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America has always believed conspiracy theories, says ‘Under the Eye of Power’ author

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

In his new book, “Under the Eye of Power: How Fear of Secret Societies Shapes American Democracy,” Colin Dickey wastes no time getting to the point. “The United States was born in paranoia,” he writes in the book’s introduction. “It has been with this country from the very beginning, shadowing it ever since.”It’s a sobering reminder that conspiracy theories didn’t start with Pizzagate, QAnon or any of the other dangerous belief systems that have recently taken hold in American society — this has been going on since the 18th century. Related: Sign up for our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and moreDickey’s book takes a look at some of the more notable conspiracy theories that have, at one time or another, captured the nation’s imagination, including the Illuminati, Henry Ford’s infamous, anti-Semitic lies and the “Satanic panic” of the 1980s. Underscoring the book is a series of questions: Where do these theories come from, and why do people believe them?“Under ...

This little Las Vegas claims a large presence in New Mexico’s history, landscape — and skies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

Mary Ann Anderson | Tribune News Service (TNS)In the first chapter of Genesis, it is written, “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” Eons later, the Las Vegas City Council wrote, “Let there be dark: and there was dark.”In this remote corner of New Mexico, dark sky ordinances are in place to ensure stargazers, even if they’re standing in the middle of this small town with its population of 13,000, have little light pollution to better enjoy the exquisiteness of clear nights and constellations and galaxies sparkling in the night sky like silvered flakes of glitter.New Mexico is all about its storied light, whether from a starry night, violet sunrise or magnificent sunset. Las Vegas, perched at almost 7,000 feet in elevation, is wedged where the Great Plains and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains collide, so the luminescent landscape, a fusion of flatland and mountaintop, is light-washed and glimmering.The light isn’t the only reason to visit Las Vegas. The dot of a town,...

Tedeschi Trucks brings home the gold to TD Garden

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

Tedeschi Trucks Band played its best set ever on Wednesday at the TD Garden.Don’t come at me with Orpheum 2022, or 2021, or 2016. Don’t tell me the band has a ten-way tie for best set (even if you are right). Wednesday was it. And here are a few dashes of why:The band vamped on Joe Cocker’s “Woman to Woman” for five minutes letting Susan Tedeschi saunter out, full rock star entrance to open the homecoming show. Later the Boston-born Tedeschi took the ecstatic crowd to Chicago in 1966 (and the Fillmore East in 1971) with “Just Won’t Burn” — her blazing blues leads shot from her mint green telecaster signed by BB King. The whole band somehow turned the Nola stroll of “Fall In” into a Radiohead-does-Southern-rock-on–acid crescendo.Oh, and Warren Haynes joined the band, and his fellow Allman Brothers alum Derek Trucks, for “Dreams” and “Blue Sky.”Wednesday’s show had so much more, but a little history might be helpful to contextualize TTB’s grandest B...

Column: The Hollywood writers’ strike is over. What happens now?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

By Nina Metz, Chicago TribuneNow that the strike by the Writers Guild of America, which began in May, appears to be over, what happens now?The WGA’s nearly 12,000 members have until Oct. 9 to ratify the contract. Here are some of the details, as outlined on the WGA website:Baseline minimum wages will go up 5% once the contract is ratified. They will go up an additional 4% in the spring of 2024 and 3.5% the following year.Artificial intelligence was a major sticking point and here’s what both sides agreed to: “AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not be considered source material under the (contract), meaning that AI-generated material can’t be used to undermine a writer’s credit or separated rights.”There will be a new viewership-based streaming pay bonus applied to TV shows and movies “that are viewed by 20% or more of the service’s domestic subscribers in the first 90 days of release.”That also means streamers have agreed to provide to the WG...

UMass senior DT Billy Wooden making his last season count

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

UMass coach Don Brown has dealt with a host of problem areas in the first half of the season but the interior defensive line isn’t one of them.Defensive tackle Billy Wooden has been a bulwark in the Minutemen’s front seven with the capacity to stop the run and get after the passer.Brown will be counting on Wooden again when the Minutemen (1-4) host Arkansas State (2-2, 1-0) of the Sun Belt Conference on Saturday (3:30) at McGuirk Stadium. ASU beat UMass 35-33 last season.Wooden held down one of the few positions that Brown wasn’t urgently looking to upgrade in the transfer portal during the off season. He appeared in nine games last season and recorded 16 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles with 5.5 TFL’s and a forced fumble.“The good thing with Billy is that we are kind of finally getting the really healthy Billy Wooden,” said Brown. “Last year was a year removed off his ACL injury so obviously there was a period of time where you have to get comfortable, get your strength back and b...

BC secondary hits the reset button for Virginia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

The Boston College secondary and pass rush were exploited by explosive pass plays in last Saturday’s 56-28 loss at Louisville.BC has lost consecutive ACC matches to No. 5 Florida State and Louisville, two of the four undefeated first-place teams in a realigned league. The Eagles (0-2, 1-4) have their best opportunity to notch an ACC win when they host Virginia (0-1, 0-4) on Saturday afternoon (2) at Alumni Stadium.Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer completed 18-of-21 passes for 388 yards that averaged out to 21.5 yards per catch. Louisville had six receivers with catches of 27 yards or more that included touchdown strikes of 45, 42, 75 and 55 yards.Those numbers were especially disconcerting to BC head coach Jeff Hafley, who built his coaching portfolio as a defensive coordinator and defensive backfield instructor.“It is going back to what we do, our defense is built to eliminate explosives,” said Hafley. “We normally play the free safety in the middle of the field and he needs to ...

Hot Property: Acreage a highlight of Wayland Colonial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

We’re not sure what the correlation is between circular drives and a just-right, special home, but if 29 Adams Lane in Wayland is any indication, we may be onto something here.Located in the highly sought-after Claypit Hill neighborhood, the Colonial residence offers an idyllic retreat on nearly two acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, hugged by a tall treeline.Upon entering through the front door, you’ll be immediately captivated by the impressive living room, featuring a stunning wood-burning fireplace. The home’s heart, a bright and sunlit kitchen with an exposed brick wall for that extra dash of character, seamlessly connects to an open-concept dining room. This space not only invites gatherings but also offers splendid views of the expansive backyard’s natural beauty.For those who work from home, the first-floor office/den with custom-built bookshelves provides an ideal workspace. Upstairs, four generously sized bedrooms provide a cozy haven. The primary suite, ...

Dutch police say 3 people are killed in shootings at a university hospital and home in Rotterdam

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

By MIKE CORDER (Associated Press)THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A lone gunman wearing a bulletproof vest opened fire in an apartment and a hospital in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam on Thursday, killing three people, including a 14-year-old girl, police said.The shooting sent patients and medics fleeing the Erasmus Medical Center in downtown Rotterdam, including some who were wheeled out of the building in beds. Others barricaded themselves into rooms and stuck hand-written signs to windows to show their location.Police Chief Fred Westerbeke told reporters that the shooter was a 32-year-old student from Rotterdam. He was arrested at the hospital carrying a firearm. His identity was not released, and the motive for the shootings was still under investigation.He first shot and killed a 39-year-old woman and seriously injured her 14-year-old daughter at an apartment close to where the suspect lived, Police Chief Fred Westerbeke said. Police said the girl later died of her injur...

Emails at centre of court martial for Lt.-Gen. Whelan are under publication ban

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

OTTAWA — The military judge presiding over a court martial for Lt.-Gen. Steve Whelan has decided the emails at the centre of the case will not be made public during the trial unless they are allowed as evidence.Cmdr. Martin Pelletier said his ruling is an imperfect one, but noted he found himself in a challenging situation. “There come times in the judiciary when you have to fly by the seat of your pants, and this is one of the cases,” Pelletier said as he read his decision Thursday afternoon. Military prosecutors want to enter into evidence 10 packages of email correspondence between Whelan and the complainant in the case, who has been testifying this week. The defence is planning to argue that the emails are not relevant to the charge.Whelan has pleaded not guilty to one charge of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline for improperly changing a performance review, while a second charge relating to sexual misconduct has been dropped.The second charge stem...

Quebecer shot after allegedly threatening Trudeau, Legault facing weapons charge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:25:24 GMT

SCOTSTOWN, Que. — A Quebec man who was shot by police Wednesday as they investigated threats against Premier François Legault and Prime Minster Justin Trudeau is facing a weapons charge.The provincial prosecution service said Thursday that Germain Lemay made a court appearance to face a charge of possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose.Quebec’s police watchdog is investigating the shooting, which left the suspect in hospital in stable condition.The agency, known as the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, says the shooting by a provincial police tactical team occurred during an attempted arrest early Wednesday at a home in Scotstown, Que., about 180 kilometres east of Montreal.According to the BEI, an officer who was looking through a window shot the suspect when he saw him point a gun toward the door where officers were entering.Montreal police confirmed late Wednesday that the suspect had allegedly made threats against Legault and Trudeau.Legault’s office said in a ...