Strategic management analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic management analysis - Essay Example The Paper will also suggest several recommendations that will be deemed as helpful in improving the Coffee house’s operations within the United States market. A Brief History of Starbucks. Starbucks is an American global corporation that specializes in selling coffee in its various coffee houses situated all over the world. Its main base of operations is currently at Seattle, Washington. The first Starbucks coffee shop opened its doors in the Seattle Springs area of Washington in 1971 and the company has grown to become the largest coffee house company in the world. It boasts of having about 19,972 stores which are spread out in 60 countries across the globe. Most of the company’s branches are currently located in the United States with an approximately 12,937 branches. ... Starbucks has also expanded its current investments into the entertainment industry and through its Starbucks Entertainment division as well as its hear Music brand, it also markets films, books and music. Most of the company’s product offerings are found to be not only seasonal but also specifically tailored particularly to satisfy the requirements of customers in the locality that the branch is located. Some of its branded products such as coffee and ice cream are sold in grocery stores all over the United States (Starbucks 2012). The United States Coffee House Market The Coffee Shop business and the entire coffee industry have had a significant boom over the recent years. This is especially so in the case of the specialty coffees offered by the industry. The market for these coffees has registered significant growth that has been spurred by the growing trend of the consumers becoming increasingly educated about the industry’s espresso-based drinks as well as how they are made (Starbucks 2012). According to research data conducted by First Research, the United States is host to about 20,000 coffee shop businesses whose total combined revenue has been estimated to stand at $10 billion as of 2011. More than 50% of these sales have been seen to be generated by the country’s top 50 coffee shop operators. Most of the county’s coffee shop operators have increasingly been spreading their business into the international market with Starbucks reporting to having set up shop in over 5,500 licensed locations outside the United States in 2010 (Green and Keegan 2012). The average gross margin for a single coffee shop in the country is

Journal Entry 14 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal Entry 14 - Coursework Example The second stage involves discussion between the instructor and the student whereby the importance of effort and motivation in writing is encouraged. Thereafter, the instructor comes up with a model on how to employ self-regulation strategies to reflect the needs of the student and match their personal writing style. The student is encouraged to memorize the strategy steps and the teacher in turn supports the writing strategy of the student to ensure that they achieve their goals. Independent performance is the last stage whereby students can now use the strategy they developed effectively and independently. In this last stage of independent performance, there are several procedures for endorsing preservation and simplification throughout the model. Some of the procedures include prompts to use the strategies, recognizing opportunities in employing self-regulation strategies, studying how the procedure can be adapted in certain situations, allocating assignments to the students in using the recognized situations and assessing the triumph of such undertakings (Graham & Harris,

Cross site scripting Essay Example for Free

Cross site scripting Essay Cross-site scripting is form vulnerability for computer security which mainly occurs in web applications that accept injection of code by web users who happen to be malicious; such users inject the code into various web pages that are used by other web users. The most common codes that are usually injected by malicious web users include scripts of client side and HTML codes. Cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability which is exploited is usually used by attackers for by passing the certain access controls, a good example of such bypass is a policy of the same origin. XSS originated from the fact that it is possible for a malicious web site to be loaded into another window or frame and then write or read data using java script on other web sites (Rafail, 2001). Cross site scripting vulnerabilities XSS vulnerabilities have been well exploited to come up with very powerful browser exploits and phishing attacks. XSS performed on websites were about eighty percent of all the recorded securities as indicated by the 2007 statistics. In most cases of attack every thing looks to be in order as far as the end users are concerned, but they are finally subjected to access which is not authorized, financial loss and loss of sensitive data (Rafail, 2001). The cross site scripting can be primarily be categorized into two: reflected and stored. But there is another type of cross site scripting which is not widely known, called DOM. The stored refer to those codes that once injected are stored in the target servers permanently. They can remain permanently in the message forum, database comment field, or in the visitor log. The reflected XSS attacks, are the codes which when injected, the web server is reflected off as a search result, an error message or other forms of responses that may include all or some of the input that was sent to the various servers as request in part. Usually the reflected attacks are sent to the victims through other channels such as electronic mail messages, or through other web servers. Once a user is lured into clicking a link which is malicious or is tricked to submit a form which is specially crafted, the code that has been injected travels via the web server which is vulnerable, the reflected attack is in turn sent back to the browser and the code is then executed as if it originated from a valid server (Rafail, 2001). The consequences of cross site scripting attacks are primarily the same regardless of whether they are DOM based, reflected or stored. The main difference the manner in which the pay load enters the server. Cross site scripting is capable of causing various problems to the end users. The problems range in severity, they can cause annoyance to the end users as well as complete loss of accounts. The most serious attacks of XSS result into disclosure of the users information and data thus giving the attacker to actually hijack the session of the user and thus be in a position to comfortably take over the users accounts. The XSS expose the end users to other damaging attacks such as Trojan programs installations, disclosure of files belonging to the end users, redirecting the web user to other sites or pages, or modification of the contents. A cross site scripting vulnerability that allows the attacker to change certain news item or a press release is capable of affecting the stock price of an organization or decreasing the confidence of the consumer. For example a cross site scripting vulnerability on a site of a pharmaceutical can allow the attacker to alter the information of dosage which might result into over or under dosage (Rafail, 2001). Flaws in an XSS are at times very difficult to establish and get rid of them from web applications. In order to find such flaws, the best method to use is performing a review on the security code and also to perform a thorough search in all possible areas where HTTP input request can easily finds its way into output of the HTML. It is very important to note that various tags of HTML tags can be effectively used in transmission of java scripts which are malicious. Nikto, Nesus plus other tools which are currently available in the market can be used in scanning the websites but they are less effective since they are only capable of scratching the surface and are not capable of eliminating all the flaws in the system (Snake, n. d. ). Preventing XSS attacks Once a web site becomes victim of XSS attack the end user is likely too loose a lot of crucial data and information. It is therefore, very important for people to protect themselves against such attacks. One of the best ways of preventing your self of becoming a victim to an XSS attack is failing to respond to a request that is unsolicited by providing your personal details. Such information should not be provided whether it is over the internet or the phone. Users should know that the internet and e-mail pages that are usually used by the XSS attackers look similar to those used by the legitimate institutions and it might be quite hard to distinguish between the two. So if one believes that the contacts could be valid them they should contact the institution in question themselves. They can do so by either visiting the company’s website and instead of using the provided link one should actually type the address or use a page that you might have book marked earlier. One should initiate the contact using the information that you have verified (Naraine, 2009). Conclusion Cross site scripting is a serious fraudulent activity and once one falls prey to it can end up loosing significantly. It is thus good to increase awareness of such vices so that when people are targeted for such acts they can be able to identify them and subsequently be in a good position to protect them. The end users should also do all that is possible in order to conceal their vital information and ensure that it is only given to the relevant authorities when needed. It is also important to keep scanning their system regularly using valid tools. Reference: Naraine, R. (2009): Phishing without bait: The in-session password theft attack, Retrieved on 1st June 2009 from, http://blogs. zdnet. com/security/? p=2390. Rafail, J. (2001): Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerabilities, Retrieved on 1st June 2009 from, http://www. cert. org/archive/pdf/cross_site_scripting. pdf. Snake, R. (n. d. ): XSS (Cross Site Scripting) Cheat Sheet Esp. : for filter evasion, Retrieved on 1st June 2009 from, http://ha. ckers. org/xss. html.

Comparison Of Mivan Formwork System With Conventional System Construction Essay

Comparison Of Mivan Formwork System With Conventional System Construction Essay In recent times due to globalization, the construction industry has started focusing on new innovative ways of working. The construction industry has started adopting new technologies and approaches in order to increase the overall efficiency of the project. This report is about the modern methods of construction and smart materials that can be used to improve the overall construction process. The first half of the report is on the aluminium formwork systems (Mivan System) which is used for mass housing construction. This system of aluminium forms is fast, durable, cost effective and also produces quality work which requires minimum maintenance. The second half of the report is on green roofs a smart material which is a replacement for traditional roofs. Today in this modernized world where global warming is the major concern for all countries, green roofs can be one of the innovative ways to reduce the energy consumption which ultimately helps in reducing the CO2 emissions. 1. Introduction The construction industry is one of the biggest industries in the whole world. The contribution of this industry towards the global GDP is enormous. In recent years due to globalization and advancement in technologies there has been a tremendous development in the construction industry. However despite of the boom in construction activities the scenario on the housing front remains far from satisfactory. In the countries like India and China the situation on the housing front is even worst. Due to ever increasing population in these countries there is an overgrowing demand for housing. Now keeping in view the gigantic task of providing affordable shelter to masses, adoption of modern and cost effective technology assumes greater significance. The modern methods of construction are broad range of processes and products that aims to improve business efficiency, quality, customer satisfaction, environmental performance, sustainability and the predictability of delivery timescales (Baker 33 Cross industry Group, 2006). Today there is a growing realization that the speed of construction needs to be given greater importance especially for large housing projects. For undertaking mass housing works, it is necessary to have innovative technologies which are capable of fast rate construction and are able to deliver good quality and durable structure in cost effective manner (Anon, 2010). Several systems are adopted all over the world but Mivan system has proved to be reasonably economical and capable of fast rate construction of mass housing. In this system walls and slabs are cast simultaneously at site by use of specially designed, easy to handle light weight aluminium forms (Anon, 2010). The system is far more faster than the traditional beam and column construction. However as per Sir John Egan report Rethinking Construction (1998), the commitment from major clients, from the construction industry itself and from the government is the only way forward to create and sustain the environment that is needed for significant improvement in performance, efficiency and quality of the construction. The construction projects are getting more complex in nature due to growing human endeavour and the construction industry need to respond to the unique challenges presented in front in terms of time cost and quality. Also the industry will need to respond to the major issues such as global warming and health and safety of the workers. We as a member of the construction industry will need to overcome these issues by using modern methods of construction (like Mivan System) and smart materials (like green roofs) for carrying out projects. The main objective of this report is to explore modern methods of construction and smart materials and also to evaluate their impact on the construction process in terms of time, cost and quality. In the first half of the report, the use of Mivan formwork system during the construction process is discussed while in the second half idea of using green roofs is discussed. 2. Mivan formwork System: (Aluminium formwork system) Mivan is basically an aluminium formwork system developed by the Mivan Company Ltd from Malaysia in the year 1990. The technology has been used extensively in other countries such as Europe, Gulf Countries, Asia and all other parts of the world. MIVAN technology is suitable for constructing large number of houses within short time using room size forms. In this system of formwork construction, cast in situ concrete wall and floor slabs are casted monolithically in one continuous pour. Large room sized forms for walls and floors slabs are erected at site as shown in the figure1 below. These forms are strong, easy to handle and are fabricated with accuracy. They can be used repetitively around 250 times. The frames for windows and door as well as ducts for services are placed in the form before concreting as shown in the figure 1. Staircase flights, faà §ade panels, chajjas and jails etc. and other pre-fabricated items are also integrated into the structure as shown in figure 1 and 2. This proves to be a major advantage as compared to other modern construction techniques. Figure 1: A set of Mivan formwork Figure 2: Staircase flight formwork 2.1 Comparison of Mivan formwork system with Conventional Construction The table below shows the relative comparison between the Mivan form work system and the conventional system. The comparison is made on the factors such as speed of construction, quality of construction, aesthetics, external finishes and maintenance. Factors Conventional Construction Mivan formwork system Speed of construction The speed of construction is much slower due to step by step completion of different stages of the activities such as erection of formwork, concreting and deshuttering and thereafter plastering and other finishing activities. In this system the wall and the floors are casted simultaneously in one continuous operation and also the finishing work can be started immediately, so the speed of the construction is much faster. Quality Due to conventional method of construction normal quality is obtained Superior quality is obtained due to in-situ casting of whole structure and transverse walls done in continuous operation Aesthetics In the case of conventional construction the partition walls are made up of bricks due to which the column and the beam show unsightly projections in room interiors. In case of Mivan system the partition wall and the ceiling elements are casted together due to which the interiors have neat and clean lines without unsightly projections in various corners. The wall and the ceilings also have a smooth even surface. External finishes All the external walls are made up of bricks, so it requires manual cement plastering which needs to be repainted frequently. All the external walls are made up of concrete and do not require manual cement plastering and also have smooth finishing, so this will need no frequent repainting. Maintenance The maintenance cost is too high as it requires frequent repairs of plasters of wall and ceilings, painting of outer and inner walls due to leakages. The maintenance cost is negligible as the walls and ceiling are made up of high quality concrete which do not require frequent repairs. Table 1: Comparison of Mivan Formwork System with Conventional construction 2.2 Benefits of Mivan formwork System According to Mivan (Thailand) Limited the following are the main benefits of using Mivan formwork system. 2.2.1 Speed of construction: The structure is completed much faster than the traditional formwork as a large amount of work can be completed in each daily work routine. There is no need for brick laying and plastering as all walls can be formed at the same time. Finishing work such as window fixing, wall tiling and plumbing work can be installed immediately once the concrete is casted. 2.2.2 Building strength and durability: The walls and the floor slabs are casted simultaneously so there are no weak joints. The walls are made of reinforced concrete which provides much greater stability than columns with brick walls. The wall surfaces are made of concrete which do not crack like plaster and maintains a smooth surface for much longer time. 2.2.3 Quality of finishing building: The formworks are manufactured precisely which allows the concrete to be cast to exact dimensions as designed. Services like water supply some waste pipes and electrical conduits, can be cast into the concrete where it is protected and not visible. 2.2.4 Financing cost: Fast project completion saves financing charges as the buildings can be transferred to the owners much earlier than traditional methods. 2.2.5 Efficiency and cost saving: There is no requirement of labours for building brick walls and plastering as major part of the structure is cast in concrete by small group of workers. The project can be completed in shorter time due to fast production methods which save onsite running, operating and financing cost. The formwork panels are light in weight and can be lifted manually, so there is no need of spending money for heavy cranes for lifting. Less skilled labours are required on the site as all the finishing items are prefabricated. 2.2.6 Environmental benefits: The formworks are made up of aluminium which can be reused and also can be recycled to make other products. 2.3 Case study The following is a case study which justify that incorporating Mivan formwork system in the construction project is very beneficial to the project. 2.3.1 Infinity tower- Dubai As per MFE formwork technology (2008), the Infinity Tower in Dubai is a 73 storey residential tower with a dynamic twisting shape as shown in the figure 3 below. The tower is more than 300 meter in height and has been designed by Skidmore Owings Merrill who also designed the worlds tallest tower, Burj Khalifa which is 828 meters in height. The contract was awarded to Arabtec Construction. The structural system for the tower is high strength with a reinforced concrete column superstructure that rotates with the twisting shape. In addition, each floor will accommodate a 1.08-degree twist to achieve the full 90-degree spiral. Figure 3: Infinity Tower (Source: MFE formwork technology) The tower was constructed by using a light weight aluminium formwork system. A special twisting aluminium panels were made to obtain the precise design. The tower was constructed at a speed of 8 floors per month when the site was in full flow, maintaining zero tolerance with regard to site safety. Now by referring to this case study, it is clear that the use of Mivan formwork system not only improves the quality and speed of construction but also maintains site safety. 2.4 Limitations of Mivan formwork System The following are the limitations of using Mivan formwork System Modifications are not possible as all members are cast in RCC. Concealed services become difficult due to small thickness of the components. The aluminium formworks are far more expensive than the conventional formwork. Heat of hydration is high due to shear walls. The finishing lines can be seen on concrete surfaces due to small sizes. It requires uniform planning as well as uniform elevations to be cost effective. The shrinkage cracks are likely to appear due to box type construction. The formwork can be cost effective only if it is used in symmetrical type of structure. 3. Green Roofs Green roof refers to a system of roofing that uses plant life for roof covering instead of traditional covering materials (Green Roofs Today, 2010). Department of Trade and Industry (2004) defines the smart material as a material that senses its environment and responds. Green roofs provides constant temperature throughout the year due to high degree of insulation they provide, hence they can be termed as smart materials. Green roofing has become increasingly popular in the cities as it creates additional green spaces that bring some nature in concrete and steel jungle (Green Roofs Today, 2010). Green roofs are visually appealing and create an attractive contrast to concrete and steel as show in the figure 4-5 below. Figure-4 (Green Roofs) Figure-5 (Green Roofs) There are several components of green roofs which besides plants include a growing medium, a filter cloth, drainage, insulation and a waterproof membrane (Green Roofs Today, 2010). These components are shown in the figure 6. The construction of rooftops and the selection of plants for roof covering depend on the factors such as size of the building and type of roof. Now for construction of green roof both flat and slopped roofs are suitable but for construction of large park like roof system only larger buildings are appropriate as accommodation of large plants and trees are too heavy for medium sized buildings. Figure 6: Components of Green Roofs (Source: Green Roofs Today, 2010) Green roofs are mainly of three types; Intensive, Semi-Intensive and Extensive roofs, depending upon the selection of plants (Green Roofs Today, 2010). Intensive green roofs are those that accommodate large plants, trees, full lawns etc. This type of green roofing requires a significant depth of soil and also requires heavy maintenance. Semi Intensive green roofs are those that accommodate moderate size of plants and require less maintenance. Extensive green roofs is the most convenient of all types of green roof systems and involves roof covering with a thin layer of growing medium and vegetation that requires minimal care and maintenance (Green Roofs Today, 2010). The factors which are taken into consideration while designing green roofs are orientation of roofs, preferred planting, level of maintenance and performance expected from the plant layer (Green roofs, 2006). As the intensive roofs consist of deep layer of growing medium, it needs special consideration at the time of designing as they require specific support from the building. Conversely, extensive green roofs require negligible structural support from the building, hence no special consideration is given at the time of designing them (The green roof centre, 2010). 3.1 Benefits of Green Roofs System The following are the benefits of Green Roof systems; Plants reduce the air pollution by absorbing harmful gases including carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Green roof system therefore reduces the air pollution and makes the air cleaner and healthier especially in urban areas where quality of air is a major problem. Plants tend to absorb the heat from the air and release it into the air when the temperature drops. Green roof system therefore helps in lowering the temperature of the urban areas. It also helps the building owners to reduce their cost for heating for heating and cooling which is good for the environment too because most cooling and heating systems are powered by energy that is obtained from non-renewable sources such as fossil fuels. Plants that cover the roofs can absorb up to 75% of the rain water. Therefore the green roofs system significantly reduces the amount of water that runs in to the sewage system. The plants also filter many pollutants in rainwater including heavy metals. The rainwater that is absorbed by the green roofs is then released into the air via condensation (Green Roofs Today, 2010). Green roofs system offer a natural habitat to many local animal life including insects and birds that were virtually driven out from urban centres. Green roofs systems are extremely durable and can last up to 50 years. It also does not virtually require any repair like many other roofing systems. Green roofs combined with other green technology such as solar thermal collectors and solar photovoltaic panels can further reduce the costs for heating and cooling as well as help combat the global warming (Green Roofs Today, 2010). The figure below from the (Green Roofs Today, 2010) shows the main benefits of green roofs system. 3.2 Limitation of Green Roofs System The following are some of the limitations in installing the green roofs system; Higher capital cost Lack of awareness and knowledge No insurance cover is provided for green roofs Difficulty in maintaining and accessing roofs. 4. Recommendation Due to globalization and competition there is a tremendous pressure on the construction industry regarding the time, quality and cost of the work. With the implementation of the modern construction methods such as Mivan Formwork System and smart materials like Green Roofs the issues related to the time, cost and quality can be overcome. Although the initial cost of implementing such methods and smart materials are quite high the total amount saved at the end of the project life cycle is substantially more than the increase in the initial cost. The construction firms all over the world have been slow to adopt new innovation and changes. It is the need of time to analyse the depth of problems and find effective solution. Mivan system serves as an efficient tool to solve the problems of mass housing fronts all over the world. The system has a great potential to provide high quality construction at unbelievable speed and at reasonable cost which was justified in the report with the help of a case study. Hence it is recommended to use Mivan formwork system over the traditional formwork system Amid fears of global warming, deforestation, melting of ice on both the poles, increase in average temperature in next few decades, green roofs can be looked up to as a potential solution which can help in optimising use of rain water, conserving energy, improving aesthetical view of buildings and improving living conditions inside the building. Hence implementation of green roof is recommended as it will save large amount of resources. 5. Conclusion It can be concluded that the modern methods of construction such as Mivan formwork system are the key to meeting the demand for efficient, sustainable housing. Also the quality and speed must be given due consideration with regards to economy. Mivan formwork system not only helps in improving the quality and efficiency of the work but also has helped in maintaining the site safety. Anything that is good for the environment is good for humankind as well, so the investment in the green roofs is considered to be the best way in reducing the negative impact of humans on the environment. Green roofs not only reduce the adverse impact on the environment but also help the people in reducing their bill for heating and cooling.

Comparing Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Laurences The Fire-Dwellers :: comparison compare contrast essays

Loss of Identity in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and  Margaret Laurence's The Fire-Dwellers The protagonists in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Margaret Laurence’s The Fire-Dwellers are very different in character.   However, both of these women lose their identity due to an outside influence.   In each of the books, we see the nature of the lost identity, the circumstances which led to this lost identity, and the consequences which occurred as a result of this lost identity.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Handmaid’s Tale our main character, Offred, has her whole world stolen away by the government of Gilead.   This new society is sexually repressed and is founded by religious extremists.   Women are only used to produce children, and they have no rights at all in the new world of Gilead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Fire Dwellers our main character, Stacey MacAindra, has been thrown into a life of responsibility.   She has an uncommunicative husband who means well, but shows her no love, as well as four children who she feels are being ruined by her every action.   She feels that life has much more to offer than the tediousness of every day routine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The nature of Offred’s lost identity is very drastic.   Before the new religious group of Gilead took over the world, she was a very normal every day woman.   She did what was expected of her time and continued to do so after the take over.   She had a husband and a daughter who she loved very much.   In the new society in which she lives, however, love is not permitted. â€Å" If   I thought that this would happen again I would die.   But this is wrong, nobody dies from lack of sex.   It’s lack of love we die from.   There’s nobody here I can love, all the people I could love are dead or elsewhere†(page?).   **Are these words spoken by Offred? **   Offred also had the choice of free will before her civilization changed, but then slowly women began to lose all of their rights and were no longer allowed to have jobs or even to use money. â€Å"Sorry, he said. This number is not valid.†Ã‚   â€Å"That’s ridiculous,   I said.   It must be, I’ve got thousands in my account.†Ã‚   â€Å"It’s not valid, he repeated obstinately.   See that red light?   Means it’s not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   valid,†(p.

Essay example --

Cloud computing: Cloud computing is the inevitable future of phones and computers, its a fairly simple concept, it puts the power of a larger powerful device in a smaller less powerful device.For example say you want to play a game that only a computer is powerful enough to play but you want to play it on your phone but your phone is not powerful enough to run kerbal space program so via internet it accesses a more powerful public supercomputer and tells the computer to run the game and your phone just acts as an interface allowing you to play the game.You're also already surrounded by cloud computing, take websites for example a server and computer far away does the computations for the website which allows for these websites to stay secure, things like google drive store your cloud info and allow you to edit it and save it directly to google storage.Websites and storage is just the basis of of what cloud computing and the internet can do. Providers of cloud services could offer c ertain types of service kind of like cellphone plans, pay as you go or a fixed amount. You could have ...

Digital Fortress Chapter 123-126

Chapter 123 An ashen technician ran to the podium. â€Å"Tunnel block's about to go!† Jabba turned to the VR onscreen. The attackers surged forward, only a whisker away from their assault on the fifth and final wall. The databank was running out of time. Susan blocked out the chaos around her. She read Tankado's bizarre message over and over. PRIME DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELEMENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI â€Å"It's not even a question!† Brinkerhoff cried. â€Å"How can it have an answer?† â€Å"We need a number,† Jabba reminded. â€Å"The kill-code is numeric.† â€Å"Silence,† Fontaine said evenly. He turned and addressed Susan. â€Å"Ms. Fletcher, you've gotten us this far. I need your best guess.† Susan took a deep breath. â€Å"The kill-code entry field accepts numerics only. My guess is that this is some sort of clue as to the correct number. The text mentions Hiroshima and Nagasaki-the two cities that were hit by atomic bombs. Maybe the kill-code is related to the number of casualties, the estimated dollars of damage†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused a moment, rereading the clue. â€Å"The word ‘difference' seems important. The prime difference between Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Apparently Tankado felt the two incidents differed somehow.† Fontaine's expression did not change. Nonetheless, hope was fading fast. It seemed the political backdrops surrounding the two most devastating blasts in history needed to be analyzed, compared, and translated into some magic number†¦ and all within the next five minutes. Chapter 124 â€Å"Final shield under attack!† On the VR, the PEM authorization programming was now being consumed. Black, penetrating lines engulfed the final protective shield and began forcing their way toward its core. Prowling hackers were now appearing from all over the world. The number was doubling almost every minute. Before long, anyone with a computer-foreign spies, radicals, terrorists-would have access to all of the U.S. government's classified information. As technicians tried vainly to sever power, the assembly on the podium studied the message. Even David and the two NSA agents were trying to crack the code from their van in Spain. PRIME DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ELEMENTS RESPONSIBLE FORHIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI Soshi thought aloud. â€Å"The elements responsible for Hiroshima and Nagasaki†¦ Pearl Harbor? Hirohito's refusal to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We need a number,† Jabba repeated, â€Å"not political theories. We're talking mathematics-not history!† Soshi fell silent. â€Å"How about payloads?† Brinkerhoff offered. â€Å"Casualties? Dollars damage?† â€Å"We're looking for an exact figure,† Susan reminded. â€Å"Damage estimates vary.† She stared up at the message. â€Å"The elements responsible†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Three thousand miles away, David Becker's eyes flew open. â€Å"Elements!† he declared. â€Å"We're talking math, not history!† All heads turned toward the satellite screen. â€Å"Tankado's playing word games!† Becker spouted. â€Å"The word ‘elements' has multiple meanings!† â€Å"Spit it out, Mr. Becker,† Fontaine snapped. â€Å"He's talking about chemical elements-not sociopolitical ones!† Becker's announcement met blank looks. â€Å"Elements!† he prompted. â€Å"The periodic table! Chemical elements! Didn't any of you see the movie Fat Man and Little Boy-about the Manhattan Project? The two atomic bombs were different. They used different fuel-different elements!† Soshi clapped her hands. â€Å"Yes! He's right! I read that! The two bombs used different fuels! One used uranium and one used plutonium! Two different elements!† A hush swept across the room. â€Å"Uranium and plutonium!† Jabba exclaimed, suddenly hopeful. â€Å"The clue asks for the difference between the two elements!† He spun to his army of workers. â€Å"The difference between uranium and plutonium! Who knows what it is?† Blank stares all around. â€Å"Come on!† Jabba said. â€Å"Didn't you kids go to college? Somebody! Anybody! I need the difference between plutonium and uranium!† No response. Susan turned to Soshi. â€Å"I need access to the Web. Is there a browser here?† Soshi nodded. â€Å"Netscape's sweetest.† Susan grabbed her hand. â€Å"Come on. We're going surfing.† Chapter 125 â€Å"How much time?† Jabba demanded from the podium. There was no response from the technicians in the back. They stood riveted, staring up at the VR. The final shield was getting dangerously thin. Nearby, Susan and Soshi pored over the results of their Web search. â€Å"Outlaw Labs?† Susan asked. â€Å"Who are they?† Soshi shrugged. â€Å"You want me to open it?† â€Å"Damn right,† she said. â€Å"Six hundred forty-seven text references to uranium, plutonium, and atomic bombs. Sounds like our best bet.† Soshi opened the link. A disclaimer appeared. The information contained in this file is strictly for academic use only. Any layperson attempting to construct any of the devices described runs the risk of radiation poisoning and/or self-explosion. â€Å"Self-explosion?† Soshi said. â€Å"Jesus.† â€Å"Search it,† Fontaine snapped over his shoulder. â€Å"Let's see what we've got.† Soshi plowed into the document. She scrolled past a recipe for urea nitrate, an explosive ten times more powerful than dynamite. The information rolled by like a recipe for butterscotch brownies. â€Å"Plutonium and uranium,† Jabba repeated. â€Å"Let's focus.† â€Å"Go back,† Susan ordered. â€Å"The document's too big. Find the table of contents.† Soshi scrolled backward until she found it. I. Mechanism of an Atomic Bomb A) Altimeter B) Air Pressure Detonator C) Detonating Heads D) Explosive Charges E) Neutron Deflector F) Uranium Plutonium G) Lead Shield H) Fuses II. Nuclear Fission/Nuclear Fusion A) Fission (A-Bomb) Fusion (H-Bomb) B) U-235, U-238, and Plutonium III. History of the Atomic Weapons A) Development (The Manhattan Project) B) Detonation 1) Hiroshima 2) Nagasaki 3) By-products of Atomic Detonations 4) Blast Zones â€Å"Section two!† Susan cried. â€Å"Uranium and plutonium! Go!† Everyone waited while Soshi found the right section. â€Å"This is it,† she said. â€Å"Hold on.† She quickly scanned the data. â€Å"There's a lot of information here. A whole chart. How do we know which difference we're looking for? One occurs naturally, one is man-made. Plutonium was first discovered by-â€Å" â€Å"A number,† Jabba reminded. â€Å"We need a number.† Susan reread Tankado's message. The prime difference between the elements†¦ the difference between†¦ we need a number†¦ â€Å"Wait!† she said. â€Å"The word ‘difference' has multiple meanings. We need a number-so we're talking math. It's another of Tankado's word games-‘difference' means subtraction.† â€Å"Yes!† Becker agreed from the screen overhead. â€Å"Maybe the elements have different numbers of protons or something? If you subtract-† â€Å"He's right!† Jabba said, turning to Soshi. â€Å"Are there any numbers on that chart? Proton counts? Half-lives? Anything we can subtract?† â€Å"Three minutes!† a technician called. â€Å"How about supercritical mass?† Soshi ventured. â€Å"It says the supercritical mass for plutonium is 35.2 pounds.† â€Å"Yes!† Jabba said. â€Å"Check uranium! What's the supercritical mass of uranium?† Soshi searched. â€Å"Um†¦ 110 pounds.† â€Å"One hundred ten?† Jabba looked suddenly hopeful. â€Å"What's 35.2 from 110?† â€Å"Seventy-four point eight,† Susan snapped. â€Å"But I don't think-â€Å" â€Å"Out of my way,† Jabba commanded, plowing toward the keyboard. â€Å"That's got to be the kill-code! The difference between their critical masses! Seventy-four point eight!† â€Å"Hold on,† Susan said, peering over Soshi's shoulder. â€Å"There's more here. Atomic weights. Neutron counts. Extraction techniques.† She skimmed the chart. â€Å"Uranium splits into barium and krypton; plutonium does something else. Uranium has 92 protons and 146 neutrons, but-â€Å" â€Å"We need the most obvious difference,† Midge chimed in. â€Å"The clue reads ‘the primary difference between the elements.' â€Å" â€Å"Jesus Christ!† Jabba swore. â€Å"How do we know what Tankado considered the primary difference?† David interrupted. â€Å"Actually, the clue reads prime, not primary.† The word hit Susan right between the eyes. â€Å"Prime!† she exclaimed. â€Å"Prime!† She spun to Jabba. â€Å"The kill-code is a prime number! Think about it! It makes perfect sense!† Jabba instantly knew Susan was right. Ensei Tankado had built his career on prime numbers. Primes were the fundamental building blocks of all encryption algorithms-unique values that had no factors other than one and themselves. Primes worked well in code writing because they were impossible for computers to guess using typical number-tree factoring. Soshi jumped in. â€Å"Yes! It's perfect! Primes are essential to Japanese culture! Haiku uses primes. Three lines and syllable counts of five, seven, five. All primes. The temples of Kyoto all have-â€Å" â€Å"Enough!† Jabba said. â€Å"Even if the kill-code is a prime, so what! There are endless possibilities!† Susan knew Jabba was right. Because the number line was infinite, one could always look a little farther and find another prime number. Between zero and a million, there were over 70,000 choices. It all depended on how large a prime Tankado decided to use. The bigger it was, the harder it was to guess. â€Å"It'll be huge.† Jabba groaned. â€Å"Whatever prime Tankado chose is sure to be a monster.† A call went up from the rear of the room. â€Å"Two-minute warning!† Jabba gazed up at the VR in defeat. The final shield was starting to crumble. Technicians were rushing everywhere. Something in Susan told her they were close. â€Å"We can do this!† she declared, taking control. â€Å"Of all the differences between uranium and plutonium, I bet only one can be represented as a prime number! That's our final clue. The number we're looking for is prime!† Jabba eyed the uranium/plutonium chart on the monitor and threw up his arms. â€Å"There must be a hundred entries here! There's no way we can subtract them all and check for primes.† â€Å"A lot of the entries are nonnumeric,† Susan encouraged. â€Å"We can ignore them. Uranium's natural, plutonium's man-made. Uranium uses a gun barrel detonator, plutonium uses implosion. They're not numbers, so they're irrelevant!† â€Å"Do it,† Fontaine ordered. On the VR, the final wall was eggshell thin. Jabba mopped his brow. â€Å"All right, here goes nothing. Start subtracting. I'll take the top quarter. Susan, you've got the middle. Everybody else split up the rest. We're looking for a prime difference.† Within seconds, it was clear they'd never make it. The numbers were enormous, and in many cases the units didn't match up. â€Å"It's apples and goddamn oranges,† Jabba said. â€Å"We've got gamma rays against electromagnetic pulse. Fissionable against unfissionable. Some is pure. Some is percentage. It's a mess!† â€Å"It's got to be here,† Susan said firmly. â€Å"We've got to think. There's some difference between plutonium and uranium that we're missing! Something simple!† â€Å"Ah†¦ guys?† Soshi said. She'd created a second document window and was perusing the rest of the Outlaw Labs document. â€Å"What is it?† Fontaine demanded. â€Å"Find something?† â€Å"Um, sort of.† She sounded uneasy. â€Å"You know how I told you the Nagasaki bomb was a plutonium bomb?† â€Å"Yeah,† they all replied in unison. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Soshi took a deep breath. â€Å"Looks like I made a mistake.† â€Å"What!† Jabba choked. â€Å"We've been looking for the wrong thing?† Soshi pointed to the screen. They huddled around and read the text: †¦the common misconception that the Nagasaki bomb was a plutonium bomb. In fact, the device employed uranium, like its sister bomb in Hiroshima. â€Å"But-† Susan gasped. â€Å"If both elements were uranium, how are we supposed to find the difference between the two?† â€Å"Maybe Tankado made a mistake,† Fontaine ventured. â€Å"Maybe he didn't know the bombs were the same.† â€Å"No.† Susan sighed. â€Å"He was a cripple because of those bombs. He'd know the facts cold.† Chapter 126 â€Å"One minute!† Jabba eyed the VR. â€Å"PEM authorization's going fast. Last line of defense. And there's a crowd at the door.† â€Å"Focus!† Fontaine commanded. Soshi sat in front of the Web browser and read aloud. †¦Nagasaki bomb did not use plutonium but rather an artificially manufactured, neutron-saturated isotope of uranium 238.† â€Å"Damn!† Brinkerhoff swore. â€Å"Both bombs used uranium. The elements responsible for Hiroshima and Nagasaki were both uranium. There is no difference!† â€Å"We're dead,† Midge moaned. â€Å"Wait,† Susan said. â€Å"Read that last part again!† Soshi repeated the text. â€Å"†¦artificially manufactured, neutron-saturated isotope of uranium 238.† â€Å"238?† Susan exclaimed. â€Å"Didn't we just see something that said Hiroshima's bomb used some other isotope of uranium?† They all exchanged puzzled glances. Soshi frantically scrolled backward and found the spot. â€Å"Yes! It says here that the Hiroshima bomb used a different isotope of uranium!† Midge gasped in amazement. â€Å"They're both uranium-but they're different kinds!† â€Å"Both uranium?† Jabba muscled in and stared at the terminal. â€Å"Apples and apples! Perfect!† â€Å"How are the two isotopes different?† Fontaine demanded. â€Å"It's got to be something basic.† Soshi scrolled through the document. â€Å"Hold on†¦ looking†¦ okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Forty-five seconds!† a voice called out. Susan looked up. The final shield was almost invisible now. â€Å"Here it is!† Soshi exclaimed. â€Å"Read it!† Jabba was sweating. â€Å"What's the difference! There must be some difference between the two!† â€Å"Yes!† Soshi pointed to her monitor. â€Å"Look!† They all read the text: †¦two bombs employed two different fuels†¦ precisely identical chemical characteristics. No ordinary chemical extraction can separate the two isotopes. They are, with the exception of minute differences in weight, perfectly identical. â€Å"Atomic weight!† Jabba said, excitedly. â€Å"That's it! The only difference is their weights! That's the key! Give me their weights! We'll subtract them!† â€Å"Hold on,† Soshi said, scrolling ahead. â€Å"Almost there! Yes!† Everyone scanned the text. †¦difference in weight very slight†¦ †¦gaseous diffusion to separate them†¦ †¦10,032498X10?134 as compared to 19,39484X10?23.** â€Å"There they are!† Jabba screamed. â€Å"That's it! Those are the weights!† â€Å"Thirty seconds!† â€Å"Go,† Fontaine whispered. â€Å"Subtract them. Quickly.† Jabba palmed his calculator and started entering numbers. â€Å"What's the asterisk?† Susan demanded. â€Å"There's an asterisk after the figures!† Jabba ignored her. He was already working his calculator keys furiously. â€Å"Careful!† Soshi urged. â€Å"We need an exact figure.† â€Å"The asterisk,† Susan repeated. â€Å"There's a footnote.† Soshi clicked to the bottom of the paragraph. Susan read the asterisked footnote. She went white. â€Å"Oh†¦ dear God.† Jabba looked up. â€Å"What?† They all leaned in, and there was a communal sigh of defeat. The tiny footnote read: **12% margin of error. Published figures vary from lab to lab.