How Barack Obama got his 'Yes we Can!' slogan

Picture this. A dad who loves his daughters. One is now 7, and the other is 11.

And imagine, that the girls love Bob the Builder. Their smart mom wanted to make sure that their daughters do not get gender stereotyped, and make sure they watch Bob and Wendy and their motley crew.

Of course, dad and his little girls spend a lot of time watching them. The four year difference between the daughters suggest that the dad must have watched the series with his girls for at least five years by now?

And as anyone who still baby sit a kid knows, bonding with kids means singing songs together. Also, most of the kiddie songs have an annoying tendency to stick in your head.

Is it then too much to think that Obama got his 'Yes We Can!!! from here?



If you are still not convinced, here are the original lyrics to the song:

aaaaaaaaaaaaah!
aaaaaaaaaaaaah!
aaaaaaaaaaaaah!
(Take your places)
aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Can we fix it?
Yes we can!

(chorus)
Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

Scoop, Muck and Dizzy
and Roley too.
Lofty and Wendy
join the crew.
Bob and the gang
have so much fun.
Working together,
they get the job done!

(chorus)
Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

Time to get busy.
Such a lot to do!
Building and fixing
'til it's good as new.
Bob and the gang
make a really good sound.
Working all day
till the sun goes down.

(chorus)
Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

Can you fix it?
Right.
Left a bit.
Right a little.
Ok, straight down.

We can tackle any situation
Look out, here we come

Can we dig it? Yes!!!!!!
Can we build it? Yes!!!!!!!
Can we fix it? Yes!!!!!!

(chorus)
Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

Digging and mixing
Having so much fun
Working together
They get the job done

Can we dig it? Yes
Can we build it? Yes
Can we fix it? Yes

Bob the builder! Hey!!!
Bob the builder! Altogether now

Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes, yes we can!

Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
oooooooh!!

(chorus)
Bob the builder
Can we fix it?
Bob the builder
Yes we can!

We'd better get some work done!

And here is the modified version:

aaaaaaaaaaaaah!
aaaaaaaaaaaaah!
aaaaaaaaaaaaah!
(Take your places)
aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Can we fix it?
Yes we can!

(chorus)
Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

Joe, Dave and Penny
and Axel too.
Robby and Timmy
join the crew.
'Bama and the gang
have so much fun.
Working together,
they get the job done!

(chorus)
Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

Time to get busy.
Such a lot to do!
Building and fixing
'til it's good as new.
'Bama and the gang
make a really good sound.
Working all day
till the sun goes down.

(chorus)
Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

Can you fix it?
Right.
Left a bit.
Right a little.
Ok, straight down.

We can tackle any situation
Look out, here we come

Can we dig it? Yes!!!!!!
Can we build it? Yes!!!!!!!
Can we fix it? Yes!!!!!!

(chorus)
Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

Digging and mixing
Having so much fun
Working together
They get the job done

Can we dig it? Yes
Can we build it? Yes
Can we fix it? Yes

Bar-aack O- bama! Hey!!!
Bar-aack O- bama! Altogether now

Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes, yes we can!

Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
oooooooh!!

(chorus)
Bar-aack O- bama
Can we fix it?
Bar-aack O- bama
Yes we can!

We'd better get some work done!

Funny though, as how the slight changes in name fits the Obama campaign's stated sentiments so perfectly....

Any thoughts?

Mission : Impossible

So I was told that I will finally make my parents proud: I will go to US of A; and that too, New York.

Coming from a land full of engineers and doctors, USA is considered as the promised land. There were many who wondered aloud that they have never heard of a state in US called Finland. "Surely you don't mean Cleaveland?" They queried.

If you cannot go to India, the next best option is to go to USA to meet with family and friends. Friends from the past, their counterparts, new friendships in the making, new circles to be forged. Relations. to meet a nephew by blood, a brother in law I have never met face to face, to meet other smaller nephews and neices by love; stronger than the blood bonds.

Also, the chance to have some real sun, a real holiday. With friends. Wine tasting in Napa, shopping, the beaches, the museums, treks, hikes and shopping some more.

I am what they call wheatish in Indian matrimonial columns. I call myself dusky, with pride, and there were many times when i saw ( to borrow a red Indian term) the pale faces look at me and my tanned skin with envy. So in the morning when I stepped out to go to the embassy, and in the tram when a Nordic God with deep blue eyes and hair like the shining sun asked me if I was from Middle east or Egypt, my inner cat purred, but just gave a tiny smile and shook my head no.When I stepped out of the tram to my destination, he waved me goodbye with a slight smile, which I would like to think was tinged with regret. Any other day, I would have jumped back to the tram ( I am nothing if not impulsive ) to exchange numbers, but not today. Today, NewYork and California were beckoning, and blue eys became yet another unknown stranger.

The embassy reminded me of a prison. huge walls, guards, security cameras. I was called for the debriefing. And asked about myself. What do I do? Why do I have this contract and not anything else? How long have I been working for my company? How come my MBA is only for two years? ( at that question, i peeked a look at his ID badge and indeedy, he is an American - and then the way he has been asking questions made sense).And what did I do for my under graduation?

I did engineering.

Oh!

And what did you do it in?

I knew I would regret telling him it the moment the words were out of my mouth.

Electronics and Telecommunication. ( also known as branch of engineering which teach terrorists to make bombs)

He practically shoved the form which said that it would take at least a month for my visa to my hands. And all but shooed me out of the place. One month. At least. My managers letters didn't mean zilch to him. Nope.

I came back, opened my laptop and canceled all conformed meetings at work and with friends. And then I tried to answer their questions about my non existent research and publishing of papers without any sarcasm and as much clarity as possible. I was especially stumped by the last question, where like a nosy relative whom one particularly dislike, they wanted to know what I wanted to do with my life and how long I plan to be in this country.

Nordic Gods, the next time any of you walk up to me and compare me to the beauties in Arab nations or in upper Africa, I am gonna give you a tight kick in the ass.I know its unfair, but don't think kicking the visa guy would have really helped.