NEWBURYPORT — The Museum of Old Newbury, working in partnership with the Custom House Maritime Museum, Lowell’s Boat Shop and Firehouse Center for the Arts, presents “Revolutionary Privateers at Sea Symposium: Newburyport and the Wider World” on March 23.
The symposium, sponsored in part by the state Office of Travel and Tourism, is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport, and includes a visit to the Custom House Maritime Museum.
This page requires Javascript.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
A research vessel that specializes in hydrographic surveys has been dispatched to assist in the investigation into the recent sinking of the Gloucester-based commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean with all seven hands lost.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has dispatched its 208-foot survey vessel Thomas Jefferson to take part in support of the ongoing investigation.
This page requires Javascript.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Grief washed over Gloucester on Saturday morning, rippling out over Cape Ann and through the Northeast fishing community, as the Coast Guard suspended its search for six people missing after the fishing vessel Lily Jean went down Friday.
Grief washed over Gloucester on Saturday morning, rippling out over Cape Ann and through the Northeast fishing community, as the Coast Guard suspended its search for six people missing after the fishing vessel Lily Jean went down Friday.
North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea Sunday, its neighbors said, just hours before South Korea’s president leaves for China for talks expected to cover North Korea’s nuclear program.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement it detected several ballistic missile launches from North Korea’s capital region around 7:50 a.m. It said the missiles flew about 900 kilometers (560 miles) and that South Korea and U.S. authorities were analyzing details of the launches.Video above: Wildfires in South Korea destroyed an ancient Buddhist templeThe Joint Chiefs of Staff said that South Korea maintains a readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea and is closely exchanging information with the U.S. and Japan on the North’s missile launches.Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said that at least two missile launches by North Korea have been confirmed. “They are a serious problem, threatening the peace and security of our nation, the region and the world,” Koizumi told reporters.North Korea ramps up weapons display ahead of political meetThe launches were the latest weapons demonstration by North Korea in recent weeks. Experts say North Korea is aiming to show off or review its achievements in the defense sector ahead of its upcoming ruling party congress, the first of its kind in five years. Observers are watching the Workers Party congress to see whether North Korea will set a new policy on the U.S. and respond to its calls to resume long-stalled talks.North Korea has been focusing on testing activities to enlarge its nuclear arsenal since its leader Kim Jong Un’s summitry with U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. Kim has also boosted his diplomatic credentials by aligning with Russia over its war in Ukraine and tightening relations with China. Observers say Kim would believe his leverage has sharply increased to wrest concessions from Trump if they sit down for talks again.North Korea hasn’t announced when it will hold the congress, but South Korea’s spy service said it will likely occur in January or February.Launches comes before South Korean leader’s trip to ChinaSunday’s launches also came hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departs for China for a summit with President Xi Jinping. During the four-day trip, Lee’s office said he would request China, North Korea’s major ally and biggest trading partner, to take “a constructive role” in efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.South Korea and the U.S. have long asked China to exercise its influence on North Korea to persuade it to return to talks or give up its nuclear program. But there are questions on how big of a leverage China has on its socialist neighbor. China, together with Russia, has also repeatedly blocked the U.S. and others’ attempts to toughen economic sanctions on North Korea in recent years.Later Sunday, South Korea convened an emergency national security council meeting where officials urged North Korea to stop ballistic missile launches, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. The council reported details of the launches and unspecified South Korean steps to Lee, according to the presidential office.North Korea hasn’t commented on US operation in VenezuelaThe launches followed Saturday’s dramatic U.S. military operation that ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power and brought him to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. It represented America’s most assertive action to achieve regime change in a country since the nation’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.“Kim Jong Un may feel vindicated about his efforts to build a nuclear deterrent, as he likely did after Trump’s strikes on Iran,” said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “However, leaders of hostile regimes will probably live with greater paranoia after seeing how quickly Maduro was extracted from his country to stand trial in the United States.”North Korea’s state media hasn’t commented on the U.S. operation.The official Korean Central News Agency said Sunday Kim visited a weapons factory on Saturday to review multipurpose precision guided weapons produced there. KCNA cited Kim as ordering officials to expand the current production capacity by about 2.5 times.Last Sunday, North Korea test-fired what it called long-range strategic cruise missiles. On Dec. 25, North Korea released photos showing apparent progress in the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine.Associated Press writer Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo contributed to this report.
, Seoul —
North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea Sunday, its neighbors said, just hours before South Korea’s president leaves for China for talks expected to cover North Korea’s nuclear program.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement it detected several ballistic missile launches from North Korea’s capital region around 7:50 a.m. It said the missiles flew about 900 kilometers (560 miles) and that South Korea and U.S. authorities were analyzing details of the launches.
Video above: Wildfires in South Korea destroyed an ancient Buddhist temple
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that South Korea maintains a readiness to repel any provocations by North Korea and is closely exchanging information with the U.S. and Japan on the North’s missile launches.
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said that at least two missile launches by North Korea have been confirmed. “They are a serious problem, threatening the peace and security of our nation, the region and the world,” Koizumi told reporters.
North Korea ramps up weapons display ahead of political meet
The launches were the latest weapons demonstration by North Korea in recent weeks. Experts say North Korea is aiming to show off or review its achievements in the defense sector ahead of its upcoming ruling party congress, the first of its kind in five years. Observers are watching the Workers Party congress to see whether North Korea will set a new policy on the U.S. and respond to its calls to resume long-stalled talks.
North Korea has been focusing on testing activities to enlarge its nuclear arsenal since its leader Kim Jong Un’s summitry with U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. Kim has also boosted his diplomatic credentials by aligning with Russia over its war in Ukraine and tightening relations with China. Observers say Kim would believe his leverage has sharply increased to wrest concessions from Trump if they sit down for talks again.
North Korea hasn’t announced when it will hold the congress, but South Korea’s spy service said it will likely occur in January or February.
Launches comes before South Korean leader’s trip to China
Sunday’s launches also came hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departs for China for a summit with President Xi Jinping. During the four-day trip, Lee’s office said he would request China, North Korea’s major ally and biggest trading partner, to take “a constructive role” in efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea and the U.S. have long asked China to exercise its influence on North Korea to persuade it to return to talks or give up its nuclear program. But there are questions on how big of a leverage China has on its socialist neighbor. China, together with Russia, has also repeatedly blocked the U.S. and others’ attempts to toughen economic sanctions on North Korea in recent years.
Later Sunday, South Korea convened an emergency national security council meeting where officials urged North Korea to stop ballistic missile launches, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions. The council reported details of the launches and unspecified South Korean steps to Lee, according to the presidential office.
North Korea hasn’t commented on US operation in Venezuela
The launches followed Saturday’s dramatic U.S. military operation that ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power and brought him to the U.S. to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges. It represented America’s most assertive action to achieve regime change in a country since the nation’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.
“Kim Jong Un may feel vindicated about his efforts to build a nuclear deterrent, as he likely did after Trump’s strikes on Iran,” said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “However, leaders of hostile regimes will probably live with greater paranoia after seeing how quickly Maduro was extracted from his country to stand trial in the United States.”
North Korea’s state media hasn’t commented on the U.S. operation.
The official Korean Central News Agency said Sunday Kim visited a weapons factory on Saturday to review multipurpose precision guided weapons produced there. KCNA cited Kim as ordering officials to expand the current production capacity by about 2.5 times.
Last Sunday, North Korea test-fired what it called long-range strategic cruise missiles. On Dec. 25, North Korea released photos showing apparent progress in the construction of its first nuclear-powered submarine.
Associated Press writer Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo contributed to this report.
SALEM — The House of the Seven Gables is earmarking money to move five of its historic structures further inland in anticipation of rising seas and groundwater levels caused by climate change.
As such, the organization is seeking grants and donations to implement its 50-year climate adaptation plan. In 2022, the Gables received a $509,919 grant from the state to study site conditions and create the plan that was completed in May.
This page requires Javascript.
Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
DURING THE HOLIDAYS. TONIGHT, THE SEARCH FOR A MAN WHO FELL INTO THE WATER ALONG THE RUGGED BIG SUR COAST HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. BUT A VOLUNTEER DIVER FROM STOCKTON IS REFUSING TO GIVE UP UNTIL HE IS FOUND. HERE’S FELIX CORTEZ. OUR FIRST LOOK AT ARMY SPECIALIST AMON, WHO WAS SWEPT OUT TO SEA SATURDAY AFTERNOON. AT SOME POINT NEAR GARRAPATA STATE PARK. THE 35 YEAR OLD, PICTURED HERE WITH HIS NEPHEW, WAS A STUDENT WHO LEAVES BEHIND A WIFE. THEY ONLY THINK ABOUT GETTING HIM BACK. THEY ALREADY PASSED UP. THE STAGE. THAT OKAY, HE’S DEAD. NO. THEN THAT STAGE THAT I WANT CLOSURE. I WANT MY BROTHER. I WANT MY HUSBAND BACK. THAT’S WHY IT’S. I MEAN, FOR THAT REASON, TO BRING CLOSURE TO THE FAMILY. VOLUNTEER DIVER. ONE HEAD OF THE NONPROFIT ANGELS RECOVERY DIVE TEAM HOPING TO BRING THAT CLOSURE. HE JOINED COUNTY AND STATE DIVE TEAMS AS THEY ENTERED THE WATER FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME SINCE TINY WAS SWEPT OFF THE ROCKS INTO THE OCEAN. HE WOULD BE RECOVERED. HE WOULD BE, YEAH, THAT’S FOR SURE. I’M GOING TO STAY TOMORROW. I’M GOING TO DIVE AGAIN. AND. AND COMING BACK FRIDAY AGAIN. AND IF THEY HAD TO COME SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, I WILL BE HERE. HE WILL BE FOUND FOR SURE. HEREDIA IS THE SAME DIVER WHO LOCATED THE BODY OF A SEVEN YEAR OLD CANADIAN GIRL WHO WAS SWEPT OUT TO SEA JUST A WEEK EARLIER, NOT FAR FROM WHERE THE ARMY SPECIALIST WENT IN. THE GIRL’S FATHER ALSO DROWNED. AS VACATIONERS COME IN FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND. A WARNING TO BEACHGOERS. RESPECT THE OCEAN. DON’T TURN YOUR BACK ON IT AND OBEY ALL SIGNS AND WARNINGS. EVERYWHERE WE GO, EVERY SIGN THAT SAYS, DON’T GO THERE, YOU DON’T GO THERE. YOU DON’T GO ON THE ROCKS. YOU DON’T GO WHERE THERE’S DANGER BECAUSE THERE’S JUST TOO MUCH RISK. YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING TO BE OKAY? IT LOOKS OKAY. AND THEN THEY GET WET AND YOU FALL. THAT WAS FELIX CORTEZ REPORT
Stockton diver searches for missing Army specialist swept out to sea near Big Sur
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has suspended its search efforts for Army Specialist Amanpreet Thind, who was swept out to sea Saturday afternoon at Soberanes Point near Garrapata State Park, after four days of searching from the air, water, and along the rugged Big Sur coast.Despite the suspension, resources will remain on standby should there be any sign of the missing man. Volunteer diver Juan Heredia, from the non-profit Angels Recovery Dive Team, is determined to continue searching until Thind is found. Thind, a 35-year-old DLI student, leaves behind a wife and was last seen with his nephew. Heredia said, “They only think about getting him back. They already pass that stage that, okay, he’s dead, now they’re in that stage that I want closure, I want my brother, I want my husband back, I’m diving for that reason to bring that closure to the family.”Heredia joined county and state dive teams as they entered the water for only the second time since Thind was swept off rocks into the ocean. “He will be recovered, he will be. Yeah, that’s for sure. I’m going to say tomorrow and dive again, and coming back Friday again. And if I have to come Saturday and Sunday, I will be here. He will be found for sure,” Heredia said.Heredia previously located the body of a 7-year-old Canadian girl who was swept out to sea just a week earlier near the same area. The girl’s father also drowned. As vacationers arrive for the holiday weekend, there is a warning to beachgoers to respect the ocean, not turn their back on it, and obey all signs and warnings. A concerned mother, Connie Riley, advised, “Everywhere we go, every sign that says don’t go there, you don’t go there, you don’t go in the rocks. You don’t go where there’s danger because there’s just too much risk. You think you’re going to be okay. It looks okay. And then they get wet and you fall.”The family of Thind will continue to search from the shore at Garrapata State Park, while Heredia plans to dive as long as water conditions allow.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has suspended its search efforts for Army Specialist Amanpreet Thind, who was swept out to sea Saturday afternoon at Soberanes Point near Garrapata State Park, after four days of searching from the air, water, and along the rugged Big Sur coast.
Despite the suspension, resources will remain on standby should there be any sign of the missing man.
Volunteer diver Juan Heredia, from the non-profit Angels Recovery Dive Team, is determined to continue searching until Thind is found.
Thind, a 35-year-old DLI student, leaves behind a wife and was last seen with his nephew.
Heredia said, “They only think about getting him back. They already pass that stage that, okay, he’s dead, now they’re in that stage that I want closure, I want my brother, I want my husband back, I’m diving for that reason to bring that closure to the family.”
Heredia joined county and state dive teams as they entered the water for only the second time since Thind was swept off rocks into the ocean.
“He will be recovered, he will be. Yeah, that’s for sure. I’m going to say tomorrow and dive again, and coming back Friday again. And if I have to come Saturday and Sunday, I will be here. He will be found for sure,” Heredia said.
As vacationers arrive for the holiday weekend, there is a warning to beachgoers to respect the ocean, not turn their back on it, and obey all signs and warnings.
A concerned mother, Connie Riley, advised, “Everywhere we go, every sign that says don’t go there, you don’t go there, you don’t go in the rocks. You don’t go where there’s danger because there’s just too much risk. You think you’re going to be okay. It looks okay. And then they get wet and you fall.”
The family of Thind will continue to search from the shore at Garrapata State Park, while Heredia plans to dive as long as water conditions allow.
Surrounded by three walls on a land of ruins, as Israeli bombs continue to rain down from the skies, for many in Gaza, the sea remains the only open horizon, a shimmering promise of elusive freedom.
Its waters, and the fish within them, have long nourished Palestinians cut off from the world, partially easing the pain of Israel’s bombardment, punishing siege and starvation policies.
Targeting a meal for his family, Salem Abu Amira – known to locals as “The Beast” – dives deep beneath the waves. Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim Alkhalili reports from Gaza City.
“People here call me ‘The Beast’ because I managed to catch a fish that was more than a metre and a half [5ft] long. It is rare – but the truth is I’ve caught many big fish,” Abu Amira tells Al Jazeera.
Free diving runs in Salem Abu Amira’s blood. He learned the craft from his father at a young age – a skill passed down through generations and a lifeline for his family.
Before Israel’s war, Gaza’s fishermen sailed far out to sea, where the waters teemed with fish. In 2020, the World Bank estimated that about 18,000 people in Gaza directly depended on fishing for their livelihoods, with an extended effect on more than 110,000 family members.
But Israel’s genocidal war decimated that and their lives.
Salem Abu Amira, known to locals as ‘The Beast’, prepares to freedive off the coast of Gaza [Al Jazeera]
“We can no longer reach the places we used to. Now we can only fish close to the shore – where there are no big fish,” Abu Amira says.
“Restrictions have been imposed on us since the beginning of the war and continue to this day. But I have no source of livelihood. I can’t just sit at home waiting for someone to support me,” he adds.
Before the war, Gaza’s fishermen hauled in more than 4,600 tonnes of fish each year, despite the constant risk of being arrested, injured, or killed by Israeli forces.
Since the war began, more than two years ago, most of their boats have been destroyed. The Ministry of Agriculture told the United Nations in a report that as of December 11, 2024, the Israeli military had killed 200 fishers and their associates out of approximately 6,000 individuals engaged in the fishing profession.
Those still trying to cast their nets just metres (some feet) from the shore have come under Israeli fire.
Gaza’s fishermen prepare their boats before going out to sea [Al Jazeera]
In January, Israel declared Gaza’s waters a “no-go zone”, banning fishing, swimming, and any access to the sea.
The result has been devastating: Gaza has lost 94 percent of its catch, cutting off one of its last remaining sources of food.
Fishing, once a vital source of both income and nourishment, has been brought to its knees.
“Fishermen are the most exposed to danger. Often, the occupation forbids them from going to the sea, and free divers cannot get their diving gear – which affects their ability to work in the coming days,” Zakaria Bakr, head of the Fishermen’s Committees in Gaza, told Al Jazeera.
After months of displacement, Abu Amira has returned home – restless, hungry for a catch, and preparing his small boat to venture back into the waters.
Salem Abu Amira making a catch under Gaza’s waters [Al Jazeera]
“The Beast” will dive again, searching for fish he can sell at the market. For fishermen like him, the sea isn’t just a workplace, it’s a lifeline.
“I am determined to pass on my profession to my children. It is a pleasure and a hobby. Fishing relieves stress and provides a source of income,” he says.
After hours in the water, Salem surfaces with a lucky catch: Several fish and an octopus to feed his family and sell in the market.
For Gaza’s fishermen, the struggle is no longer just about survival. It’s about preserving a centuries-old bond with the sea, and holding on to the last sense of freedom they have left.
As locations go, the just-opened Legal Sea Foods couldn’t have found a more fitting setting than in Marina City, which offers sweeping views of the nearby Chicago River.
Or as Matt King, president and chief operating officer of Legal Sea Foods, puts it, “It’s always nice whenever you’re eating seafood and you’re on the water.”
Initially created in 1950 as a fish market in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Legal Sea Foods Chicago is the first non-East Coast location for the chain, which operates 27 restaurants and a seafood production facility. Legal Sea Foods is a New England institution, though locals have strained feelings since the Berkowitz family sold the company in 2020. The fish chowder has been served at every Presidential inauguration since Ronald Regan’s in 1981. The new owner, PPX Hospitality Brands, already has restaurants in Chicago.
“We have a long history of working in Chicago with Smith & Wollensky, so we are really comfortable with the market,” says King of the neighboring steakhouse, which is also part of PPX. During COVID, Legal operated a ghost kitchen out of Smith & Wollensky to test the market.
The chowder is a Presidential institution.Legal Sea Foods
This is the former Dick’s Last Resort.Legal Sea Foods
Executive Chef Ozzy Amelotti, formerly of The Metropolitan Club and Carnivale, heads up the kitchen of the two-level restaurant, which officially opened on July 30 inside the former Dick’s Last Resort. The all-day menu features a number of the restaurant’s signature dishes, including clam chowder, crab cake, and half-pound lobster roll. Fish and chips, like all its fried seafood offerings, are made with gluten-free proprietary breading. Fresh oysters are a regular feature at all Legal Sea Foods as they are here. Nigiri and maki are newer additions for the chain.
Amelotti also created dishes specifically for Chicago, including grilled or blackened Lake Superior white fish. Appetizer scallops de Jonghe is a riff on the signature Chicago dish originally made with shrimp, buttery breadcrumbs, sherry, and garlic.
“You can’t go into a new location and say I’m not going to use anything that’s from there,” says King. “It’s important to connect to where you are. We obviously got our core items and what we are famous for, but there’s always room to add some local flair.”
The first floor dining room.Legal Sea Foods
Local also applies to one of the on-tap beers. Legal Sea Foods worked with Chicago’s Spiteful Brewing to create a New England-style IPA, Working for the Haze. The signature red and white wine sangrias get an extra kick with the addition of rum and vodka. The wine-by-the-glass program features two pours, six and eight ounces.
Legal Sea Foods expansive river-level space seats 240 and features a large bar area, main dining room, private event spaces, and an outdoor terrace. A curved staircase leads up to the intimate upper-level Oyster Bar, with bar seating and tables for 30.
While the 10,000-square-foot riverfront location provides obvious perks, creating the restaurant inside the landmarked Marina City building designed by architect Bertrand Goldberg wasn’t without its challenges.
The half-pound lobster roll.Legal Sea Foods
“It certainly gives your architects and designers a lot to think about,” says King, citing the dilemma of how to incorporate the curves and turns of the space into the design. One solution was the creation of curved waved-shaped banquette seating that mirrors the curves of the building’s interior core.
“Instead of trying to hide its uniqueness, we worked with it,” he says. “The space really dictated a lot of the layout, which is one of the things we like. It’s very much Marina City and when you come into that space, you know where you are.”
Legal Sea Foods, 315 N Dearborn Street (entrance off State St. Bridge, next to Smith & Wollensky). Open for lunch and dinner 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Sometimes, turning a linear game into an open world just makes sense. Whether it’s Elden Ring or Breath of the Wild, plenty of franchises have found that their core gameplay loops map well to an open world iteration. With Elden Ring, you can disperse the intense FromSoft difficulty across a map that invites players to “git gud” at their own pace. With Breath of the Wild, the entire world is now a dungeon, every hill and valley a puzzle. Playing both, it almost feels as though each franchise and its mechanics were just waiting to be spread across a sprawling map. They just feel right.
By contrast, Isles of Sea and Sky, an open-world Sokoban game, isn’t quite as obvious a fit. But just because something isn’t immediately obvious doesn’t mean it won’t work.
Released in late May, Cicada Games’s Isles of Sea and Sky employs Game Boy Color-era Zelda aesthetics in pursuit of a genre mashup that produces harmony and dissonance in equal parts. The game makes a great first impression. It evokes that feeling of playing Link’s Awakening DX (pre-remake), to the point where you’d be forgiven for mistaking one of Isles’ beaches for Awakening’s. Moving from screen to screen is a nostalgic joy, with a Vocaloid-infused soundtrack that imbues the game with even more personality, which is good, because at its core, open world or no, this is a Sokoban-ass Sokoban game.
You will push blocks in Isles of Sea and Sky. You will push many, many standard-issue blocks into standard-issue holes, allowing you to cross over those holes in order to push more blocks. You will also push things that aren’t blocks, like little boulder dudes (definitely not Gorons) who roll as far as they can in the direction you push them, crushing any boxes they encounter. Or little water guys, who can extend riverways if you push them downstream. The puzzles start simply, easing you into the game’s increasing difficulty one screen at a time, until eventually you find yourself stumped. And, in being stumped, you will find yourself pushing up against the contradictions inherent to Isles’ mixture of freedom and linearity.
Image: Cicada Games
One of the pleasures of Sokoban games is the underlying conceit that, though you may feel frustrated by an individual puzzle, you always have the necessary abilities to get through the level. Each stage is then simply a matter of thinking and working through what things you have tried and not yet tried. You’re stuck, sure, but you’re not lacking anything you need to achieve the solution.
Not so in Isles of Sea and Sky. Early on, you will be presented with puzzles you are not yet able to complete until you unlock a new ability. While plenty of games include this kind of lock-and-key design, where you must first unlock an ability before you can access certain areas, this runs contrary to genre expectations for Sokoban titles. Going into Isles, the player might reasonably expect that, if they’re stuck, they just need to keep trying different solutions. Such a mentality will get you through similar games like Baba Is You or A Monster’s Expedition. The solution is there. You just need to keep at it. By contrast, in Isles, you are often meant to move on, to travel elsewhere in the game’s map and overworld. In short, you are meant to give up when you get frustrated.
At first, I found myself stymied by this dynamic. How am I meant to know when I am failing to understand a puzzle versus lacking the ability to solve it? When is my frustration an intended element of the solution and when is it futile? To its immense credit, Isles goes out of its way to reduce some of this frustration by allowing the player, at any point, to rewind their actions step-by-step, or to reset the entire puzzle, each with the press of a button. But you cannot rewind the real-life time you are putting into the game. You cannot undo the minutes spent bashing your head against the wall, stubbornly trying to solve something you are simply unable to solve. Encountering this, I found myself asking why anyone would design a game in this way, when they must know that players will get stuck like this.
That’s when it hit me. They know players will get stuck like this.
Full disclosure: I can be a bit stubborn. I like to think of myself as a creative problem-solver, but my general approach is to stick to something until it’s done. This can be a good trait (sticktoitiveness and all that), but it can also be a problem (see: my description above of bashing my head against the wall). Traditional Sokoban titles are designed with this kind of player in mind — someone like myself, who will spend hours trying out different things until finally they figure something out. The folks at Cicada Games clearly love this genre, as is evident by the sheer number and variety of puzzles they’ve crammed into Isles, but what they clearly don’t love is that feeling of being stuck without any recourse, of being unable to move on.
Not to quote a meme, but to quote a meme: Isles of Sea and Sky is here to say “Just Walk Out. You Can Leave!!!” What began for me as a frustration with the game turned into a bit of self-reflection when I stopped to consider why, exactly, I felt the need to stay frustrated, when, at any point, I could simply leave, or, to quote our generation’s preeminent philosopher dasharez0ne, “hit da bricks!!!” Sure, there are some areas you cannot access before completing at least a certain number of puzzles, but in general, you can well and truly leave behind most anything that’s too frustrating in Isles and find something you’d rather be doing. The challenge, at least in my case, was in allowing myself to do so.
As I’ve argued, Sokoban games are not an obvious fit for an open world iteration. Their inherent linearity rubs up against a style of game best known for its variety and, well, openness. The focus required of the player feels categorically different than the desirable distraction of asking, “What’s over that hill?” With Isles of Sea and Sky, specifically, there’s an immediate dissonance between how you expect to play a block-pushing puzzle game and how you’re meant to play this block-pushing puzzle game. But dissonance can resolve into consonance, to harmony and stability, and in Isles’ case, you’re pushed not only toward accepting limitation, but toward the inclination to free yourself.
For me, it was difficult, at first, to see moving on as a valid strategy, having become so accustomed to the habit of pushing through mental blocks, both in Sokoban titles and in life. But once I did, I found that mentality extending beyond the game. Is stubbornness helping or hurting here? Do I have to sit in this feeling? Why do I think of moving on as giving up?
In the end, I was happy to play a game that inspired this kind of self-reflection. Isles of Sea and Sky challenged me to take a step back, to reassess, and to move on. Maybe it’ll do the same for you.
Isles of Sea and Sky was released May 22 on Windows PC. The game was reviewed with code provided by Cicada Games. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.
Two North Shore road stream crossings, including one in West Newbury, have been selected by the state Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration for future ecological restoration studies.
The culvert replacement sites – one on River Road in West Newbury and the other on Concord Street in Gloucester – were selected due to their vulnerability to coastal erosion, flooding and future sea-level rise, agency said.
Although the culverts are crossing freshwater streams, the division says they are expected to become tidal as sea levels rise, a transition presenting significant challenges for road infrastructure, DER officials said.
The Division of Ecological Restoration announced it is funding and managing future studies at the sites to help the communities, nearby landowners and partners overcome technical challenges and plan for ecological restoration and climate adaptation.
“Ecological restoration provides innumerable benefits,” Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea said in a prepared statement. “Projects like this will improve public safety, build resilience to sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and mitigate flooding, and restore water quality and wildlife habitat.
“By supporting municipalities and partners, we can scale our efforts to steward a biodiverse and climate ready future.”
“DER looks forward to helping these two communities evaluate and plan for sea-level rise while building resilient, fish-friendly road stream crossings,” Division of Ecological Restoration Director Beth Lambert said in a prepared statement. “Culvert upgrades and other nature-based solutions can be technically challenging and costly for our municipalities to pursue alone. State-municipal partnerships like this are key to successful implementation of ecological restoration and climate adaptation projects.”
In West Newbury, the River Road culvert is on an unnamed stream of the Merrimack River. The crossing faces challenges due to flooding and erosion, and has the potential to be heavily influenced by increased storms and sea level rise.
Conducting models of the way water moves at the culvert site and investigating potential ecological improvements through restoration would enable a systematic approach to improving infrastructure and natural resource resiliency, the state said.
In Gloucester, the Concord Street culvert is along a tributary of Walker Creek.
The DER indicated the culvert is affected by coastal storms and is at an increased risk for erosion and flooding. The replacement of the culvert with a structure of resilient design would address flood water retention and bank stabilization and sedimentation; improve fish passage and wildlife habitat; and increase climate resilience by preparing for sea level rise, storm surge, and coastal marsh mitigation.
A 2019 technical report called “Great Marsh Barrier Mitigation: A comprehensive program to mitigate aquatic barriers in the Great Marsh Area of Critical Environmental Concern region” by the Ipswich River Watershed Association looked at the single culvert on Concord Street, among many other “priority barriers” in the region.
“The site has been identified as a site that has experienced flooding and ranked as having poor aquatic organism passage in the (North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaboration) Tidal Crossing Assessment,” the report said. It singled out the culvert as having “no passage due to rock piles/undersized structures.”
SEA (NYSE:SE – Get Free Report) and CBD of Denver (OTCMKTS:CBDD – Get Free Report) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, earnings, risk and profitability.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares SEA and CBD of Denver’s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
Gross Revenue
Price/Sales Ratio
Net Income
Earnings Per Share
Price/Earnings Ratio
SEA
$12.45 billion
1.84
-$1.65 billion
$1.15
35.22
CBD of Denver
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
CBD of Denver has lower revenue, but higher earnings than SEA.
Analyst Recommendations
Want More Great Investing Ideas?
This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for SEA and CBD of Denver, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
Sell Ratings
Hold Ratings
Buy Ratings
Strong Buy Ratings
Rating Score
SEA
0
8
7
1
2.56
CBD of Denver
0
0
0
0
N/A
SEA presently has a consensus price target of $68.29, suggesting a potential upside of 68.61%. Given SEA’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe SEA is more favorable than CBD of Denver.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
72.1% of SEA shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of SEA shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term…
The shark took a bite out of the boat, causing it to deflate and become submerged in water. This damaged the engine and fuel lines—stranding the men at sea. Authorities realized the five fishermen were missing at around 8 p.m. local time on Sunday, when people noticed they had not returned.
The crew members wave for help as rescue teams approach the deflated vessel. A shark bit the men’s dinghy, leaving the five stranded. Australian Maritime Safety Authority
“We were fishing and we caught a shark, and when we brought it to the front of the boat, it popped the front pontoon,” skipper Jacob Ovesby told ABC. “There was a bit of water onboard because we popped the front. It’s seen better days. Good for people on the beach to make the right call and call for help. That’s probably the most important thing.”
Officials from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and DFES Marine Rescue Esperance finally found the men at approximately 3:36 a.m. AEDT.
A rescue aircraft found the boat semi-submerged with all 5 occupants onboard “waving for help,” the maritime safety authority said in a statement. “They maintained overhead, ensuring the safety of those stranded until the volunteer vessel arrival,” it read.
When the five men were picked up, they slept for the entire four-hour journey home, ABC reported. They were assessed by paramedics who determined they were uninjured.
The deflated dinghy is pulled along by the rescue boat. The five men who were rescued slept for the whole four-hour journey back to safety. Australian Maritime Safety Authority
It is not clear what shark species is responsible for deflating the boat, but over half of the world’s shark species can be found in Australian waters.
In this part of the world, the most commonly sighted species by fishermen are the dusky whaler sharks, sandbar sharks, gummy sharks, and whiskery sharks.
However, more infamous and dangerous species can make their way to these waters, too, including great white sharks.
The good news is that attacks like this remain rare, although they have occurred before.
In September, the Australia Maritime Authority rescued three people who had been stranded southeast of Cairns in the Coral Sea, after the hulls of the vessel were damaged by several shark attacks.
Sharks do not hunt humans as prey, so attacks usually occur only if they feel provoked threatened in some way. Sharks may also approach boats after mistaking its noises and movements to a prey item.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about sharks? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Protecting our coasts from sea level rise is increasingly urgent, especially for densely populated coastal communities such as Southern California’s. Coastal flooding and beach erosion from rising seas and storms are far more than a threat; they’re already happening in many places in California and beyond. But new research suggests one relatively simple means of shoring up our beaches: leaving them alone.
As I and my colleagues at UC Santa Barbara and our partner institutions showed in a recent paper, natural dune formation can help restore and adapt urban coasts to climate change. In fact, we found that natural processes can cause the sands to rise much faster than the seas.
Our research began in 2016 with a partnership among the Los Angeles-based nonprofit the Bay Foundation, the city of Santa Monica and scientists from UC Santa Barbara to test the capacity of dune restoration to reduce coastal flooding. We envisioned allowing an urban shoreline to return to a more natural state after decades of frequent beach grooming.
Beach grooming, which employs heavy equipment to rake sand, is a widespread practice used to collect trash, remove seaweed and flatten beaches to maintain views and accommodate recreation along urban shores. By altering natural processes such as plant growth and wind- and wave-driven accumulation of sand, grooming prevents dunes from forming on beaches with enough space to develop them.
Without dunes, beaches are less resistant to erosion and more vulnerable to flooding driven by more intense storms and higher seas. Grooming also reduces habitat for wildlife, including threatened species such as the western snowy plover.
After the crucial first step of extensive outreach for community input and securing approval for the demonstration project, we worked with the city, community groups, students and the public to fence off an approximately 3-acre section of Santa Monica Beach next to the Annenberg Community Beach House. The study site was protected from grooming and seeded with native dune plants.
The sand fencing was left open along the ocean side so that people and wildlife could interact with the site and sand could drift in and out with the tides and wind. Interpretive signs and a central public access path enhanced viewing and provided information about the experiment in urban beach restoration. And other than some occasional hand weeding in the initial years, the site progressed naturally on its own without irrigation or any use of heavy equipment.
The native coastal foredune plant species we seeded the site with, such as red sand verbena (Abronia maritima) and beach bur (Ambrosia chamissonis), are specialists at trapping and holding sand in place. As these plants grow, they act as living ecosystem engineers that trap small mounds of sand, grow on top of them, trap more sand and so forth. Over time, with sufficient sand and beach width, they promote the formation of dunes.
Once the demonstration project was in place, we studied its effects over six years. What we found exceeded our expectations.
Wind-driven sand began to accumulate naturally along the sand fences almost immediately. Native plants germinated quickly and spread gradually over time. And as the plants grew and spread, we saw additional sand accumulation and the formation of a small foredune ridge along the ocean edge of the project.
By the sixth year of the study, the new dunes had risen to a height of more than 3 feet in many places. Overall, the site had accumulated more than 2,200 cubic yards of sand — enough to fill more than 200 large dump trucks. The dunes grew at more than 10 times the rate of sea level rise during the years of our study.
Our project, the first of its kind in the region, highlights a nature-based adaptation that can enhance the resilience of beaches and coastal communities while conserving sandy ecosystems. Conducted without heavy machinery or other expensive equipment, it was also cost-effective compared with traditional methods of coastal defense, such as sea walls and coastal armoring. And it can be widely replicated by restricting grooming in areas with enough beach space and sand supply to promote dune formation.
Many more small dune restoration projects are already being implemented throughout California. It’s time to begin scaling up these efforts across our coastlines. We can achieve a healthy balance between continuing to enjoy our beaches for recreation and shifting practices to promote more coastal resilience with thoughtful planning and engagement with all the affected interests. People, plants, plovers and protection can coexist on our beautiful California beaches.
Karina Johnston is a doctoral student at UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science and Management and the Marine Science Institute.
When the sun starts setting far too early, you might find yourself reaching for creature comforts to help you cope. That could be a cozy robe, cozy socks, a cozy blanket… See a theme here?
The out-of-home equivalent, of course, is the fleece jacket, which, over time — first with normcore and more recently with gorpcore — has expanded beyond the shelves of outdoor retailers and into pretty much every corner of fashion. Patagonia and The North Face may be tried and true, but designers like Sandy Liang, Donni, Tory Burch and more have put their own spin on the staple and incorporated it into their mainstay assortments. There’s also more variety in silhouette, from zip-ups to pullovers to proper jackets to vests. And from classic cream to prints you can’t look away from, there’s a fleece flavor for everyone.
Shop some of our favorite fleeces for fun cold-weather dressing in the gallery below.
Please note: Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. This in no way affects our editorial decision-making.
Today is Tuesday, Nov. 15, the 319th day of 2022. There are 46 days left in the year.
Today’s Highlight in History:
On Nov. 15, 1864, during the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh (teh-KUM’-seh) Sherman began their “March to the Sea” from Atlanta; the campaign ended with the capture of Savannah on Dec. 21.
On this date:
In 1777, the Second Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation.
In 1806, explorer Zebulon Pike sighted the mountaintop now known as Pikes Peak in present-day Colorado.
In 1937, at the U.S. Capitol, members of the House and Senate met in air-conditioned chambers for the first time.
In 1942, the naval Battle of Guadalcanal ended during World War II with a decisive U.S. victory over Japanese forces.
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In 1959, four members of the Clutter family of Holcomb, Kansas, were found murdered in their home. (Ex-convicts Richard Hickock and Perry Smith were later convicted of the killings and hanged in a case made famous by the Truman Capote book “In Cold Blood.”)
In 1961, former Argentine President Juan Peron, living in exile in Spain, married his third wife, Isabel.
In 1966, the flight of Gemini 12, the final mission of the Gemini program, ended successfully as astronauts James A. Lovell and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. splashed down safely in the Atlantic after spending four days in orbit.
In 1969, a quarter of a million protesters staged a peaceful demonstration in Washington against the Vietnam War.
In 1984, Stephanie Fae Beauclair, the infant publicly known as “Baby Fae” who had received a baboon’s heart to replace her own congenitally deformed one, died at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California three weeks after the transplant.
In 2003, two Black Hawk helicopters collided and crashed in Iraq; 17 U.S. troops were killed.
In 2019, Roger Stone, a longtime friend and ally of President Donald Trump, was convicted of all seven counts in a federal indictment accusing him of lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation of whether Trump coordinated with Russia during the 2016 campaign. (As Stone was about to begin serving a 40-month prison sentence, Trump commuted the sentence.)
Ten years ago: The Justice Department announced that BP had agreed to plead guilty to a raft of charges in the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill and pay a record $4.5 billion, including nearly $1.3 billion in criminal fines. Four veterans were killed and 13 people injured when a freight train slammed into a parade float carrying wounded warriors and their spouses at a rail crossing in Midland, Texas.
Five years ago: Zimbabwe’s military was in control of the country’s capital and the state broadcaster and held 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe and his wife under house arrest; the military emphasized that it had not staged a takeover but was instead starting a process to restore the country’s democracy. (The military intervention, hugely popular in Zimbabwe, led to impeachment proceedings against Mugabe, who was replaced.) Eight members of a family who were among more than two dozen people killed in a shooting at a small Texas church were mourned at a funeral attended by 3,000 people.
One year ago: President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping spoke for more than three hours by video amid mounting tensions in the U.S.-China relationship. Biden signed his hard-fought $1 trillion infrastructure deal into law before a bipartisan, celebratory crowd on the White House lawn. A Connecticut judge found Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones liable for damages in lawsuits brought by parents of children killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting; the parents sued Jones over his claims that the massacre was a hoax. Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont said he wouldn’t seek reelection in 2022 to the seat he’d held since 1975.
Today’s Birthdays: Singer Petula Clark is 90. Actor Sam Waterston is 82. Classical conductor Daniel Barenboim is 80. Pop singer Frida (ABBA) is 77. Actor Bob Gunton is 77. Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is 75. Actor Beverly D’Angelo is 71. Director-actor James Widdoes is 69. Rock singer-producer Mitch Easter is 68. News correspondent John Roberts is 66. Former “Tonight Show” bandleader Kevin Eubanks is 65. Comedian Judy Gold is 60. Actor Rachel True is 56. Rapper E-40 is 55. Country singer Jack Ingram is 52. Actor Jay Harrington is 51. Actor Jonny Lee Miller is 50. Actor Sydney Tamiia (tuh-MY’-yuh) Poitier-Heartsong is 49. Rock singer-musician Chad Kroeger is 48. Rock musician Jesse Sandoval is 48. Actor Virginie Ledoyen is 46. Actor Sean Murray is 45. Pop singer Ace Young (TV: “American Idol”) is 42. Golfer Lorena Ochoa (lohr-AY’-nah oh-CHOH’-uh) is 41. Hip-hop artist B.o.B is 34. Actor Shailene Woodley is 31. Actor-dancer Emma Dumont is 28.
![Gaza's local fishermen preparing their boats before going out at sea [Al Jazeera]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/WhJr0c4jLlSe4mtN6Rf6Vg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/al_jazeera_289/e45ae4d2b328eefb9f984fb0b0597e4c)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25561662/_DSC6848.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25561663/_DSC6966.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25561668/Lobster_Roll.jpg)
