Did Carolina Dogs Arrive With Ancient Americans?
By Brian Handwerk
for National Geographic News
Humans and dogs enjoy a prehistoric relationship, a longstanding bond with its origins in a time when dogs as we know them evolved from wild animals into our domesticated companions.
Now, a canine living in a manner similar to that of dogs from those ancient days may have been discovered in isolated stretches of longleaf pines and cypress swamps in the American Southeast.
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The Carolina Dog, a familiar-looking animal long known in the rural South as the "yaller dog," may be more than the common mutt that immediately meets the eye. I. Lehr Brisbin, Jr., Senior Ecologist at the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Lab, believes that these animals may be America's most primitive dogs.
Brisbin's research is featured in a new television documentary Search for the First Dog, premiering in the United States tonight on the National Geographic Channel.
It was Brisbin's knowledge of Australia's dingo that first led him to look at a familiar local canine in an entirely new way.
Brisbin was studying the origins of the world's remaining wild, ancient dogs, including the dingo, which may have reached Australia walking alongside that continent's original human inhabitants thousands of years ago. Such primitive dogs are uncommon because the canine passion for choosing diverse mates often complicates breeding patterns.
Brisbin was struck by the physical appearance of an American wild dog that ended up in a pound near his South Carolina home. "You look like a dingo," he thought in a moment of revelation, "I wonder how many of you other guys are out there that look like dingos?"
The answer: possibly quite a few, but only in selected places. Although their wild numbers seem to be rapidly decreasing, Brisbin located a number of these animals in secluded areas far from the presence of humans or domestic dogs. Their appearance first led him to propose his theory of their ancient origins—they could have arrived in America along with the earliest migrating humans across the Bering Strait land bridge. If so, Carolina Dogs could be among the earliest dogs to enter North America many thousands of years ago.
Behavior, DNA Suggest Uncommon Background
The exciting idea remains a hypothesis, one that's under examination by an analysis of fossils, cave paintings, and other pieces of the North American historical record. Early paintings of Native Americans, for example, show accompanying dogs whose appearance looks strikingly like today's Carolina Dogs.
Another suggestive piece of evidence is comparison with dogs that remain on the other side of the long vanished Asia-North America land connection.
"It's a hypothesis," Brisbin stressed, "but we might infer that if dogs look similar on both sides of the Baring Strait land bridge, maybe our first American dogs came over from that area." On Chindo Island, Korea, local free-ranging dogs exist that have apparently been free from hybridization by other breeds. "That native Korean breed, the chindo-kae, is indistinguishable from Carolina Dogs, Brisbin noted. "If they were mixed in a group, I couldn't tell who was who."
The distinctive appearance of Carolina Dogs is not their only link to the world's surviving primitive breeds. Brisbin's studies have also revealed behaviors not observed in domestic dogs.
Other unusual behaviors include the digging of small pits. While many dogs dig, Carolina Dogs do so with a pattern that so far remains a mystery. "What's unique about them is that they dig lots of these little pits, but only in specific areas and only in the fall," Brisbin explained. "Also, the vast majority of the dogs who dig pits are females. When you see that kind of structure, you think that there is a reason for it, some kind of selection at work. But so far, we don't know why they do this."Carolina Dogs' breeding cycles, for example, may reflect the challenges of wilderness survival. Breeding begins young and can occur often—three times in a year. "It's astounding," Brisbin said, "other dogs don't do that. Why?" He theorizes that it may be a population-level adaptation, ensuring that the next generation is born before the old is afflicted with diseases like heartworm. The cycles also follow seasonal patterns, apparently timed to coincide with the times of birth of easy and abundant prey—young rodents and other small mammals.
Another interesting observation is an entire range of hunting and prey-catching techniques not commonly seen in domestic dogs. These include hunting snakes in an effective pack formation and dispatching by cracking them, whip-like, into the air.
Within the realm of laboratory science, very preliminary DNA studies on the Carolina Dogs have provided some tantalizing results. "It's intriguing," Brisbin said, "we grabbed them out of the woods based on what they look like, and if they were just dogs their DNA patterns should be well distributed throughout the canine family tree. But they aren't. They're all at the base of the tree, where you would find very primitive dogs." Such results are not conclusive, as other dog breeds sometimes show similar patterns, but they do beg the need for more extensive DNA testing that could more accurately fix the dogs' place in the genetic universe. "We need more research funding, more testing, and more Carolina Dog DNA," Brisbin noted.
Wild Populations Under Pressure
Any future DNA will have to be provided by the surviving wild population of these animals, a group that faces the pressure of increasing development throughout their previously isolated home range. It's likely the unique characteristics of their remote Southeast habitat that have allowed the dogs to live there as they do nowhere else in North America.
Isolated tracts of land exist in the region that are relatively free of other domestic dogs that could potentially hybridize Carolina Dogs—and until recently the area was also free from coyotes. The latter aggressive animals likely have a three-fold effect on this primitive dog species in North America. "I think that coyotes sometimes eat these types of dogs," Brisbin said, "successfully compete with them for food resources, and also hybridize them."
Because of encroaching humans, dogs, and now coyotes, the future is not bright for the survival of the pure strains of free-ranging, wild Carolina Dogs.
Don Anderson is a longtime local resident, who with a cousin owns several thousand acres of prime Carolina Dog-habitat. He does his part to ensure the survival of the wild dogs in his area. "I sort of protect these dogs," he said, "we have about three packs operating in this wide area."
"One the biggest things I do to promote those in the wild is to be sure that hunters are advised of their existence." Anderson added. "Most people have no idea what a Carolina Dog is, even the neighbors. They're the people who need to be apprised of the situation. I just try to use what little bit of influence I have to make sure people don't bother them."
Carolina Dogs' future as a registered domestic breed, however, is perhaps more assured. The animals are now a registered breed recognized with the American Rare Breed Association and the United Kennel Club. "The breed is an artificial construct," Brisbin said, "made by man for his own whims.
"The dogs in the wild are not a breed, just as gorillas in the wild are not a breed."
Vicki Rand is an editor with the United Kennel Club, which worked with Brisbin to register the breed. She explained that Carolina Dogs are classified in a group known as pariah dogs. They are the group's only North American member. "They're essentially wild dogs, that live on the outskirts of human settlements occasionally interacting with humans," she said of the group. "Most of these that still exist are in developing nations, in the Far East and Africa."
Their wild nature doesn't stop some people from breeding Carolina Dogs and using them as domestic companions. Rand notes that such a proposition is a bit different from raising the average dog. "They're often not as easy to train as the domesticated dogs we're used to, they are more wild and their affiliation with people is traditionally more of a symbiotic relationship."
Don Anderson raises a litter or so of Carolina Dogs each year, a process that began when a Carolina Dog puppy fell into a spring on his property and became a pet. The animals have long been known in the South as superior tracking and watchdogs, but while Anderson enjoys breeding them he ultimately does so for a higher purpose. "My main drive is that with such a small gene pool, I feel like eventually the dogs could become too inbred—like the New Guinea singing dogs. I'm trying to prevent them from becoming inbred, especially if they become as popular as I believe they will."


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CITY NOTES: Racing cars amidst diplomatic failures
Imran would probably be happy that Shafqat Mahmood will not be a competitor for the youth vote, because schools have reopened, at least partially
By M A Niazi
Somebody Say it ain't so! I don't have any objection to Naeem Bokhari being stayed as PTV chairman, but the reason given was merely to add insult to injury: that the age relaxation given to him was not valid.
Now Naeem is a sort of Peter Pan figure. Who is beyond such mundane things as age, and it is fitting that he be in the PTI, with a leader which is the only sexagenarian who attracts the youth vote.
Naeem, one should remember, is the younger brother of Saleem Altaf, the fast bowler, who was a playing contemporary of Imran's. In fact, Imran was only picked for his 1971 debut because Saleem was injured. His recovery for the next Test led to Imran being dropped. Well, at least neither Saleem Altaf, nor his kid brother Naeem, was up to the sort of tricks that Test cricketers Shoaib Malik and Wahab Riaz were up to. The official version is that Shoaib rammed his sports car into a truck when he was leaving the PSL draw. So how did Wahab Riaz get mentioned? Well, it seems that all attempts to excise him from the story cannot hide his having been racing Shoaib in his sports car. Neither was injured, but Shoaib no longer has a sports car.
Speaking of cricket, while Pakistan was losing to New Zealand after suffering a Kane Williamson double hundred, Imran suffered another diplomatic failure when it could not stop India drawing with Australia on a tense final day, so that they go into the final Test with the series 1-1. Well, our boys don't seem to know whether they're playing cricket or car racing. Well, I knew every truck driver thought he was actually a Formula One racer, but it seems that cricketers share the impression. Is Imran paying attention? Or is he too busy with the revelations about Nawaz Sharif trying to bribe Broadsheet LLC to drop charges against him? Well, Broadsheet didn't find anything against him, so the story is confirmed, according to PTI evidentiary standards.
Well, a member of Shehzad Akbar's team demanded a cut to get the payment it demanded released. Well, the payment has been released. But it seems Shahzad Akbar is going to face nothing. Of course, we all know that anyone suspecting Shehzad Akbar, or any member of his team, is actually suspecting that Imran didn't build a cancer hospital, and with his own two hands at that.
Well, courts are doing strange things these days. Like a sessions judge ordering that Babar Azam have a rape case registered against him. The Lahore High Court has suspended that order, after Babar Azam claimed he had reached a settlement with the lady back in 2018. Does that make him a challenger for the prime ministership? Not unless he has a daughter he denies. And as important, does Babar eat organic food? The cricketer to watch is the one who knows a lot of Bollywood types.
If that was to happen, Imran might not be able to do what United States President Trump did after losing an election. Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol. Imran supporters stormed Parliament Building during the dharna. Of course, the supporters were desperate to get to a toilet, while Trump supporters wanted to overthrow the election results. Trump has been impeached. In Pakistan, we made Imran PM.
I suppose it's something of a coincidence that Mrs Zarin Musharraf, mother of Pervez Musharraf, passed away so soon after Nawaz Sharif's mother passed away. She was a little luckier, I suppose, for none of her kids was in jail, though one was in exile. She lived to a great age, reaching 100. I know that none of our party leaders has got a mother living, but I'm not sure that's a reason to make anyone PM.
I'm reminded of the man who confessed to murdering his parents. And then threw himself on the mercy of the court as an orphan.
Imran would probably be happy that Shafqat Mahmood will not be a competitor for the youth vote, because schools have reopened, at least partially. The hopes of being on holiday forever seem to have been dashed. There is some forlorn hope from a ministerial meeting on Friday, but things will really have to be bad for there to be any action.
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Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Infrared
May 26, 2021 May 26, 2021 mysun08481Perfect Wrist
For almost more than a year now, China has been in the line of fire with regards to the global spread of the Covid-19 virus. However, today we have some exciting horological news for our friends from the Far East.Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Infrared has just released a stunning new variation of the Laureato Absolute called the Infrared exclusively for the Chinese market. Fully dressed in black, this new watch features a forged carbon dial with bright red accents.
The star of the show here is the dial. Made using forged carbon fiber, the dial exhibits a unique pattern and texture that makes this watch stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, the abstract nature of the pattern also means that no two watches would ever look alike. Also, to give the dial a more coherent look, the hands have been blacked out and the markers outlined in black. And while the dial does exhibit several shades of grey and black, Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Infrared has broken the monochrome look by coating the hands and the applied hour markers with red-colored luminous paint.
The case looks familiar and maintains the bold and sporty design DNA of previously released members of the Absolute family. It measures 44mm in diameter and has a thickness of around 14.65mm, making for a watch that offers a nice wrist presence. Having said that, the case has been crafted from lightweight grade 5 Titanium, which should improve wrist comfort. The case continues to showcase signature Laureato design flourishes, such as the octagonal bezel on top and the angular integrated lugs. The entire case has been b given a black PVD coating that matches well with the dial and gives the watch a stealthy vibe. At the 3 o'clock position is a screw-down crown to ensure that the watch remains water-resistant to a healthy 300 meters.
For almost more than a year now, China has been in the line of fire with regards to the global spread of the Covid-19 virus. However, today we have some exciting horological news for our friends from the Far East. Girard-Perregaux has just released a stunning new variation of the Laureato Absolute called the Infrared exclusively for the Chinese market. Fully dressed in black, this new watch features a forged carbon dial with bright red accents. The star of the show here is the dial. Made using forged carbon fiber, the dial exhibits a unique pattern and texture that makes this watch stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, the abstract nature of the pattern also means that no two watches would ever look alike. Also, to give the dial a more coherent look, the hands have been blacked out and the markers outlined in black. And while the dial does exhibit several shades of grey and black, Girard-Perregaux has broken the monochrome look by coating the hands and the applied hour markers with red-colored luminous paint.
The Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Infrared is presented in a 44 mm x 14.65 mm octagonal-shaped grade 5 titanium case that's been treated with a black PVD coating.
Set against a forged carbon fiber dial, the face of the watch has an uncluttered aesthetic with applied PVD treated baton-shaped indices — filled with red-colored luminous material — mounted at an angle and connected to both the dial and the flange. The flange is gray with a black printed minute/second track. Thick baton-shaped hour and minute hands, with red luminous tips, complete the "infrared" look.
81070-21-631-FF6A, Girard-Perregaux Laureato Absolute Infrared
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LoRaWAN Range Part 2: Range and Coverage of LoRaWAN in Practice (Updated)
In Part 1, "The Key Factors for a Good LoRaWAN Radio Range" in our range of coverage, we looked at the theoretical factors that affect the range of a LoRaWAN. In this second piece, the isolated consideration of radio links between two points will be followed by practical examples. Specific examples from actual cases will be presented and evaluated.
The specific properties of LoRa, especially the low susceptibility to interference, the low path loss and the very good building penetration, make very high ranges possible , even in the urban environment . Even with modern, software-based simulation methods, the actual range and coverage of a wireless network can only be calculated to a limited extent – which applies to any wireless technology, not only to LoRa, For this reason, especially in the first phase reach and penetration tests, It is an important tool for better understanding the behavior of radio waves in reality in various environments.
In this article, we refer to three documented tests in different scenarios:
Urban environment: 5 different test cases
LoRaWAN in a suburban area
Penetration of cellars for reading meter data
In general, only a few experimental range tests have been well documented in the literature so far.
This is complemented by three calculation models for network coverage:
LoRa signals in forest areas
indoors and
under water – admittedly very special, but nevertheless interesting, as we found out.
In addition, we incorporated our own experience from previous range and penetration tests into different customer scenarios and evaluated the documented tests and calculation models. In a separate article, we will discuss these results in more detail (planned release Q1 2018).
Scenario 1: LoRaWAN in the center of a European city
Most of the cities that we have data for have a classical development pattern for Europe: Roughly speaking, there are only a few very tall buildings, some tall buildings and many buildings of only a few floors high. These are not megacities, and high-rise development is limited almost exclusively to the city center.
In more than 20 range tests in the urban environment, we were able to cover more than 10 km with exposed gateway locations. Individual measurements will be discussed later.
In a publication of the hardware provider Libelium, the experimental set-up and the resulting ranges were well documented in Zaragoza [see Source 1 and Source 2]
Description of the experimental setup:
These were so-called non-visual links (NLOS, non-line-of sight) in urban environments
Spreading Factor 12 (maximum range)
maximum output power: 14 dBm
Frequency channel: 868 MHz band
the receiving gateway Rx was mounted on the roof at about 12 meters height.
The transmitting unit (Tx) changed position between 5 control points.
At each point, 50 transmission attempts were made.
The properties of the control points and the results of the measurement series are summarized in a list:
Checkpoint 1: The signal passes through four buildings. Three skyscrapers and a low-rise building do not allow any line of sight on this path. In addition, there is a free space on the way to the recipient. The range is 830 m. 96% of the sent data packets were received.
Checkpoint 2: The signal passes through 14 buildings. In this case, there is a large group of low-rise homes near checkpoint 2. There also is an apartment block on the way to the receiver. The range is 960 m. 92% of the sent data packets were received.
Checkpoint 3: The signal passes through six buildings. This point is located on the side of a large square in the area. The path goes through a large residential building and then some industrial buildings. The range is 1070 m. 98% of the sent data packets were received.
Checkpoint 4: The signal passes through 14 buildings. This is the biggest path. This point comes up against four tall residential buildings. Then there is an open space without obstacles before it reaches another group of skyscrapers. Finally, several industrial buildings are found before the way to the receiver is terminated. The range is 1530 m. 98% of the sent data packets were received.
Checkpoint 5: The signal passes through six buildings. This checkpoint is separated from the receiver by several industrial buildings that have no clearances between them. The range is 863 m. 100% of the sent data packets were received.
Control point Distance to the gateway (Rx) Number of buildings between Tx und Rx Success rate
1 830 m 4 96 %
2 960 m 14 92 %
3 1070 m 6 98 %
4 1530 m 14 98 %
5 863 m 6 100 %
Evaluation of the result and practical optimization suggestions.
The fact that not always 100% of the packets are transmitted is countered with the LoRaWAN standard by the usual methods: If necessary, the communication can be configured so that messages must be confirmed by the recipient (so-called confirmed uplinks and downlinks). the sender waits for an acknowledgment of receipt and sends the data again after a defined period of time if this confirmation does not occur. The values obtained here can all be considered as uncritical.
There are three key strategies to maximize reach and coverage:
With regular LoRaWAN applications, the acceptance of lower success rates can also provide greater coverage and increased range, i.e. the ranges in the test could have been increased by accepting single failed transmissions and then retransmissions.
Network topologies with redundant gateways from different directions lead to higher network coverage with a constant or improved success rate.
The illumination in the area could be significantly improved with a higher positioning of the gateway. The gateway in this test was only attached at 12m height. The so-called Hata Propagation Model, a simple radio propagation model for calculating the path loss of radio waves in the open air, describes the relationship between range and altitude in a very clear way: When the gateway location is increased from eg. 2 to 30 meters, the original range almost doubles (see chart below, Source: Kerlink, Kerlink Manual LoRa IoT Station v2.17).
In one of our customer projects, three gateways (5, 10 and 45 meters in height) were installed in a major German city with more than 150,000 inhabitants and a wide variety of coverage and penetration tests were carried out. A summary of the results can be found in the table.
Height Number of data points Max. Reach Reach average
Gateway 1 5 m 444 5,53 km 1,43 km
Gateway 2 10 m 762 16,27 km 3,3 km
Gateway 3 45 m 1619 20,99 km 2.92 km
The results obtained there outweigh the results of the construction cited above, especially by the location with the very high-altitude gateway. The detailed results of this and other tests will be published in early 2018. (Please register at the bottom of the article to receive a message as soon as the results are published)
Scenario 2: LoRaWAN in a suburban area
In "A Study of LoRa: Long Range & Low Power Networks for the Internet of Things" by Aloÿs Augustin, Jiazi Yi, Thomas Clausen and William Mark Townsley, a range test carried out in a Parisian suburb was well-documented.
The gateway was on the second floor of a house, right in front of the window. On the test day, the humidity was 55% with an outside temperature of 15 ° C. Five different test points were chosen, with the distance to the gateway being 650 m to 3,400 m.
The terminal was in a car during the tests. The transmission power of the terminal was set to 14 dBm, which is the default value.
In order to test the performance of different spreading factors, the package confirmation and the retransmission were switched off. The connection check was also disabled, so the distribution factor did not change even if there was a packet loss. – By default, the LoRaWAN network adjusts the spreading factor to the connection quality.
The spreading factors 7, 9 and 12 were chosen for these tests. For each test, about 100 packets with a sequence number were transmitted to the network server.
The higher spreading factors have better coverage than previously described – with an SF value of 12, more than 80% of the packets were received at 2,800 m, whereas with an SF of 7 no packet was received. The gateway was located on the second floor at about 5 m above the ground. The checkpoint was located at 2,800 meters directly behind a building with seven floors. At 3,400 meters, the cover was supplied only by SF12. The price for the high transmission rate using the high spreading factor is a much lower bit rate. On the other hand, network coverage with low spreading factors is much lower.
For a permanent installation, the positioning of the gateway at a more favorable location would have to be considered. Positioning in a building on the 2nd floor is certainly less than optimal for the widest possible coverage.
Scenario 3: LoRaWAN for reading water meters, gas meters and electricity meters in a cellar
In the previously mentioned source of Libelium a scenario is also mentioned in which the basement needs to be covered. Unfortunately, the general conditions are only roughly outlined: In this case, the transmitter was located outside the first floor of an office building at a height of about 3 meters. The receiver was located under the ground floor, at a garage entrance. There was no line of sight between the points and the LoRaWAN range reached 206 m. Not much more was documented.
Much more revealing are the results we achieved with our customers in penetrating tests. Again, we would like to briefly outline three examples (further details will follow in the coming weeks).
In the first test, networking of a water meter was transmitted over a distance of 998 meters from a shaft embedded in the street to a gateway at a height of 35 meters. The connection could be made despite the metallic cover of the shaft. In order to test real conditions, a delivery van was also parked on the shaft, but signals could still be received with satisfactory quality.
Another customer tested penetration in five different basements within a radius of 4 km,
Distance Success rate Distance Success rate Distance Success rate Distance Success rate Distance Success rate
Gateway 1: 5 m 3 600 m 0% 2 700 m 0% 1 600 m 0% 5 100 m 0% 1 100 m 0%
Gateway 2: 10 m 4 000 m 0% 3 400 m 0% 3 800 m 1% 2 800 m 0% 4 100 m 25%
Gateway 3: 45 m 800 m 82% 1 800 m 4% 2 100 m 86% 2 600 m 77% 3 900 m 55%
The table shows the distance to the gateway and the associated success rate. The individual locations were tested over several hours or days with several thousand transmission attempts. Basement rooms with their respective adversities (reinforced concrete, 2nd basement, steel cellar doors, etc.) can also be networked over long distances. Here, the height of the gateway plays a significant role.
In addition, it is assumed that use cases require a new transfer of values if the success rate cannot always guarantee a direct transfer.
In a further installation in a neighborhood, data from basements with good connection quality are transferred into an energy management system with 2 redundantly installed gateways. Read more in our blog post "LoRaWAN – a practical example".
These examples show that LoRaWAN offers great potential for utilities and billing companies when used to transfer data from water, gas, heat and electricity meters from cellars to billing and monitoring systems.
Model calculation 1: The cover of LoRaWAN indoors.
Planning for wireless network coverage typically involves both indoor and outdoor planning requirements. Accordingly, statistical propagation models have been developed to support area planning. Here the model of Davide Magrin is idiscussed (see Network level performances of a LoRa system). LPWAN communications networks such as LoRaWAN are essentially PMP, with sensors installed on various floors, including basements. These requirements force network planners to develop digital 3D maps and apply path-specific, deterministic propagation models.
To model the losses caused by the outer and inner walls of buildings, there are several solution approaches. For example, in one of the available models, the influence of buildings on the path loss of LoRaWAN networks is determined by the following units:
Losses through the external walls of buildings hereinafter referred to as EWL.
Losses through the inner walls of buildings;
Increased power consumption due to the fact that a device is above the first floor.
This model can be used as an approach to determining path losses through buildings as follows:
a) Losses through the external walls of buildings:
The EWL for a device is modeled as a uniform random variable that adopts values in a particular range. Due to the fact that two devices do not necessarily experience the same path loss through outer walls, the diversity of materials and thickness of the outer walls should be modeled in a variety of different buildings. Three possible ranges of values and the probability of a node experiencing this type of loss are given in Table 2.
Probability Range r
0,25 [4, 11] dB
0,65 [11, 19] dB
0,1 [19, 23] dB
b) Losses through the inner walls of buildings:
The influence of the inner walls is expressed as the maximum value between two values. The first value represents the loss due to the number of interior walls:
Tor1 = Wi · p, (5)
in which
Wi = evenly distributed in the [4, 10] dB range and
p = number of interior walls separating the transmitter from the receiver.
It is assumed that p = 3 for 15% of the devices and that the rest of the devices are evenly distributed to the values of p = {0, 1, 2}.
The second value needed to model path loss through interior walls is:
Tor3 = αd, (6)
α = 0.6 dB / m – the coefficient of penetration depth and
d value evenly distributed in the range [0, 15] m.
c) The increase of received power:
Finally, the GFH contribution describes the better reception achieved by antenna height. This parameter is determined by the following expression:
GFH = n * Gn, (7)
Gn = 1.5 dB/floor – the profit due to the increase in height by one floor
n = number of floors, is evenly distributed to the values of n = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4}.
These three parameters define the total building loss for an indoor unit as follows:
L Building (dB) = EWL + max (Tor1, Tor3) – GFH (8)
In the real world, some tests with different scenarios indicate that installing a gateway on the same roof of a multi-level building with the basement room or basement to be networked can make sense – even if, according to total loss calculation, the direct route is through several floors and walls theoretically no penetration could be guaranteed.
Here, the direct route through the building is rarely decisive, but rather the reflection on neighboring buildings. The path is longer, but also limited by the damping on 1-2 walls and the reflection factor of the building envelope.
Model calculation 2: LoRaWAN range in the forest
In rural and semi-rural regions, trees, in particular, can lead to considerable path loss. In addition, a variety of variables must be considered: For example, the tree species, whether the tree is wet or dry, and, in the case of deciduous trees, if leaves are present or not.
Isolated trees are usually not a big problem, but a dense forest is quite a challenge. The attenuation depends on the distance the signal has to travel through the forest and increases with the frequency.
A brief analysis of the impact of forests on the range of a wireless network is provided in CCIR Report 1145 "Propagation over Irregular Terrain with and without vegetation" (International Telecommunication Union, Geneva, 1990) and recommended in ITU-R P.833-4. I n Figure 1, this is summarized as the ITU-R P.833-4 recommendation, which examines the impact of forest land on attenuation.
The attenuation is in the order of 0.05 dB/m at 200 MHz, 0.1 dB/m at 500 MHz, 0.2 dB/m at 1 GHz, 0.3 dB/m at 2 GHz, and 0.4 dB/m at 3 GHz. Even at lower frequencies, the attenuation is slightly lower for horizontal polarization than for vertical. This difference does not apply to frequencies above 1 GHz. This means that this criterion affects path loss if the signal has to penetrate several hundred meters of forest.
Fortunately, there is also a significant amount of propagation over the treetops due to diffraction, especially if one can fix the antennas almost at treetop height or maintain a distance from the forest.
So it's not all lost if your network is used near or above a forest. In some cases, this may even be essential (for example, in water level measurements in a wooded area). With a link budget of 150dB (see blog post 1), ranges of 750-1500 meters can theoretically be expected directly through dense forest. In a customer scenario for level measurement, a gateway was installed at treetop height (about 10 meters) and tested a total of 8 locations within a radius of 500-2500 meters. The transmitters were mounted at a height of 30 cm. All locations had good to very good success rates, so quite long ranges can be achieved by diffraction as described also without visual contact (NLOS).
A LoRaWAN network in rural and semi-rural areas that are partially covered by vegetation, has a range of more than 20 km on LOS (Line Of Sight) connections.
Model calculation 3: attenuation in water
The attenuation for radio waves is very high in water. Water increases both the mean conductivity and the signal frequency. This can be calculated by the following formula:
α=0.0173√ (fσ) (9)
α = attenuation (in dB / meter)
f = frequency in hertz and
σ = conductivity in mhos/meter
The conductivity of seawater is between 2 and 8 mhos/meter, depending on the salinity. In order to be able to communicate at all, it is necessary to use VLFs (very low frequencies, longwaves of 10 to 30 kHz), the attenuation being in the order of 3.5 to 5 dB per meter.
So how would the described relationships affect the LoRaWAN network? For example, if you have a node that can send 5 km through the air with line of sight at 868 MHz frequency, how far would it go underwater?
α = 0.0173√ (fσ) = 0.0173√ (868000000*2) = 720dB/m.
The power transfer balance of the LoRaWAN network depends on the environment, but for this example, we assume that it is 150 dB. Underwater you could communicate with it about 20 cm wide.
If you have specific questions on this topic you can always contact us.
With this admittedly rather theoretical consideration ends the second part on the scope of LoRaWAN. The first part of the article, which describes the key factors that affect the reach of wireless networks, can be found elsewhere on our blog.
If you would like to be informed about this topic at the next publication, please leave us your e-mail address.
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Turning Pages from a Distance
Creativity, innovation, and good old-fashioned A+ work is occurring in every corner of the #UMFSCommunity. At UMFS Charterhouse School in Edinburg, for example, English teacher George Merryman introduced a way to reach students in their homes without being physically present.
"Charterhouse School has allocated a budget, which is to be used to buy our students some books of their choosing," Mr. Merryman said. "We will purchase each student one book at a time and have it shipped directly to their home." Mr. Merryman challenged students to keep a reading log, and when they complete a book, they can request another.
The students were challenged with keeping a reading log, and upon completing their book were eligible to have another shipped to them.
George also had an innovation in 2018, when he collaborated to bring a brand new library to the school. Alongside his father, they put their carpentry skills to use to build the bookshelves, and George worked with colleagues and community partners to gather donations, catalog books, and make the concept a reality. Click here to learn more about the library.
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Help Empower All Lives: UMFS Campaign HEAL Collaborating with Community to Help Families
How Jadie Reached Her Full Potential
Celebrating Nancy Toscano, Ph.D., LCSW, the Next UMFS President & CEO
Celebrating Greg Peters, LCSW, the Outgoing UMFS President & CEO
UMFS President & CEO Greg Peters to Retire; COO Nancy Toscano Named Successor
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The Earth January 13, 2016
The 6 Craziest Extinctions Ever
Our planet is forever changing, with over 99% of species that once lived here now extinct, it's no wonder we are worried about what is happening, so it's time to learn about the 6 craziest extinctions ever.
1. The Ordovician Extinction
This mass extinction occurred over 400 million years ago, so we can't really blame ourselves for this one. This was the beginning of large ice formations on the planet and the change in carbon dioxide levels as the water condensed caused ocean levels to drop and the conditions underwater to change drastically. During this extinction around 86% of the species alive at the time were wiped out. This was in the very early stages of the universe when most creatures lived in the water and after this the remaining strongest ventured onto land.
2. The Plant-Induced Extinction
The eruption of plants on land obviously came with the opposite affect to more ice in the oceans, much less Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, this caused cooling of the planet on a global scale about 374 million years ago. The changes in soils and nutrients produced algae throughout the oceans which basically drained it of oxygen, causing over half of the oceans life to die pretty quickly. Form here it was up to the most advanced survivors to venture onto land and become terrestrial.
3. The Permian Extinction
This extinction was potentially the worst history has ever seen. 250 million years ago the planet drastically changed with volcanos erupting everywhere causing damage to the ozone layer and worldwide and resulting in global warming to a ridiculous scale. Ocean temperatures reached over 40 Degrees and acid rain showered the earth. This crazy extinction lead to the loss of 70% of life on land and over 95% of life inside the oceans.
4. The Volcano-Induced Extinction
About 50 million years after the Permian extinction, another disaster occurred. A volcanic rift began in the earth's crust, causing a massive influx of CO2 into the atmosphere once again and killing over 80% of species alive at the time. Yet again the survivors evolved and adapted and turned into the dinosaurs, which are still today the largest beasts to have ever roamed the earth, until they died in the 5th mass extinction….
5. The Extinction of the Dinosaurs
About 65 million years ago the most famous extinction occurred, again caused by a freak event. The theory for this is that a large asteroid slammed into the earth, taking with it all large life on earth, and leaving no sunlight and a very dirty atmosphere. The survivors became mammals and birds on a much smaller scale then their ancestors and have lived happily until we came along….
6. The Human-Induced Extinction
We know we're damaging the planet, killing it even, but because it is always happening it's hard to see the effects on all life on earth as a whole. Apparently due to our presence on earth extinction rates nowadays are between 100 and 1000% higher than they ever have been at a normal level. It's on going and rapid, much more rapid than any others. Obviously something has to happen to stop this not just for the planet, but for us too seeing as historically it's the tiniest creatures that survive and definitely not the most dominant.
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Chimps Understand Right And Wrong
Chimps understand right and wrong and has been observed that they react only when one of their troop is harmed. The behavior is known…


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Belfast company is fit for business in Dubai
Diet Express in Belfast has teamed up with Fitness First in Dubai to help its gym members control their diets, lose weight and manage diabetes and other potentially life-threatening conditions.
The company, which employs three people at its base in Bruce Street, Belfast, took part in a recent Invest Northern Ireland mission to the United Arab Emirates and has now secured a contract to develop a bespoke weight loss programme for its new client in the United Arab Emirates.
The deal was announced by Chris Donaldson, Diet Express Managing Director, and welcomed by Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director. The company has also used Invest NI's trade development centre in Dubai to develop business there.
Mr Donaldson, commenting on the contract in the Emirates, said: "Fitness First is an important client for us because it has operations throughout the Middle East. What we have done is to develop a bespoke weight loss programme to suit the specific requirements of residents of the Emirates and ex-pats currently working and living there.
"Many people in Dubai have trouble controlling their weight, partly due to the difficulties of exercising in such a hot climate. There are other lifestyle issues such as the popularity of sugary foods and beverages.
"Our focus is on healthy eating via a low glucose diet with an associated exercise programme for more effective weight loss and ongoing weight management. It also involves setting realistic goals with motivational and psychological features that encourage participants to eat healthy foods and eat in moderation.
"Making use of Invest NI's sales and marketing incubation facility in Dubai and the supporting trade initiatives such as trade missions to the wider region has enabled us to identify key contacts including the Fitness First team. They were impressed by our ability to develop a tailored approach to the specific needs of their clients. We followed up the lead and secured what is now proving to be extremely important export business for us."
Dr Kell said: "Diet Express has used Invest NI's export services to widen its business base and to cope with difficulties in the local market arising from the current economic situation.
"We've strengthened our on-the-ground operation in Dubai and have highlighted the business opportunities in markets such as the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman to companies, both large and small, throughout Northern Ireland.
"The success of Diet Express demonstrates that even the smallest company can win international business if it is offering differentiated products and services and is prepared to adapt these to the specific requirements of potential customers in important and still growing markets.
"Companies wishing to do business there and in other international markets have to be prepared to commit the time and resources to explore opportunities on the ground and follow inquiries quickly and effectively when they materialise. They also need to develop their capability to sell in overseas markets.
"Diet Express shows what can be achieved from focusing and following up leads quickly from participation in one of the many missions that we organise every year for local companies and then using our dedicated trade hub facility in Dubai to demonstrate to potential customers that they are committed to supporting them."
Diet Express is currently pursuing inquiries from South Africa and Uganda following engagement in this market through another recent Invest NI trade mission.


Published November 12. 2013 7:00PM | Updated November 12. 2013 11:44PM
Federal prosecutors believe Michael Thomas, the former Mashantucket Pequot tribal chairman convicted of embezzling more than $100,000 from the tribe, should serve more than two years in prison.
Thomas, 45, is to be sentenced Nov. 19 by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton.
In a memorandum filed Tuesday in federal court in New Haven, the government "respectfully submits" that a prison sentence of 27 to 33 months "is appropriate and necessary" in Thomas' case. He should also be sentenced to a term of supervised release from prison and be ordered to make restitution to the tribe in the amount of $123,318, prosecutors wrote.
Acting U.S. Attorney Deirdre Daly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Mattei signed the memorandum.
A jury convicted Thomas in July, deliberating for less than two hours before finding him guilty on all three counts of an indictment charging him with illegal use of a tribe-issued American Express card to pay for personal expenses from October 2007 to September 2009.
The two-year period specified in the indictment came at the end of Thomas' seven-year reign as chairman. He was ousted with the tribe facing serious financial problems due to declining revenues at its Foxwoods Resort Casino. Thomas had pledged to put funding for tribal government and payments to tribal members ahead of the tribe's obligations to lenders.
"During his tenure as chairman, the defendant (Thomas) repeatedly abused his position of authority to divert tribal assets for his personal benefit and the benefit of his family and associates," prosecutors wrote in the memorandum.
Thomas' personal expenses included a private car service for his mother, who traveled to dialysis treatments; a private car service for himself and his associates; personal Internet service; personal satellite radio service; personal cable television service; cellular telephone service for his personal associates; personal entertainment expenses; and extravagant lodging expenses for a group trip to New York City.
"In short, at a time when the defendant was supposed to be safeguarding tribal resources, he used the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation as his own personal piggy bank," prosecutors wrote.
They maintained that Thomas embezzled from the tribe from 2005 through 2009, a longer period than alleged in the indictment. They wrote that the uncharged criminal conduct was relevant to sentencing "as part of the nature and circumstances of the defendant's offense and his history and characteristics."
In the memorandum, the prosecutors described Thomas as "a man of contradictions and unfulfilled potential," noting he overcame troubles in his early years to assume a leadership role with the tribe.
"Ultimately, while Mr. Thomas may have certain admirable personal qualities, it is the government's view that over time he has demonstrated a harmful tendency to engage in irresponsible, unethical and criminal behavior," the prosecutors wrote.
Thomas' younger brother, Steven Thomas, pleaded guilty last month to a single charge of stealing from the tribe and faces sentencing early next year.
Thomas brothers punished by Mashantuckets
Michael Thomas files notice of appeal
Thomas brothers seek to delay federal trials on theft charges
Thomas brothers enter pleas of not guilty in federal court
Mashantucket tribal leaders indicted on theft charges


Hackney Gazette > News > Crime
Dodgy maid cleans up in Hackney house theft
Alex Wellman
Published: 4:43 PM August 25, 2010 Updated: 10:30 AM October 14, 2020
Designer clothes stolen as cleaner swipes goods from employers.
A DEVIOUS house cleaner who made more than dirt disappear from her employers' homes has been handed a suspended jail term and ordered to pay compensation.
Anca Nechifor, 23, of Garner Road, Walthamstow, was employed by two ladies living in Middleton Road, Dalston, and De Beauvoir Square, to clean their homes.
In July last year both women discovered designer clothes had been swiped form their homes and instantly called police.
The women also texted Nechifor demanding their property back and although the clothes were returned they had �1,300 of damage.
Police mounted a campaign to catch the crafty cleaner and finally arrested her in December 2009.
She was charged with theft and appeared at Thames Magistrates Court in January before being bailed to reappear on August 25.
Nechifor, who the court heard still works as a cleaner, was sentenced to four-and-a-half months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 150 hours community service.
She has also been ordered to pay �400 to one victim and �200 to the other.
DC Kieran Backhouse, Hackney CID, said: "It is hoped that this sentence will act as a deterrent to other people in positions of trust. Employers and the courts will not tolerate such behaviour."


minority stake
Brooklyn Nets Owner Prokhorov Says He's Selling 49pc Stake
MOSCOW (AP) — Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov has told Russian media he's selling a 49 percent stake in the NBA club. The Russian billionaire announced his intention to sell a minority stake in December, and now says "49 percent of the Brooklyn shares are up for sale," in comments reported by R-Sport...


How many bears live in Canada?
How many black bears live in Canada?
How many grizzly bears live in Canada?
Are there bears everywhere in Canada?
Where in Canada has the most bears?
How many moose are in Canada?
How many bears are in Alberta?
Does Canada have polar bears?
How many polar bears are in Canada?
Who would win grizzly or gorilla?
Are there bears in Toronto?
Are there bears in Russia?
Today, approximately 20,000 bears live in Canada — most in British Columbia, which has made substantial efforts to protect them. The largest grizzly ever recorded weighed about 1,200 pounds and was 10 feet high when standing.
Population status
There are an estimated 900,000 black bears in North America. In Canada, about 500,000 inhabit forested areas and have adapted to thrive in landscapes with some level of human activity.
Population estimate: The Canadian population of Grizzly Bears is estimated to be around 26,000, but the number of mature Grizzlies could be closer to 10,000.
Canada is home to both, grizzly bears and black bears and you can run into bears everywhere, on a busy trail close to town or in the remote backcountry. Bears generally prefer to avoid people.
British Columbia has the highest population of grizzlies in Canada and its own endemic species of Black bear. For a bucket list experience, head up to Alert Bay in the northern part of Vancouver Island, where you can hop on a tour to the world-famous Great Bear Rainforest.
IT IS INTERESTING: Is there any good hunting in Arizona?
It is estimated that there are between 500 000 and 1 million moose in Canada. Since the beginning of settlement in Canada there have been considerable shifts in the distribution of moose. They are found in many regions which had no moose in presettlement days.
Based on DNA analysis by Foothills Research Institute (fRI) research in Alberta's seven bear management areas, there are an estimated 856 to 973 grizzly bears in the province. While growing numbers are a positive sign, we have not yet crossed the finish line.
Where is it found? Polar bears are found throughout the Arctic in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. … Two-thirds of the global population of polar bears are found in Canada. The world's southernmost population of polar bears occurs along the coast of James Bay in Ontario.
Canada is home to approximately 16 000 of the estimated 20 000 to 25 000 polar bears in the global polar regions. It is no wonder that the polar bear, an icon of Canada's wildlife heritage, is of great cultural significance to the Canadian people.
A grizzly beats a silverback 10 times out of 10. The average silverback weighs around 350 pounds and stands at 5-and-a-half feet tall. Their long arms give them the reach advantage on a grizzly, but that's about it.
If you are travelling in Ontario, unless you are all the way up near Hudson Bay, the only bear you will encounter is the black bear.
IT IS INTERESTING: You asked: What is the best time to hunt pheasant?
Russia has a healthy population of brown bears currently. Brown bears range in colour from almost black, brown to very light brown or blonde. Size varies greatly depending on geographic location and general food availability.


Home Unlabelled Location for Game Resuming After Technical or Unsportsmanlike Foul
Location for Game Resuming After Technical or Unsportsmanlike Foul
PUBLISHED ON Tuesday, January 01, 2019
Q: After a technical or unsportsmanlike foul is called in a game, what location on the floor does the game resume from?
A: For a Technical Foul, resumption of play is point of interruption. Per the rulebook:
The opponents shall be awarded 1 free throw. The game shall be resumed as follows:
The free throw shall be administered immediately. After the free throw, the throw-in shall be administered by the team which had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball when the technical foul was called, from the place nearest to where the ball was located when the game was stopped.
The free throw shall also be administered immediately, regardless whether the order of any other possible penalties for any other fouls has been determined or whether the administration of the penalties has been started. After the free throw for a technical foul, the game shall be resumed by the team which had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball when the technical foul was called, from the place where the game has been interrupted for the technical foul penalty.
If a valid field goal, or a last free throw is scored, the game shall be resumed with a throw-in from any place behind the endline.
If neither team had control of the ball nor was entitled to the ball, a jump ball situation occurs.
With a jump ball in the centre circle to begin the first quarter.
For an Unsportsmanlike foul, the penalty varies depending on what's happening when the foul is called.
Free throw(s) shall be awarded to the player who was fouled, followed by:
A throw-in from the throw-in line in the team's frontcourt. • A jump ball in the centre circle to begin the first quarter. The number of free throws shall be awarded as follows:
If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting: 2 free throws.
If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting: the goal, if made, shall count and, in addition, 1 free throw.
If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting and the goal is not made, 2 or 3 free throws.


Bull's Roar
Where bullshite is raised to an art form
This is an actual photo, not an illustration. This is the first time someone has been able to show light as both particle and wave at the same time. (We all know light sometimes acts as a wave and sometimes as particles, don't we?)
ALWAYS check your receipt, right? They got me again. The same IGA where I've been stung so many times before – I made the mistake of not checking before I left and came home. Same story, item marked down on the edge of the shelf, but when it's scanned, no price reduction.
Bloody hell! I cannot get through this store without there being a pricing error, and it's always in their favour. So now I have to go back and complain again, despite having done so at least four times already. I think a letter to Consumer Affairs will be required.
I'm also upset this morning – I've just had two hours house cleaning done by a pair of ladies. As far as I'm concerned, their ad said $30 per hour. It did cross my mind to wonder if it was $30 each, but no, I was sure of what I saw and didn't query it when they arrived. If they wanted to work together for $30 an hour, that's fine, I thought.
So at the end I handed over $60 for the two hours. "Oh, no, it's $30 per hour each." Bloody hell!! $120 to get 2 hours cleaning done? NOT good value. I'd rather do it myself. I was left fuming, but as usual, I didn't say anything. I think they could see I was a bit upset. I do need help with cleaning now, so I've booked them for an hour in two weeks' time, and they've said they'll do an hour each in succession, so I get one lady at a time for $30, so for two hours that's $60. Weird. I'll see how it goes.
Never over-estimate the intelligence of WA people. There are still people writing to The West Australian saying what a great guy Lee Kuan Yew was and how he cleaned up the hooligans in Singapore. It's safe there because they're all in jail, you see?
So what are you suggesting? That we immediately jail anyone who shows any anti-social tendencies? Don't jails have a reputation as breeding grounds, training schools for violent criminals? They come out worse than they went in.
And so we invite a Lee Kuan Yew, a strong man as a dictator in this state or country? What about the parliament? What about the courts? Singapore's courts do the bidding of the dictator of the day in Singapore. They suppress all opposition by bankrupting political opponents, so forcing them out of parliament. There is no effective political dissent allowed in Singapore.
So when our dictator has cleaned the place of hooligans and is jailing his political opponents, do we just say, "OK, thanks, that's enough, you can go home now." Dictators become dictators precisely because they crave power, they will do anything to hold on to their power, and they are ruthless in suppressing opposition. That was what Lee Kuan Yew was like! How would you get rid of your friendly dictator in WA once you'd put him in supreme power?
Don't be so bloody stupid!
That stupid Labor politician in Queensland, didn't disclose his criminal record and so looks like destroying the political balance over there.
What gets me is how pathetically incompetent the pre-selection people must be in his electorate. Didn't anyone think to check his past before they pre-selected him? It's happened before, here in WA in one of the Perth Liberal seats. Some local businessman was pre-selected as the Lib candidate, and only later did they discover he had criminal convictions. No-one thought to check.
Damn. Everyone knows that iiNet is brilliant at customer service. That's why I signed up here, after years of bad experiences with other firms. And now that I have fibre past my house, I'm on the brink of signing up for that, too.
But now iiNet look like being bought out by TPG, and the word I keep reading in connection with TPG is "ruthless". I've read bad reports before in the computer magazines, and that word is used a couple of times in an article in last Saturday's Weekend Australian. They suggest that TPG ruthlessly cuts costs by ruthlessly cutting service.
So it was too good to last. I'm not going to stay with a company that is ruthless with its staff and customers. I may have to find another service provider yet again. It hasn't happened yet, so I'll wait until it does. The owner of TPG is a Malaysian billionaire. Optus is majority owned by the ruthless dictatorship of Singapore. The choice narrows down. I may have to go back to Telstra. Gasp!
I continue to be intrigued by SBS's If You Are The One, the Chinese dating show on every night. And I continue to be pretty fed up with the pickiness of the women. Time after time, quite presentable and personable guys are completely rejected for the most trivial reasons – too skinny, too old, too short, too tall, don't like red shoes, don't like red pants with a red belt – the stupid reasons for rejection just keep coming.
But it's not all one way. Two nights running, there have seemed to be perfect matches. One of the girls will make it abundantly clear that she's fallen for the guy and wants him badly. They seem to be well matched. The audience sees it, Le Jia sees it, the host sees it.
But twice, the guy has chosen another girl. The first time, he insisted on sticking with his favourite even though she'd made it clear she didn't want to go with him, so he walked away and the girl who badly wanted him was left disappointed.
Then last night, the guy chose one of the other girls and again left the other poor girl massively disappointed. I think he might have been frightened off by her enthusiasm. You could hear the sigh of disappointment from the audience. What a pity.
I often wonder about myself in that situation, of course. "Hi, my name's Peter and I'm from Australia and I'm 68." Bong, bong, bong, bong, all the lights would turn red immediately. "But think about this girls, you wouldn't have to work and you wouldn't have to wait long to become a rich widow." Heh heh.
But many of those girls are just stunningly beautiful. If I had to choose my favourite, or choose between half a dozen to get the final two, I doubt I'd be able to choose. I'd want three or four of them. Wow, they are stunners. Many would be too hard to handle, of course. There are a few who are really aggressive and domineering. Uh oh, stay away from those, no matter how nice they look. But the others … Wow.
Atlantic Ocean currents
Amazing – the German pilot commits suicide but takes 149 innocent people with him. What kind of evil mentality is that?
I think the rule that there must always be two people in the cockpit must be universally enforced.
What a year for aviation: first, Malaysian MH370 disappears somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Then Malaysian MH910 gets shot down by Russians. Then the Air Asia nosedives into the ocean off Java. And now this German plane does a CFIT – Controlled Flight Into Terrain. It's a worry. At least we know that in no case was the aircraft mechanicals to blame.
And another thing: why did the pilot need to leave the cockpit for a piss only 20mins into a 90min flight? Why didn't he go before they left the airport?
I used to have a couple of friends who repeatedly said that "We need a Lee Kuan Yew in this country, a benevolent dictator." No matter what I said, they stuck to this view, that Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore was the way to go. Well, in yesterday's West Australian, this letter to the editor:
No-one will deny the late Lee Kuan Yew's success in guiding Singapore to economic prosperity and social stability, and there are many who will even assert that Australia needs a Lee Kuan Yew. The question they need to answer is whether they are prepared to pay the high price. Heavy-handed one party rule, ruthless persecution of political dissidents, close government control of press and trade unions and cynical denial of human rights are all part of the reverse side of Singapore's success story.
Mr Lee's admirers should consider this before recommending his imitation by 'any other country, Ieast of all Australia for whom he expressed lightly veiled contempt. Lee Kuan Yew received a double first at Cambridge but he rejected the democratic ethos of British society and the hard-won acceptance that a political opposition can properly claim to be loyal to the state.
What he did appreciate was the assistance of British Special Branch who detained his political opponents under the colonial government's draconian Internal Security Act, a piece of legislation that remained on the statute books of independent Singapore to continue politically useful detentions without trial.
I worked for a year for a daily newspaper which came into existence on a promise by Mr Lee's People's Action Party in 1969 that dissent on "non-core issues" could now be permitted in a prosperous and confident Singapore.
When it was seen to overstep the notional mark, the newspaper was quickly forced to close by a process in which Mr Lee took a high-profile part. China's Teng Hsiao Ping may well have learnt something from Singapore's economic model, but it was Mao Tse Tung who established the cynical precedent of "let a hundred flowers bloom".
Emeritus Professor Bob Reece, foreign editor, Singapore Herald (1970-71)
In other words, "benevolent dictator"? BULLSHIT. Singapore's government is corrupt in a much worse way than Indonesia's. Singapore crushes opposition by forcing opposing politicians or dissidents into bankruptcy via a compliant (read corrupt) judiciary. They rule by fear. You can be jailed indefinitely without trial, and caned for the most trivial offences. They still legally kill people (ie the death penalty). Singapore is one party rule and woe betide you if you cross the government.
So, former friends of mine, is this what you advocate for us? Oh, but it would be only temporary, I hear you say, just until this country had been whipped into line. Yeah? And how would you tell the dictator it was time for him to go?
This idea ranks with letting the Ord River water flow downhill to Perth, using atomic bombs to mine iron ore and dredge harbours up north, sending young hooligans out into the desert in boot camps to fix their bad ways and voting Liberal expecting election commitments to be kept, as crazy lunatic ideas.
"For a bloke with so many risk factors, you're in remarkably good health." That's what a GP told me about ten years ago. I got the results of my latest three monthly blood tests this morning: liver – perfect; kidneys – perfect; lipids and cholesterol – perfect; thyroid – perfect; HbA1c – 6.6! I've been checking my blood pressure regularly for the past month or so and the readings are fantastic – around 115/60 nearly all the time. Brain – perfect; memory – perfect; personality – perfect; integrity – perfect. Perfect in every way. 😉
Importantly, no sign of congestive heart failure, and no worsening of the CLL/cell morphology results.
So I think I can safely say, for someone of my age, carrying far too much weight, with diabetes, I'm in remarkably good health. Some say I drink too much. Bulldust. I used to, but I've cut way, way back. Some nights I don't have anything now. (To the person who told others I'm an alcoholic, you made a giant mistake! You got it horrendously wrong. Have the integrity to admit it and apologise. Fat chance – you don't do apologies, do you. Stupid woman.)
So why do I still feel so bad? I'm carefully eliminating medications (carefully!) to see if that makes any improvement. I stopped Amiodarone (the anti-arrythmia drug with potentially nasty side effects and the lo-o-o-ng half life) last year and everything seems OK. I stopped the diuretic last week, but no improvement, so I'll start it again, I think.
Meanwhile I'm beefing up my vitamin and mineral tablet regime. Magnesium – seems to be very important.
Grrrrrr! I posted off the faulty OCZ Solid State Hard Drive to the makers in Taiwan yesterday. $52.75! That's what it cost to send it by courier delivery. Bloody hell. Their drive went faulty in the warranty period (12 months, I think), so why should I have to pay to send it back like this? Why can't I just return it to the place I bought it in Osborne Park for a replacement?
I'm going to send a hot email to OCZ in Taiwan saying I want not just a replacement, but my shipping cost refunded, OR two replacement drives in exchange. Yeah, fat chance. I'm afraid OCZ are going to get some unwelcome publicity on the web forums as well as here. Don't buy OCZ.
Et voila! Ordered last Thursday 19th and both copies arrived together this morning, six days later. Not bad is it? I compose here on my desktop, send the result electronically to Melbourne (takes about 30 mins), the files are then sent to Shah Alam, near KL, Malaysia, the books are printed and shipped back to me within six days. Payment is electronic too. Amazing stuff.
I suppose in 20 years' time even this will be considered slow and clunky. We'll have one of these "Print on demand" machines at home – files in one end, bound book out the other in 10 minutes or so. I'm beginning to sound like an old man.
I'm working on Vol. 2 now, covering the Bruce Rock years. What a pity my siblings will have no say in what I put in or what I write, as they have ruled themselves out of my life. They no longer meet my standards. They will never see the result or be able to show their children. This is family breakup in vivid colour.
The United States continues to repel me. In the Guardian today, a woman has been released and her conviction quashed as wrongful after spending 22 years in prison, on death row no less, for a crime she didn't commit. I made the following comment to the article:
22 years on death row? Then found to be completely innocent? The US Constitution prohibits "cruel and unusual punishment". By any standard, these cases of wrongful conviction and, effectively, life imprisonment, with the prospect of death at the end, are cruel! What does it take to get US courts to abide by their own constitution?
In any case, if the death penalty worked, why are murders still committed? The death penalty in the USA, "land of the free ", is just revenge. The USA lines up alongside China, Saudi Arabia, Syria, North Korea and other bastions of democracy as one of the last of the most barbarous countries on Earth.
A Republican ( = Liberal Party, hard right wing in philosophy ) bloke in the US has just announced that he is a candidate for election next year for President. He announced it at the Texas Christian University, and proceeded to invoke God's blessing on America and himself. Then he pledged to strengthen the gun laws so that all Americans will be able to bear arms, if he is elected.
This is a sick, sick country. I will never go there again. I didn't feel unsafe when I was there nearly 30 years ago, but I would feel unsafe now. No thanks. The USA joins the list of countries I will never visit.
Having vivid memories of the Dismissal on 11 November 1975 and the period leading up to it, I have been a Malcolm Fraser hater ever since. I thought what he did was utterly wrong.
I never thought I would say this, but when he died on Friday, I actually felt some sorrow. Why? Because he came around to the proper views, that this Abbott Liberal government is atrocious, that the treatment of asylum seekers should be condemned in the loudest terms, that we are far too close to the US in foreign policy terms and so on.
In fact, this current Liberal government is so bad that as far as I'm concerned the same or worse conditions exist for it to be dismissed by the governor general. But having accepted the dollar, the cocked hat, the badge and the sash, that boot licker Cosgrove would never bite the hand that fed him. I will NEVER call him Sir. He was a craven fool to have accepted that stupid title.
Getting back to Malcolm, I can see now that his acceptance of Vietnamese refugees was one of the best things to come out of the late 70s and early 80s. Look at the result – Vietnamese have entered into all levels of Australian life and are now fully accepted and contributing to our life.
If only that attitude was accepted now. I am ashamed of an Australia that practices deliberate cruelty on asylum seekers; that practices what amounts to torture; that imprisons without trial, with no hope of release; that deliberately allows prison camp guards to get away with crimes; that breaches international law by imprisoning refugees; that knowingly sends refugees back to the dangerous conditions they are fleeing from; that makes jokes about UN condemnation; that demonises people who are trying to do some good. The list goes on and on. How any Australian can think this is OK is beyond me. I am sickened. If you think this is OK, you're no friend of mine.
Anyway, RIP Malcolm.
I always ask for my receipt, right? I caught another one yesterday. I was charged twice for one of the components of my bacon and eggs at my local Dome cafe. Only discovered it once I got home. It's a trivial amount, but I'm going to show them next time I'm there.
I also noticed a petition to be signed asking for a community swimming pool for this area. YES! I need it for the exercise. I suspect I'll be gone before it ever happens, though. IF it ever happens.
As I said, my previous Coles coffee machine died, so I've bought another one from them. It's a different brand this time, and at $49 it's not too big a risk.
But I'm finding the coffee is unsatisfactory. It uses smaller capsules than my previous ones and I just don't seem to be getting the flavour I used to get. As well, it only dispenses the demi tasse size of serve, i.e. about 100ml of coffee, the very small cup size. OK, push the button twice and I get more, but the coffee is diluted and hence the flavour is gone. Dang!
I guess this is what you get for buying cheap, but the jump up to the full price models starts at about $250 and goes up to thousands. Nuh. Not for me.
I keep reading about the Aeropress, but it's a filter coffee maker, which means grounds and filter papers and grinding beans. The capsules are so convenient by comparison.
I finished my Croft History Vol. 1 and sent it off for printing on Friday. I'm taking advantage of a special where I bought four vouchers in December last year – 8.5″ x 11″ 40 pages at two for $59. They expire on 5 May. I have two vouchers left so the next volume has to be done asap!
I checked the cost of running off extra full priced copies for relatives and they cost $95 each! Ouch. I'll keep an eye out for another special, but if you want a copy, you have to let me know.
Wow, the weather's changed. A week ago I was complaining about week after week, day after day of 35C maxs. Now it's 24C and sitting here, I actually feel a bit cold. Nice, but a really noticeable change.
Phwoar. Phwoar! "Girls who wear glasses get more passes." They do from me, anyway, although I think I've got the saying reversed.
I saw this lady for the first time on the UK TV show, Would I Lie To You? She's Kate Silverton, a TV newsreader on one of the channels, maybe BBC? She's 44 and married with at least one child. No ring in this shot, though.
Anyway, this is what I like!
I continue to be fascinated by the SBS show from China, If You Are The One. I've mentioned it before, where 24 single women are lined up and single guys are brought out one by one to offer themselves for love and marriage.
Many of the women are very beautiful and many have high educational achievements (one particularly beautiful one a few nights ago had a Masters in Law – and she offered herself to the guy and he turned her down. What a fool.)
It's quite a thing for these people to do. Many of the guys are completely rejected, and that must be pretty hard to take. On the other hand, the women have to decide whether to keep their light on for a guy, knowing very little about him, and risk rejection themselves.
I never cease to be amazed at the rejections of the guys. Some are obviously idiots, or too boastful, or just a bit weird, but many, many seem like really good guys and it's very hard to see why all the women reject them. Some of the reasons given are just weird themselves – too skinny, too chubby, too young looking (even though the guy may be 27 or 30), too strangely dressed, too conservatively dressed, and weirdest of all to us – single eyelids, or double eyelids. Single eyelids are very Chinese whereas double eyelids, as we have, signify foreign blood …sometimes single is more desirable, sometimes double. I can't work it out. But I'm not Chinese. And not a woman.
The list of rejections is too arbitrary. I feel really sorry for many of the guys.
Similarly, some of the women stay up there on offer for show after show, week after week and never get picked as favourite, but they hang in there. Some are just too weird themselves (the Monkey King woman! The corn woman). A few come across as too intelligent or mature and scare the guys away, but they hang in there. Nearly all the women have been without a partner for at least a year, often two years. Highly intelligent, highly educated women seem to have trouble finding partners in China.
Personally, I'd go for Ms Huang Han any time.
Darcey, Bill, Ern and Jack (my Dad) Sydney city, c. 1934?
Nearly finished the WA Croft Family History Vol. 1, 1900-1949. I'm talking to my cousins in Sydney and Brisbane and learning many things that I was either hazy about or just didn't know. Similarly, my Brisbane cousin didn't know why we came back to WA in late 1949. Now he does.
The next volume will be from 1950 on. I've got hundreds of photos, more than I have of Sydney, so it should be interesting. I have pre-paid book vouchers which expire in early May, so I've got to get moving.
That means the model trains are taking a back seat for now.
We don't need unions, do we?
Cleaners treated unfairly by 38% of contractors, says ombudsman
The cleaning industry employs about 99,000 people, and its workforce is susceptible to exploitation. More than 55% are women, and 65% are over 40 years old. [The Guardian 12/3/15]
But … but … but … Liberal governments tell us we don't need unions, that we can deal directly with our employers and they'll treat us fairly.
Oh yeah?
I've just bought my fourth espresso capsule coffee maker in less than two years. I've said before that two machines I bought from Woolworths at $49 each failed within about three months. I got my money back both times, so at least it didn't cost me. Except that I was left with a packet or two of unused capsules that don't fit any other machine.
Coles then had a similar machine, but of different make, on special for $49 too. I bought one about 8 months ago. It was working fine, then a couple of weeks ago it stopped with a flashing error LED and nothing would clear it. I tried to take it apart but it wasn't designed to be dismantled, seeming to be solidly glued together. I had to give up and threw it out. Forty nine dollars down the drain, and three unusable boxes of capsules!
Now I've bought a fourth machine, again from Coles, again $49.50. It also uses different capsules! All the capsules for these different brands of machine are different. We'll see how this one goes, but I'm keeping the receipt and if it fails, I'll be taking it back for a refund.
My latest box of model railway goodies arrived this morning from the UK. It includes two locos, both second hand ones from Hattons stock. One works, but one doesn't.
I don't want to have to send it back, but I can't see how to dismantle it at the moment. These are quite expensive items even second hand. This one was £54 = $105 ! So here we go again, having to return faulty goods.
As well, I have to package up and send an OCZ brand solid state hard drive back to the makers, in Taiwan! It failed completely last October, dead as a doorknob, right at the end of doing the reunion organisation. That was not funny.
I'm not having much luck, am I?
I've nearly completed my next Photobook, Volume 1 of the History of the Croft family, the WA branch anyway. This incorporates all the old photos I've inherited from Dad and Uncle Darcey of their early Sydney and Mona Vale days.
Who dat dere? Cute, wasn't I?
I'm calling for caption information from the eastern states cousins to fill in the gaps. Nearly finished. Then Volume 2 will be from 1950 onwards, with our early lives at Bruce Rock, Cunderdin, Wundowie, Rockingham and so on.
It will necessarily include many shots of my siblings, but as they are no longer with me, they will be unable to have any input into the book or the captions. They'll never see the book either. It's a pity in the sense that our history will stop here. Their offspring will not inherit anything. They've never shown any interest in our old family photos. I'm the only one who ever took any serious photos and they'll die with me. The Croft family history in WA stops here, with me. Pity.
Now I'm REALLY angry
I'm sure you know by now that I take a slightly left of centre position on the political spectrum (!). Well, this awful Liberal government has excelled itself now.*
Last year, the Melbourne lawyer Julian Burnside QC asked us to write an individual letter to an asylum seeker imprisoned in the concentration camps on Nauru and Manus Island. We sent our letter to him in Melbourne and he forwarded them in bulk to the refugee camps for distribution. We included a self addressed stamped envelope for a reply if the refugee wished.
The letter was to express our sympathy at their awful plight and our support and best wishes, to let them know that not all Australians hold the terrible, cruel, racist views of the Australian Government in general and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in particular. And of the cruel minister, Scott Morrison, who knowingly allowed torture and abuse of children in these concentration camps.
I sent my letter off in mid last year and here it is:
I am one of millions of Australians who are totally against the Australian government's policy of harsh treatment of asylum seekers like you. Not all Australians are hard people.
I want you to know that we wish you could be housed in decent accommodation in Australia while you await processing for a visa.
We feel very bad about the way you are being treated and want to help you. The way you are being treated is not the Australian way. I am one of millions of Australians who want to show compassion to you, not harsh punishment. You have not committed any crime. You are not criminals. We know that.
But our government thinks that by treating you so badly, it will stop other asylum seekers from coming. This is a very bad policy. You have done nothing wrong.
I hope you can bear the conditions where you are and that this letter will help you. Be assured that many of us are trying to change the mind of the government.
I wish you luck and good health.
You can write to me if you wish and tell me your story. Where did you come from? Why did you leave your country? How did you get here? Are you alone or do you have family with you? If your life was in danger in your home country, please tell me about it. It will help me to make other people understand and change their minds.
I wondered a bit why I'd never got a reply, although I wasn't that surprised.
But on Saturday, I found out why. The letters were intercepted by the Department of Immigration and stopped from delivery! They were never passed to the refugees! Apparently other people had noticed the lack of replies and contacted Mr Burnside. It took him months of enquiries to the department and the minister, with a notable lack of replies, before FOI enabled him to apply pressure. Finally, a few weeks ago, the department of Immigration sent Mr Burnside three large boxes containing the thousands of our letters, all marked RTS, Return To Sender.
The department used the excuse that the Nauru government would not accept the Australian stamps on the return envelopes. But why should that have stopped delivery of the letters?
Mr Burnside thinks this illegal action may constitute a crime, being interference with the mail. If there's a class action possible, count me in!
What a dirty, nasty, underhanded, dishonest thing the Department of Immigration has done. This is a government department which is paid for by you and me, which is supposed to be fair and impartial. Plainly, they are being directed from above by that awful maggot Morrison. I am furious!
* Of course, Lord Rabbott QC SC KCVO VC Bart. has said Aborigines want to live in their ancestral desert homes as "a lifestyle choice"! Does this idiot know nothing?! Does he learn nothing? Does he think before he speaks?
I say keep it up, Tones. The longer you stay PM, the easier we will be able to reinstate a rightful Labor government next year. What an idiot.
Eventful days
Look what came up
Warm ain't it?
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California National Guard Soldiers Train For State Support Mission At CDP
Soldiers from California National Guard�s 140th Chemical Company don personal protective equipment. An instructor reviews the various classes of hazards with the 140th Chemical Company soldiers. Soldiers from the 140th Chemical Company attending training at the CDP take a moment to pose for a photo with their battalion leadership, Lt. Col. Noland Flores and Command Sgt. Maj. Roddrick Pullen. Soldiers from 149th Chemical Company learn about detection devices in the Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT) course. The HT course was the second course the149th Chemical Company soldiers took at the CDP this year. During their first week, they took the Emergency Responder Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (ERHM) course. Staff Sgt. John Austin, of the 149th Chemical Company, takes a break along side some of the personal protective equipment used in the ERHM course. CDP Instructor Frazier Sloan instructs a small group of students during the Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT) course. CDP instructor Doug Varner instructs California National Guard soldiers on how to use the Ludlum 2241-3 radiation detector in the Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT) course. The HT course was the second course the149th Chemical Company soldiers took at the CDP this year. During their first week, they took the Emergency Responder Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (ERHM) course. CDP instructor, Frazier Sloan, walks Staff Sgt. Vernon Trozzi through using the scintillation detector on the Ludlum radiation meter during the Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT) course. The CDP offers more than 10 HAZMAT courses.
More than 110 California National Guard soldiers conducted their annual training at the Center for Domestic Preparedness this summer, honing their skills to better perform their Title 32 missions.
Under Title 32, National Guard soldiers and airmen can be called to service by their governors to support a state response. And, as state responders, National Guard troops' training at the CDP is fully funded by the Department of Homeland Security.
The soldiers all spent two weeks training at the CDP, taking the Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (HT) one week and the Emergency Responder Hazardous Materials Technician for CBRNE Incidents (ERHM) the other.
HT is a demanding five-day course that challenges the hazardous materials technician with an extensive hands-on training experience. The technician will demonstrate learned skills in response actions to a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) weapons of mass destruction incident in both the Center's outdoor Northville training complex and nation's only toxic chemical training facility (chemical and biological materials) dedicated solely to training the nation's emergency responders.
ERHM is also a five-day course. It provides training based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for hazardous materials (HAZMAT) training. Participants receive hands-on training in identifying HAZMAT, using advanced surveying and monitoring equipment, selecting and using the appropriate level of personal protective equipment (PPE), and performing decontamination procedures. As an added benefit, graduates of the ERHM class are afforded the opportunity to take the Alabama Pro-Board certification exam for HazMat Technician certification.
The soldiers are all from the 140th Chemical Company or the 149th Chemical Company. Aside from being assigned to the same branch, the two companies have very different missions.
The 140th Chemical Company falls under the 224th Special Troops Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, based in Long Beach, Calif. The company's Title 32 mission is to provide mass decontamination capability and conduct civil support operations in order to support civil and military authorities, according to Capt. Christopher Schoenwandt, the 140th Chemical Company Commander.
"I had no idea what to expect. I have only heard good things about it from soldiers that have been to the CDP in the prior years. But after training at the CDP for two weeks it had exceeded my expectations when it came to training," said 2nd Lt. Eric Kang, of Los Angeles, who trained at the CDP in July. "The classes went beyond the basic HAZMAT knowledge and provided in-depth information on the procedures of HAZMAT incidents and awareness. It is the best HAZMAT training you can receive."
Pfc. Oren Shaw, who is also assigned to the 140th, attended CDP training this summer.
"I went into these courses hoping and expecting to gain expert-level knowledge on the matters involving hazardous materials incidents… and I believe we received just that," Shaw said. "I was surprised at how much hands-on time we actually did."
The 224th Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Noland Flores, and the battalion's senior enlisted advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Roddrick Pullen, flew from California to visit their soldiers and tour the CDP while their soldiers were training at the Center in July.
"Obviously, this is first-class training," Flores said. "It would be hard to replicate this level of specialized training in California."
The 149th Chemical Company has a slightly different mission. The 149th falls under the 579th Engineer Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade based in Fairfield, Calif. The 149th is part of a California National Guard CERFP Team. CERF-P stands for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosives (CBRNE) enhanced response force packages. The CERFPs locate and extract victims from a contaminated environment, perform mass patient/casualty decontamination, and provide treatment as necessary to stabilize patients for evacuation.
CERFP teams are specially trained to respond to a weapons-of-mass-destruction incident, according to the 2009 U.S. Army Posture Statement. The teams must be ready to deploy within six hours of notification. The Army National Guard chemical company – in this case the 149th – has the decontamination element of the CERFP mission. All of the units that serve as part of the teams maintain their original missions but receive additional training and equipment that build on their existing skills to accomplish the CERFP mission. California is one of 17 states that have CERFP teams.
"The CDP provides my unit with the all-hazards training that meets our training requirements and goes above and beyond by exposing my soldiers to live-agent training environments and showing them best practices from experienced professionals," said 149th Chemical Company Commander, 1st Lt. Robert Allen.
"The no-cost training actually saves the California Guard more money than a home-station annual training event," Allen said. "The CDP flew, housed, fed and transported my soldiers for their entire stay. The California National Guard paid the soldiers' wages; every other expense was covered. The CDP truly cares about training our state-level responders."
CDP training is fully funded for National Guard soldiers and airmen under Title 32. Just like state, local and tribal responders, their travel, lodging and meals are fully funded by the Department of Homeland Security. For more information on HT, ERHM and other upcoming CDP training, go to http://cdp.dhs.gov.
"It was a great experience. I am definitely recommending this course and this school to other municipalities and agencies," Shaw said. "The CDP has a lot of great information to offer. As America's first responders, it's important that we all learn as much as we can these days."
Doctoral Candidates Visit CDP


Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group to lease out company headquarters to cut debt
Reuters | Updated: Jul 2, 2019, 16:15 IST
Reliance Group is looking to lease out its headquarters in one of Mumbai's prime suburbs, the telecoms to infrastructure conglomerate said, a move that will help the company to raise funds to pay off debt. Some of the companies under the Reliance Group, controlled by Anil Ambani, have been hit by a spate of credit ratings downgrades and auditing issues.
Reliance will continue to own the premises and proceeds from the leasing deal will go only for debt reduction, the company said
It did not comment on the financial details of the deal or the group's financial condition
Anil Ambani (File photo)
MUMBAI: Reliance Group is looking to lease out its headquarters in one of Mumbai's prime suburbs, the telecoms to infrastructure conglomerate said, a move that will help the company to raise funds to pay off debt.
Some of the companies under the Reliance Group conglomerate, controlled by businessman Anil Ambani, have been hit by a spate of credit ratings downgrades and auditing issues.
"Reliance infrastructure plans to monetise its marquee Reliance Center Office located in Santacruz East, Mumbai," the company said in a statement.
Reliance Group headquarters building in Mumbai (Photo: Reuters)
Reliance will continue to own the premises and proceeds from the leasing deal will go only for debt reduction, the company said. It did not comment on the financial details of the deal or the group's financial condition.
Ambani is the younger brother of Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani. A feud between the brothers over control the Reliance empire broke out after the death of their father in 2002. The Reliance businesses were split up in 2005 as part of a settlement between them.
That made them both billionaires but while Mukesh's energy, telecoms and retail conglomerate had gone from strength to strength, Anil's companies have struggled.
Mukesh, however, appears more recently to have offered some kind of support to his younger brother so he could repay $80 million in debt to Swedish telecom company Ericsson.
Mukesh saves Anil from jail, helps him clear Rs 453 crore Ericsson dues
Mukesh Ambani on Monday stepped in to save younger brother Anil from prison by helping him clear the Rs 453 crore Reliance Communications owed Ericsson. The Supreme Court had on February 20 said failure to pay the Swedish telecom major its dues within four weeks would land Anil, who's chairman of the beleaguered RCom, in jail for three months.
The company headquarters, located along a busy highway in the premium commercial area of western Mumbai, is spread over 0.7 million square feet and accommodates more than 3,000 employees, a Reliance executive said. The property is under control of the flagship company of the group, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd.
Reliance Infrastructure, known as R-Infra, builds and runs bridges, roads, metro rail and power plants, and operates the company's fledgling defence business. It is one of the most indebted companies under the Reliance umbrella and has sold off assets in the past two years.
It currently has debts of Rs 15,000 crore ($2.17 billion) and Ambani said last month that he would sell off all its road assets as it seeks to become a debt-free company by next year.
Reliance Infrastructure reported heavy losses in its fourth quarter results. Its auditors raised red flags around the latest results and cast doubts over the manner in which the firm had accounted for several transactions.
Ambani's financials business, Reliance Capital Ltd also came under scrutiny when global audit firm PwC resigned citing irregularities in the books of accounts. The company rejected the auditor's report.
The company has appointed real estate consulting firm JLL as advisers for leasing out the its headquarters, the executive said.
JLL did not reply to an email seeking comment.
Extradition case: Vijay Mallya appears in UK high court, hearing underway
PNB fraud: Singapore HC orders freezing bank account of Nirav Modi's family
CBI launches special operation against banking frauds; searches underway
1 Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group to lease out company headquarters to cut debt
2 Extradition case: Vijay Mallya appears in UK high court, hearing underway
3 PNB fraud: Singapore HC orders freezing bank account of Nirav Modi's family
4 CBI launches special operation against banking frauds; searches underway
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