, water, soil, animals, and humans,† but point out that with lax oversight, â€Å"the gas drilling boom . . . will remain an uncontrolled health experiment on an enormous scale. † References Bibliography of Works Cited: http://earthjustice. org/our_work/campaigns/fracking-gone-wrong-finding-a-better-way? gclid=CJ-tqOHWr7gCFWFp7Aod9GAAFw http://geology. com/articles/hydraulic-fracturing/ http://lubbockonline. com/filed-online/2012-10-19/methane-found-drinking-across -us-brings-concern-lubbock community#. UeMaf6Uo5Ms http://psehealthyenergy. net/data/Bamberger_Oswald_NS22_in_press. pdf www. coalitiontoprotectnewyork. org http://www. counterpunch. org/2012/03/19/the-perils-of-fracking/ http://www. marcellusoutreachbutler. org/ http://www. provostumphrey. com/blog/2013/01/texas-man-finds-benzene-and-methane-in-his-drinking-water. shtml http://www. scribd. com/doc/97449702/100-Fracking-Victims http://stateimpact. npr. org/texas/2012/08/07/frackings-link-to-smog-worries-some-texas-cities/ http://www. propublica. org/special/hydraulic-fracturing-national http://frack. mixplex. com/content/scientific-study-links-flammable-drinking-water-fracking http://www. hydraulicfracturing. com/Pages/information. aspx http://www. epa. gov/hydraulicfracture/ http://www. usatoday. com/money/industries/energy/environment/story/2012-04-18/fracking-pollution-