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Explore the transformative journey of embracing compassion and authenticity in the workplace with “better places.”
Robert Rasmussen, founder and CEO of Agile Six, brings his vision of what a business community can aspire to become.
Rooted in the timeless wisdom of ahimsa, or nonviolence, this heartfelt narrative moves beyond the zero-sum game of winners and losers to reveal the profound impact of our words and actions on the world around us, says a review published on goodreads.com.
Authors: Ruben Molina-Perez, Asier Larramendi, David Connolly, & Gonzalo Angel Ramirez Cruz
The theropod dinosaurs ruled the planet for millions of years, with species ranging from the mighty tyrannosaurus rex to feathered raptors no bigger than turkeys.
“Dinosaur facts and figures” is a stunningly illustrated book of records for these marvelous creatures—such as the biggest, the smallest, and the fastest theropods, as well as the ones with the most powerful bite.
This one-of-a- kind compendium features more than 3,000 records, covers some 750 theropod species.
The air we breathe is 21 percent oxygen, an amount higher than on any other known world. While we may take our air for granted, Earth was not always an oxygenated planet. How did it come to be this way?
Donald Canfield covers this vast history, emphasizing its relationship to the evolution of life and the evolving chemistry of Earth.
He guides readers through the various lines of scientific evidence, considers some of the wrong turns and dead ends along the way, and highlights the scientists and researchers who have made key discoveries in the field.
In “From Click to Boom,” Lizhi Liu examines a digital solution: governments strategically outsourcing tasks of institutional development and enforcement to digital platforms—a process she calls “institutional outsourcing.”
China’s e-commerce boom showcases this digital path to development. In merely two decades, China built from scratch a $2 trillion e-commerce market, with 800 million users, 70 million jobs, and nearly 50 percent of global online retail sales. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Liu argues, this market boom occurred because of weak government institutions, not despite them.
LONDON: “Astro Bot,” one of Sony’s flagship titles for the PlayStation 5, raises the bar for 3D platform games.
Positioned as a competitor to well-known characters such as Mario and Sonic, this game delivers a delightful, imaginative experience, brimming with vibrant levels, innovative mechanics, and a healthy dose of nostalgia that will appeal to younger players and longtime PlayStation fans.
The storyline is simple but leaves plenty of room for the player’s imagination. You play as Astro, a charming robot hero on a mission to rescue his fellow bots scattered across various galaxies after an attack on their spaceship. While the narrative is not groundbreaking, it serves its purpose well, keeping the focus on the gameplay.
“Astro Bot” is designed to engage players of all ages. With a 7-plus age rating, it’s accessible to a wide audience — my 4-year-old, for example, finds it captivating. The game offers about nine hours of playtime for those focused on the main story, with closer to 17 hours for completionists seeking out bonus areas and treasure.
Visually, “Astro Bot” shines. Across six distinct galaxies and more than 80 creatively designed levels, players will explore tropical paradises, icy landscapes and futuristic environments, each packed with charm and variety. The level design ensures the game stays fresh throughout, keeping players engaged.
One of the game’s standout features is its exceptional use of the PS5’s Dual Sense controller. Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers make Astro’s movements feel more immersive than ever. New gadgets and abilities, like animal-themed power-ups, are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, adding depth and variety. The way the game maximizes the controller’s features makes every jump, glide and gadget interaction feel responsive and exciting.
“Astro Bot” is also a treasure trove for PlayStation history enthusiasts. With more than 150 iconic characters to collect — like PaRappa the Rapper, Kratos from “God of War” and Nathan Drake from “Uncharted” — the game taps into nostalgia that will bring a smile to long-time fans.
Accompanied by a playful soundtrack composed by Kenny C.M. Young, which is available on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music, the overall experience is joyful and engaging.
In short, “Astro Bot” is a must-play for PS5 owners. It provides fun for all ages and sets a new benchmark for platforming games.
“Gulf Women’s Lives: Voice, Space, Place,” edited by Emanuela Buscemi, Shahd Al-Shammari and Ildiko Kaposi, explores the experiences of Gulf women through three themes: voice, space and place.
“This timely volume fills in a serious gap in research and contributes to countering stereotypes and prejudices about Muslim and Arab women, specifically those located in the Arabian Gulf,” the 2024 anthology’s blurb promises.
Through a mix of essays, literary analyses and personal narratives written by scholars and practitioners, the majority of whom are from the Gulf, “Gulf Women’s Lives” highlights how the women of the region have carved out their own path, navigating complex gender roles and expectations within public and private spaces, and often challenging traditional stereotypes that depict them as submissive or powerless.
Many stories written in the West about Gulf women paint us all with the same broad brush: we are either sad or mad. This book offers a nuanced view of how Gulf women exercise agency and construct their identities. Its interdisciplinary approach combines sociology, literature, media, law and disability studies. Each chapter is grounded in theoretical discussions about gender and the agency of women within Gulf societies. Kuwaiti artist Thuraya Al-Baqsami’s 1987 artwork, “Waiting,” is featured on the cover.
The first part, “Voices,” features three pieces rich with anecdotes: Al-Shammari’s “From Stigma to Speech: An Autoethnography of Bedouin Culture, Writing and Illness,” Kaposi’s “Women Talking Back: In Conversation with Sekka Magazine’s ‘Managing Storyteller’ Sharifah Alhinai,” and Buscemi’s “Bodies on the Margins: Nonconforming Subjectivities in Gulf Women’s Literature.”
Part two, “Spaces,” features Emirati Noura Al-Obeidli on the challenges facing female Emirati journalists in the newsroom; Nora Jaber’s critical analysis of women’s petitions and gender reforms in Saudi Arabia; and Maryam Al-Muhanadi on divorce among Qatari women.
“Places,” also features three essays, each vital to telling the individual and collective story of women in the Gulf.
The women who contributed to this volume dedicated each page to how women in the Gulf have been asserting themselves — within traditional and modern contexts — and address issues such as activism, mobility and societal expectations.
The book has a slightly academic format but is simple enough to read. The theoretical reflections and conversations challenge us all to go beyond narratives of submissiveness, powerlessness and victimization.
