Vice Presidential Debate Coverage in Saudi Arabia

At 9pm (2100 hours) Eastern Standard Time in the United States the one and only Vice Presidential debate will take place between Senator Joseph Biden (D) and Governor Sarah Palin (R) in St. Louis, Missouri.  If you are in Saudi Arabia and interested in viewing this debate as it occurs your best option will likely be to watch the debate via Orbit News.  However set your alarm for in order to view it live from Saudi Arabia, it will in fact air on 03 October at 0400 hours.  In addition to Orbit News I am presuming that CNN (as well as other channels) will have coverage as well.

What should we expect from this debate?  I, for one, certainly hope to see more decisive and definitive answers on where the candidates and the respective parties stand on issues of cirtical importance to the United States and rest of the world starting with the US economy and continuing to energy, terrorism, health care, social security, jobs in America as well as US policies concerning Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, North Korea, Russia and naturally Saudi Arabia too.

Why would Saudi Arabia be raised during a Vice Presidential debate you ask?  I think energy is an important aspect of not only the United States but rest of the world and with Saudi Arabia as the key oil producer, the USA-KSA relationship will always remain a top priority.

And this debate also needs to be watched closely on how well-prepared these Vice Presidential candidates are and with a view as to how would either of them also appear as the Leader and Commander in Chief.  Which one is truly representative of what America wants and needs?

I hope that the Vice Presidential candidates will not take digs at each other during this debate.  I’ve no objection if they elect to take stabs at the parties and views that the parties stand for which may differ from their own as long as they back up their accusations or allegations with facts.  I doubt that any concessions will be made for Sarah Palin because she is a woman.  She will be expected to be prepared and able to respond coherently and decisively.  Joe Biden will be expected to maintain his cool and deliver his responses with firm assurance.

So I for one already have my alarm set as I do not want to miss this debate.  And of course after the debate has concluded, comments and viewpoints are eagerly solicited from the expat community in Saudi Arabia and from Saudi readers too.  I think it is important to share the views and perspectives on what is in store for America with the upcoming election.

Saudi Arabia . . . in PINK

October is Global Breast Cancer Awareness month. Towards spreading awareness individuals around the globe are being encouraged to wear lots of pink – the symbol for breast cancer survivors – during the month of October.

Therefore I challenge all of you and particularly those of you in Saudi Arabia to do your part and SHOW THE PINK! Come on… for the Saudi man who will even go out and wear a pink thobe in a show of solidarity I will take you to dinner (in your Pink Thobe) as my guest at The Globe restaurant in downtown Riyadh.

I believe it is especially important to aggressively promote awareness for breast cancer in Saudi Arabia due to a few harsh and glaring facts:

Breast cancer is the most treatable of all cancers if detected early enough…yet Saudi Arabia has the highest fatalities in the world due to breast cancer. Why? Because of a lack of awareness and cultural biases that are preventing women from being treated. This is a travesty! Let’s do our part to help stop this from continuing….NOW.

And for some of my earlier posts about breast cancer in Saudi Arabia, please see:

https://americanbedu.com/2008/07/07/ksa-ladies-get-your-mammogram/

https://americanbedu.com/2008/07/29/breast-cancer-%E2%80%93-who-should-treat-me-in-ksa/

https://americanbedu.com/2008/06/16/more-on-the-kingdom-breast-cancer/

https://americanbedu.com/2007/10/23/laura-bush-breast-cancer-awareness/

https://americanbedu.com/2007/10/18/cancer-in-the-kingdom/

Moiyah Moiyah – Started in Saudi Arabia

There is a new hit song being sung from one end of the GCC to the other. It’s called Moiyah Moiyah. (Moiyah – phonetic pronunciation – is the Arabic word for water). It seems that a Kuwaiti singer was in Jeddah idling at a traffic light when a young girl (likely an illegal umrah overstayer) approached his car carrying a bottle of water in each hand. As she got closer she chanted to him in a sing-song melodic voice “Moiyah moiyah, moiyah barid.” (barid means cold so she was telling him she had cold water). He initially just waved her away but then realized the words and tune she used were sticking in his mind. So he turns around and goes back to where she is, motioning her over. She comes right back singing her tune hoping for a sale. The Kuwaiti however kept having her repeat her words and the tune over and over. Once he was satisfied he then gives her a ten riyal note and tells her to keep her cold water. He makes his way back to Kuwait continuing to work on the words to a complete song. He also enlisted the help of another Kuwaiti. And as the final piece when they were missing some of the last refrains, they called in a Saudi friend to help them complete the tune too. Ultimately a song emerges about cold water with a catch tune. Verses continue about how the man’s love makes him so hot that he must have this cold water to cool off. But the refrain that repeats throughout the song is “Moiyah Moiyah, Moiyah Barid” and everyone who hears the song seems to find themselves carrying the refrain along with them in their mind. Even at my own dinner table when I ask if anyone wants cold water, my husband will start singing the refrain to the song. Amazing what a little street vendor trying to make enough wages for food for the day ultimately created with her sales jingle…

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