npr--2020-01-17--3 Alleged Members Of Hate Group 'The Base' Arrested In Georgia

3 Alleged Members Of Hate Group 'The Base ' Arrested In Georgia Police have arrested three men in northern Georgia who are suspected of belonging to a violent white supremacist group called The Base , saying that they were plotting to commit murder and that they belonged to a criminal street gang .
They 're the second trio of suspected Base members to be arrested this week ; the FBI announced Thursday that it arrested three other men in Maryland .
The Floyd County , Ga. , Police Department says Luke Austin Lane , 21 , Michael John Helterbrand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were `` allegedly involved in a white supremacist group with plans to overthrow the government '' and to kill a married couple whom they identified as having high-profile roles in the far-left group Antifa .
The FBI 's Atlanta office `` conducted the bulk of the preliminary investigation '' into the group , police say .
They add that while other arrests have been made across the U.S. , the Georgia case is important because a `` training camp and leadership was based at a home '' in the town of Silver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was founded in mid-2018 and `` seeks to accelerate the downfall of the United States ( US ) government , incite a race war , and establish a white ethno-state , '' according to an affidavit prepared by local law enforcement .
The FBI successfully placed an undercover federal agent within The Base 's membership in Georgia , police say .
The agent interviewed online with Lane last July to gain access to the members-only chat room , the affidavit states .
The next month , the agent was invited to meet with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure he was not carrying any recording devices and then asked him to follow them to a 105-acre lot owned by Lane and his father .
There , the agent was welcomed as a member .
The affidavit alleges that Lane gave him `` a black Balaklava hood and a Velcro Base logo patch to welcome [ him ] as a new member of The Base . ''
Lane and Kaderli allegedly then told the agent that the next day 's training would `` include 'retreating under fire ' drills and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The stated purpose of the drills was allegedly to prepare The Base 's members for the `` Boogaloo '' – a name its members use to refer to what they see as the inevitable `` collapse of the United States and subsequent race war . ''
Two months later , in October , the agent met with Lane , Kaderli and a person `` who crossed into the United States illegally , '' identified simply as `` TB Member '' in the document .
They spoke about their opposition to Antifa `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unspecified victim or victim , '' the affidavit reads .
`` Any engagement in anti-fascist activity will carry the death penalty , '' the TB member is quoted as saying .
The Georgia arrests were announced on the heels of those of three other alleged members of The Base in Maryland who had built an assault rifle and accumulated ammunition and who also allegedly discussed attending a pro-gun rally in Richmond , Va. , slated for Monday .
The Maryland trio includes Canadian national Patrik Jordan Mathews , who entered the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the undercover agent on Dec. 6 that he was crafting a plan to kill two local Antifa members .
During a planning meeting on Dec. 13 , Lane also said he wanted to kill the person identified as TB Member and another member based in Maryland because of concerns that they would connect Lane to the planned killings , if they were carried out .
Lane , Kaderli and the undercover agent drove on Dec. 14 to the intended victims ' property in Bartow Country , Ga. , in order to plan for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an elaborate plan to gain entry into the home and kill the couple .
Helterbrand was brought up to speed at a later meeting and said , `` This is what I 've been fantasizing about for about two years now , '' the document states .
The group 's plans were slowed because Helterbrand said he needed six weeks to recover from back surgery .
They agreed to carry out their plan in late February .
The affidavit ends with a description of another reconnaissance mission to the intended victims ' house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegedly organized into regional chapters , acting in a decentralized way so that those not involved in a particular criminal act could have plausible deniability .
Its members also actively agitate on social media networks .
For example , one post mentioned in the affidavit said , `` No need to wait until all conditions for revolution exist – guerrilla insurrection can create them .
Insurgency begins as a terrorist campaign . ''

3 Alleged Members Of Hate Group 'The Base' Arrested In Georgia, Another In Wisconsin
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
Police have arrested three men in northern Georgia who are suspected of belonging to a violent white supremacist group called The Base, saying that they were plotting to commit murder and that they belonged to a criminal street gang.
They're the second trio of suspected Base members to be arrested this week; the FBI announced Thursday that it arrested three other men in Maryland.
A fourth man, from Wisconsin, also accused of being a member of the group, was charged on Friday with conspiracy in connection with vandalism of a synagogue as part of a nationwide series of attacks on minority-owned properties.
The Floyd County, Ga., Police Department says Luke Austin Lane, 21, Michael John Helterbrand, 25, and Jacob Kaderli, 19, were "allegedly involved in a white supremacist group with plans to overthrow the government" and to kill a married couple whom they identified as having high-profile roles in the far-left group Antifa.
The FBI's Atlanta office "conducted the bulk of the preliminary investigation" into the group, police say. They add that while other arrests have been made across the U.S., the Georgia case is important because a "training camp and leadership was based at a home" in the town of Silver Creek in Floyd County.
The Base was founded in mid-2018 and "seeks to accelerate the downfall of the United States (US) government, incite a race war, and establish a white ethno-state," according to an affidavit prepared by local law enforcement.
The FBI successfully placed an undercover federal agent within The Base's membership in Georgia, and the agent also came to know Yousef Omar Barasneh of Oak Creek, Wis.
Barasneh apparently joined the group under the name Joseph or Josef, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. He is accused of painting swastikas and The Base's symbol at the Beth Israel Sinai Congregation in Racine, Wis.
The undercover agent interviewed online with Lane last July to gain access to the members-only chat room, the affidavit states. The next month, the agent was invited to meet with Lane and Kaderli. They searched him to make sure he was not carrying any recording devices and then asked him to follow them to a 105-acre lot owned by Lane and his father.
There, the agent was welcomed as a member. The affidavit alleges that Lane gave him "a black Balaklava hood and a Velcro Base logo patch to welcome [him] as a new member of The Base."
Lane and Kaderli allegedly then told the agent that the next day's training would "include 'retreating under fire' drills and moving-and-shooting drills," the affidavit states. The stated purpose of the drills was allegedly to prepare The Base's members for the "Boogaloo" – a name its members use to refer to what they see as the inevitable "collapse of the United States and subsequent race war."
Two months later, in October, the agent met with Lane, Kaderli and a person "who crossed into the United States illegally," identified simply as "TB Member" in the document. They spoke about their opposition to Antifa "and ultimately a veiled plan to murder an unspecified victim or victim," the affidavit reads.
"Any engagement in anti-fascist activity will carry the death penalty," the TB member is quoted as saying.
That same month, another member of The Base, Richard Tobin — who was at the time cooperating with the FBI, according to court filings — admitted that in September 2019, he directed individuals to attack and "tag the s***" out of synagogues. It was part of an event he called Operation Kristallnacht, named after the night in 1938 when Nazis in Germany ransacked Jewish homes, hospitals and schools.
Tobin told the FBI that Barasneh, who was only known as Joseph, "carried out the attack on the synagogue." He also confirmed to authorities that the 22-year-old has been member of The Base's Great Lakes cell since March 2019 and was vetted by the group's leader, an affidavit states.
Electronic devices confiscated by officials contained encrypted messages between "Joseph" and Tobin. In one, the documents say, "Joseph" sent a news article about the attack saying "something to the effect of 'here's what I did.' "
Another message from Joseph said: "Imagine if across the country on local news, everyone is reporting on new nazi presence. ... Our op will be a perfect [expletive] you to these [expletive] if we become terrorists."
The charging documents against Barasneh do not identify Tobin by name — he's called Co-conspirator 1 — but certain "details match those in the criminal complaint that was filed against him in November," The Associated Press reported.
According to the complaint filed in Wisconsin, the undercover agent also met "Joseph" in November 2019 when a group of about a dozen gathered in Silver Creek, Ga., for an in-person training. The meetup included "firearms training, grappling, medical training and a pagan 'blot' ritual where a goat was sacrificed," court documents say.
The Georgia arrests were announced on the heels of those of three other alleged members of The Base in Maryland who had built an assault rifle and accumulated ammunition and who also allegedly discussed attending a pro-gun rally in Richmond, Va., slated for Monday. The Maryland trio includes Canadian national Patrik Jordan Mathews, who entered the U.S. illegally last year.
Lane allegedly told the undercover agent on Dec. 6 that he was crafting a plan to kill two local Antifa members. During a planning meeting on Dec. 13, Lane also said he wanted to kill the person identified as TB Member and another member based in Maryland because of concerns that they would connect Lane to the planned killings, if they were carried out.
Lane, Kaderli and the undercover agent drove on Dec. 14 to the intended victims' property in Bartow County, Ga., in order to plan for the killings. Lane later laid out an elaborate plan to gain entry into the home and kill the couple. Helterbrand was brought up to speed at a later meeting and said, "This is what I've been fantasizing about for about two years now," the document states.
The group's plans were slowed because Helterbrand said he needed six weeks to recover from back surgery. They agreed to carry out their plan in late February. The affidavit ends with a description of another reconnaissance mission to the intended victims' house on Jan. 12.
The Base is allegedly organized into regional chapters, acting in a decentralized way so that those not involved in a particular criminal act could have plausible deniability.
Its members also actively agitate on social media networks. For example, one post mentioned in the affidavit said, "No need to wait until all conditions for revolution exist – guerrilla insurrection can create them. Insurgency begins as a terrorist campaign."


npr--2020-01-17--Supreme Court Takes Up Birth-Control Conscience Case

The U.S. Supreme Court says it will consider whether employers should be allowed to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage to their workers because of moral or religious objections .
At issue are Trump administration regulations allowing employers to claim such exemptions to the contraceptive insurance coverage mandate in the Affordable Care Act , which requires most employer-provided plans to include birth control coverage without a copay .
Churches and other religious organizations already can opt out of the requirement , but the Trump administration has sought to expand that exemption to include a wider array of businesses and organizations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration regulation and won a nationwide injunction temporarily blocking the rules .
Brigitte Amiri , an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union 's Reproductive Freedom Project , called the Trump administration rules `` an attempt to rob people of their contraception coverage . ''
The ACLU filed an amicus brief in the case opposing the Trump rule .
It 's not the first time the Supreme Court has considered the issue .
In 2014 , the court sided with the conservative Christian owners of the national craft chain Hobby Lobby in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious grounds .
Amiri said that this case goes further and that it 's hard to predict how many employees could be affected if the court sides with the administration .
`` What we 're talking about is very concrete and fundamental to people 's daily lives , '' Amiri said .
`` Nobody should be at risk of losing their contraceptive coverage because of where they work or where they go to school . ''
Kristen Waggoner , an attorney with the religious liberty group the Alliance Defending Freedom , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses and organizations that oppose providing contraception through their health plans .
`` They 're not interfering [ with employees ' choices ] , '' Waggoner said .
`` This is about whether a person can run their business in a way that 's consistent with their beliefs . ''
Waggoner 's group is representing the anti-abortion rights group the March for Life in a related case that is also working its way through the legal system .
`` It 's about the right of all religious organizations and people of faith , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at conception , not to believe that they believe is the taking of human life , '' Waggoner said .
In a statement , Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said , `` Two federal courts have blocked the Trump Administration 's rules because they would allow virtually any employer to deny women access to contraception for any reason—including the belief that women should not be in the workforce '' and expressed hope that the Supreme Court would ultimately strike down the rules .
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declined to @ @ @ @ @

Supreme Court Takes Up Birth-Control Conscience Case
Enlarge this image toggle caption J. Scott Applewhite/AP J. Scott Applewhite/AP
The U.S. Supreme Court says it will consider whether employers should be allowed to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage to their workers because of moral or religious objections.
At issue are Trump administration regulations allowing employers to claim such exemptions to the contraceptive insurance coverage mandate in the Affordable Care Act, which requires most employer-provided plans to include birth control coverage without a copay. Churches and other religious organizations already can opt out of the requirement, but the Trump administration has sought to expand that exemption to include a wider array of businesses and organizations.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey challenged the Trump administration regulation and won a nationwide injunction temporarily blocking the rules.
Brigitte Amiri, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's Reproductive Freedom Project, called the Trump administration rules "an attempt to rob people of their contraception coverage." The ACLU filed an amicus brief in the case opposing the Trump rule.
It's not the first time the Supreme Court has considered the issue. In 2014, the court sided with the conservative Christian owners of the national craft chain Hobby Lobby in a case challenging the contraceptive mandate on religious grounds.
Amiri said that this case goes further and that it's hard to predict how many employees could be affected if the court sides with the administration.
"What we're talking about is very concrete and fundamental to people's daily lives," Amiri said. "Nobody should be at risk of losing their contraceptive coverage because of where they work or where they go to school."
Kristen Waggoner, an attorney with the religious liberty group the Alliance Defending Freedom, said the case could have far-reaching implications for other businesses and organizations that oppose providing contraception through their health plans.
"They're not interfering [with employees' choices]," Waggoner said. "This is about whether a person can run their business in a way that's consistent with their beliefs."
Waggoner's group is representing the anti-abortion rights group the March for Life in a related case that is also working its way through the legal system.
"It's about the right of all religious organizations and people of faith, and those who believe that life begins at conception, not to believe that they believe is the taking of human life," Waggoner said.
In a statement, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said, "Two federal courts have blocked the Trump Administration's rules because they would allow virtually any employer to deny women access to contraception for any reason—including the belief that women should not be in the workforce" and expressed hope that the Supreme Court would ultimately strike down the rules.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on pending litigation.


npr--2020-01-17--Indiana's Oldest State Worker Is Retiring At 102: 'I've Been A Pretty Lucky Guy'

Indiana 's Oldest State Worker Is Retiring At 102 : ' I 've Been A Pretty Lucky Guy' It 's a fact of life — one that folks usually come to terms with in their mid- to late 60s .
Unless , of course , you 're running for president .
Or Clint Eastwood .
There 's one man , though , who makes a whippersnapper like Eastwood look like a novice : Bob Vollmer , who , at 102 years old , is only now considering putting his feet up after nearly six decades at Indiana 's Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of things planned , '' the centenarian land surveyor , the oldest state employee in Indiana 's history , tells NPR 's Weekend Edition .
`` I have some great-grandkids coming along .
Matter of fact , if I can live a little bit longer , I might be a great-great-grandfather . ''
He says that after his planned retirement next month , he 's got `` some projects '' he 's preparing to build for the little ones , which he wo n't reveal on national radio because `` they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' And maybe something for himself , too : `` Might build me a new swimming pool or something like that . ''
To talk with Vollmer is to come away surprised — not that he has managed to work as long as he has , but that he has decided to retire at all .
He has spent his life on his feet , first serving in the Navy during World War II , then studying engineering .
By the time he took up surveying for Indiana in the early 1960s — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Conservation — he had already reached the tender age of 45 .
Since then , he 's largely dispensed with desks , instead spending much of his time braving the mosquitoes to check on department properties in dozens of Indiana counties .
`` He never wants to be idle , '' Vollmer 's boss , the department 's director of engineering , Dale Gick , told Outdoor Indiana magazine three years ago , when Vollmer was still months away from reaching the century mark .
`` He 's always on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works all the time , nights and week . ''
Plus , decent genes never hurt .
Vollmer 's mother lived to the age of 108 , and he says she was n't the only person to make it past 100 on that side of his family .
But no matter how far you 're moving , no matter how long the branches of your family tree , time always tends to catch up — time , and the toll it takes on the body .
He has seen that in the friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've been a pretty lucky guy , '' he says .
`` I 've had people that 's done a lot of big favors for me all my life .
Some people , I do n't have no idea who they were , but I do feel like I owe all these people .
I would n't know how I 'd repay them , but I think about them .
I think about them an awful lot . ''
As for his own decision to retire , he says it 's become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you what you can do and what you ca n't do , '' Vollmer tells NPR , noting a nagging service injury and weakening legs .
`` I do n't think I can justify what I used to do — I mean , climb the hills , fight the elements in the woods .
It 's pretty rough , being tangled in vines , poison ivy , all kinds of things that you really have to be careful with , you know .
I 've worn my legs out . ''
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will do so with honors .
In 2016 , Vollmer won the Sagamore of the Wabash , Indiana 's highest civilian honor , selected by the governor and awarded to recipients — such as President Harry Truman and David Letterman — who have `` distinguished by his ( her ) humanity in living , his loyalty in friendship , his wisdom in council , and his inspiration in leadership . ''
`` I try to be right with people , '' Vollmer explains , saying he has always kept a lesson he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anybody does anything for you , helps you in any way , be sure and say thank you . ''
`` And I remembered that when I grew up , '' he adds .
`` Maybe I might go overboard sometime in saying thank you , but I assure you , that 's very important .
And my dad 's the one that put me straight on that . ''

Indiana's Oldest State Worker Is Retiring At 102: 'I've Been A Pretty Lucky Guy'
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Maxwell/Indiana Department of Natural Resources via AP John Maxwell/Indiana Department of Natural Resources via AP
Everyone retires someday.
It's a fact of life — one that folks usually come to terms with in their mid- to late 60s. Unless, of course, you're running for president. Or Clint Eastwood.
There's one man, though, who makes a whippersnapper like Eastwood look like a novice: Bob Vollmer, who, at 102 years old, is only now considering putting his feet up after nearly six decades at Indiana's Department of Natural Resources.
"I've got a lot of things planned," the centenarian land surveyor, the oldest state employee in Indiana's history, tells NPR's Weekend Edition. "I have some great-grandkids coming along. Matter of fact, if I can live a little bit longer, I might be a great-great-grandfather."
He says that after his planned retirement next month, he's got "some projects" he's preparing to build for the little ones, which he won't reveal on national radio because "they're going to be a surprise." And maybe something for himself, too: "Might build me a new swimming pool or something like that."
To talk with Vollmer is to come away surprised — not that he has managed to work as long as he has, but that he has decided to retire at all.
He has spent his life on his feet, first serving in the Navy during World War II, then studying engineering. By the time he took up surveying for Indiana in the early 1960s — back when it was still known as the Department of Conservation — he had already reached the tender age of 45.
Since then, he's largely dispensed with desks, instead spending much of his time braving the mosquitoes to check on department properties in dozens of Indiana counties.
"He never wants to be idle," Vollmer's boss, the department's director of engineering, Dale Gick, told Outdoor Indiana magazine three years ago, when Vollmer was still months away from reaching the century mark. "He's always on the go, always moving. He works all the time, nights and week."
Plus, decent genes never hurt. Vollmer's mother lived to the age of 108, and he says she wasn't the only person to make it past 100 on that side of his family.
But no matter how far you're moving, no matter how long the branches of your family tree, time always tends to catch up — time, and the toll it takes on the body. He has seen that in the friends and colleagues he has lost.
"I've been a pretty lucky guy," he says. "I've had people that's done a lot of big favors for me all my life. Some people, I don't have no idea who they were, but I do feel like I owe all these people. I wouldn't know how I'd repay them, but I think about them. I think about them an awful lot."
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Maxwell/AP John Maxwell/AP
As for his own decision to retire, he says it's become pretty clear.
"Your body tells you what you can do and what you can't do," Vollmer tells NPR, noting a nagging service injury and weakening legs. "I don't think I can justify what I used to do — I mean, climb the hills, fight the elements in the woods. It's pretty rough, being tangled in vines, poison ivy, all kinds of things that you really have to be careful with, you know. I've worn my legs out."
Still, when he hangs it all up, he will do so with honors. In 2016, Vollmer won the Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana's highest civilian honor, selected by the governor and awarded to recipients — such as President Harry Truman and David Letterman — who have "distinguished by his (her) humanity in living, his loyalty in friendship, his wisdom in council, and his inspiration in leadership."
"I try to be right with people," Vollmer explains, saying he has always kept a lesson he received from his father: "If anybody does anything for you, helps you in any way, be sure and say thank you."
"And I remembered that when I grew up," he adds. "Maybe I might go overboard sometime in saying thank you, but I assure you, that's very important. And my dad's the one that put me straight on that."


npr--2020-01-17--U.S. Says 11 Service Members Were Injured When Iran Attacked Iraqi Base

U.S. Says 11 Service Members Were Injured When Iran Attacked Iraqi Base The Pentagon says 11 U.S. service members were injured in Iran 's ballistic missile attack on U.S. assets in Iraq last week .
The Americans are being treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are expected to return to duty after a health screening , a Defense Department spokesperson says .
No one died in the Jan. 8 strike on the large Ain al-Assad base , northwest of Baghdad , and the U.S. initially said no Americans were injured .
The new report expands on comments by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week that `` several '' people were being treated for concussions .
`` In the days following the attack , out of an abundance of caution , some service members were transported from Al Asad Air Base , Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany , others were sent to Camp Arifjan , Kuwait , for follow-on screening , '' said Capt .
Bill Urban , communications director for U.S. Central Command .
He added that eight people were sent to the facility in Germany and three to Kuwait .
Urban said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was near a blast to be screened for traumatic brain injury .
He did not provide details about what symptoms the U.S. personnel showed .
The Iranian strike hit the Al-Assad base in Anbar Province and an Iraqi base in Irbil .
It followed a U.S. drone attack in Baghdad that killed Iranian military commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani .
Iran 's supreme leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , called the retaliatory action a `` slap in the face '' to the U.S .
The morning after the missile strike , President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in last night 's attack by the Iranian regime . ''
In that speech at the White House , Trump added , `` We suffered no casualties .
All of our soldiers are safe , and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases . ''
U.S. personnel at the Ain al-Assad base were placed under a lockdown some two hours before the Iranian strike , with Lt. Col. Antoinette Chase ordering troops to take shelter in bunkers .
The base has about 1,500 personnel , including some 300 Americans .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was it 's probably going to be a missile attack , '' Chase said earlier this week , according to The Associated Press .
`` So we were informed of that . ''
As seen in satellite imagery and other photographs , the Iranian missile barrage destroyed several buildings on the base , leaving behind charred debris , rubble and deep craters .

U.S. Says 11 Service Members Were Injured When Iran Attacked Iraqi Base
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ali Abdul Hassan/AP Ali Abdul Hassan/AP
The Pentagon says 11 U.S. service members were injured in Iran's ballistic missile attack on U.S. assets in Iraq last week. The Americans are being treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are expected to return to duty after a health screening, a Defense Department spokesperson says.
No one died in the Jan. 8 strike on the large Ain al-Assad base, northwest of Baghdad, and the U.S. initially said no Americans were injured. The new report expands on comments by a military spokesman who said earlier this week that "several" people were being treated for concussions.
"In the days following the attack, out of an abundance of caution, some service members were transported from Al Asad Air Base, Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, others were sent to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, for follow-on screening," said Capt. Bill Urban, communications director for U.S. Central Command. He added that eight people were sent to the facility in Germany and three to Kuwait.
Urban said it is standard procedure for anyone who was near a blast to be screened for traumatic brain injury. He did not provide details about what symptoms the U.S. personnel showed.
The Iranian strike hit the Al-Assad base in Anbar Province and an Iraqi base in Irbil. It followed a U.S. drone attack in Baghdad that killed Iranian military commander Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called the retaliatory action a "slap in the face" to the U.S.
The morning after the missile strike, President Trump said, "No Americans were harmed in last night's attack by the Iranian regime."
In that speech at the White House, Trump added, "We suffered no casualties. All of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases."
U.S. personnel at the Ain al-Assad base were placed under a lockdown some two hours before the Iranian strike, with Lt. Col. Antoinette Chase ordering troops to take shelter in bunkers. The base has about 1,500 personnel, including some 300 Americans.
"Worst case scenario — we were told was it's probably going to be a missile attack," Chase said earlier this week, according to The Associated Press. "So we were informed of that."
As seen in satellite imagery and other photographs, the Iranian missile barrage destroyed several buildings on the base, leaving behind charred debris, rubble and deep craters.


npr--2020-01-17--FBI Seizes Website Suspected Of Selling Access To Billions Of Pieces Of Stolen Data

FBI Seizes Website Suspected Of Selling Access To Billions Of Pieces Of Stolen Data U.S. authorities have seized the domain name of a website that allegedly sold access to billions of usernames , email addresses , passwords and other sensitive information stolen in data breaches .
Now , visitors to the not-so-subtle website – weleakinfo.com — are greeted with a homepage that reads , `` This Domain Has Been Seized . ''
The Justice Department and the FBI took control of the site as part of a `` comprehensive law enforcement action '' involving authorities in Germany , Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Two men in Europe have been arrested so far in connection with the site .
WeLeakInfo billed itself as a `` search engine '' that subscribers could use to pore over data illegally obtained from more than 10,000 data breaches , U.S. authorities said in a statement .
In all , the Justice Department said the site was offering access to more than 12 billion indexed records .
`` The website sold subscriptions so that any user could access the results of these data breaches , with subscriptions providing unlimited searches and access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one week , one month , or three months ) , '' the statement read .
Authorities also issued a public appeal for help , asking people to contact the FBI 's Internet Crime Complaint Center if they have any information about the owners or operators of the website .
The two suspects , both 22 , were arrested Wednesday in Northern Ireland and The Netherlands , according to U.K. 's National Crime Agency .
It says British authorities have been investigating weleakinfo.com since August and that users with malicious intent could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day for access to data from breaches in the U.S. , Germany and the U.K. '' Two individuals were identified during the course of the operation who officers believe have made total profits in excess of £200,000 from the site , '' it said in a statement .
The U.K. law enforcement agency also says it discovered online payments linked to an IP address thought to have been used by the suspects , suggesting they were `` heavily involved in the running of the site . ''
Andrew Shorrock , a NCA Senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` an extremely valuable '' apparatus for online criminals .
`` We know that weleakinfo.com formed an extremely valuable part of a cyber criminals toolkit , '' Shorrock said .
`` This significant criminal website has now been shut down as a result of an international investigation involving law enforcement agencies from five countries . ''

FBI Seizes Website Suspected Of Selling Access To Billions Of Pieces Of Stolen Data
Enlarge this image toggle caption U.S. Department of Justice U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. authorities have seized the domain name of a website that allegedly sold access to billions of usernames, email addresses, passwords and other sensitive information stolen in data breaches.
Now, visitors to the not-so-subtle website – weleakinfo.com — are greeted with a homepage that reads, "This Domain Has Been Seized."
The Justice Department and the FBI took control of the site as part of a "comprehensive law enforcement action" involving authorities in Germany, Northern Ireland, the U.K. and the Netherlands. Two men in Europe have been arrested so far in connection with the site.
WeLeakInfo billed itself as a "search engine" that subscribers could use to pore over data illegally obtained from more than 10,000 data breaches, U.S. authorities said in a statement.
In all, the Justice Department said the site was offering access to more than 12 billion indexed records.
"The website sold subscriptions so that any user could access the results of these data breaches, with subscriptions providing unlimited searches and access during the subscription period (one day, one week, one month, or three months)," the statement read.
Authorities also issued a public appeal for help, asking people to contact the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center if they have any information about the owners or operators of the website.
The two suspects, both 22, were arrested Wednesday in Northern Ireland and The Netherlands, according to U.K.'s National Crime Agency. It says British authorities have been investigating weleakinfo.com since August and that users with malicious intent could pay as little as $2 per day for access to data from breaches in the U.S., Germany and the U.K.
"Two individuals were identified during the course of the operation who officers believe have made total profits in excess of £200,000 from the site," it said in a statement.
The U.K. law enforcement agency also says it discovered online payments linked to an IP address thought to have been used by the suspects, suggesting they were "heavily involved in the running of the site."
Andrew Shorrock, a NCA Senior Investigating Officer, says the website was "an extremely valuable" apparatus for online criminals.
"We know that weleakinfo.com formed an extremely valuable part of a cyber criminals toolkit," Shorrock said. "This significant criminal website has now been shut down as a result of an international investigation involving law enforcement agencies from five countries."


npr--2020-01-17--'Freed From The Secret': Rep. Ayanna Pressley Opens Up About Living With Alopecia

'Freed From The Secret ' : Rep. Ayanna Pressley Opens Up About Living With Alopecia '' I 've only been bald in the privacy of my home and in the company of close friends , '' Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts says at the beginning of an emotional video in which she revealed she is living with alopecia .
`` I do believe going public will help , '' she says in the video published by The Root .
`` I 'm ready now , because I want to be freed from the secret and the shame that secret carries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here just to occupy space — I 'm here to create it . ''
Pressley starts the video wearing a wig and later appears squarely addressing the camera with her bald head revealed .
Alopecia is a disease that causes hair loss when the body attacks its own hair follicles , according to the American Academy of Dermatology .
It happens to otherwise healthy people and tends to be `` unpredictable , '' the AAD says .
It can manifest as bald patches or people can lose all the hair on their scalp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Hopkins Medicine notes , black women are particularly susceptible to a condition known traction alopecia , which is caused by certain kind of hairstyles that involve pulling the hair tightly at the root .
Pressley says she felt that it was particularly important for her to speak out about her condition because her hairstyle , Senegalese twists , had become a part of her political brand .
When she first got the twists , Pressley recalls feeling `` like I met myself fully for the first time . ''
The Democratic lawmaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be seen as a `` political statement that was militant . ''
But she was deeply moved by the positive reception it garnered .
`` Now , I walk into rooms and little girls are wearing T-shirts that say 'My Congresswoman Wears Braids , ' `` Pressley says , adding that she has gotten letters from women who `` talk about their own emancipation , that they feel that they feel like I 've given them permission . ''
She describes her feelings of fear and dread as her condition rapidly progressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was getting my hair re-twisted is the first time I was aware that I had some patches . ''
Pressley says she remembers `` waking up every morning to sinkfulls of hair , '' despite doing everything she could to stop it the condition from worsening .
`` I did not want to go to sleep because I did not want the morning to come , '' she says , recalling how she would look in the mirror and see `` a person who increasingly looked like a stranger to me .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on articles of impeachment against President Trump , Pressley says the last bit of her hair fell out .
`` I did n't have the luxury of mourning what felt like the loss of a limb , '' she says .
`` It was a moment of transformation — not of my choosing . ''
She donned a wig and says she hid in a bathroom stall after the vote on Dec. 18 , feeling exposed and vulnerable .
She says she worried about the little girls inspired by her twists , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her story .
`` I am making peace with having alopecia , '' Pressley says .
`` I am very early in my alopecia journey .
But I 'm making progress every day .
...
It 's about self-agency , it 's about power , it 's about acceptance . ''
Fellow freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York — and many others — are applauding Pressley 's video .
`` Could you imagine losing all your hair on the eve of an enormously public day ?
And then turning that intensely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted .
`` Ayanna , you are a living blessing . ''
Pressley 's twists sent a strong message to the black community , Debra Hare-Bey , a master braider and cosmetologist in Brooklyn , told The Associated Press .
`` We 've been discriminated against on the basis of our hair .
It 's a very prideful thing to be able to wear your hair in its natural state and not have someone discriminate against you , '' she says , adding that alopecia is a major problem in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NPR member station WGBH , Pressley says she hopes her video will inspire others to share their stories .
`` I hope this starts a conversation about the personal struggles we navigate and I hope that it creates awareness about how many people are impacted by Alopecia , '' she says .
`` To all those sharing their personal stories in response , I see you . ''

'Freed From The Secret': Rep. Ayanna Pressley Opens Up About Living With Alopecia
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of The Root and G/O Media via AP Courtesy of The Root and G/O Media via AP
"I've only been bald in the privacy of my home and in the company of close friends," Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts says at the beginning of an emotional video in which she revealed she is living with alopecia.
"I do believe going public will help," she says in the video published by The Root. "I'm ready now, because I want to be freed from the secret and the shame that secret carries with it. Because I'm not here just to occupy space — I'm here to create it."
Pressley starts the video wearing a wig and later appears squarely addressing the camera with her bald head revealed.
Alopecia is a disease that causes hair loss when the body attacks its own hair follicles, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. It happens to otherwise healthy people and tends to be "unpredictable," the AAD says. It can manifest as bald patches or people can lose all the hair on their scalp or on their entire body.
As Johns Hopkins Medicine notes, black women are particularly susceptible to a condition known traction alopecia, which is caused by certain kind of hairstyles that involve pulling the hair tightly at the root.
Pressley says she felt that it was particularly important for her to speak out about her condition because her hairstyle, Senegalese twists, had become a part of her political brand.
When she first got the twists, Pressley recalls feeling "like I met myself fully for the first time." The Democratic lawmaker says she was aware that her hairstyle might be seen as a "political statement that was militant." But she was deeply moved by the positive reception it garnered.
"Now, I walk into rooms and little girls are wearing T-shirts that say 'My Congresswoman Wears Braids,' " Pressley says, adding that she has gotten letters from women who "talk about their own emancipation, that they feel that they feel like I've given them permission."
toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP
She describes her feelings of fear and dread as her condition rapidly progressed. "In the fall, when I was getting my hair re-twisted is the first time I was aware that I had some patches." Pressley says she remembers "waking up every morning to sinkfulls of hair," despite doing everything she could to stop it the condition from worsening.
"I did not want to go to sleep because I did not want the morning to come," she says, recalling how she would look in the mirror and see "a person who increasingly looked like a stranger to me."
The night before the House voted on articles of impeachment against President Trump, Pressley says the last bit of her hair fell out.
"I didn't have the luxury of mourning what felt like the loss of a limb," she says. "It was a moment of transformation — not of my choosing."
She donned a wig and says she hid in a bathroom stall after the vote on Dec. 18, feeling exposed and vulnerable. She says she worried about the little girls inspired by her twists, and felt a strong need to go public with her story.
"I am making peace with having alopecia," Pressley says. "I am very early in my alopecia journey. But I'm making progress every day. ... It's about self-agency, it's about power, it's about acceptance."
Fellow freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York — and many others — are applauding Pressley's video.
"Could you imagine losing all your hair on the eve of an enormously public day? And then turning that intensely intimate ordeal to make space for others?" Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. "Ayanna, you are a living blessing."
Pressley's twists sent a strong message to the black community, Debra Hare-Bey, a master braider and cosmetologist in Brooklyn, told The Associated Press. "We've been discriminated against on the basis of our hair. It's a very prideful thing to be able to wear your hair in its natural state and not have someone discriminate against you," she says, adding that alopecia is a major problem in the community.
In a statement to NPR member station WGBH, Pressley says she hopes her video will inspire others to share their stories.
"I hope this starts a conversation about the personal struggles we navigate and I hope that it creates awareness about how many people are impacted by Alopecia," she says.
"To all those sharing their personal stories in response, I see you."


npr--2020-01-17--The Cost Of Free: Casper Pays A Price For Generous Mattress Returns

The Cost Of Free : Casper Pays A Price For Generous Mattress Returns There 's no free lunch , economists will say .
So when a company says , sleep on a mattress for a few months and return it for free — that actually costs money .
Just how much ?
That question is now in the spotlight as online mattress seller Casper plans to go public .
The decision forced Casper to disclose eye-popping losses : more than $ 92 million in 2018 .
This has become a familiar story of a startup .
Casper is a dominant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its peers , according to Rakuten Intelligence .
And it 's investing heavily in marketing and opening physical stores .
But another big cost at Casper is `` refunds , returns and discounts , '' worth almost $ 81 million in 2018 .
`` This was long suspected that Casper is losing money , '' said David Perry , executive editor and mattress writer at Furniture Today .
`` The number I really would like to see is what is the return percentage [ of Casper 's mattresses ] .
Spoiler alert : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company did not disclose how many of its mattresses get returned .
It also did not respond to NPR 's inquiry .
`` My educated guess is that Casper 's return rate would put it somewhere in the 12 % to 14 % rate , '' said Michael Magnuson of GoodBed.com , who 's done detailed analysis of industry costs .
That would mean roughly 1 out of 8 Casper mattresses might be sent back .
That 's pretty average for an online purchase — with one major difference .
`` Unlike those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Magnuson said , `` this mattress that you 're not going to keep — will never be resold . ''
Casper was n't the first company to sell mattresses on the Internet .
And it was n't the first to squish giant bedding into a box for cheaper shipping .
Casper 's success story was about changing how people think about shopping for a mattress , persuading them to buy an item they 'd sleep on for years sight unseen .
The free trial of `` 100 nights risk-free '' and a generous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most revolutionary moves .
`` Essentially , mattresses are layers of foam , or they 're layers of foam and springs .
And they 're a blind purchase ; you ca n't look inside the mattress , '' Perry said .
`` One of the key differentiators in the online space is the marketing . ''
And Casper founders spent hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing — all with their stated goal of becoming `` the Nike of sleep . ''
They drew in celebrity investors like rapper Nas and actor Leonardo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the New York subway with quirky , punny ads .
They launched mediation audio streaming , `` nap mobiles '' and $ 25 45-minute naps at `` The Dreamery '' in New York , a magnet for YouTubers and Instagrammers — whose posts create free social promotion .
Before Casper , few mattress companies did free returns .
`` They came up with the innovation that said we 're going to donate it — we 're going to eat the costs entirely , '' Magnuson said .
Casper co-founder Neil Parikh told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company tries to donate returned mattresses to local charities , `` which is more cost-effective than taking them back halfway across the country to refurbish and resell . ''
In its filing to go public , Casper addressed the issue of returns , saying : Companies are n't allowed to sell used mattresses as new .
And , of course , donations offer a bit of a tax write-off .
But these days , there are 175 online mattress brands in Casper 's wake , according to Perry .
Many have replicated Casper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the mattresses that are being sold online , the donation ecosystem is feeling pretty full , I think , at the moment , '' Magnuson said .
He says he has been concerned lately as more and more people write to him , for example : `` I 've tried these three mattresses , and none of them have worked . ''
`` That could literally mean , '' Magnuson says , `` that essentially four mattresses got made — three of which theoretically could have ended up in a landfill — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mattress that they want . ''
As Casper prepares its initial public stock offering , it 's likely to continue facing the question of whether this problem keeps its executives up at night .
Editor 's note : Casper is one of NPR 's financial supporters .

The Cost Of Free: Casper Pays A Price For Generous Mattress Returns
Enlarge this image toggle caption Yana Paskova/The Washington Post via Getty Images Yana Paskova/The Washington Post via Getty Images
There's no free lunch, economists will say. So when a company says, sleep on a mattress for a few months and return it for free — that actually costs money.
Just how much?
That question is now in the spotlight as online mattress seller Casper plans to go public. The decision forced Casper to disclose eye-popping losses: more than $92 million in 2018.
This has become a familiar story of a startup. Casper is a dominant online brand that's growing faster than its peers, according to Rakuten Intelligence. And it's investing heavily in marketing and opening physical stores.
But another big cost at Casper is "refunds, returns and discounts," worth almost $81 million in 2018.
"This was long suspected that Casper is losing money," said David Perry, executive editor and mattress writer at Furniture Today. "The number I really would like to see is what is the return percentage [of Casper's mattresses]. Spoiler alert: I'm still looking."
The company did not disclose how many of its mattresses get returned. It also did not respond to NPR's inquiry.
"My educated guess is that Casper's return rate would put it somewhere in the 12% to 14% rate," said Michael Magnuson of GoodBed.com, who's done detailed analysis of industry costs.
That would mean roughly 1 out of 8 Casper mattresses might be sent back. That's pretty average for an online purchase — with one major difference.
"Unlike those shoes that you send back," Magnuson said, "this mattress that you're not going to keep — will never be resold."
Casper wasn't the first company to sell mattresses on the Internet. And it wasn't the first to squish giant bedding into a box for cheaper shipping. Casper's success story was about changing how people think about shopping for a mattress, persuading them to buy an item they'd sleep on for years sight unseen.
The free trial of "100 nights risk-free" and a generous returns policy were two of Casper's most revolutionary moves.
"Essentially, mattresses are layers of foam, or they're layers of foam and springs. And they're a blind purchase; you can't look inside the mattress," Perry said. "One of the key differentiators in the online space is the marketing."
And Casper founders spent hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing — all with their stated goal of becoming "the Nike of sleep."
They drew in celebrity investors like rapper Nas and actor Leonardo DiCaprio. They flooded podcasts, websites and the New York subway with quirky, punny ads. They launched mediation audio streaming, "nap mobiles" and $25 45-minute naps at "The Dreamery" in New York, a magnet for YouTubers and Instagrammers — whose posts create free social promotion.
Before Casper, few mattress companies did free returns. "They came up with the innovation that said we're going to donate it — we're going to eat the costs entirely," Magnuson said.
Casper co-founder Neil Parikh told Inc. in a 2016 interview that the company tries to donate returned mattresses to local charities, "which is more cost-effective than taking them back halfway across the country to refurbish and resell."
In its filing to go public, Casper addressed the issue of returns, saying:
"As a young company, we are still learning about the factors affecting customer returns and believe we have the opportunity to reduce customer return rates. We have identified several opportunities that span policy change, process improvement and consumer education to reduce return rates and increase overall customer satisfaction."
Companies aren't allowed to sell used mattresses as new. And, of course, donations offer a bit of a tax write-off. But these days, there are 175 online mattress brands in Casper's wake, according to Perry. Many have replicated Casper's generous returns policy.
"Given all the mattresses that are being sold online, the donation ecosystem is feeling pretty full, I think, at the moment," Magnuson said.
He says he has been concerned lately as more and more people write to him, for example: "I've tried these three mattresses, and none of them have worked."
"That could literally mean," Magnuson says, "that essentially four mattresses got made — three of which theoretically could have ended up in a landfill — just to get that one household the mattress that they want."
As Casper prepares its initial public stock offering, it's likely to continue facing the question of whether this problem keeps its executives up at night.
Editor's note: Casper is one of NPR's financial supporters.


npr--2020-01-17--Remembering Spiritual Leader Ram Dass

Remembering Spiritual Leader Ram Dass

Dass , who died Dec. 22 , was a practitioner of Eastern-inspired philosophy who became interested in the religious potential of LSD in the '60s and '70s .
Originally broadcast in 1990 .
This is FRESH AIR .
In the early 1960s , Richard Alpert was a Harvard professor of psychology conducting clinical research into the use of psychedelics .
But then he and his colleague Timothy Leary were fired from Harvard in 1963 .
After continuing his experiments off campus , Albert went to India in 1967 , where he met his guru and studied yoga and meditation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ name , Ram Dass .
And when Ram Dass returned to the States , he was perceived as something of a guru himself .
His 1971 book of advice , `` Be Here Now , '' became a bestseller .
When Richard Alpert became Ram Dass , his father mocked the change .
And there was an enormous rift between the hippie hero son and the father who had served as president of the New York , New Haven Railroad .
But in the last years of his father 's life , Ram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for him .
Ram Dass died last month at age 88 .
Here 's an excerpt of his interview with Terry from 1990 .
Can we go back a few - a bunch of years ?
( Laughter ) Let 's go back to the early '60s , when you were Richard Alpert .
And you were a professor of psychology at Harvard University and were one of the first people - one of the very first East Coast people to start experimenting with LSD .
What use were you putting it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
RAM DASS : Well , is - I 'm a research psychologist .
And that 's a study of the mind , psyche logos .
And these chemicals are incredible in overriding habitual ways of seeing the universe and allowing a fresh way of perceiving .
And they connected me to levels of my awareness that my Western psychological framework did n't cover .
And so , just as a student of the mind , I started out with that exploration .
In the process of my early experience , I had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which for a Western social scientist , spiritual stuff was seen as like an anthropologist would see it or a Freudian would see it as sublimated something or other or , you know , the creation of the human mind .
But I really tuned in to a larger context in which I exist other than my material sensual thinking context .
GROSS : So you started using LSD as part of your academic research .
But once you started actually taking LSD yourself , that academic research no longer seemed relevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell you , it was because we did studies to show - and I think that it 's - painful to me that in our zeal to say no to drugs , we have not differentiated between the tryptamines , for example , the psychedelics , which have potential for social change , for use .
Like , we worked with prisoners in prisons , where the recidivism rate is so bad .
We - working in marriages , working with dying people to help them extricate themselves from identification with being that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uses , all of which have been - the research has been wiped out by the society 's fear of drugs other than for liquor and , you know , things like that .
But - so our research continued to - we started in a naturalistic way because those kind of chemicals were seen in our society as psychotomimetics .
That is , they were used by psychiatrists to parallel schizophrenia .
And while in other cultures they were used for religious and oracular processes , and we said instead of laying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just give them to people and get reports back .
And let 's see how they use them , and build a new kind of context for them .
And then we began to see how set and setting were so important , that a person could have them and have a religious experience .
They could use them to escape .
They could use them for creative work .
They could use them for therapeutic change .
GROSS : You and Timothy Leary at Harvard started using LSD .
And then Ken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , I think in very different ways and a different setting .
Did you have any conflicts with Kesey about what LSD should mean in the society , how it should be used , who should be taking it ?
DASS : Well , we were somewhere in the middle because there were - I mean , we had Aldous Huxley and Alan Watts and all these people .
There was a community of us that were researching .
And in a way , we were saying , let 's keep it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it 's very controversial , and it 's going to upset the culture , at the same moment , we were opening the door at Harvard with students and so on .
So we were partly responsible .
Ken blew it apart in a way with the acid tests because he made it a street scene .
And that frightened the society so much .
It forced the laws .
It forced legislation probably a couple of years before it would have happened .
And maybe the research could have gotten more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space .
GROSS : Well , eventually you went to India , studied with a teacher who became your spiritual teacher .
Can you tell us something about him and about the kind of spiritual path you took with him ?
DASS : Well , meeting him was - the power of that initially was that everything that I took LSD to touch in my being , I realized he was .
In fact , he actually took 900 micrograms of LSD , and nothing happened to him because - it 's like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you do n't have to take a bus to Detroit .
I mean , he was that quality .
He had integrated it .
So it showed me the potential that a human being - he showed me what a human being could be in terms of freedom from a fixed model of himself and a quality of love that was - I experienced as unconditional because he was resting in a place in himself where he did n't want anything from me .
He did n't want my money .
He did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want my love .
He did n't want anything from me .
He did n't even want me to change .
He did n't want anything .
And I 'd never been in the presence of somebody who did n't want something from me .
I mean , that was a big thing for me .
That opened my heart a great deal .
And he died in 1973 , and I would say he is the most real - I do n't know how to say it - entity in my consciousness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a friend like that who has that quality of compassion and has that quality of emptiness and that quality of the giggle , the cosmic giggle , you just carry that with you , and that 's the way in which he continues to influence my life .
GROSS : I want to ask you a question about your father who we were talking about earlier .
He died in the past year .
You had been living with him when you were n't on the road and helping to take care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't know how he was when he died , but at one point in his life , he was a wealthy man .
Was there an inheritance , and how did you decide to use it ?
DASS : My guru said to me - early on , he said , your father has money ?
I said , yes .
He said , he going to leave it to you ?
I said , well , he 's going to leave me a portion of it .
He said , you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , boy , that 's interesting .
I mean , to tell that to a Jewish boy is something , you know ?
I could n't tell my father because he had raised it - you know , earned it for his kids .
But - and he trusted me so much .
He made me the executor and all of that .
But what I 've done is I divided what went to my brothers and my nieces and nephews , and then the rest of it , I 've given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told him that you were n't going to personally ... DASS : No .
I felt that that would be hurting him .
GROSS : So you thought it was OK to not tell him the complete truth about this .
There 's times that ... DASS : He never asked me .
DASS : ( Laughter ) He just assumed .
But there was some subtle thing that happened between us because the minute my guru said that , that money no longer was mine .
And in some deep psychological way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father .
After that , I wanted him to spend his money .
I wanted him to - you know , there was no longer my money that he was using .
And I helped him get married .
I gave away the bride in his second marriage .
I was close friends with them .
I helped them enjoy themselves as much as I could , and he sensed that .
He sensed that I did n't want something from him .
And I think that 's why he trusted me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make me executor , you know , as I 'm not a lawyer .
And so ...
GROSS : Not wanting something from you - that 's what you said you felt ...
GROSS : ...
Towards your teacher - that he did n't want anything from you .
GROSS : That 's very important to you .
DASS : It 's quite an art , is n't it ?
Yeah , it 's quite an art .
GROSS : Thank you very much for talking with us .
BIANCULLI : Ram Dass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The spiritual teacher died last month at age 88 .
Coming up , critic-at-large John Powers reflects on Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini as we approach the hundredth anniversary of his birth .
This is FRESH AIR .

Remembering Spiritual Leader Ram Dass
Dass, who died Dec. 22, was a practitioner of Eastern-inspired philosophy who became interested in the religious potential of LSD in the '60s and '70s. Originally broadcast in 1990.
DAVID BIANCULLI, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. In the early 1960s, Richard Alpert was a Harvard professor of psychology conducting clinical research into the use of psychedelics. But then he and his colleague Timothy Leary were fired from Harvard in 1963. After continuing his experiments off campus, Albert went to India in 1967, where he met his guru and studied yoga and meditation. His spiritual teacher gave him a new name, Ram Dass. And when Ram Dass returned to the States, he was perceived as something of a guru himself. His 1971 book of advice, "Be Here Now," became a bestseller.
When Richard Alpert became Ram Dass, his father mocked the change. And there was an enormous rift between the hippie hero son and the father who had served as president of the New York, New Haven Railroad. But in the last years of his father's life, Ram Dass lived with his father and cared for him. Ram Dass died last month at age 88. Here's an excerpt of his interview with Terry from 1990.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
TERRY GROSS, HOST:
Can we go back a few - a bunch of years? (Laughter) Let's go back to the early '60s, when you were Richard Alpert. And you were a professor of psychology at Harvard University and were one of the first people - one of the very first East Coast people to start experimenting with LSD. What use were you putting it to in your official capacity in the university?
RAM DASS: Well, is - I'm a research psychologist. And that's a study of the mind, psyche logos. And these chemicals are incredible in overriding habitual ways of seeing the universe and allowing a fresh way of perceiving. And they connected me to levels of my awareness that my Western psychological framework didn't cover. And so, just as a student of the mind, I started out with that exploration.
In the process of my early experience, I had what later I could acknowledges spiritual experiences, which for a Western social scientist, spiritual stuff was seen as like an anthropologist would see it or a Freudian would see it as sublimated something or other or, you know, the creation of the human mind. But I really tuned in to a larger context in which I exist other than my material sensual thinking context.
GROSS: So you started using LSD as part of your academic research. But once you started actually taking LSD yourself, that academic research no longer seemed relevant.
DASS: Well, I'll tell you, it was because we did studies to show - and I think that it's - painful to me that in our zeal to say no to drugs, we have not differentiated between the tryptamines, for example, the psychedelics, which have potential for social change, for use. Like, we worked with prisoners in prisons, where the recidivism rate is so bad. We - working in marriages, working with dying people to help them extricate themselves from identification with being that which dies.
There were tremendous potential uses, all of which have been - the research has been wiped out by the society's fear of drugs other than for liquor and, you know, things like that. But - so our research continued to - we started in a naturalistic way because those kind of chemicals were seen in our society as psychotomimetics. That is, they were used by psychiatrists to parallel schizophrenia.
And while in other cultures they were used for religious and oracular processes, and we said instead of laying a trip on them, let's just give them to people and get reports back. And let's see how they use them, and build a new kind of context for them. And then we began to see how set and setting were so important, that a person could have them and have a religious experience. They could use them to escape. They could use them for creative work. They could use them for therapeutic change.
GROSS: You and Timothy Leary at Harvard started using LSD. And then Ken Kesey on the West Coast started using it, I think in very different ways and a different setting. Did you have any conflicts with Kesey about what LSD should mean in the society, how it should be used, who should be taking it?
DASS: Well, we were somewhere in the middle because there were - I mean, we had Aldous Huxley and Alan Watts and all these people. There was a community of us that were researching. And in a way, we were saying, let's keep it reasonably quiet so we can research - because it's very controversial, and it's going to upset the culture, at the same moment, we were opening the door at Harvard with students and so on. So we were partly responsible.
Ken blew it apart in a way with the acid tests because he made it a street scene. And that frightened the society so much. It forced the laws. It forced legislation probably a couple of years before it would have happened. And maybe the research could have gotten more entrenched had there been a little more space.
GROSS: Well, eventually you went to India, studied with a teacher who became your spiritual teacher. Can you tell us something about him and about the kind of spiritual path you took with him?
DASS: Well, meeting him was - the power of that initially was that everything that I took LSD to touch in my being, I realized he was. In fact, he actually took 900 micrograms of LSD, and nothing happened to him because - it's like, if you're in Detroit, you don't have to take a bus to Detroit. I mean, he was that quality. He had integrated it. So it showed me the potential that a human being - he showed me what a human being could be in terms of freedom from a fixed model of himself and a quality of love that was - I experienced as unconditional because he was resting in a place in himself where he didn't want anything from me. He didn't want my money. He didn't want anything. He didn't want my love. He didn't want anything from me. He didn't even want me to change. He didn't want anything. And I'd never been in the presence of somebody who didn't want something from me.
I mean, that was a big thing for me. That opened my heart a great deal. And he died in 1973, and I would say he is the most real - I don't know how to say it - entity in my consciousness still now. That - once you have a friend like that who has that quality of compassion and has that quality of emptiness and that quality of the giggle, the cosmic giggle, you just carry that with you, and that's the way in which he continues to influence my life.
GROSS: I want to ask you a question about your father who we were talking about earlier. He died in the past year. You had been living with him when you weren't on the road and helping to take care of him. He - I don't know how he was when he died, but at one point in his life, he was a wealthy man. Was there an inheritance, and how did you decide to use it?
DASS: My guru said to me - early on, he said, your father has money? I said, yes. He said, he going to leave it to you? I said, well, he's going to leave me a portion of it. He said, you're not to accept your inheritance. I said, boy, that's interesting. I mean, to tell that to a Jewish boy is something, you know? I couldn't tell my father because he had raised it - you know, earned it for his kids. But - and he trusted me so much. He made me the executor and all of that. But what I've done is I divided what went to my brothers and my nieces and nephews, and then the rest of it, I've given away.
GROSS: So you never told him that you weren't going to personally...
DASS: No.
GROSS: ...Accept it.
DASS: No. I felt that that would be hurting him.
GROSS: So you thought it was OK to not tell him the complete truth about this. There's times that...
DASS: He never asked me.
GROSS: Oh, OK.
DASS: (Laughter) He just assumed. But there was some subtle thing that happened between us because the minute my guru said that, that money no longer was mine. And in some deep psychological way, that changed my relationship to my father. After that, I wanted him to spend his money. I wanted him to - you know, there was no longer my money that he was using. And I helped him get married. I gave away the bride in his second marriage. I was close friends with them. I helped them enjoy themselves as much as I could, and he sensed that. He sensed that I didn't want something from him. And I think that's why he trusted me to give me power of attorney, to make me executor, you know, as I'm not a lawyer. And so...
GROSS: Not wanting something from you - that's what you said you felt...
DASS: Yeah.
GROSS: ...Towards your teacher - that he didn't want anything from you.
DASS: Exactly.
GROSS: That's very important to you.
DASS: It's quite an art, isn't it? Yeah, it's quite an art.
GROSS: Thank you very much for talking with us.
DASS: A pleasure, Terry.
BIANCULLI: Ram Dass speaking to Terry Gross in 1990. The spiritual teacher died last month at age 88.
Coming up, critic-at-large John Powers reflects on Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini as we approach the hundredth anniversary of his birth. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE JAMES HUNTER SIX SONG, "I'LL WALK AWAY")
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npr--2020-01-17--Eminem Releases Surprise Album, 'Music To Be Murdered By'

Eminem Releases Surprise Album , 'Music To Be Murdered By' We last heard from Marshall Mathers in album form in the summer of 2018 , when he surprise released his 10th album , Kamikaze .
At the time , NPR Music 's Rodney Carmichael said it seemed like the famously tongue-in-cheek terrible child had `` lost his sense of humor . ''
About a year and a half later , Mathers has indirectly responded with another surprise album , asking : `` What 's there to laugh about ? ''
Music To Be Murdered By , Eminem 's 11th studio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quietly in the wee hours this morning , packaged with assists from Black Thought , Ed Sheeran , Q-Tip , Anderson .Paak , Juice WRLD — the 21-year-old Chicago rapper who died on Dec. 8 — and others .
Among them you 'll find skits ; the voice of Alfred Hitchcock ( from whom Mathers cribbed the album 's title ) and a cross-section of popular hip-hop 's varied , favored production styles .
But it 's the video released in tandem , for the song `` Darkness , '' that appears to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Eminem is n't renowned for his subtlety , and you 'll find none here .
( Evidence elsewhere further suggests his sense of humor has not matured . )
`` Darkness '' is a tough watch .
In the six-minute-long video , Mathers writes from the first-person perspective , reminiscent of `` Stan , '' of what turns out to be the shooter of the Route 91 massacre in Las Vegas .
The video follows in parallel , filming from a video game-style first-person as the shooter transitions from preparation , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Its coda is a cluster of televisions beaming the U.S. flag , with the question `` when will this end ? ''
superimposed .
The track arrives at about the midway point of Music To Be Murdered By , surrounded by songs operating under far less gravity , mostly animated by Mathers ' perpetual ambivalence and frustration towards ... well , everything .
But mostly it seems , and as always , himself .
Do n't wait for a punchline .
Ca n't see the Spotify playlist ?
Click here .
Ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .

Eminem Releases Surprise Album, 'Music To Be Murdered By'
YouTube
We last heard from Marshall Mathers in album form in the summer of 2018, when he surprise released his 10th album, Kamikaze. At the time, NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael said it seemed like the famously tongue-in-cheek terrible child had "lost his sense of humor." About a year and a half later, Mathers has indirectly responded with another surprise album, asking: "What's there to laugh about?"
Music To Be Murdered By, Eminem's 11th studio album, was a midnight surprise dropped quietly in the wee hours this morning, packaged with assists from Black Thought, Ed Sheeran, Q-Tip, Anderson .Paak, Juice WRLD — the 21-year-old Chicago rapper who died on Dec. 8 — and others. Among them you'll find skits; the voice of Alfred Hitchcock (from whom Mathers cribbed the album's title) and a cross-section of popular hip-hop's varied, favored production styles. But it's the video released in tandem, for the song "Darkness," that appears to be the album's centerpiece and fulcrum.
Eminem isn't renowned for his subtlety, and you'll find none here. (Evidence elsewhere further suggests his sense of humor has not matured.) "Darkness" is a tough watch. In the six-minute-long video, Mathers writes from the first-person perspective, reminiscent of "Stan," of what turns out to be the shooter of the Route 91 massacre in Las Vegas. The video follows in parallel, filming from a video game-style first-person as the shooter transitions from preparation, to the act, to self-inflicted end. Its coda is a cluster of televisions beaming the U.S. flag, with the question "when will this end?" superimposed.
The track arrives at about the midway point of Music To Be Murdered By, surrounded by songs operating under far less gravity, mostly animated by Mathers' perpetual ambivalence and frustration towards... well, everything. But mostly it seems, and as always, himself. Don't wait for a punchline.
Can't see the Spotify playlist? Click here.
Can't see the Apple Music playlist? Click here.


npr--2020-01-18--Menopause Starts Younger Than You Think: Here's What You Need To Know

Menopause Starts Younger Than You Think : Here 's What You Need To Know Sarah Edrie says she was about 33 when she started to occasionally get a sudden , hot , prickly feeling that radiated into her neck and face , leaving her flushed and breathless .
`` Sometimes I would sweat .
And my heart would race , '' she says .
The sensations subsided in a few moments , and seemed to meet the criteria for a panic attack .
But Edrie , who has no personal or family history of anxiety , was baffled .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the episodes , along with a few other health concerns she was starting to notice : Her menstrual cycle was becoming irregular , she had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep , and she was getting night sweats .
Their response : a shrug .
It was n't until Edrie went to a fertility clinic at age 39 , because she and her partner were having trouble conceiving , that she got answers .
`` They were like , 'Oh , those are hot flashes .
It 's because you 're in perimenopause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have n't heard the term `` perimenopause , '' you 're not alone .
Often when women talk about going through menopause , what they 're really talking about is perimenopause , a transitional stage when the body is preparing to stop ovulating , says Dr. Jennifer Payne , who directs the Women 's Mood Disorders Center at Johns Hopkins University .
`` Technically menopause is only one day in a woman 's life , which is exactly when she has not had a period for 12 months , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time leading up to menopause that causes all the trouble . ''
And it can start earlier than you might think .
Many listeners wrote to us , in response to our call-out for individual experiences with menopause , to say that they struggled to get medical support for perimenopause in their mid-30s and early 40s .
When Edrie went back to her OB/GYN with the fertility clinic 's conclusion , she says the doctor shrugged again , and told her that menopause is a normal part of life .
But she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yeah , it 's a normal part of life , but it would be great if we could talk about it , and figure out strategies . ''
With that spirit in mind , we reached out to endocrinologists , gynecologists , and psychiatrists and asked them for advice about navigating this major life transition .
It 's quite possible for women to start to notice things changing in their mid-30s .
Most women arrive at menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 , but perimenopause can start as much as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of women in the U.S. reach menopause at age 40 or younger .
How do you know if you 're starting perimenopause ?
The most telling symptom is changes in your menstrual cycle , says psychiatrist Hadine Joffe , the executive director of the Connors Center for Women 's Health and Gender Biology at the Brigham and Women 's Hospital in Boston .
`` It 's the menstrual cycle pattern that really defines this lead up to menopause , '' she says .
During perimenopause , periods `` might be shorter , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skipped one , or then the flow might be different , '' says Joffe .
There 's no blood or hormone test that can `` diagnose '' perimenopause .
Joffe says a hormone test is n't helpful because hormonal cycles become erratic and unpredictable during this stage .
`` There 's not really one point in time when a hormone test is done that can be definitive , '' she says .
Even if you took several tests over time , `` you might get a very different readout . ''
Surprisingly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women recognize the start of this life phase .
Edrie was upset at her doctors ' responses — or lack thereof .
`` I felt so disappointed in the medical industry .
How many women has my OB/GYN seen and not recognized the symptoms of perimenopause ? ''
Be prepared for your PMS symptoms to possibly shift , becoming either more or less extreme , says Dr. Cynthia Stuenkel , a founding member of the North American Menopause Society and a professor and endocrinologist at the University of California , San Diego , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not get the same kind of breast tenderness or mood shifts that they may have noted in the past , '' she says .
Mood problems like depression can spike during perimenopause , especially among women who have previously experienced them .
Many of our listeners wrote in to say during perimenopause they felt incredibly irritable and quick to anger in a way that they 'd never experienced before .
And of course , many — but not all — women experience hot flashes , though they may not recognize them .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sits us down and teaches us , 'Here 's what a hot flash feels like , '' Stuenkel says .
`` I 've seen women who think they 're having panic attacks , or heart palpitations .
That can be frightening . ''
Other common symptoms include more frequent urinary tract infections , difficulty sleeping through the night , vaginal dryness that can make sex painful , night sweats and a decrease in libido .
What treatments are there for symptoms ?
Some symptoms , like heavy or irregular periods , can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can `` shut down the body 's own erratic hormonal fluctuations , '' says Stuenkel .
`` This can kind of be a lifesaver , '' she says .
They may help with hot flashes , too .
In some cases , doctors may prescribe menopausal hormone therapy : very low doses of hormones to supplement estrogen levels .
Stuenkel says it 's not a fit for everyone , but it does n't deserve the bad reputation it has in some circles .
She says there was an `` exodus '' from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Women 's Health Initiative trial halted a study over safety concerns in 2002 .
But many clinicians now feel much more comfortable using hormone therapy again , and usually recommend low doses , selectively , for shorter periods of time .
For people who can not take estrogen therapy , or choose not to , Stuenkel says some drugs in the antidepressant family can help with hot flashes : SSRIs and SNRIs .
Stuenkel says `` while they 're not perfect , they can take the edge off and help enough so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleep . ''
There are an abundance of non-hormonal , non-drug treatment options for managing symptoms , some of which have significantly more evidence backing them than others .
In 2015 a North American Menopause Society panel found that cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis were significantly effective in treating hot flashes .
The same panel also found that popular herbal remedies ( like black cohosh , dong quai , and evening primrose ) are `` unlikely to help , '' although some NPR listeners who wrote in said they got relief from some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anxiety symptoms , women may want to seek out professional counseling or a psychiatrist .
When do I need to see a doctor ?
You might not need to at all .
Some people sail right through menopause with little trouble .
But if you are experiencing symptoms that are interfering with your life , it 's worth making an appointment .
Some of these symptoms could indicate other problems that need treatment , such as fibroids or even cancer .
For people approaching this stage of life , or who are already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps for making this transition more manageable .
`` Information is key , '' says Joffe .
She suggests that people approaching perimenopause age empower themselves with knowledge .
The Massachusetts General Hospital Blum Center has a curated list of suggested books .
The National Women 's Health Information Center has a section on menopause and perimenopause .
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also has a perimenopause FAQ .
Joffe encourages people to track symptoms : `` menstrual patterns , hot flash patterns , mood issues , major life triggers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ app to monitor symptoms can make it easier to give your doctor details that can be otherwise hard to remember .
`` Knowing that information , somebody can say , 'Well , over the last six months , I only had two periods or I had hot flashes almost every day , ' `` Joffe says .
`` Or , 'My mood was as bad as it gets for only two days or for a third of the time . '
`` And if you bring a thorough health history to your physician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , consider a specialist .
`` There are OB/GYNs that specialize in perimenopause and menopause , '' Joffe points out .
Joffe encourages women to protect themselves from things that might worsen their mood or well-being .
This includes reducing stress when they can and making sure they get enough sleep .
`` Sleep is critical , '' she says .
`` Getting a good night 's sleep , and making sure it 's not broken in the middle of the night . ''
There are lots of online tools and apps to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And familiar health advice like getting enough exercise , eating well , and moderating alcohol consumption apply to perimenopause too , says Dr. Steven Goldstein who is the co-author of Could It Be ... Perimenopause ?
and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the New York University School of Medicine .
At her doctor 's suggestion , Edrie developed a mindfulness practice .
She says , `` I thought it sounded a little 'woo-woo ' at first , but being able to pay attention to what my body is doing and why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I need to get through my day .
So I 'm not overwhelmed by what my body is putting me through . ''
Most of the women who wrote to NPR about their experiences going through perimenopause said that they felt alone and isolated during this transition .
Having a community to talk to can make it easier to cope with the changes , says Payne , who 's going through perimenopause herself .
She says she has found support from a few close friends from college .
`` To be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are our same age and say , 'Did you go through this ?
And , you know , it does provide support .
I think that 's another version of a coping skill , '' she says .
Edrie says she joined a few Facebook groups dedicated to perimenopause , and found one in particular where she got tips on coping with one of her most troublesome symptoms : brain fog .
The conversations made her feel understood and validated .
`` I can post about it in this group , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be like , `` Oh , last week , that totally happened to me , ' or like , ' I forgot my kid 's computer on the top of my car and drove away , ' `` she says .
She says that being able to commiserate helps her get through symptoms `` that maybe do n't have a magic pill . ''
Some of her online friendships have even taken shape offline .
Edrie has met up with some of the Facebook group members while touring around the country with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proponent of finding community , and speaking out .
`` As we get older , we get more and more quiet about what 's going on with our bodies and ourselves and our lives .
We kind of just , buck up and deal with it . ''
`` And I feel like if we talked more about the things that are happening to our bodies — even if we ca n't actually do anything about some of these things — it would just be better for society in general if we were @ @ @ @ @ @

Menopause Can Start Younger Than You Think: Here's What You Need To Know
Enlarge this image Katherine Streeter for NPR Katherine Streeter for NPR
Sarah Edrie says she was about 33 when she started to occasionally get a sudden, hot, prickly feeling that radiated into her neck and face, leaving her flushed and breathless. "Sometimes I would sweat. And my heart would race," she says. The sensations subsided in a few moments and seemed to meet the criteria for a panic attack. But Edrie, who has no personal or family history of anxiety, was baffled.
She told her doctor and her gynecologist about the episodes, along with a few other health concerns she was starting to notice: Her menstrual cycle was becoming irregular, she had trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and she was getting night sweats. Their response: a shrug.
It wasn't until Edrie went to a fertility clinic at age 39 because she and her partner were having trouble conceiving that she got answers. "They were like, 'Oh, those are hot flashes. It's because you're in perimenopause,' " she says.
If you haven't heard the term "perimenopause," you're not alone. Often when women talk about going through menopause, what they're really talking about is perimenopause, a transitional stage during which the body is preparing to stop ovulating, says Dr. Jennifer Payne, who directs the Women's Mood Disorders Center at Johns Hopkins University.
"Technically, menopause is only one day in a woman's life, which is exactly when she has not had a period for 12 months," she says. "It's the period of time leading up to menopause that causes all the trouble."
And it can start earlier than you might think. Many listeners wrote to us in response to our call-out for individual experiences with menopause to say that they struggled to get medical support for perimenopause in their mid-30s and early 40s.
When Edrie went back to her OB/GYN with the fertility clinic's conclusion, she says the doctor shrugged again and told her that menopause is a normal part of life. She wasn't satisfied with that answer. "Yeah, it's a normal part of life, but it would be great if we could talk about it and figure out strategies."
With that spirit in mind, we reached out to endocrinologists, gynecologists and psychiatrists for advice about navigating this major life transition.
How early can perimenopause start?
It's quite possible for women to start to notice things changing in their mid-30s. Most women arrive at menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, but perimenopause can start as much as a decade beforehand. And about 1% of women in the U.S. reach menopause at age 40 or younger.
How do you know if you're starting perimenopause?
The most telling symptom is changes in your menstrual cycle, says psychiatrist Hadine Joffe, the executive director of the Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.
"It's the menstrual cycle pattern that really defines this lead-up to menopause," she says. During perimenopause, periods "might be shorter, then a long one, or then a skipped one, or then the flow might be different," says Joffe.
There's no blood or hormone test that can "diagnose" perimenopause. Joffe says a hormone test isn't helpful because hormonal cycles become erratic and unpredictable during this stage.
"There's not really one point in time when a hormone test is done that can be definitive," she says. Even if you took several tests over time, "you might get a very different readout."
Surprisingly, sometimes doctors aren't prepared to help women recognize the start of this life phase. Edrie was upset at her doctors' responses — or lack thereof. "I felt so disappointed in the medical industry. How many women has my OB/GYN seen and not recognized the symptoms of perimenopause?"
What symptoms to expect
Be prepared for your PMS symptoms to possibly shift, becoming either more or less extreme, says Dr. Cynthia Stuenkel, a founding member of the North American Menopause Society and a professor and endocrinologist at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. "Women might not get the same kind of breast tenderness or mood shifts that they may have noted in the past," she says.
Mood problems like depression can spike during perimenopause, especially among women who have previously experienced them. Many of our listeners wrote in to say that during perimenopause, they felt incredibly irritable and quick to anger in a way that they had never experienced before.
And of course, many — but not all — women experience hot flashes, though they may not recognize them. "It's hard, because no one sits us down and teaches us, 'Here's what a hot flash feels like,' " Stuenkel says. "I've seen women who think they're having panic attacks, or heart palpitations. That can be frightening."
Other common symptoms include more frequent urinary tract infections, difficulty sleeping through the night, vaginal dryness that can make sex painful, night sweats and a decrease in libido.
What treatments are there for symptoms?
Some symptoms, like heavy or irregular periods, can be managed with an oral contraceptive, which can "shut down the body's own erratic hormonal fluctuations," says Stuenkel.
"This can kind of be a lifesaver," she says. Such medication may help with hot flashes, too.
In some cases, doctors may prescribe menopausal hormone therapy, or very low doses of hormones to supplement estrogen levels. Stuenkel says it's not a fit for everyone, but it doesn't deserve the bad reputation it has in some circles. She says there was an "exodus" from the use of hormone replacement therapy after the Women's Health Initiative trial halted a study over safety concerns in 2002. But many clinicians now feel much more comfortable using hormone therapy again and usually recommend low doses, selectively, for shorter periods of time.
For people who cannot take estrogen therapy, or choose not to, Stuenkel says some drugs in the antidepressant family, such as SSRIs and SNRIs, can help with hot flashes. Stuenkel says, "While they're not perfect, they can take the edge off and help enough so that women can get a better night's sleep."
There are an abundance of nonhormonal, nondrug treatment options for managing symptoms, some of which have significantly more evidence backing them than others. In 2015, a North American Menopause Society panel found that cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis were significantly effective in treating hot flashes. The same panel also found that popular herbal remedies (like black cohosh, dong quai and evening primrose) are "unlikely to help," although some NPR listeners who wrote in said they got relief from some of those treatments.
For depressive and anxiety symptoms, women may want to seek out professional counseling or a psychiatrist.
When do I need to see a doctor?
You might not need to at all. Some people sail right through menopause with little trouble. But if you are experiencing symptoms that are interfering with your life, it's worth making an appointment. Some of these symptoms could indicate other problems that need treatment, such as fibroids or even cancer.
Ways to cope with symptoms
For people approaching this stage of life or who are already going through it, here are four steps for making this transition more manageable.
1. Get educated
"Information is key," says Joffe. She suggests that people approaching perimenopause age empower themselves with knowledge.
The Massachusetts General Hospital Blum Center has a curated list of suggested books. The National Women's Health Information Center has a section on menopause and perimenopause. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also has a perimenopause FAQ.
2. Monitor your health
Joffe encourages people to track symptoms: "menstrual patterns, hot flash patterns, mood issues, major life triggers." Using a paper calendar or an app to monitor symptoms can make it easier to give your doctor details that can be otherwise hard to remember.
"Knowing that information, somebody can say, 'Well, over the last six months, I only had two periods or I had hot flashes almost every day,' " Joffe says, "or, 'My mood was as bad as it gets for only two days or for a third of the time.' "
And if you bring a thorough health history to your physician and they still give you a shrug, consider a specialist. "There are OB/GYNs that specialize in perimenopause and menopause," Joffe says.
3. Practice smart self-care
Joffe encourages women to protect themselves from things that might worsen their mood or well-being. This includes reducing stress when they can and making sure they get enough sleep.
"Sleep is critical," she says. "Getting a good night's sleep, and making sure it's not broken in the middle of the night."
There are lots of online tools and apps to help with sleep, she adds.
And familiar health advice like getting enough exercise, eating well and moderating alcohol consumption apply to perimenopause too, says Dr. Steven Goldstein who is the co-author of Could It Be ... Perimenopause? and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the New York University School of Medicine.
At her doctor's suggestion, Edrie developed a mindfulness practice. She says, "I thought it sounded a little 'woo-woo' at first, but being able to pay attention to what my body is doing and why helps me separate those symptoms from what I need to get through my day. So I'm not overwhelmed by what my body is putting me through."
4. Cultivate community
Most of the women who wrote to NPR about their experiences going through perimenopause said that they felt alone and isolated during this transition.
Having a community to talk to can make it easier to cope with the changes, says Payne, who's going through perimenopause herself. She says she has found support from a few close friends from college.
"To be able to reach out to a group of women who are our same age and say, 'Did you go through this? And, you know, it does provide support. I think that's another version of a coping skill," she says.
Edrie says she joined a few Facebook groups dedicated to perimenopause and found one in particular where she got tips on coping with one of her most troublesome symptoms: brain fog. The conversations made her feel understood and validated.
"I can post about it in this group, and, you know, 10 women will be like, 'Oh, last week, that totally happened to me,' or like, 'I forgot my kid's computer on the top of my car and drove away,' " she says.
She says that being able to commiserate helps her get through symptoms "that maybe don't have a magic pill." Some of her online friendships have even taken shape offline. Edrie has met up with some of the Facebook group members while touring the country with her band.
Now she's a big proponent of finding community and speaking out. "As we get older, we get more and more quiet about what's going on with our bodies and ourselves and our lives. We kind of just, buck up and deal with it."
"And I feel like if we talked more about the things that are happening to our bodies — even if we can't actually do anything about some of these things — it would just be better for society in general if we were more vocal about it."