#12 – “Why Does Apple Make Its Electronics In China?” – April 28, 2025.
Summary in Seconds: Amidst the backdrop of President Trump’s tariff war with China, a recently resurfaced video featuring Apple CEO Tim Cook clarifies the company’s rationale for manufacturing its electronics in China. According to Cook, the decision is not driven by low labor costs, as commonly believed, but rather by China’s unparalleled advantages: a vast […]
#11 – “Was American Democracy Real at Any Time in Our History?” – March 28, 2025
Summary in Seconds: From the outset, in the late 18th century, the American version of democracy diverged significantly from its European counterpart. The contrast between the American Revolution and the French Revolution can be encapsulated in their respective slogans: “no taxation without representation” versus “liberté, égalité, et fraternité.” While Europe’s path to democracy was shaped […]
#10 – The Ukrainian Hysteria (Part Six): Winners and Losers, Countries That Supported One Side of the Parties or Remained Neutral – February 28, 2025
Summary in Seconds: the Russia-Ukraine war has created a complex landscape of winners and losers. In my previous article (Part Five) I discussed the winners and losers among direct participants in the conflict, Russia, and Ukraine. In this article, I will explain the impact the of this war on countries that supported one of the […]
#9 – “The Ukrainian Hysteria (Part Five): Winners and Losers – Countries Participating Directly in the Conflict: Ukraine and Russia – January 28, 2025.
Summary in seconds: the Russia-Ukraine war has created a complex landscape of winners and losers. The direct participants, Russia and Ukraine, bear significant immediate costs, yet they may also face long-term opportunities. Nations that support either side gain geopolitical leverage, but they also risk economic and diplomatic repercussions. This article will examine the war’s impact […]
#8 – Responding to the Cynics of Islam, Is Islam Responsible for our Backwardness?*
Summary in seconds: Egyptian media personalities attacking Islam, linking Islam to our backwardness, “religion” or “bad governance”? Who is responsible for our societal ills? Last year1, a well-known Egyptian journalist2 cast doubt on the stories of “Isra’ and Mi’raj.”3 This reminded me of an earlier incident in which the same journalist mocked a pharmacist who […]
#7 – Is Islam More Than Just a Religion?
Summary in seconds: the article explores the current condition of Arabs and Muslims, outlines the blog objectives, identifies the causes of our challenges, and offers potential remedies. It emphasizes human development, discusses the cultural identity of Arabs and Muslims, and presents the concept of “Good Governance” and “Enlightened Citizens.” Before introducing the goals of this […]
#6 – “Under the Light Pole”: The Story of My Blog’s Name
Summary in seconds: the story behind the blog’s name “Under the Light Pole,” a tale of a small Egyptian Town from the middle of the twentieth century till now. I grew up in Port Fouad1, a small town at the northeast corner of the Sinai Peninsula. At that time, in the 1950s, Port Fouad was […]
#5 – The Ukrainian Hysteria: (Part Four) The War Timeline (September 12, 2022 to April 30, 2023)
Summary in seconds: reminder of the Ukrainian war timeline and its phases, the first three phases were covered in my previous article, the current article details the last two phases of the war timeline, and what I will cover in my next article. The course of the Ukrainian war Most military analysts agree that the […]
#4 – The Ukrainian Hysteria: (Part Three) The War Timeline (before February 24 to September 11, 2022)
Summary in seconds: the timeline of the main events of the war in Ukraine and its phases: Russians preparing for the invasion (Prelude), the initial invasion (from February 24 to April 7), the Southeastern front (from April 8 to September 11), and what I will cover in the next article. The course of the Ukrainian […]
#3 – The Ukrainian Hysteria*: (Part Two) The Crime Scene
Summary in seconds: presenting the war in Ukraine as a crime, the war perpetrators, and victims, is Russia the sole perpetrator, supporting autocracy in the Russian Republic, dark money everywhere, and what to expect in our upcoming article. Towards the end of my previous editorial article, “The Ukrainian Hysteria: (1) should we care?”, I […]