npr--2020-01-11--Remembering Neil Peart, A Monster Drummer With A Poet's Heart

When Canadian prog-rock innovators Rush were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 , it was both somewhat surprising and totally appropriate that drummer Neil Peart opened the trio 's acceptance speech .
The musician and author , who passed away at the age of 67 on January 7 after a private , three-and-a-half-year struggle with brain cancer , famously eschewed the spotlight and rarely gave interviews .
However , the Ontario native was a quiet leader who shaped Rush 's voice , writing the bulk of the band 's lyrics and maintaining a steely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There 's a stereotype about rock music , that it 's mundane or predictable .
Neil 's lyrics were neither .
... [ He ] had the ability to express complicated ideas in a rock song , '' Donna Halper , an associate professor of media studies at Lesley University , tells NPR Music .
A media historian and former broadcaster , Halper is credited with getting Rush their U.S. record deal and breaking the band : In 1974 , while working as music director and a DJ at the legendary Cleveland radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ copy of Rush 's early single , `` Working Man , '' which promptly took off .
Peart did n't play on the studio version of `` Working Man , '' but joined Rush that same year , replacing original drummer John Rutsey .
Peart contributed his first lyrics to the band 's 1975 LP , Fly By Night and , from there until Rush 's final studio album , 2012 's Clockwork Angels , he became known for his philosophical musings on road life and restless souls ; sharp critiques of power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incisive political and social commentary , cloaked in metaphor .
Peart 's love of literature and reverence for history deeply informed his songwriting .
`` Red Sector A , '' for example , emerged after he read accounts of World War II concentration camp survivors .
`` Manhattan Project '' addresses the U.S. dropping atomic bombs on Japan in 1945 , from multiple viewpoints .
For much of Rush 's career , Peart was also dogged by long-ago praise for the author Ayn Rand , whose works were an influence on the sprawling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later clarified that Rand 's work no longer resonated with him . )
In a 2015 Rolling Stone cover story , Peart self-described as a `` bleeding-heart libertarian . ''
That streak of individuality is also there in his songwriting , making Rush 's lyrics feel more like a manual for life , full of economical quips ( `` I 'm so full of what is right / I ca n't see what is good , '' from `` The Color of Right '' ) and thorny questions ( `` Roll The Bones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like the best songwriting , Peart 's body of work was also malleable enough to grow with its listeners — his songs often mused about aging and the importance of dreaming ; the ominous `` Subdivisions '' railed against the conformist suburbs that `` have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth . ''
Peart 's lyrical vulnerability also helped Rush 's music resonate across generations .
Even as a young man , Peart thought deeply about the future and how fleeting life could be ; the facetious 1975 song @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' references going `` grey my way . ''
The fan-favorite 1987 single `` Time Stand Still , '' which features Aimee Mann on background vocals , is an ode to being present ( `` Freeze this moment a little bit longer / Make each sensation a little bit stronger '' ) that 's shaded with melancholy , because the protagonist knows that the other shoe can drop at any time .
`` Experience slips away / The innocence slips away . ''
Four years later , on 1991 's `` Dreamline , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observation : `` We 're only immortal for a limited time . ''
`` Writing lyrics , like drumming , was something he took seriously and respectfully , '' Halper says .
`` He made observations that the average fan could relate to , and he encouraged people to think for themselves , and to be themselves , too — to stand up for what they believed .
`` And , above all , his lyrics made people think — Rush fans were liberal , conservative , religious , non-religious — but they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ band and their admiration for how Neil could articulate their experiences , or give them a new way to look at an issue . ''
In no small part because of his erudition , Peart 's erudition earned him the nickname `` The Professor . ''
It was apt : Carrying himself with an air of well-spoken authority , he possessed knowledge about a variety of topics , owing to his extensive global travels — on Rush tours , he was known for taking off on bicycle rides and , later , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gigs — and a voracious curiosity about the world around him .
In his 2002 book , Ghost Rider : Travels on the Healing Road , he described going to art museums in the afternoons before Rush concerts `` to feed my growing interest in paintings , art history , and African carvings . ''
While an interesting travelogue , at its root Ghost Rider was a chronicle of how to repair a shattered self .
The book details how Peart embarked on a solo motorcycle trek `` to try to figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be , and what kind of world I was going to live in '' after his 19-year-old daughter , Selena , died in a 1997 car crash , and his wife Jackie passed due to cancer the following year .
All told , Peart released seven nonfiction books , several fiction collaborations and poured out thousands more words via his personal website .
`` What made Neil such a good writer is how much he loved to read , '' Halper says .
`` He really loved and respected books .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sat around one night talking Shakespeare — he loved poetry , he loved philosophy .
He valued good conversation .
He was a thinker — in the truest sense of the word . ''
This mindset also made Peart a laser-sharp analyst of music .
In a 1986Modern Drummer interview , he discussed the virtues of Thomas Dolby and Peter Gabriel , and how they incorporated electronics into their work , and mused on the `` new morality that has to be developed for sampling . ''
A2017 tribute to drumming hero Buddy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late jazz icon as having the `` ears of a dancer . ''
Peart was an ardent admirer of ferocious , aggressive drumming greats such as The Who 's Keith Moon and Led Zeppelin 's John Bonham , and absorbed influences from a wide range of players besides , as he relayed in a 2003 interview : Gene Krupa , Yes ' Bill Bruford , King Crimson 's Michael Giles , an obscure English session drummer named Harold Fisher .
His own playing — which he honed and refined via drum lessons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered vast ground , darting in and out of jazz , rock , blues , funk and all points between and beyond .
Despite an iconoclastic nature , Peart found musical , and personal , brotherhood with bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson .
The trio 's bond came alive during performances , which were immersive musical marathons that doubled as communal , spiritual experiences .
Shows — of course — featured an extended Peart drum solo , performed with the precision of a surgeon and the creative freedom of a surrealist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's playing was always joyous : As any Rush fan will share , air-drumming to 1981 's `` Tom Sawyer '' can be one of life 's greatest pleasures .
Peart 's peers saw him as an oracle of advice and support — as Metallica 's Lars Ulrich and E Street Band 's Max Weinberg shared in touching posthumous remembrances — as did fans : Peart was known for sending handwritten ( and , later , typed ) postcards to people who wrote asking him about drum techniques , musical or career advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curated for Rush tours .
On Friday , rapper Chuck D — also inducted into the Rock Hall in 2013 , as part of Public Enemy — tweeted that he and Peart ended up alone together after the ceremony `` talking and laughing low in relief the long night was over — a small table backstage sharing a unique moment without much word [ s ] . ''
`` He was in many ways like an outsider — the guy who was often different from everyone else , '' Halper says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He did n't want to be like everyone else .
He just wanted to be Neil .
He loved being a rock drummer , but he also loved literature .
He loved poetry .
He loved the outdoors .
He did n't care what society thought a rock star was 'supposed to be ' — he was n't afraid to be himself , and he did n't really care about fame .
He just wanted to be good at what he did — and he was !
— and he just wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Peart indeed made sure to credit the support of loyal Rush fans during his heartfelt and funny Rock Hall remarks .
In addition to praising Rush 's crew , the band 's long-time manager Ray Danniels , and his bandmates , he drew laughter by noting previous inductees were like a `` constellation of stars '' and dryly noted that `` among them , we are one tiny point of light , shaped like a maple leaf . ''
But he also talked about the grounding influence of family , and shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken from a 1978 Rolling Stone interview : `` The highest purpose of art is to inspire .
What else can you do for anyone but inspire them ? ''
After Rush wrapped up their 40th-anniversary R40 Tour in 2015 and effectively called it a day , Peart retreated from the spotlight , noting in a late 2015 Drumhead interview that his then 6-year-old daughter , Olivia , `` has been introducing me to new friends at school as 'my dad — he 's a retired drummer . '
True to say — @ @ @ @ @

Remembering Neil Peart, A Monster Drummer With A Poet's Heart
Enlarge this image toggle caption Fin Costello/Redferns Fin Costello/Redferns
When Canadian prog-rock innovators Rush were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, it was both somewhat surprising and totally appropriate that drummer Neil Peart opened the trio's acceptance speech. The musician and author, who passed away at the age of 67 on January 7 after a private, three-and-a-half-year struggle with brain cancer, famously eschewed the spotlight and rarely gave interviews. However, the Ontario native was a quiet leader who shaped Rush's voice, writing the bulk of the band's lyrics and maintaining a steely, rock-solid presence behind the drumkit.
"There's a stereotype about rock music, that it's mundane or predictable. Neil's lyrics were neither. ... [He] had the ability to express complicated ideas in a rock song," Donna Halper, an associate professor of media studies at Lesley University, tells NPR Music. A media historian and former broadcaster, Halper is credited with getting Rush their U.S. record deal and breaking the band: In 1974, while working as music director and a DJ at the legendary Cleveland radio station WMMS, she spun an import copy of Rush's early single, "Working Man," which promptly took off.
YouTube
Peart didn't play on the studio version of "Working Man," but joined Rush that same year, replacing original drummer John Rutsey. Peart contributed his first lyrics to the band's 1975 LP, Fly By Night and, from there until Rush's final studio album, 2012's Clockwork Angels, he became known for his philosophical musings on road life and restless souls; sharp critiques of power and greed; fantasy-tinged vignettes; and incisive political and social commentary, cloaked in metaphor.
Peart's love of literature and reverence for history deeply informed his songwriting. "Red Sector A," for example, emerged after he read accounts of World War II concentration camp survivors. "Manhattan Project" addresses the U.S. dropping atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, from multiple viewpoints. For much of Rush's career, Peart was also dogged by long-ago praise for the author Ayn Rand, whose works were an influence on the sprawling 1976 song cycle 2112. (He later clarified that Rand's work no longer resonated with him.) In a 2015 Rolling Stone cover story, Peart self-described as a "bleeding-heart libertarian."
That streak of individuality is also there in his songwriting, making Rush's lyrics feel more like a manual for life, full of economical quips ("I'm so full of what is right / I can't see what is good," from "The Color of Right") and thorny questions ("Roll The Bones" and its skepticism about faith). Like the best songwriting, Peart's body of work was also malleable enough to grow with its listeners — his songs often mused about aging and the importance of dreaming; the ominous "Subdivisions" railed against the conformist suburbs that "have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth."
Peart's lyrical vulnerability also helped Rush's music resonate across generations. Even as a young man, Peart thought deeply about the future and how fleeting life could be; the facetious 1975 song "I Think I'm Going Bald" references going "grey my way." The fan-favorite 1987 single "Time Stand Still," which features Aimee Mann on background vocals, is an ode to being present ("Freeze this moment a little bit longer / Make each sensation a little bit stronger") that's shaded with melancholy, because the protagonist knows that the other shoe can drop at any time. "Experience slips away / The innocence slips away." Four years later, on 1991's "Dreamline," his thoughts crystallized into a bittersweet observation: "We're only immortal for a limited time."
YouTube
"Writing lyrics, like drumming, was something he took seriously and respectfully," Halper says. "He made observations that the average fan could relate to, and he encouraged people to think for themselves, and to be themselves, too — to stand up for what they believed.
"And, above all, his lyrics made people think — Rush fans were liberal, conservative, religious, non-religious — but they all united around their respect for the band and their admiration for how Neil could articulate their experiences, or give them a new way to look at an issue."
Peart's erudition earned him the nickname "The Professor." It was apt: Carrying himself with an air of well-spoken authority, he possessed knowledge about a variety of topics, owing to his extensive global travels — on Rush tours, he was known for taking off on bicycle rides and, later, would hop on his motorcycle to travel between gigs — and a voracious curiosity about the world around him. In his 2002 book, Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road, he described going to art museums in the afternoons before Rush concerts "to feed my growing interest in paintings, art history, and African carvings."
While an interesting travelogue, at its root Ghost Rider was a chronicle of how to repair a shattered self. The book details how Peart embarked on a solo motorcycle trek "to try to figure out what kind of person I was going to be, and what kind of world I was going to live in" after his 19-year-old daughter, Selena, died in a 1997 car crash, and his wife Jackie passed due to cancer the following year.
All told, Peart released seven nonfiction books, several fiction collaborations and poured out thousands more words via his personal website. "What made Neil such a good writer is how much he loved to read," Halper says. "He really loved and respected books. He loved good literature — he and I sat around one night talking Shakespeare — he loved poetry, he loved philosophy. He valued good conversation. He was a thinker — in the truest sense of the word."
This mindset also made Peart a laser-sharp analyst of music. In a 1986 Modern Drummer interview, he discussed the virtues of Thomas Dolby and Peter Gabriel, and how they incorporated electronics into their work, and mused on the "new morality that has to be developed for sampling." A 2017 tribute to drumming hero Buddy Rich, meanwhile, found Peart describing the late jazz icon as having the "ears of a dancer."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frederick Breedon IV/WireImage Frederick Breedon IV/WireImage
Peart was an ardent admirer of ferocious, aggressive drumming greats such as The Who's Keith Moon and Led Zeppelin's John Bonham, and absorbed influences from a wide range of players besides, as he relayed in a 2003 interview: Gene Krupa, Yes' Bill Bruford, King Crimson's Michael Giles, an obscure English session drummer named Harold Fisher. His own playing — which he honed and refined via drum lessons for as long as Rush toured — covered vast ground, darting in and out of jazz, rock, blues, funk and all points between and beyond.
Despite an iconoclastic nature, Peart found musical, and personal, brotherhood with bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. The trio's bond came alive during performances, which were immersive musical marathons that doubled as communal, spiritual experiences. Shows — of course — featured an extended Peart drum solo, performed with the precision of a surgeon and the creative freedom of a surrealist. But while highly technical, Peart's playing was always joyous: As any Rush fan will share, air-drumming to 1981's "Tom Sawyer" can be one of life's greatest pleasures.
YouTube
Peart's peers saw him as an oracle of advice and support — as Metallica's Lars Ulrich and E Street Band's Max Weinberg shared in touching posthumous remembrances — as did fans: Peart was known for sending handwritten (and, later, typed) postcards to people who wrote asking him about drum techniques, musical or career advice, or the eclectic pre-concert playlists he curated for Rush tours.
On Friday, rapper Chuck D — also inducted into the Rock Hall in 2013, as part of Public Enemy — tweeted that he and Peart ended up alone together after the ceremony "talking and laughing low in relief the long night was over — a small table backstage sharing a unique moment without much word[s]."
Such a low-key moment embodied Peart's preferred state.
"He was in many ways like an outsider — the guy who was often different from everyone else," Halper says. "But that was okay with him. He didn't want to be like everyone else. He just wanted to be Neil. He loved being a rock drummer, but he also loved literature. He loved poetry. He loved the outdoors. He didn't care what society thought a rock star was 'supposed to be' — he wasn't afraid to be himself, and he didn't really care about fame. He just wanted to be good at what he did — and he was! — and he just wanted to share his music with the fans."
Peart indeed made sure to credit the support of loyal Rush fans during his heartfelt and funny Rock Hall remarks. In addition to praising Rush's crew, the band's long-time manager Ray Danniels, and his bandmates, he drew laughter by noting previous inductees were like a "constellation of stars" and dryly noted that "among them, we are one tiny point of light, shaped like a maple leaf."
But he also talked about the grounding influence of family, and shared a favorite quote from Bob Dylan, taken from a 1978 Rolling Stone interview: "The highest purpose of art is to inspire. What else can you do for anyone but inspire them?"
After Rush wrapped up their 40th-anniversary R40 Tour in 2015 and effectively called it a day, Peart retreated from the spotlight, noting in a late 2015 Drumhead interview that his then 6-year-old daughter, Olivia, "has been introducing me to new friends at school as 'my dad — he's a retired drummer.' True to say — funny to hear."


npr--2020-01-11--2 U.S. Troops Killed By Taliban Bomb In Southern Afghanistan

2 U.S .
Troops Killed By Taliban Bomb In Southern Afghanistan Two U.S. soldiers were killed and two others injured when their vehicle struck a bomb planted by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan on Saturday , according to a U.S. military statement reported by the Associated Press .
The U.S. military vehicle was traveling in Kandahar province when it hit the roadside bomb .
The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for the attack , which marks the first American deaths in Afghanistan this year .
The attack also comes amid stalled peace talks between the U.S. and the Taliban .
U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear if the Taliban will agree to a temporary ceasefire , which could open the door for the withdrawal of some American troops .
The Pentagon did not identify the service members who were killed , per Defense Department policy .
Nearly 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed in America 's longest-running war , which began in 2001 .
Last year was one of the deadliest on record with 23 deaths of U.S. service members , the AP reported .
The Taliban have been resurgent since NATO ended its military mission there in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducting almost daily attacks on Afghan and U.S. soldiers , killing many Afghan civilians in the process .
More than half of Afghanistan 's population now live in districts controlled or contested by the Taliban .
A Taliban spokesperson said this week that increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran will not impact peace talks .
Iran has supported the Taliban through providing refuge to militants and their families and routing smuggling networks used to finance the Taliban through Iran , NPR has reported .
U.S .
Ambassador John Bass left his post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the top U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan .
He told NPR 's Audie Cornish that a diplomatic agreement between the U.S. , the Taliban and the Afghan government is the only way out of the conflict .
`` I think wider Afghan society is waiting to see if the Taliban are prepared to act differently and to sit down and try to work out a way to resolve differences within the society through something other than violence , '' Bass said .
`` The Eid cease-fire in 2018 , in which Afghans for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three days of peace across the country , '' he added , `` demonstrates what is possible when the Taliban and the government listen to you and respond to that overwhelming desire of the Afghan people for peace . ''

2 U.S. Troops Killed By Taliban Bomb In Southern Afghanistan
Enlarge this image toggle caption Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images Javed Tanveer/AFP via Getty Images
Two U.S. soldiers were killed and two others injured when their vehicle struck a bomb planted by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, according to a U.S. military statement reported by the Associated Press.
The U.S. military vehicle was traveling in Kandahar province when it hit the roadside bomb. The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which marks the first American deaths in Afghanistan this year.
The attack also comes amid stalled peace talks between the U.S. and the Taliban. U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is waiting to hear if the Taliban will agree to a temporary ceasefire, which could open the door for the withdrawal of some American troops.
The Pentagon did not identify the service members who were killed, per Defense Department policy.
Nearly 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed in America's longest-running war, which began in 2001. Last year was one of the deadliest on record with 23 deaths of U.S. service members, the AP reported.
The Taliban have been resurgent since NATO ended its military mission there in 2014, and the group has been conducting almost daily attacks on Afghan and U.S. soldiers, killing many Afghan civilians in the process. More than half of Afghanistan's population now live in districts controlled or contested by the Taliban.
A Taliban spokesperson said this week that increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran will not impact peace talks. Iran has supported the Taliban through providing refuge to militants and their families and routing smuggling networks used to finance the Taliban through Iran, NPR has reported.
U.S. Ambassador John Bass left his post in Kabul this week after two years as the top U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan. He told NPR's Audie Cornish that a diplomatic agreement between the U.S., the Taliban and the Afghan government is the only way out of the conflict.
"I think wider Afghan society is waiting to see if the Taliban are prepared to act differently and to sit down and try to work out a way to resolve differences within the society through something other than violence," Bass said.
"The Eid cease-fire in 2018, in which Afghans for the first time in 18 years enjoyed three days of peace across the country," he added, "demonstrates what is possible when the Taliban and the government listen to you and respond to that overwhelming desire of the Afghan people for peace."


npr--2020-01-11--With Their Land In Flames, Aboriginals Warn Fires Show Deep Problems In Australia

With Their Land In Flames , Aboriginals Warn Fires Show Deep Problems In Australia Before Britain started sending convicts to the continent in the 1700s , aboriginal Australians used fire to manage brushlands and forests across the continent .
Noel Butler — who 's known even to the fire crews at the end of his road as `` Uncle Noel '' — and his wife , Trish , used to run the Nuragunya Aboriginal culture and education camp deep in a forest in the state of New South Wales .
But last week , an inferno swept through their canyon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our house , '' Butler says , pointing at a pile of charred timbers , ash and twisted sheet metal .
`` That was a two story A-frame house which I built . ''
The inferno torched his house , the camp , his workshop and the surrounding woods for miles .
The ground is covered in powdery ash .
Every tree trunk is charred black .
Some of them still smolder .
`` Not a single thing is left .
It 's all absolutely , completely destroyed . ''
Butler has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed in the blaze .
But he has seen one large grey kangaroo still alive and the tracks of some wallabies .
A few birds have returned .
But there 's no food for them , so Butler is putting out hay for the kangaroos and chicken feed for the wallabies .
`` Wallabies are like long-legged goats .
They 'll eat anything . ''
Butler and his wife once used this place to hold camps and workshops on aboriginal culture .
They had a program for troubled indigenous youth .
School groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , history and food .
Fire was a key issue they would teach about .
`` Fire in this place is our friend , '' he says .
`` Fire has been used to maintain , to look after this whole continent forever . ''
Native peoples called them `` cool burns , '' low-intensity fires intended to balance the various plants and trees growing in an area .
`` How we maintain that balance is through fire , by not letting any one thing dominate something else , '' says Butler .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ overrun all the other trees , he explains .
If one shrub starts to take over a grassland , it should get burned back .
Aboriginal people have generations of knowledge about managing the landscape on this continent , but Butler says they 're ignored by public officials who rely on the massive controlled burns , known as back-burns .
Butler says cool burns target specific areas and even specific plants , while the current methods destroy everything in their paths .
There has been a torrent of criticism over the blazes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rural Fire Service commissioner , Shane Fitzsimmons , defended the tactic .
The clearly frustrated commissioner declared , `` We are not environmental bastards , '' saying that the burns are necessary to try to cutback the amount fuel available for the next blaze .
But Butler believes the current methods are n't working .
Fires have been burning across Australia for months , destroying more than 17 million acres of land .
At least 26 people have died in the fires , which have also killed more than a billion animals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials say they could continue to burn for months .
`` The place is heading for destruction .
Nobody can deny it , '' Butler says .
`` No one can say this is just normal .
It is n't . ''
Australia had its hottest and driest year on record in 2019 .
Butler puts the blame squarely on humans , who he says have not respected the Earth , mismanaging the land and continuing to burn fossil fuels .
`` I think this is a wake-up call not only for Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can not just destroy the land .
You can not destroy what keeps you alive . ''
Butler 's father told him a long time ago , he says , that the white man may have to destroy himself in order to save himself .
Butler is worried that may be coming true .
Despite losing everything on his property , Butler and his wife plan to rebuild their aboriginal culture center .
He says the training they do on traditional practices are more important now than ever .

With Their Land In Flames, Aboriginals Warn Fires Show Deep Problems In Australia
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sam Mooy/Getty Images Sam Mooy/Getty Images
Before Britain started sending convicts to the continent in the 1700s, aboriginal Australians used fire to manage brushlands and forests across the continent.
Noel Butler — who's known even to the fire crews at the end of his road as "Uncle Noel" — and his wife, Trish, used to run the Nuragunya Aboriginal culture and education camp deep in a forest in the state of New South Wales.
But last week, an inferno swept through their canyon.
"That's what's left of our house," Butler says, pointing at a pile of charred timbers, ash and twisted sheet metal. "That was a two story A-frame house which I built."
The inferno torched his house, the camp, his workshop and the surrounding woods for miles. The ground is covered in powdery ash. Every tree trunk is charred black. Some of them still smolder.
"Not a single thing is left. It's all absolutely, completely destroyed."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jason Beaubien/NPR Jason Beaubien/NPR
Butler has been burying kangaroos and wallabies that were killed in the blaze. But he has seen one large grey kangaroo still alive and the tracks of some wallabies. A few birds have returned. But there's no food for them, so Butler is putting out hay for the kangaroos and chicken feed for the wallabies.
"Wallabies are like long-legged goats. They'll eat anything."
Butler and his wife once used this place to hold camps and workshops on aboriginal culture. They had a program for troubled indigenous youth. School groups would come to learn about native art, history and food. Fire was a key issue they would teach about.
"Fire in this place is our friend," he says. "Fire has been used to maintain, to look after this whole continent forever."
Native peoples called them "cool burns," low-intensity fires intended to balance the various plants and trees growing in an area.
"How we maintain that balance is through fire, by not letting any one thing dominate something else," says Butler.
The eucalyptus shouldn't be allowed to overrun all the other trees, he explains. If one shrub starts to take over a grassland, it should get burned back.
Aboriginal people have generations of knowledge about managing the landscape on this continent, but Butler says they're ignored by public officials who rely on the massive controlled burns, known as back-burns. Butler says cool burns target specific areas and even specific plants, while the current methods destroy everything in their paths.
There has been a torrent of criticism over the blazes. This week, the New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, defended the tactic. The clearly frustrated commissioner declared, "We are not environmental bastards," saying that the burns are necessary to try to cutback the amount fuel available for the next blaze.
But Butler believes the current methods aren't working. Fires have been burning across Australia for months, destroying more than 17 million acres of land. At least 26 people have died in the fires, which have also killed more than a billion animals and damaged or destroyed nearly 3,000 homes. Officials say they could continue to burn for months.
"The place is heading for destruction. Nobody can deny it," Butler says. "No one can say this is just normal. It isn't."
Australia had its hottest and driest year on record in 2019. Butler puts the blame squarely on humans, who he says have not respected the Earth, mismanaging the land and continuing to burn fossil fuels.
"I think this is a wake-up call not only for Australia but for the rest of the world. You cannot just destroy the land. You cannot destroy what keeps you alive."
Butler's father told him a long time ago, he says, that the white man may have to destroy himself in order to save himself. Butler is worried that may be coming true.
Despite losing everything on his property, Butler and his wife plan to rebuild their aboriginal culture center. He says the training they do on traditional practices are more important now than ever.


npr--2020-01-11--New Law Aims To Help Americans Without Retirement Plans. Will It Work?

New Law Aims To Help Americans Without Retirement Plans .
Will It Work ?
The most powerful way to get people to save for retirement in recent decades has been through benefits offered at their job .
But a lot of people — about half the American workforce — do n't get that from their employers .
`` Over 50 million workers right now do n't have access to any retirement plan at all , '' says David Certner , legislative counsel for AARP .
Small employers are the biggest segment lacking coverage , he says .
That 's because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money to set such programs up , he says .
The new law , called the Secure Act , aims to help with that , in part by allowing smaller employers to band together to share the administrative burden — making it cheaper and easier to offer retirement benefits .
How many will do so and expand their retirement benefits is far from clear because the program is optional .
And , Certner says , the law wo n't apply to many other workers who are n't classified as employees .
Contractors or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits .
The Secure Act also gives people more flexibility to save for longer periods of time and delay withdrawing funds .
It allows employers to offer other investment options like annuities .
The fact that the measure passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last month is significant , says Alicia Munnell , director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College .
But she says the changes are modest .
She notes that the government has tried — and largely failed — to encourage more small businesses to offer retirement benefits through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myRA program .
She expects it will be the same with this latest law .
`` I do n't really think they 're really going to move the needle much at all , '' Munnell says .
The new law requires employers offering retirement benefits to include part-time workers who 've been on the job at least three years .
That could help about 4 million workers , Munnell says .
Much bigger changes to retirement law have been occurring at the state level , experts say .
Ten states — including Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring private employers to enroll their workers in individual retirement accounts if the employers do n't offer their own benefits .
Those state programs are expected to expand retirement savings to 15 million more people .
`` Without a mandate , without somebody saying , 'Mr .
Small Businessman , you have to do something for your employees , ' I do n't think we 're going to see much change , '' Munnell says .
That 's why , she says , she would like to see such rules extend to all @ @ @

New Law Aims To Help Americans Without Retirement Plans. Will It Work?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images
The most powerful way to get people to save for retirement in recent decades has been through benefits offered at their job. But a lot of people — about half the American workforce — don't get that from their employers.
"Over 50 million workers right now don't have access to any retirement plan at all," says David Certner, legislative counsel for AARP.
Small employers are the biggest segment lacking coverage, he says. That's because many small businesses lack the time and money to set such programs up, he says.
The new law, called the Secure Act, aims to help with that, in part by allowing smaller employers to band together to share the administrative burden — making it cheaper and easier to offer retirement benefits. How many will do so and expand their retirement benefits is far from clear because the program is optional.
And, Certner says, the law won't apply to many other workers who aren't classified as employees. Contractors or gig workers aren't eligible for those benefits.
The Secure Act also gives people more flexibility to save for longer periods of time and delay withdrawing funds. It allows employers to offer other investment options like annuities.
The fact that the measure passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last month is significant, says Alicia Munnell, director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. But she says the changes are modest.
She notes that the government has tried — and largely failed — to encourage more small businesses to offer retirement benefits through programs like the Treasury Department's now-expired myRA program.
She expects it will be the same with this latest law.
"I don't really think they're really going to move the needle much at all," Munnell says.
The new law requires employers offering retirement benefits to include part-time workers who've been on the job at least three years. That could help about 4 million workers, Munnell says.
Much bigger changes to retirement law have been occurring at the state level, experts say. Ten states — including Oregon, California and Illinois — recently started requiring private employers to enroll their workers in individual retirement accounts if the employers don't offer their own benefits. Those state programs are expected to expand retirement savings to 15 million more people.
"Without a mandate, without somebody saying, 'Mr. Small Businessman, you have to do something for your employees,' I don't think we're going to see much change," Munnell says. That's why, she says, she would like to see such rules extend to all 50 states.


npr--2020-01-11--Exclusive: Iran Strike Won't Slow Trump's Cuts To National Security Council

President Trump 's national security adviser said tensions with Iran wo n't slow his plans to shrink the size of the National Security Council .
In an exclusive interview with NPR , Robert O'Brien said he expects to have trimmed about a third of the ranks at the National Security Council by the end of next month .
`` I think the reality is by the time we finish up , by the end of this month , end of next month , that we 'll probably have about 60 to 70 staffers who 've gone back to their home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were about 180 policy staff detailed to the team when O'Brien took charge in September — experts on loan from the Pentagon , State Department , Homeland Security , Transportation , and intelligence agencies .
O'Brien described it as `` a little bit bloated . ''
So far , about 40 to 45 officials have left the NSC , he said .
Streamlining the team , which provides information and advice to the president for his biggest diplomatic and security decisions , was one of O'Brien 's top priorities when he took over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September .
The rapid change has raised concern among those who have served on the NSC and believe the president needs a wide range of experts to study and give advice on the potential consequences of major actions , like the decision to order a drone strike on Iranian general Qassem Soleimani .
It was a move that past presidents , including George W. Bush and Barack Obama , had rejected because of the risks of war .
`` You sort of see a very messy decision on the Soleimani strike , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have all of the t 's crossed and i 's dotted , '' said John Gans , author of White House Warriors , a book about the NSC .
Gans said Trump is wary of leaks and seems averse to advice and guidance like the kind of guidance traditionally given by the NSC .
It does n't help that some of the most damning testimony against Trump in the impeachment hearings came from people working for the NSC .
`` This decision on Iran , you ca n't divorce it from President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep state , '' Gans said .
`` What he calls the deep state is really what everybody else calls America 's experts on Iran , Iraq and every other foreign policy . ''
Jonathan Stevenson , who was a director in Obama 's NSC , sees the cuts as another example of how the NSC has `` atrophied in the Trump administration . ''
`` It reflects the White House 's broad resistance to the kind of systematic NSC-led interagency deliberation that I and others have advocated for , '' Stevenson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NSC had , at one point , swelled as large as 236 staffers during the Obama administration .
He says a smaller NSC makes for more effective coordination .
It allows the State Department and Pentagon to do their jobs .
He says a big NSC can be tempted `` to go operational '' and get more involved in diplomatic and military operations better suited for the Cabinet .
`` I look back at the Cuban missile crisis , and I think folks believe Kennedy , President Kennedy , handled that crisis pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He had 12 policy staffers at the NSC . ''
But new threats have emerged over the last several decades , said Fernando Cutz , a top aide to former national security adviser H.R .
McMaster — one of O'Brien 's predecessors in the Trump administration .
Cutz said that since 9/11 , the NSC needs experts on counterterrorism and homeland security .
Cybersecurity has also emerged as a threat .
`` We need a team of capable people , capable career professionals like the NSC has , who are working around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and very limited resources , giving it their all , giving it their expertise to keep our country safe , '' Cutz said .
`` Chopping that down is not helpful or productive to anybody . ''
O'Brien sees a smaller NSC as a more efficient one .
As for Iran , O'Brien argues that the president got the advice he needed .
`` We had all the key principals in place with the president , with the vice president , '' O'Brien said .
`` So I think it was as much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Exclusive: Iran Strike Won't Slow Trump's Cuts To National Security Council
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump's national security adviser said tensions with Iran won't slow his plans to shrink the size of the National Security Council.
In an exclusive interview with NPR, Robert O'Brien said he expects to have trimmed about a third of the ranks at the National Security Council by the end of next month.
"I think the reality is by the time we finish up, by the end of this month, end of next month, that we'll probably have about 60 to 70 staffers who've gone back to their home agency," O'Brien said.
There were about 180 policy staff detailed to the team when O'Brien took charge in September — experts on loan from the Pentagon, State Department, Homeland Security, Transportation, and intelligence agencies. O'Brien described it as "a little bit bloated."
So far, about 40 to 45 officials have left the NSC, he said. Streamlining the team, which provides information and advice to the president for his biggest diplomatic and security decisions, was one of O'Brien's top priorities when he took over as Trump's national security adviser in September.
The rapid change has raised concern among those who have served on the NSC and believe the president needs a wide range of experts to study and give advice on the potential consequences of major actions, like the decision to order a drone strike on Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
It was a move that past presidents, including George W. Bush and Barack Obama, had rejected because of the risks of war.
"You sort of see a very messy decision on the Soleimani strike, one that didn't seem to sort of have all of the t's crossed and i's dotted," said John Gans, author of White House Warriors, a book about the NSC.
Gans said Trump is wary of leaks and seems averse to advice and guidance like the kind of guidance traditionally given by the NSC.
It doesn't help that some of the most damning testimony against Trump in the impeachment hearings came from people working for the NSC.
"This decision on Iran, you can't divorce it from President Trump's sort of war against the so-called deep state," Gans said. "What he calls the deep state is really what everybody else calls America's experts on Iran, Iraq and every other foreign policy."
Jonathan Stevenson, who was a director in Obama's NSC, sees the cuts as another example of how the NSC has "atrophied in the Trump administration."
"It reflects the White House's broad resistance to the kind of systematic NSC-led interagency deliberation that I and others have advocated for," Stevenson said.
O'Brien said the ranks of the NSC had, at one point, swelled as large as 236 staffers during the Obama administration. He says a smaller NSC makes for more effective coordination. It allows the State Department and Pentagon to do their jobs.
He says a big NSC can be tempted "to go operational" and get more involved in diplomatic and military operations better suited for the Cabinet.
"I look back at the Cuban missile crisis, and I think folks believe Kennedy, President Kennedy, handled that crisis pretty well," O'Brien said. "He had 12 policy staffers at the NSC."
But new threats have emerged over the last several decades, said Fernando Cutz, a top aide to former national security adviser H.R. McMaster — one of O'Brien's predecessors in the Trump administration.
Cutz said that since 9/11, the NSC needs experts on counterterrorism and homeland security. Cybersecurity has also emerged as a threat.
"We need a team of capable people, capable career professionals like the NSC has, who are working around the clock, already with very limited numbers and very limited resources, giving it their all, giving it their expertise to keep our country safe," Cutz said. "Chopping that down is not helpful or productive to anybody."
O'Brien sees a smaller NSC as a more efficient one.
As for Iran, O'Brien argues that the president got the advice he needed.
"We had all the key principals in place with the president, with the vice president," O'Brien said. "So I think it was as much interagency coordination as is going to happen."


npr--2020-01-11--California Reservation's Solar Microgrid Provides Power During Utility Shutoffs

California 's largest electric utility took the unprecedented step of shutting off power to millions of customers beginning last October .
The decision was meant to prevent power equipment from sparking catastrophic wildfires .
Now a renewable energy microgrid on a tiny California Native American reservation is proving to be one solution to this ongoing problem .
The Blue Lake Rancheria is located just north of Eureka , Calif. On the 100-acre campus , just behind the casino and hotel , Jana Ganion opens a chain-link fence .
`` We 're up on a little platform that can oversee most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This is the view I like the best . ''
Inside , in an area half the size of a football field , are more than 1,500 solar panels , slanted toward the noonday sun .
Ganion is the sustainability director with the Blue Lake Rancheria , which includes about 50 members .
She helped build this solar microgrid as part of the tribe 's goal to develop climate-resilient infrastructure and to be ready for earthquakes and tsunamis .
But then beginning in October , it became useful in a whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gas and Electric ( PG & E ) , shut off power to more than 30 counties in Central and Northern California on Oct. 9 .
`` We had probably 30- to 45-minute gas lines , '' Ganion says .
`` People were fueling up vehicles , but also their home generators .
That continued , basically , for the duration of the 28-hour outage . ''
As one of the only gas stations in the county with power , the reservation provided diesel to United Indian Health Services to refrigerate their medications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep their fish alive .
The local newspaper used a hotel conference room to put out the next day 's paper .
Area residents stopped by to charge their cell phones .
Ganion estimates that on that day more than 10,000 nearby residents came to the reservation for gas and supplies .
County officials had been warned about the utility shutoffs , but they did n't know they were happening until that day , says Ryan Derby , emergency services manager for Humboldt County , where Blue Lake Rancheria is located .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 18 months got thrown out the window , '' Derby says .
Suddenly , the rural county of 136,000 people was in the dark .
`` Humboldt County prides itself on being resilient , '' Derby says , `` But I think in light of these public safety power shutoffs we realized how dependent we really are on electricity . ''
The county focused on residents who relied on medical devices like respirators or oxygen tanks .
At the Blue Lake Rancheria , Anita Huff was directing emergency services for people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight people here who could not have lived without electricity , '' Huff says .
`` So , we saved eight lives . ''
The tribe built the microgrid with help from the Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State University .
`` Microgrids are very complex .
In some ways they 're kind of like snowflakes where no two of them are the same because it depends on where you are on the grid and what your facility is , '' says Dave Carter , the managing research engineer at the Schatz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engineer on the project .
Microgrids keep the electricity flowing to customers even after disconnecting from the overall power grid .
During an outage the Blue Lake microgrid goes into `` island mode '' and a large Tesla battery system stores extra power and balances the energy supply and demand .
By comparison , Carter says , conventional solar arrays have to automatically shut down during outages for safety so they do n't electrocute powerline maintenance workers or people who could come in contact with a downed line .
Microgrids do come at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost $ 6.3 million .
Five million dollars came from a California Energy Commission grant , and the tribe helped raise the rest .
Carter 's lab at the Schatz Energy Research Center is looking for ways to lower the cost of microgrids .
In spite of the upfront price , he says , communities should consider what it 's worth to stay in control during a natural disaster .
`` The extreme case would be for your medical device to stop working , '' Carter says .
`` The value of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the county is de-energized is high . ''
The California utility shutoffs do n't appear to be going away .
Last month PG & E announced a request for proposals to build 20 new microgrids near utility substations that could be affected by future power shutoffs .
They 're hoping to have them running by next fall , the season with high winds and extreme fire risk .
Jana Ganion , with the Blue Lake Rancheria , says with future electricity shutoffs , rural communities , and Native American reservations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resilient .
`` Many , many tribal nations are located at the end of the line in terms of the electricity grid , '' Ganion says .
`` They may have no power .
They may have poor quality power .
Microgrids are just a way to do an end-run around all of that . ''

California Reservation's Solar Microgrid Provides Power During Utility Shutoffs
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of the Blue Lake Rancheria Courtesy of the Blue Lake Rancheria
California's largest electric utility took the unprecedented step of shutting off power to millions of customers beginning last October. The decision was meant to prevent power equipment from sparking catastrophic wildfires.
Now a renewable energy microgrid on a tiny California Native American reservation is proving to be one solution to this ongoing problem.
The Blue Lake Rancheria is located just north of Eureka, Calif. On the 100-acre campus, just behind the casino and hotel, Jana Ganion opens a chain-link fence.
"We're up on a little platform that can oversee most of the array," she says. "This is the view I like the best."
Inside, in an area half the size of a football field, are more than 1,500 solar panels, slanted toward the noonday sun.
Ganion is the sustainability director with the Blue Lake Rancheria, which includes about 50 members. She helped build this solar microgrid as part of the tribe's goal to develop climate-resilient infrastructure and to be ready for earthquakes and tsunamis.
But then beginning in October, it became useful in a whole new way.
The utility, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), shut off power to more than 30 counties in Central and Northern California on Oct. 9.
"We had probably 30- to 45-minute gas lines," Ganion says. "People were fueling up vehicles, but also their home generators. That continued, basically, for the duration of the 28-hour outage."
As one of the only gas stations in the county with power, the reservation provided diesel to United Indian Health Services to refrigerate their medications and to the Mad River Fish Hatchery to keep their fish alive. The local newspaper used a hotel conference room to put out the next day's paper. Area residents stopped by to charge their cell phones.
Ganion estimates that on that day more than 10,000 nearby residents came to the reservation for gas and supplies.
Emergency plans 'thrown out the window'
County officials had been warned about the utility shutoffs, but they didn't know they were happening until that day, says Ryan Derby, emergency services manager for Humboldt County, where Blue Lake Rancheria is located.
"Our entire planning model for the last 18 months got thrown out the window," Derby says.
Suddenly, the rural county of 136,000 people was in the dark.
"Humboldt County prides itself on being resilient," Derby says, "But I think in light of these public safety power shutoffs we realized how dependent we really are on electricity."
The county focused on residents who relied on medical devices like respirators or oxygen tanks.
At the Blue Lake Rancheria, Anita Huff was directing emergency services for people with critical medical needs.
"We had eight people here who could not have lived without electricity," Huff says. "So, we saved eight lives."
The tribe built the microgrid with help from the Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State University.
"Microgrids are very complex. In some ways they're kind of like snowflakes where no two of them are the same because it depends on where you are on the grid and what your facility is," says Dave Carter, the managing research engineer at the Schatz Energy Research Center and the lead technical engineer on the project.
A power 'island'
Microgrids keep the electricity flowing to customers even after disconnecting from the overall power grid. During an outage the Blue Lake microgrid goes into "island mode" and a large Tesla battery system stores extra power and balances the energy supply and demand.
By comparison, Carter says, conventional solar arrays have to automatically shut down during outages for safety so they don't electrocute powerline maintenance workers or people who could come in contact with a downed line.
Microgrids do come at a price. The Blue Lake installation cost $6.3 million. Five million dollars came from a California Energy Commission grant, and the tribe helped raise the rest.
Carter's lab at the Schatz Energy Research Center is looking for ways to lower the cost of microgrids. In spite of the upfront price, he says, communities should consider what it's worth to stay in control during a natural disaster.
"The extreme case would be for your medical device to stop working," Carter says. "The value of the power that the microgrid can provide when the rest of the county is de-energized is high."
The California utility shutoffs don't appear to be going away. Last month PG&E announced a request for proposals to build 20 new microgrids near utility substations that could be affected by future power shutoffs. They're hoping to have them running by next fall, the season with high winds and extreme fire risk.
Jana Ganion, with the Blue Lake Rancheria, says with future electricity shutoffs, rural communities, and Native American reservations in particular, need to be especially resilient.
"Many, many tribal nations are located at the end of the line in terms of the electricity grid," Ganion says. "They may have no power. They may have poor quality power. Microgrids are just a way to do an end-run around all of that."


npr--2020-01-12--Why The Most Coveted Democratic Endorser In Iowa Isn't Picking Sides

Why The Most Coveted Democratic Endorser In Iowa Is n't Picking Sides A wide-open competitive presidential primary contest should be a moment of opportunity and peak political leverage for ambitious and aspiring politicians in places like Iowa .
But one of the most sought-after Democrats in the first-in-the-nation caucus state is n't interested in endorsing a presidential candidate .
As the youngest of a handful of Democrats in statewide office in Iowa , State Auditor Rob Sand , who was elected in 2018 , is often mentioned as a potential future U.S. Senate or gubernatorial candidate .
But despite getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker , Sand says endorsements `` barely '' matter `` at all . ''
`` I think it 's a bigger deal to the candidates than it is to caucus-goers , '' said Sand , who said his sister supports Elizabeth Warren and that if he endorsed another candidate , it would n't sway her at all .
With only a year of experience as auditor and two young kids at home , Sand says he 's not interested in being tied to a presidential campaign .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the person that I determined was the best candidate was going to somehow magically win the Iowa caucuses and become the nominee , I would take this much more seriously , '' Sand says .
`` But part of the reason the Iowa caucuses are good to have go first is because Iowans take this seriously . ''
Prior to becoming auditor , Sand , 37 , was an assistant attorney general and led a nationwide lottery-fixing investigation .
Originally from Decorah , a college town in rural northeast Iowa , Sand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in year that also saw Iowa 's GOP governor , Kim Reynolds , win .
Sand , who 's a bow hunter , has n't offered any presidential candidates a trip to his deer stand in urban Des Moines .
The city has been trying to control the deer population .
While Sand hangs out in the deer stand on a recent day , he sends some emails from his phone and checks his social media accounts .
He 's live-streamed his quest for a haircut while traveling in rural Iowa and tweets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station breakfast pizza .
( In Iowa it usually comes with cheese sauce , eggs and a breakfast meat like sausage or bacon . )
`` You get a nice piece of breakfast pizza with some firm crust underneath that 's a really good version of breakfast on the go , '' Sand whispers in the deer stand .
Sand has previously pointed out before that presidential candidate and former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg has n't tried breakfast pizza from the gas station chain Casey 's .
During an interview with Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked about that challenge .
`` Is that what it 's going to take to get the Rob Sand endorsement ? ''
Buttigieg asked with a chuckle .
`` Organizational heft and reputations on the line '' While Sand may doubt the value of his endorsement , any edge a campaign can get matters in a field this big , said Lily Adams , the communications director for California Sen. Kamala Harris 's now-defunct presidential campaign .
Adams was also Hillary Clinton 's Iowa communications director in 2016 .
Adams says campaigns want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just going to be a name on a press release , but will also `` put their organizational heft and reputations on the line to get out people on caucus night . ''
`` [ That 's ] when you are going to need everybody in that room to be advocating for you , '' Adams said .
While not decisive , endorsements hold some sway with caucus-goers , such as Christopher Marks , a mental health counselor .
After seeing a state lawmaker who had endorsed Amy Klobuchar introduce her at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , Marks , said that support `` did n't hurt '' for him .
`` I think it carries more weight to me than Kevin Costner coming out for Pete .
This is where I live .
This is where I 'm from , '' Marks said .
`` These are the people that represent me .
And if they say they represent her that means something to me . ''
After several hours in Rob Sand 's deer stand , the sun starts going down , ordinarily prime time for deer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ location for deer to visit within the next forty minutes , '' Sand whispers .
But no deer ever show up .
Sand says it 's proof his endorsement does n't really matter .

Why The Most Coveted Democratic Endorser In Iowa Isn't Picking Sides
Enlarge this image toggle caption Clay Masters/Iowa Public Radio Clay Masters/Iowa Public Radio
A wide open competitive presidential primary should be a moment of opportunity and peak political leverage for ambitious and aspiring politicians in places like Iowa. But one of the most sought-after Democrats in the first-in-the-nation caucus state isn't interested in endorsing a presidential candidate.
As the youngest of a handful of Democrats in statewide office in Iowa, state Auditor Rob Sand, who was elected in 2018, is often mentioned as a potential future U.S. Senate or gubernatorial candidate.
But despite getting courted by candidates ranging from Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, Sand says endorsements "barely" matter "at all."
"I think it's a bigger deal to the candidates than it is to caucusgoers," says Sand, who says his sister supports Warren and that if he endorsed another candidate, it wouldn't sway her at all.
With only a year of experience as auditor and two young kids at home, Sand says he's not interested in being tied to a presidential campaign.
"If I could snap my fingers and know that the person that I determined was the best candidate was going to somehow magically win the Iowa caucuses and become the nominee, I would take this much more seriously," Sand says. "But part of the reason the Iowa caucuses are good to have go first is because Iowans take this seriously."
Prior to becoming auditor, Sand, 37, was an assistant attorney general and led a nationwide lottery-fixing investigation. Originally from Decorah, a college town in rural northeast Iowa, Sand was elected by defeating a Republican incumbent in year that also saw Iowa's GOP governor, Kim Reynolds, win.
Sand, who's a bow hunter, hasn't offered any presidential candidates a trip to his deer stand in urban Des Moines. The city has been trying to control the deer population.
While Sand hangs out in the deer stand on a recent day, he sends some emails from his phone and checks his social media accounts. He's live-streamed his quest for a haircut while traveling in rural Iowa and tweets often about his favorite food: gas station breakfast pizza. (In Iowa it usually comes with cheese sauce, eggs and a breakfast meat like sausage or bacon.)
"You get a nice piece of breakfast pizza with some firm crust underneath, that's a really good version of breakfast on the go," Sand whispers in the deer stand.
Sand has previously pointed out before that presidential candidate and former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg hasn't tried breakfast pizza from the gas station chain Casey's. During an interview with Iowa Public Radio last month, Buttigieg was asked about that challenge.
"Is that what it's going to take to get the Rob Sand endorsement?" Buttigieg asked with a chuckle.
"Organizational heft and reputations on the line"
While Sand may doubt the value of his endorsement, any edge a campaign can get matters in a field this big, said Lily Adams, communications director for California Sen. Kamala Harris' now-defunct presidential campaign. Adams was also Hillary Clinton's Iowa communications director in 2016.
Adams says campaigns want a good mix of endorsers who are not just going to be a name on a press release, but will also "put their organizational heft and reputations on the line to get out people on caucus night."
"[That's] when you are going to need everybody in that room to be advocating for you," Adams says.
While not decisive, endorsements hold some sway with caucusgoers, such as Christopher Marks, a mental health counselor.
After seeing a state lawmaker who had endorsed Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar introduce her at an event in suburban Des Moines last week, Marks says that support "didn't hurt" for him.
"I think it carries more weight to me than Kevin Costner coming out for Pete. This is where I live. This is where I'm from," Marks says. "These are the people that represent me. And if they say they represent her that means something to me."
After several hours in Sand's deer stand, the sun starts going down, ordinarily prime time for deer to appear.
"I endorse this location for deer to visit within the next 40 minutes," Sand whispers.
But no deer ever show up. Sand says it's proof his endorsement doesn't really matter.


npr--2020-01-12--Ready For Your First Marathon? Training Can Cut Years Off Your Cardiovascular Age

Ready For Your First Marathon ?
Training Can Cut Years Off Your Cardiovascular Age If you 've ever considered training for a marathon , but you 're a bit intimidated by the idea of 26.2 miles , here 's some motivation .
A slow and steady 6-month training program designed to gradually build up endurance and mileage gave a group of novice runners , aged 21 to 69 , an impressive boost to their heart health .
`` What we found in this study is that we 're able to reverse the processes of aging that occur in the [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author Dr. Anish Bhuva , a British Heart Foundation Cardiology Fellow at Barts Heart Centre in the UK .
Each of the 138 runners received a scan at the beginning and end of the training .
Using these images , researchers documented reductions in aortic artery stiffness which were equivalent to a four-year reduction in vascular age .
The findings are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology .
`` As you get older , the normal aging process causes changes in your heart and your vessels , '' Bhuva @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vessels in your body get stiffer , it means you get higher blood pressure . ''
And hardening of the arteries increase the risk of heart disease , including a `` higher risk of stroke , heart failure , kidney problems and dementia , '' Bhuva says .
But your lifestyle and habits can modify the rate and extent of these changes .
`` Many studies have shown that exercise over a lifetime reduces aortic stiffening , '' Bhuva says .
The value of the new marathon study is that it shows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I 'm not a runner , but when we found out these results , I decided to take up running , '' Bhuva told NPR .
He says his plan is to start training for a half-marathon .
The heart health benefits documented in the study likely have much less to do with the one-time race event than they do with the fact that the training program got people in the habit of regular , moderately intense exercise , says exercise researcher Dr. Tim Church , an adjunct professor at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the participants ran between 6 and 13 miles per week , during their training , so , not super long distances .
`` The training program was very practical and very doable , '' says Church , who was not involved in the study , but who reviewed the training regimen and results for NPR .
`` It was a slow build up over six months , '' Church says .
And , it turned out , that the older , slower runners saw the most benefits , in terms of reducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , running a marathon is not a good goal for everyone , and it 's best to consult your healthcare providers before you commit , especially if you have joint or heart issues .
But , Church says most people can find a way to be more physically activity , whether it 's cycling , swimming , rowing or even walking .
`` I always point to the federal physical activity guidelines , '' Church says .
These guidelines recommend that adults aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines are based on a body of evidence that about 30 minutes of exercise a day is enough to reduce your risk of lifestyle diseases .
Even among people with existing heart disease , Church points to evidence that regular physical activity can help improve key markers of heart health .
And , research shows exercise can help ease anxiety , depression , even sleep disorders .
`` The benefits begin once you get off the couch and start moving , '' Church says .

Ready For Your First Marathon? Training Can Cut Years Off Your Cardiovascular Age
Enlarge this image toggle caption RichVintage/Getty Images RichVintage/Getty Images
If you've ever considered training for a marathon, but you're a bit intimidated by the idea of 26.2 miles, here's some motivation.
A slow and steady six-month training program designed to gradually build up endurance and mileage gave a group of novice runners, ages 21 to 69, an impressive boost to their heart health.
"What we found in this study is that we're able to reverse the processes of aging that occur in the [blood] vessels," says study author Dr. Anish Bhuva, a British Heart Foundation Cardiology Fellow at Barts Heart Centre in the United Kingdom.
Each of the 138 runners received a scan at the beginning and end of the training. Using these images, researchers documented reductions in aortic artery stiffness that were equivalent to a four-year reduction in vascular age. The findings are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
"As you get older, the normal aging process causes changes in your heart and your vessels," Bhuva says. "When the main blood vessels in your body get stiffer, it means you get higher blood pressure."
And hardening of the arteries increases the risk of heart disease, including a "higher risk of stroke, heart failure, kidney problems and dementia," Bhuva says.
Ready to go? 3 tips to get started with your running goals Tip 1: Commit to a specific race or event Nothing concentrates the mind like a deadline. 18 million people in the U.S. participated in road races last year. If a marathon sounds daunting, aim for a half or a 5K. The simple act of registering may motivate you to start training. Parkrun USA organizes timed 5K races around the country that are free and open to everyone. Tip 2: Set realistic training goals If you're new to running, the Couch to 5K app guides you though a series of 30-minute workouts of increasing intensity over nine weeks. For longer races, you need a certain level of fitness to start with, and you'll want to gradually build your endurance. A training method popularized by the book Marathon: You Can Do It by Jeff Galloway is a well-tested approach. Tip 3: Find a group or a partner "We normally tell our patients, look, you need to run or exercise 150 minutes a week. But, of course, that's that's a very boring prescription for people to follow," Bhuva says. When you find a group or a partner to train with, it makes it more likely you'll stick with it.
But your lifestyle and habits can modify the rate and extent of these changes. "Many studies have shown that exercise over a lifetime reduces aortic stiffening," Bhuva says. The value of the new marathon study is that it shows the extent to which people can make improvements.
"I'm not a runner, but when we found out these results, I decided to take up running," Bhuva told NPR. He says his plan is to start training for a half-marathon.
The heart health benefits documented in the study likely have much less to do with the one-time race event than they do with the fact that the training program got people in the habit of regular, moderately intense exercise, says exercise researcher Dr. Tim Church, an adjunct professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. On average, the participants ran between 6 and 13 miles per week, during their training, so, not super long distances.
"The training program was very practical and very doable," says Church, who was not involved in the study, but who reviewed the training regimen and results for NPR. "It was a slow build up over six months."
And it turned out that the older, slower runners saw the most benefits, in terms of reducing blood pressure and arterial stiffness.
Of course, running a marathon is not a good goal for everyone, and it's best to consult your health care providers before you commit, especially if you have joint or heart issues. But Church says most people can find a way to be more physically active, whether it's cycling, swimming, rowing or even walking.
"I always point to the federal physical activity guidelines," Church says. These guidelines recommend that adults aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity over the course of a week. The guidelines are based on a body of evidence that about 30 minutes of exercise a day is enough to reduce your risk of lifestyle diseases.
Even among people with existing heart disease, Church points to evidence that regular physical activity can help improve key markers of heart health. And research shows that exercise can help ease anxiety, depression, even sleep disorders.
"The benefits begin once you get off the couch and start moving," Church says.


npr--2020-01-12--Australia's Wildfires Are Releasing Vast Amounts Of Carbon Emissions

Smoke from the ongoing firestorm in Australia is obscuring skies halfway around the world .
Satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show a haze from the deadly fires spreading over South America .
The swirling plume is nearly the size of the continental United States .
All fires emit smoke — a combination of thousands of compounds , including climate-warming greenhouse gases .
But the sheer scale of the emissions , and the severity of the fires causing them , are concerning climate scientists around the world .
Already , atmospheric watchdogs say , the fires have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbon dioxide into Earth 's atmosphere .
`` For these fires in the southeast south ( of Australia ) , probably we are in the ballpark of 400 million tons of carbon , '' says Dr .
Pep Canadell , a lead scientist with Australia 's national research agency and the executive director of the Global Carbon Project , which tracks greenhouse gas emissions globally .
To put that figure in perspective , Australia 's total emissions from man-made sources last year was roughly 540 million tons .
So this year 's fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have already surpassed two-thirds of that amount .
But perhaps more concerning is that many of these fires , including two that merged into a massive `` megafire , '' are burning in areas that could take decades or longer to regrow .
Forest ecologists and atmospheric scientists generally view wildfire as being carbon neutral .
As fires burn , chewing through structures and vegetation , they spit out vast amounts of carbon and other compounds in their smoke .
`` But then over time , we expect a lot of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] down by plants growing again , '' says Rebecca Buchholz , a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research , based in Boulder , Colo. `` For fires , it 's all about balance . ''
But there are concerns that balance is shifting .
Climate change is causing wildfires to burn more frequently and severely around the world .
It 's increasing the areas that fires can burn , and the length of time in which fire conditions exist .
A 2018 `` State of the Climate '' report by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Meteorology found that there has been a `` long-term increase in extreme fire weather and in the length of the fire season across large parts of Australia since the 1950s . ''
At the same time , the world is getting hotter , precipitation patterns are shifting , and human development is expanding .
All that is making it harder for some forests to regrow .
`` We could be changing the atmosphere with fossil fuels in such a way that fires in landscape ecosystems go from being neutral or harmless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is destructive , '' says Bob Yokelson , a researcher and professor at the University of Montana .
In that scenario , wildfire would become a bigger source of climate-warming emissions , adding to the growing amount that humans are pumping into the atmosphere , thus making future fires worse .
Scientists call this a positive feedback loop .
It 's too soon to say whether the fires in Australia will end up being a net source of carbon , or if areas will be able to regrow .
But it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country is worrisome .
`` Climate impacts the fires , and the fires can potentially impact climate , and we do n't know where we 're going , '' says Buchholz , who is from Australia and has spent the last few weeks there avoiding the oppressive smoke .
`` It 's a moving goal post all the time , and we have n't reached that new balance point . ''

Australia's Wildfires Are Releasing Vast Amounts Of Carbon
Enlarge this image toggle caption Cassie Trotter/Getty Images Cassie Trotter/Getty Images
Smoke from the ongoing firestorm in Australia is obscuring skies halfway around the world. Satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show a haze from the deadly fires spreading over South America. The swirling plume is nearly the size of the continental United States.
All fires emit smoke — a combination of thousands of compounds, including climate-warming greenhouse gases. But the sheer scale of the emissions, and the severity of the fires causing them, are concerning climate scientists around the world.
Already, atmospheric watchdogs say, the fires have pumped hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into Earth's atmosphere.
"For these fires in the southeast south (of Australia), probably we are in the ballpark of 400 million tons of carbon," says Dr. Pep Canadell, a lead scientist with Australia's national research agency and the executive director of the Global Carbon Project, which tracks greenhouse gas emissions globally.
To put that figure in perspective, Australia's total emissions from man-made sources last year was roughly 540 million tons. So this year's fires, fueled by record-high temperatures and drought, have already surpassed two-thirds of that amount.
But perhaps more concerning is that many of these fires, including two that merged into a massive "megafire," are burning in areas that could take decades or longer to regrow.
Forest ecologists and atmospheric scientists generally view wildfire as being carbon neutral. As fires burn, chewing through structures and vegetation, they spit out vast amounts of carbon and other compounds in their smoke.
"But then over time, we expect a lot of that carbon dioxide will be drawn [back] down by plants growing again," says Rebecca Buchholz, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, based in Boulder, Colo. "For fires, it's all about balance."
But there are concerns that balance is shifting.
Climate impacts the fires, and the fires can potentially impact climate.
Climate change is causing wildfires to burn more frequently and severely around the world. It's increasing the areas that fires can burn, and the length of time in which fire conditions exist.
A 2018 "State of the Climate" report by Australia's leading research agency and Bureau of Meteorology found that there has been a "long-term increase in extreme fire weather and in the length of the fire season across large parts of Australia since the 1950s."
At the same time, the world is getting hotter, precipitation patterns are shifting, and human development is expanding. All that is making it harder for some forests to regrow.
"We could be changing the atmosphere with fossil fuels in such a way that fires in landscape ecosystems go from being neutral or harmless, in terms of climate, to something that is destructive," says Bob Yokelson, a researcher and professor at the University of Montana.
In that scenario, wildfire would become a bigger source of climate-warming emissions, adding to the growing amount that humans are pumping into the atmosphere, thus making future fires worse. Scientists call this a positive feedback loop.
It's too soon to say whether the fires in Australia will end up being a net source of carbon, or if areas will be able to regrow. But it's clear that what's happening now in the country is worrisome.
"Climate impacts the fires, and the fires can potentially impact climate, and we don't know where we're going," says Buchholz, who is from Australia and has spent the last few weeks there avoiding the oppressive smoke. "It's a moving goal post all the time, and we haven't reached that new balance point."


npr--2020-01-12--Iran's Only Female Olympic Medalist Says She Has Defected

Iran 's Only Female Olympic Medalist Says She Has Defected An Iranian Olympian , Kimia Alizadeh , has reportedly defected from the Islamic Republic , according to a letter she published on her Instagram account on Saturday .
The letter was published in Persian and is accompanied by a black and white image of her from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil .
She describes her decision to leave as difficult , but referring to herself as `` one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran , '' Alizadeh says it was necessary .
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Olympic gold , but I remain the daughter of Iran wherever I am , '' Alizadeh writes .
Alizadeh was 18-years-old when she won a bronze medal for taekwondo at the 2016 summer Olympics .
She is the only woman to ever win an Olympic medal for Iran .
In her letter , she accuses officials in Iran of sexism and mistreatment and criticizes the compulsory wearing of hijab headscarves in public for women .
`` They took me wherever they wanted .
I wore whatever they said , '' the letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to say , I repeated . ''
Her letter did not disclose when she left Iran or where she has gone .
But it did make clear that she was not invited to Europe and that her defection was not the result of any offer of asylum .
Iran 's semiofficial ISNA news agency reported that Alizadeh had fled to the Netherlands .
There has been no immediate reaction from Iranian authorities .
It is unclear whether Alizadeh will compete at the Tokyo Olympics this summer under another nation 's flag .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ high tension between Iran and the United States , as well as growing turmoil in Iran .
On Saturday , Iranians took to the streets of Tehran and other cities , with many demanding that the country 's supreme leader , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , step down after the government admitted that it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane killing all 176 people aboard .
The admission marked the latest development in the fallout from the U.S. killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani earlier this month .
In recent months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop representing — and in some cases physically leave — the country .
Alireza Firouzja , Iran 's top-rated chess champion , decided to stop playing for Iran in December over the country 's informal ban on competing against Israeli players .
In September , Saeid Mollaei , a martial artist who practices judo , left the country for Germany .
Alireza Faghani , an Iranian international soccer referee , left the country for Australia in 2019 .

Iran's Only Female Olympic Medalist Says She Has Defected
Enlarge this image toggle caption Robert F. Bukaty/AP Robert F. Bukaty/AP
An Iranian Olympian, Kimia Alizadeh, has reportedly defected from the Islamic Republic, according to a letter she published on her Instagram account on Saturday.
The letter was published in Persian and is accompanied by a black and white image of her from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
She describes her decision to leave as difficult, but referring to herself as "one of the millions of oppressed women in Iran," Alizadeh says it was necessary.
"This decision is even harder to win than the Olympic gold, but I remain the daughter of Iran wherever I am," Alizadeh writes.
Alizadeh was 18-years-old when she won a bronze medal for taekwondo at the 2016 summer Olympics. She is the only woman to ever win an Olympic medal for Iran.
In her letter, she accuses officials in Iran of sexism and mistreatment and criticizes the compulsory wearing of hijab headscarves in public for women.
"They took me wherever they wanted. I wore whatever they said," the letter reads. "Every sentence they ordered me to say, I repeated."
Her letter did not disclose when she left Iran or where she has gone. But it did make clear that she was not invited to Europe and that her defection was not the result of any offer of asylum.
Iran's semiofficial ISNA news agency reported that Alizadeh had fled to the Netherlands. There has been no immediate reaction from Iranian authorities.
It is unclear whether Alizadeh will compete at the Tokyo Olympics this summer under another nation's flag.
Her defection comes at a time of high tension between Iran and the United States, as well as growing turmoil in Iran.
On Saturday, Iranians took to the streets of Tehran and other cities, with many demanding that the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, step down after the government admitted that it accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane killing all 176 people aboard. The admission marked the latest development in the fallout from the U.S. killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani earlier this month.
In recent months, several top sports figures have decided to stop representing — and in some cases physically leave — the country.
Alireza Firouzja, Iran's top-rated chess champion, decided to stop playing for Iran in December over the country's informal ban on competing against Israeli players.
In September, Saeid Mollaei, a martial artist who practices judo, left the country for Germany. Alireza Faghani, an Iranian international soccer referee, left the country for Australia in 2019.


npr--2020-01-12--Queen Elizabeth II Calls A Family Meeting To Determine Meghan and Harry's Next Steps

Queen Elizabeth II Calls A Family Meeting To Determine Meghan and Harry 's Next Steps Queen Elizabeth II has called a family meeting to discuss Prince Harry and Meghan , the Duchess of Sussex 's announcement this past week that they plan to `` step back as 'senior ' members of the Royal Family . ''
The meeting is scheduled for Monday and will be held at the queen 's Sandringham estate about 100 miles north of London , according to reports by British media .
According to those reports , the queen will be joined by Harry ; his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and his older brother , Prince William , Duke of Cambridge .
Meghan , who is currently in Canada , is expected to join the meeting by phone .
The goal of the meeting is to agree on next steps for the couple .
It follows days of discussions at Buckingham Palace and consultations between palace officials and members of the British and Canadian governments about the couple 's options .
Harry is sixth in line to the British throne , after his father , his brother and William 's three children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — announced their decision in a statement published on their website and Instagram .
`` After many months of reflection and internal discussions , we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution , '' the statement reads .
It goes on to say that the couple intends to `` work to become financially independent , while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen . ''
They also announced that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Kingdom and North America .
Buckingham Palace responded with its own short statement that discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding their decision were `` at an early stage '' and would `` take time to work through . ''
The BBC reports that the royal family was not consulted before Harry and Meghan released their statement .
If members of the royal family were taken by surprise by the announcement , they were not alone .
The announcement was equally `` surprising '' to royal family watchers , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and author of The Betrayal of Mary , Queen of Scots .
While many royal commentators and experts had expected the couple to step back from royal duties in some way , they were n't expecting it to happen `` quite this quickly , '' said Williams in an interview with NPR 's All Things Considered .
`` This is a big , big departure from what any other royal has ever done before , '' said Williams .
While Harry is currently in England to attend the talks , Meghan went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC , to be with the couple 's son , Archie .
As a family , they spent six weeks in Canada at the end of 2019 before officially returning to Britain .
A step back had been anticipated since then , and Meghan 's return to Canada has some observers suggesting that the couple may choose the country as their new home .
While Meghan is a U.S. citizen , she spent several years living in Canada while working as a television actress on the television series Suits .
Some have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better insulate the couple from media scrutiny .
Meghan — who is biracial — faced persistent racist attacks from the media and online trolls even before she officially joined the royal family with her marriage to Harry in May 2018 .
Writing in The New York Times this week , British journalist Afua Hirsch says that the hounding of Meghan by the British press is undoubtedly part of the reason that the couple decided to `` step back . ''
`` The very same tabloid newspapers , the same people in British society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meghan Markle since the first day her relationship with Prince Harry became public , are exactly the same parts of society that have made life hostile for many people of color in Britain , '' Hirsch told NPR 's Lulu Garcia-Navarro .
Hirsch said the press has repeatedly covered Meghan through a racist lens , even comparing her newborn child at one point to a baby chimp .
`` [ These are ] really absurd suggestions that have been normalized by our media , '' Hirsch said .
`` I think it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her husband have voted with their feet . ''
Regardless of the motivations behind the announcement , as the couple 's plans move forward , many details still need to be worked out .
One big concern is security for the couple — including the question of who will pay for it .
Right now , it is paid for by British taxpayers .
Another is just how `` financially independent '' the couple will become and how they plan to support themselves moving forward .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sovereign Grant — British public funding that goes toward maintenance of the family palaces and the official duties of the queen .
But the couple 's statement did not mention whether they will continue to receive money from Harry 's father 's private estate .
The couple will now be eligible to work and earn income , which they were not allowed to do while serving as senior members of the royal family .
Another question is whether the couple will maintain their royal titles or whether they 'll be known just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remains uncertain , the fate of their wax doubles at the famous Madame Tussauds waxwork museum has been swiftly determined .
Following the couple 's announcement , London 's Madame Tussauds announced that it had removed the figures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the royal set and that they will be housed elsewhere .
The museum 's New York location said that it will also separate the figures of Harry and Meghan from the rest of the royal family .
Their new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where they 'll stand alongside Priyanka Chopra , Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt .

Queen Elizabeth II Calls A Family Meeting To Determine Meghan and Harry's Next Steps
Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Giddens/AP Joe Giddens/AP
Queen Elizabeth II has called a family meeting to discuss Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex's announcement this past week that they plan to "step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family."
The meeting is scheduled for Monday and will be held at the queen's Sandringham estate about 100 miles north of London, according to reports by British media.
According to those reports, the queen will be joined by Harry; his father, Charles, Prince of Wales; and his older brother, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. Meghan, who is currently in Canada, is expected to join the meeting by phone.
The goal of the meeting is to agree on next steps for the couple. It follows days of discussions at Buckingham Palace and consultations between palace officials and members of the British and Canadian governments about the couple's options.
Harry is sixth in line to the British throne, after his father, his brother and William's three children.
On Wednesday, the couple — formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — announced their decision in a statement published on their website and Instagram.
Europe Prince Harry And Meghan To 'Step Back' From Their Royal Duties Prince Harry And Meghan To 'Step Back' From Their Royal Duties Listen · 3:50 3:50
"After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution," the statement reads.
It goes on to say that the couple intends to "work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen."
They also announced that they plan to balance their time between the United Kingdom and North America.
Buckingham Palace responded with its own short statement that discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding their decision were "at an early stage" and would "take time to work through."
The BBC reports that the royal family was not consulted before Harry and Meghan released their statement.
If members of the royal family were taken by surprise by the announcement, they were not alone. The announcement was equally "surprising" to royal family watchers, according to Kate Williams, a British historian and author of The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Europe Prince Harry And Meghan Markle 'Step Back' From Royal Family Roles Prince Harry And Meghan Markle 'Step Back' From Royal Family Roles Listen · 3:27 3:27
While many royal commentators and experts had expected the couple to step back from royal duties in some way, they weren't expecting it to happen "quite this quickly," said Williams in an interview with NPR's All Things Considered.
"This is a big, big departure from what any other royal has ever done before," said Williams.
While Harry is currently in England to attend the talks, Meghan went to Canada following their announcement, according to the BBC, to be with the couple's son, Archie.
As a family, they spent six weeks in Canada at the end of 2019 before officially returning to Britain. A step back had been anticipated since then, and Meghan's return to Canada has some observers suggesting that the couple may choose the country as their new home.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frank Augstein/AP Frank Augstein/AP
While Meghan is a U.S. citizen, she spent several years living in Canada while working as a television actress on the television series Suits.
Some have suggested that moving to Canada would help better insulate the couple from media scrutiny. Meghan — who is biracial — faced persistent racist attacks from the media and online trolls even before she officially joined the royal family with her marriage to Harry in May 2018.
Writing in The New York Times this week, British journalist Afua Hirsch says that the hounding of Meghan by the British press is undoubtedly part of the reason that the couple decided to "step back."
Race Racism And The Royals Racism And The Royals Listen · 4:57 4:57
"The very same tabloid newspapers, the same people in British society who have been hurling vitriolic abuse at Meghan Markle since the first day her relationship with Prince Harry became public, are exactly the same parts of society that have made life hostile for many people of color in Britain," Hirsch told NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
Hirsch said the press has repeatedly covered Meghan through a racist lens, even comparing her newborn child at one point to a baby chimp.
"[These are] really absurd suggestions that have been normalized by our media," Hirsch said. "I think it's not surprising at all that she and her husband have voted with their feet."
Regardless of the motivations behind the announcement, as the couple's plans move forward, many details still need to be worked out.
One big concern is security for the couple — including the question of who will pay for it. Right now, it is paid for by British taxpayers.
Another is just how "financially independent" the couple will become and how they plan to support themselves moving forward.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said they will no longer receive funding through the Sovereign Grant — British public funding that goes toward maintenance of the family palaces and the official duties of the queen.
But the couple's statement did not mention whether they will continue to receive money from Harry's father's private estate.
The couple will now be eligible to work and earn income, which they were not allowed to do while serving as senior members of the royal family.
Another question is whether the couple will maintain their royal titles or whether they'll be known just as Meghan and Harry.
While the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remains uncertain, the fate of their wax doubles at the famous Madame Tussauds waxwork museum has been swiftly determined.
Following the couple's announcement, London's Madame Tussauds announced that it had removed the figures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from the royal set and that they will be housed elsewhere.
The museum's New York location said that it will also separate the figures of Harry and Meghan from the rest of the royal family. Their new home will be the A-List Party room, where they'll stand alongside Priyanka Chopra, Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt.