Confidential Arbitration of Whistleblower Actions: A Loophole That Could Effectively Undo the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

Among Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 \u27s many requirements and protections are protections for whistleblowers, the Sherron Watkins\u27 and Cynthia Coopers\u27 of the world, who are the first to take risks to alert others of a potential fraud. These whistleblowers normally would be able to utilize the court system to vindicate their rights in the event of a retaliatory employment action. Recently, however, employers have begun using mandatory arbitration agreements to keep potentially embarrassing whistleblower actions out of the court system. Guyden v. Aetna, Inc. is a recent Second Circuit case that examined the enforceability of such agreements, ultimately holding that whistleblower claims under SOX can be heard in confidential arbitration proceedings

Operations management system

The objective of an operations management system is to provide an orderly and efficient method to operate and maintain aerospace vehicles. Concepts are described for an operations management system and the key technologies are highlighted which will be required if this capability is brought to fruition. Without this automation and decision aiding capability, the growing complexity of avionics will result in an unmanageable workload for the operator, ultimately threatening mission success or survivability of the aircraft or space system. The key technologies include expert system application to operational tasks such as replanning, equipment diagnostics and checkout, global system management, and advanced man machine interfaces. The economical development of operations management systems, which are largely software, will require advancements in other technological areas such as software engineering and computer hardware

Forage Systems to Optimize Agronomic and Economic Performance in Organic Dairy Systems

Organic dairy production in the USA is growing, but most forage systems research focuses on conventional production practices. As a result, organic dairy producers have limited science-based information to assist with farm and livestock management. The objective of this project was to use a multi-faceted approach to determine the ideal species mixtures for organic dairy production as well as document forage quality, forage yield, soil characteristics, milk production and milk quality during the grazing season. The forages studied ranged from a single species monoculture to a four species mixture of warm and cool season grasses and legumes. Nine distinct forage systems were seeded into small plots at the University of Tennessee and University of Kentucky research farms using organic practices. These plots were monitored for three years for yield, quality, species composition, and soil characteristics. The four best performing forage systems were planted in small paddocks on organic dairy farms in Tennessee and Kentucky to evaluate forage yield, forage quality, seasonality of production, and suitability for on-farm milk production. The superior forage system was established on a 4 ha paddock and compared the existing forage system used by each of the dairy farms. These larger paddocks allowed continued measurements of forage yield and quality, as well as measurements of milk production, milk quality, and grazing behaviour of the animals. The information from this project is currently being incorporated into a total farm management system for organic dairy producers in the Southeastern USA