Spinoza

Arabic E-Library, for free

2006-12-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

Almostafa has the largest collection of free arabic books I've seen so far. Their extinsive list includes anything from famous novels, classical islamic books, the kuwaiti عالم المعرفة series and to Steven Covey's "The Seven Habits".
http://www.al-mostafa.com/

Put the glass down!

2006-12-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

I found this today, useful read:
" A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see & asked the students,' How much do you think this glass weighs?''50gms!' .... '100gms!' ......'125gms' ......the students answered.'I really don't know unless I weigh it,' said the professor, 'but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?''Nothing' the students said.'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor asked.'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the students.'You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?'"Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis & have to go to hospital for sure!' ventured another student & all the students laughed!'Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?'asked the professor.'No''Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?'The students were puzzled.'Put the glass down!' said one of the students.'Exactly!' said the professor.' Life's problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head & they seem OK. Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache. Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but EVEN MORE IMPORTANT to 'put them down' at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh & strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!'
Remember :'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY!

The USMLE, Step 2

2006-12-05T15:54:00.000-08:00

I wrote my USMLE Step 2 last Friday.
What a day!
Nine hours and 300 timed clinical MCQ questions. Some of them were very smart and the options well chosen they made me want to take my hat off for the question writer. Some of them, however, were so smart they made me wanna punch’em on the nose. After six months of preparation, I got out of the testing center feeling I was doomed as hell and I should pack up to Riyadh where I belong. Never in my life had I gone out of an exam not being sure of more than 50 percent of the answers. I passed the Saudi and the Canadian medical exams. They were a joke compared to the USMLE. Who ever passes the US medical exams and earns the American Medical Board in something will have my full respect and a lot of admiration.
What’s unique about the USMLE among all other exams in any field is that it doesn’t expect you to be a smart, hard working, passionately driven, focused and persistent student. The USMLE expects to be above all that, a real doctor, one who can be calm enough to work in totally new situations under time pressure and take smart decisions or at least an educated and safe guess.
My only solace is that everyone i know shares that feeling right after the test. Some got super grades. Some flunked the exam.
We'll see what heppens.

Imagine a world without religion

2006-12-03T14:06:00.000-08:00

It's a land of joy!

2006-11-19T14:18:00.000-08:00

If you're a boy :)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1512062020056450258&q=saudi

Maybe

2006-10-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

It is true that we don't know what we have got until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back, but going down on them is. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but if it does not, be content it grew in yours.

Humanity is overrated

2006-10-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

People chose the paths that gains them the greatest rewards for the least amount of effort.

The Saudi Book Club

2006-10-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

The Saudi Book Club