If President Maduro Is Found Guilty Of The United States Charges Will He Face The Death Penalty?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this answer.
Nicolás Maduro has been indicted on several charges in a U.S. federal court, primarily in the Southern District of New York. The potential penalties for these charges are:
- Narco-terrorism conspiracy: This charge has a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life in prison.
- Cocaine importation conspiracy: This charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison.
- Weapons charges (using and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of the conspiracies): These charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and a maximum of life in prison.
The maximum penalty for all charges combined is life imprisonment in a U.S. federal prison, a sentence that has been described as a “de facto life sentence” in the media. The U.S. Attorney General has stated that the goal is for him to face justice in a U.S. court and, if convicted, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Will this be enough for Trump?
Who knows?
But The Lady On The Train may have a say.
Could Artificial Intelligent Judge Cases Without A Jury?
I just had to ask Google AI this question and received this answer.
Artificial intelligence is not currently used to judge cases or issue final verdicts without human oversight in any major legal system, and legal experts believe a full replacement is unlikely in the foreseeable future. The complex nature of law requires human qualities like empathy, moral judgment, and the ability to assess nuance and credibility, which AI currently lacks.
The current role of AI in the judiciary is primarily used as a tool to assist human judges and lawyers, not replace them.
Could Artificial Intelligent Perform Sentencing In Cases?
I just had to ask Google AI this second question and received this answer.
While artificial intelligence (AI) is already used in various legal processes, it cannot perform actual sentencing in legal cases in a legally binding capacity. Legal systems currently maintain that judicial discretion and the final decision-making authority must rest with a human judge to ensure accountability, due process, and fairness.
Does Artificial Intelligence Support A Reduced Role For Juries In Legal Cases?
I just had to ask Google AI this third question and received this answer.
Artificial intelligence is currently being used to support, not replace, human decision-makers in the legal system, with experts highlighting the need for human judgment, empathy, and accountability in jury trials. The debate over AI’s potential to reduce the role of juries is ongoing, with arguments both for and against.
Conclusion
In all these questions, artificial intelligent didn’t appear to act above its station.
Electric Freight: A Solution To The WCML Capacity Conundrum
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Engineer.
These two paragraphs introduce the article.
Network Rail considers the West Coast Main Line (WCML) to be the busiest mixed traffic railway in Europe. It carries 125mph passenger trains from London to the West Midlands, North West, and Scotland and is used by 90% of intermodal UK rail freight which has a maximum speed of 75mph. Traffic on the line has been steadily increasing. In 1994 there were seven daily passenger trains from Glasgow to London. Now there are 26.
In 2006 Network Rail commissioned an in-depth study to find the best way of providing additional capacity as, with increasing traffic, the WCML between London and the North West was forecast to be full by 2020. The study found that the provision of a new high-speed line was the best solution and was the basis for the development of the HS2 project. The 2006 study correctly forecast that the WCML will by now be at full capacity south of Crewe, yet following the curtailment of HS2 two years ago there are no proposals to address the capacity issue between Rugby and Crewe that was identified 20 years ago.
David Shirres, puts forward a solution that involves electric freight locomotives and faster freight wagons.
I can add some knowledge of what British Rail were doing in the 1970s to solve the problem of freight on the West Coast Main Line all those years ago.
This picture shows a PACE 231R.
In the early 1970s, I was lucky enough to work with one of these amazing machines. They were probably one of the most powerful analogue computers ever built, that could solve a hundred simultaneous differential equations at once using thermionic valve circuitry. Their most famous application was at NASA, where two of these machines formed the analogue half of the moon-landing simulator.
There were a handful of these powerful beasts in the UK at ICI Plastics, where I worked, British Motor Corporation, Cambridge University and British Rail Research at Derby.
At the time, British Rail were trying to run freight trains faster and the four-wheel freight wagons of the time were derailing with an unwanted regularity. So the problem was given to British Rail Research and the problem was put on the PACE 231R. The problem was solved and the lessons learned were applied to the Mark 3 Coach and the InterCity 125.
After privatisation, the research went to the National Railway Museum and out of curiosity a few years ago, I tried to look at it, but was told it was commercially sensitive to Bombardier. It is my belief, that if this research were to be continued at one of our best universities, that faster freight bogies could be developed, that would help to create the extra freight paths needed on the WCML.
Google AI Is Using This Blog
This is a screen-shot from Google.
I had asked Google AI this question “Are Centrica going to provide bunkering services for low carbon shipping?”
Google AI gave me this answer.
Yes, Centrica is actively exploring and planning to provide bunkering services for low-carbon fuels, particularly LNG, with future potential for hydrogen and ammonia at its Isle of Grain terminal, positioning itself as a key player in the energy transition for shipping.
Key Developments & Plans:
- Isle of Grain Terminal: Centrica’s acquisition and development of the Grain LNG terminal is central to this strategy, with plans to expand its capabilities for bunkering various low-carbon fuels.
- Low-Carbon Fuels Focus: While currently handling LNG, Centrica sees future opportunities for hydrogen and ammonia bunkering at the terminal, aligning with the maritime sector’s shift away from heavy fuel oil.
- Strategic Investment: Centrica views LNG as a crucial transition fuel and is investing in infrastructure to support its role in energy security and decarbonization, including for shipping.
- Bio-LNG Involvement: Through its stake in Gasrec, Centrica is also supporting renewable LNG for road transport, indicating broader interest in sustainable gas fuels.
Artificial Intelligence To The Rescue
This evening, I had a Marks & Spencer Chicken jalfrezi with Basmati Rice for supper.
Marks put a green vegetable in the rice, which I’m not keen on as it gets stuck in the back of my throat.
So tonight, I picked it out with my hand before cooking, and put it in the food waste.
It didn’t make any difference to the cooking, but as I sat down to eat, I noticed that my right hand was going red.
As I’d never picked the dreaded green vegetable out of the rice before, I asked Google AI, if handling spices can make my hand go red and received this reply.
Yes, handling certain spices, particularly chili peppers, can definitely make your hands go red. This reaction is known as “Hunan hand syndrome” or “chili burn” and is caused by the chemical compound capsaicin.
That, certainly happened to me.
It might almost may have been worse for me because.
- My mother taught me to cook in the 1950s and she didn’t use lots of spices in her cooking. So I never learned about the dangers of spices.
- I have a leaking skin, which allows water in and out of my body easily.
- I have an immune system, like a platoon of the SAS on steroids.
So was this, why I was affected?
I then asked Google AI, “What do you do, if you react badly to chilli”, and received this reply.
If you experience a bad reaction to chili (caused by the compound capsaicin), consume dairy products (like milk or yogurt), acidic foods/drinks (lemonade or orange juice), or starches (bread or rice) for relief.
For severe symptoms like difficulty breathing or chest pain, seek immediate medical attention as it could be an allergic reaction.
For Reactions in the Mouth
The primary methods work because capsaicin is oil-soluble, not water-soluble. Water will only spread the burning sensation.
Dairy Products: Milk, yogurt, and sour cream contain a protein called casein, which acts like a detergent to strip away the oily capsaicin molecules from your pain receptors. Whole or full-fat dairy products tend to be more effective than low-fat versions.
Acidic Foods/Drinks: The acidity in items like lemon or lime juice helps to neutralize the alkaline capsaicin molecule.
Sugary Foods: A spoonful of sugar or honey can absorb the capsaicin oil and provides a distraction from the pain.
Starches/Carbohydrates: Eating plain bread, rice, or potatoes can help by creating a physical barrier and absorbing the capsaicin molecules.
Oils/Nut Butters: Capsaicin dissolves in fat. Swishing with a bit of olive oil or eating a spoon of peanut butter can help dissolve and remove the capsaicin.
For Reactions on the Skin
If you experience a burning sensation on your skin after handling chilies:
Wash the area thoroughly with dish soap and water several times, as dish soap is designed to cut grease and oil.
Soak the affected skin in milk or apply yogurt/sour cream.
You can also try a paste made of baking soda and water, or soaking the area in a diluted vinegar solution.
If the pain is severe and persistent, over-the-counter pain relievers or topical corticosteroid creams may offer relief.
When to Seek Medical Attention
While a normal reaction to chili is an intense sensation rather than actual harm, a true allergy can be serious.
Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience:
Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or shortness of breath
Swelling of the mouth, lips, or tongue
Chest pain or heart palpitations
Uncontrollable nausea or vomiting
Luckily for me, a yogurt worked.
Conclusion
I shall use a suitable tool, like pliers or tweezers, when handling those dreaded green vegetables.
Data Centre In The Shed Reduces Energy Bills To £40
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
An Essex couple have become the first people in the country to trial a scheme that sees them heat their home using a data centre in their garden shed.
These three introductory paragraphs add some detail.
Terrence and Lesley Bridges have seen their energy bills drop dramatically, from £375 a month down to as low as £40, since they swapped their gas boiler for a HeatHub – a small data centre containing more than 500 computers.
Data centres are banks of computers which carry out digital tasks. As the computers process data, they generate lots of heat, which is captured by oil and then transferred into the Bridges’ hot water system.
Mr Bridges, 76, says keeping his two-bed bungalow near Braintree warm was a necessity as his wife has spinal stenosis and is in “a lot of pain” when it gets colder.
I think this simple idea is absolutely brilliant and very technically sound.
Here are some further thoughts.
It Would Be Ideal For A House Like Mine
My house is a modern three-bedroomed house with a garage and when I asked Google AI how many UK houses had garages, I received this answer.
Approximately 38% of dwellings in England have a garage, according to a 2020 report. While a specific UK-wide figure is not available, extrapolating this percentage to the total number of UK dwellings suggests there are over 10 million houses with garages, though the actual figure may vary across different regions.
Looking at the picture in the BBC article, I feel that this HeatHub could fit in my house.
I would expect that any house with a garage, a small garden or a big enough boiler space could accommodate a HeatHub.
Obviously, the house would need.
- A boiler, that provides heating and hot water.
- A good broadband connection.
My house has both.
Would My House’s Heating System Need To Be Modified?
It looks like it’s just a boiler replacement, so I don’t think so, but it may need to be moderbnised with digital controllers to get the best out of the system.
Will There Be Other Systems Like Thermify’s Heat Hub?
Some of our electricity suppliers seem very innovative and the market is very competitive.
Would they just sit back and let coompetitors take their customers? I doubt it!
So I suspect there will be other systems, each with their own features.
I have already, written about heata, which uses similar principles to give affordable hot water in British Gas Partners With heata On Trial To Reuse Waste Heat From Data Processing.
The BBC article gives some examples of data centres used to provide heating, so it is worth reading the full article.
I’ve Just Had An MRI Scan And I’ve Got A Pain In My Foot
I will try and use the AI functions of Google to make some sense of the title of this post.
These are the questions I asked.
Why Is My Left Foot Painful After An MRI Scan Of My Brain?
Google gave this AI Overview.
A foot pain after a brain MRI is likely unrelated to the scan itself. MRI scans are not known to cause pain in extremities, though some patients may experience temporary discomfort from having to lie still for an extended period. It’s more probable that the pain is coincidental, or due to another underlying issue unrelated to the MRI, such as a pre-existing condition or new injury.
Note.
- It is a hot day.
- I did a fair bit of walking to get to and from the MRI Scan.
- I don’t think it was lying still for an extended period.
- I felt a bit dehydrated after the scan.
Overall, my left foot is occasionally in pain and red. Certainly more often than my right! It doesn’t appear to be red today.
Can An MRI Scan Make You Dehydrated?
Google gave this AI Overview.
While MRI scans themselves don’t cause dehydration, staying well-hydrated is important, especially if contrast dye is used. Drinking plenty of fluids after an MRI with contrast helps flush the dye out of your system. Though dehydration can occur naturally, it’s not a direct effect of the MRI itself.
I didn’t have any dye.
But I was desperate for a drink, so I went into the first cafe, that I passed and had a coffee and cake.
Can An MRI Scan Stimulate Blood Flow?
Google gave this AI Overview.
While MRI machines don’t directly stimulate blood flow in the sense of causing it to increase, they can visualize and measure blood flow. Functional MRI (fMRI) specifically detects changes in blood flow related to brain activity as the brain uses more oxygen in active areas, leading to increased blood flow to those areas. Standard MRI can also be used to visualize blood vessels and assess blood flow, but it doesn’t directly cause the flow to change.
As I have now changed my shoes and socks to my slippers and the pain has disappeared, I suspect it was the new shoes.
I wrote this post, to show the quality of the answers of artificial intelligence to simple medical questions.
From my knowledge of data analysis, I suspect there’s much more to come with medical diagnosis using AI. Especially, if you login to a medical diagnosis computer system, that has details of your medical history.
I always remember my first B12 injection, after I had been diagnosed with coeliac disease.
What Caused The Amazon Web Services Failure?
This article on Reuters is entitled Amazon’s AWS Struggles To Recover After Major Outage Disrupts Apps, Services Worldwide, sums up today’s big news story.
But what went wrong?
I asked Google AI, where BT have their data servers and received this reply.
BT hosts its data servers in various locations across the UK, including London, Birmingham, and Dublin, Ireland, as well as in mainland Europe such as Frankfurt, Germany, and Amsterdam and Nieuwegein, Netherlands. They also have a presence in the United States, with facilities in locations like New Jersey.
Note.
- Nieuwegein is South of Amsterdam.
- There’s almost a direct straight-line route between Dublin and Frantfurt.
- Cambridge would lie on that straight-line route.
- BT’s Research at Martlesham in Suffolk would lie on that straight-line route.
- Is BT’s worldwide network closely monitored from BT Research?
- For more about BT Research read their Wikipedia entry.
- The straight-line route by-passes London.
The network seems comprehensive and well spread-out.
These are my thoughts.
The Value Of Research
I asked Google AI, if there were any spin-out companies from BT Martlesham and received this reply.
Yes, spin-out companies have been formed from BT’s Adastral Park research facility, including Real Time Content (RTC) and iome. Both companies were supported by BT and developed technologies based on research from the Martlesham site, with RTC focusing on personalized video services and iome providing location-based services through mobile internet.
I used to live near to BT’s Research Centre until 1990.
At the time, I was writing Artemis, the project management system and the multi-user version of that software and a BT research computer system used the same Hewlett-Packard hardware and an operating system written by BT at Martlesham.
Because of this connection, I learned a lot about their methods and the breadth of the research being carried out in Suffolk and was generally impressed.
I would suspect that legacy telecom companies like BT, France Telecom and Deutsche Telecom spend a lot of money on research. Do newer companies spend similar amounts?
Having a good research department behind you is an excellent form of insurance!
Will BT Research Have A Reliable 24/7 Power Supply?
Consider.
- By 2030, there will be upwards of 4 GW of offshore wind power along the Suffolk coast.
- Sizewell B will be 22 miles away, pumping out 1.2 GW until at least 2035.
- Sizewell C could be pumping out 3.3 GW from the mid-2030s.
- The 1.8 GW LionLink between Walberswick in Suffolk and The Netherlands could be in operation by 2030.
I am fairly sure that BT Research will have enough power, even if several data centres are built on the Martlesham site.
The Domain Name Res0lution Problem
Consider.
- The root causeof Amazon’s disaster appeared to be problems with its domain name resolution system.
- Executing fast lookup of domain names is critical.
I had a similar problem with the project management system ; Artemis, when I extended it to be one of the first relational databases in the 1980s. So I went to IBM’s library on the South Bank and dug out all their 1950s papers on looking up keys in tables.
In those days, with slower computers, which had smaller amounts of memory, the efficiency of the algorithm was very important and I got a significant improvement in look-up speed, by digging up ideas from the past.
If anybody wants to check out their algorithm with me, I’m always happy to oblige, but at 78 with poor eye-sight I’m probably past coding anything myself.
When I was dealing with BT Research, they would have made sure that something like domain name resolution was given the full research treatment.
My Conclusion
As I don’t have all the data, I will not speculate, but will await Amazon’s conclusion with interest.
NSTA Gives 1.1bn Barrel Boost To North Sea Oil Reserve Estimates
The title of this post, is the same as that of an article on Energy Voice.
As I don’t have access to Energy Voice articles, I asked Google AI what it can tell me of North Sea oil and gas reserves boost and received this answer.
North Sea oil and gas reserves have increased by 1.1 billion barrels, driven by new licensing rounds, with the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) reporting a 31% rise in potential resources. This boost could significantly impact the UK’s energy security and economy by potentially allowing the UK to meet half its oil and gas needs and support jobs. However, this development occurs alongside political debate over new drilling licenses and the UK’s Net Zero targets.
These are my thoughts.
Am I Using AI To Get Round The Paywall?
Some may argue that I am, but then as my tame and pleasureable lawyer has passed on, I shall leave this question to Google’s lawyers.
Although in the 1970s, I will admit to spending hours in libraries finding data and algorithms for the solution of these problems.
- The understanding of the dynamics of the sulphonation reaction, which may have led to a valuable patent.
- The linking between datasets, which may have led to the first relational database.
My searches these days, would be a lot easier with artificial intelligence.
A 31% Rise Is Very Worthwhile
This article in the Telegraph also looks at the NSTA report and these are three paragraphs.
Martin Copeland, the chief financial officer at Serica Energy, a North Sea oil and gas producer, said: “This NSTA report shows that there at least 11 billion barrels of oil and gas which could still be developed in the North Sea.
“This almost meets the amount that the Climate Change Committee says we will need before the net zero target year of 2050 of 13 billion to 15 billion barrels.
“So with the right policy changes and tax regime, the UK could effectively be self-sufficient on the oil and gas it will need and would otherwise have to import.”
The rise must surely be very worthwhile for the UK.
Ørsted Raises EUR 7.98 Billion In Oversubscribed Rights Issue
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
Ørsted has completed its rights issue, raising DKK 59.56 billion (approximately EUR 7.98 billion) with a subscription rate of approximately 99.3 per cent, the company said on 6 October.
These two introductory paragraphs add more details.
Existing shareholders were offered new shares at DKK 66.60 (EUR 8.92) each. The demand for shares not taken up via the rights issue was “extraordinarily high,” according to the developer’s announcement of the Rights Issue results, and allocations were capped per application, meaning no subscriptions were required under the underwriting bank syndicate.
As reported in August, the company appointed a syndicate of BNP PARIBAS, Danske Bank A/S and J.P. Morgan SE as Joint Global Coordinators, next to Morgan Stanley & Co International, to jointly underwrite the rights issue for the approximately 49.9 per cent that would not be subscribed to by Ørsted’s majority shareholder, the Danish state (50.1 per cent).
I dread to think what spiteful punishment that Trumpkopf will inflict on Ørsted.
But the oversubscribed Rights Issue may be good news for the UK.
Ørsted has only one major project under development or construction in the UK.
But it is the large Hornsea Three wind farm, which has this opening paragraph on its web site.
Hornsea 3 Offshore Wind Farm will deliver enough green energy to power more than 3 million UK homes. An £8.5 billion infrastructure project, Hornsea 3 will make a significant contribution toward UK energy security, as well as the local and national economy.
Note.
- Ørsted are raising £7.98 billion and spending £8.5 billion, which must do something for the UK’s economy.
- Hornsea 3 will have a generating capacity of 2.9 GW.
- Ørsted are now delivering the world’s single largest offshore wind farm.
- Hornsea 3 will connect to the National Grid at Swardestone in Norfolk.
In Grid Powers Up With One Of Europe’s Biggest Battery Storage Sites, I describe how the 300 MW/600 MWh Swardestone BESS will be built, where Hornsea 3 connects to the grid.
As Swardestone will have 2.9 GW from Hornsea 3 and a powerful battery, I would expect someone will be looking to site a data centre or something with a need for a lot of stable electricity at or near Swardestone.
In Opportunity For Communities To Have Their Say On National Grid Proposals For Norwich To Tilbury Project, I talk about a line of pylons between Swardestone and Tilbury and show this map of the route.
This page on the National Grid web site has an interactive version of this map.
Note.
- The mauve line indicates the route of the Norwich to Tilbury project.
- Swardestone is at the Northern end of the project a few miles South of Norwich.
- Tilbury is at the Southern end of the project on the Thames estuary.
- The project connects Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester and Chelmsford to Hornsea 3 at Swardestone.
- I suspect the project will connect to Ipswich at the Bramford substation.
- The Sizewell nuclear site is to the North-East of Woodbridge and connects to the grid at the Bramford substation.
I know East Anglia well and I would suspect that Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea could support one or more data centres.
Conclusion
I asked Google AI, who owns Hornsea 1 and received this reply.
Hornsea 1 is owned by a partnership including Ørsted, Equitix, TRIG, GLIL, Octopus, and Brookfield, with Ørsted also providing the operational management. A 2018 agreement between Ørsted and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) originally established the 50/50 joint venture for the project.
I then asked Google AI, who owns Hornsea 2 and received this reply.
The ownership of the Hornsea 2 wind farm is shared between several entities, including a 37.55% stake held by Ørsted, a 25% stake each by AXA IM Alts and Crédit Agricole Assurances, and a 12.45% stake held by Brookfield. The wind farm is located offshore in the UK’s North Sea, approximately 89 km off the Yorkshire coast.
In November 2019, I also wrote World’s Largest Wind Farm Attracts Huge Backing From Insurance Giant.
It does seem to me that Ørsted are past masters of developing a wind farm, then selling it on and using that money to develop the next wind farm.
The Rights Issue just makes that process easier.
The Anonymous Widower 