A formal soundness proof of region-based memory management for object-oriented paradigm.

Region-based memory management has been proposed as a viable alternative to garbage collection for real-time applications and embedded software. In our previous work we have developed a region type inference algorithm that provides an automatic compile-time region-based memory management for object-oriented paradigm. In this work we present a formal soundness proof of the region type system that is the target of our region inference. More precisely, we prove that the object-oriented programs accepted by our region type system achieve region-based memory management in a safe way. That means, the regions follow a stack-of-regions discipline and regions deallocation never create dangling references in the store and on the program stack. Our contribution is to provide a simple syntactic proof that is based on induction and follows the standard steps of a type safety proof. In contrast the previous safety proofs provided for other region type systems employ quite elaborate techniques

Those Thrice Marked By Time: The Significance of the Last Known Survivor, Their Death, and Our Remembrance

Following Adam Zarakov, the last known survivor is a significant figure and a representative of a larger type that is under-considered. Last known survivors are ubiquitous in fictional media and how history is told. Some survivors like Frank Buckles are given lavish state funerals with participation of strangers. Yet, this under-analysis is concerning as the 21st century will likely feature the recognition of last known survivors of many significant 20th century events. I offer one attempt of addressing this lacuna. The first aim is to motivate philosophical interest in the phenomenon of the last known survivor. I present case studies from obituaries, newspaper articles, documentaries, “popular” and academic history, and fictional media to clarify the phenomenon. The second aim is to describe the phenomenon, using a view entitled Symbolic-Personal Remembrance & Recognition, and consider its implications. This view is generalized from an Arendtian heuristic, using Arendt’s thought on history and collective remembrance, towards a way of understanding recognized last known survivors as neither simply a symbol nor a person but someone in the liminal space of both. The last known survivor is significant as an individual in the timings of the event and of their death. A sub-category, recognized last survivors, received recognition from a collective due to the individual’s survivorship, even if their biography alone would not typically merit it. SPRR is a means of showing these features in a generalizable formulation. I argue that the tension between the symbolic and the personal should be maintained as this view solves two thought problems. Viewing the survivor as participating in a symbolic role allows for the remembrance or honor to be show to the event and other survivors, as is common, to be done in a way that still appropriately recognizes this survivor. Also, emphasizing the personal and “knownness” avoids concerns like those of the Vietnam “unknown soldier.” I conclude with my criticism of a frequently and colloquially used explanation of last known survivor significance—the loss of all direct, first-hand memory of the event—and my raising of several ethical concerns of the phenomenon for future engagement

The Politics of a Gesture: The Impact of Nixon’s Visit to China on Nixon’s Presidency

The importance of a symbolic gesture in diplomacy is very difficult to gauge. Diplomats often embark on social functions, meetings and trips to international countries in order to make contact with foreign diplomats and build relationships with governments. This is an effective means of forging political relationships, but how important is it when it comes to international policy and treaty negotiation? In short, it is extremely important in the process of policy-making, even without the tangible evidence showing its significance. Establishing contact can be the most difficult and arduous step in the road to good diplomatic relations, a fact that President Richard Nixon found out in his attempt at rapprochement with China. A gesture such as Nixon’s trip to China also carries with it a fair amount of good political publicity, and Nixon and Chairman Mao Zedong of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) were well aware of this. The effect of the trip is evident in the public opinion at the time. Nixon gained a lot of support for the trip with a presidential election right around the corner. Political motivations were at play in foreign relations as well, as both China and the U.S. did not want to see the other becoming too friendly with the Soviet Union. By establishing contact with China, and ultimately making his historic trip to Beijing, Nixon was able to complete one of the most significant symbolic gestures in 20th century diplomacy. What were his actual primary motivations? Nixon, although he demonstrated a degree of belief in the improvement of Sino-American relations as an instrument of peace, primarily sought rapprochement with China due to political motivations during a period of waning support domestically and internationally

Edwin Tofte of Epping: Germany, World War II

North Dakota Prisoner of War Report by Edwin Tofte (1921-2002) of Epping. Tofte was a POW of Germany during the Second World War. 21 page

Change Readiness Factors influencing employees’ readiness for change within an organisation : A systematic review

Master's thesis Business Administration BE501 - University of Agder 2017External and internal factors are constantly forcing organisations to change; in order for organisations to survive and change successfully it is crucial to respond quickly. Readiness for change and actions undertaken in the implementation of change serve as key constructs for the success of a change effort. Readiness for change is well known as a tool for decreasing resistance to change, but exactly what factors will create this condition and in what order the steps must occur has been studied less extensively. The term readiness for change goes all the way back to Kurt Lewin’s (1951) three-step model, in which the first step, unfreezing, refers to the creation of change readiness. Armenakis, Harris & Mossholder (1993) later expanded this approach by making their own model for readiness for change called the ‘message’. The model is well-known in the field of readiness for change, and consist of five components; (a) discrepancy; (b) principal support; (c) self-efficacy; (d) appropriateness; and (e) personal valence. Change readiness or readiness for change can be defined as how the attitudes, beliefs, and intentions of an organisation’s members recognise the need for change as well as the organisation’s own capability to accomplish these changes (Armenakis et al., 1993). We chose to conduct a systematic review using a narrative synthesis approach. Our aim was to collect various studies and articles, both qualitative and quantitative, in order to extract evidence regarding the factors that have the biggest impact on readiness for change. We started by collecting 500 articles, and after going through several exclusion processes, we ended up with 26 articles. These 26 articles were then analysed and systematised in various tables. Results show that the factors of ‘the message’ (especially self-efficacy), transformational leadership, development climate, participation, trust in management, organisational justice, and commitment had the greatest impact on change readiness, both directly and indirectly. These results were also supported by the literature on change readiness. Further, we constructed a model to show the most efficient way of gaining successful change readiness within an organisation