A Royal Wedding For Kate and William

Just a couple of weeks back, I started my blog post with a similar title with the lines below

~~

Boy loves girl. And girl loves boy. Both of them think that they are made for each other. And decide to spend the rest of their lives together. They get married under the loving and proud eyes of their parents and close family. This would be the story of any normal wedding.

But this is different. This is The Royal Wedding.

~~

Well, today, the same boy and girl are man and wife. 

Prince William of Wales has married his heartthrob Kate (Catherine) Middleton. In a glittering ceremony which brought London to a halt, the royal prince and his commoner sweetheart took their wedding vows under the loving eyes of 1900 odd people.

Prince William kisses HRH Kate (Catherine) Middleton After The Royal Wedding

And as they shared a sweet kiss on the balcony, the crowd gathered to witness this momentous occasion for the British royal family raised a toast to them.

Prince William will now be referred to as The Duke of Cambridge while his wife HRH Catherine (Kate) Middleton will be taking the title of Duchess of Cambridge. Titles apart, they will be importantly referred to as husband and wife.

Just a few years back, they studied together at the university. It is here that their romance blossomed.

Kate and William At The University

It was just half a year back that William and Kate announced their engagement. And since then the world has been looking forward to this day. William being the eldest son of Lady Diana has always been a favorite with the people.

William Kate Engagement

It was just yesterday evening that this picture featuring Kate Middleton was  snapped. And these were one of the last few of hers as an ordinary girl-next-door.

Kate Middleton As An Ordinary Lady

The same elegant lady was transformed into a stylish, pretty bride today morning. You can sense her excitement and William's love as they walk to the altar.

William and Kate At The Altar

Kate William Exchanging Rings

Love was in the air. You can see the pride and the happiness in their eyes. Also seen were William's younger brother Prince Harry and Kate's younger sister Pippa Middleton, sharing a small chuckle as their elder siblings walk hand in hand.

Love Is In The Air

The guest list spanned from royals to politicians, statesmen to sportsmen. Lots of fans supporting the royal wedding camped outside the wedding venue for the last few nights, hoping to get a glimpse of Kate and William on their D-Day. 

The Junta

Yet, in all this euphoria, if there was someone who was missed, it was the Late Princess Diana.

You can sense the euphoria at the moment Kate walked onto the balcony of the palace in the eyes of the little girl at the bottom of this picture.

Euphoria At The Wedding

In a royal tradition, William and Kate drove in a horse driven carriage after the wedding. 

After The Wedding

Prince William Kate Middleton - Just Wed

Just Wed Kate William After The Royal Wedding

And in true vintage style, they drove off in a car - with a back plate named "Just Wed".

Catch the official royal wedding photos with Kate and William right below.

The first one just features Kate and William immediately after they were pronounced husband and wife.

Kate and William - Husband and Wife

The next one features Kate and William with the little boys and girls who participated in the wedding as pageboys and bridesmaids.

The Royal Wedding Photo of Kate and William

And finally Kate and William with their respective families.

Kate and William with their family

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Lonely

My strongest wish today is that someone gives me an ear. Indirectly, it means I'm feeling very lonely.

Maybe these quotes reflect the state of my mind.

“It's so lonely when you don't even know yourself.”
~~ Author Unknown

“It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.”
~~ Albert Einstein

“When we truly realize that we are all alone is when we need others the most”
 ~~ Ronald Anthony

While walking home alone, after a long day of work is cold and dark, sleeping on a lonely mind is horribly isolating.

The mind is so dispirited that it does not event have the confidence to show face to darkness.

Sadly, I will be in her shoes tonight.

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The Facebook Like Button

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”

Maybe this was the quote by William Arthur Ward which ran through the back of the mind of the people at Facebook (or was it Mark Zuckerburg himself) when they invented the Facebook Like Button.

After all encouragement is something which we have seen and felt right from our childhood. 

As a child, our parents encouraged us to take those baby steps - so that we can walk into the world. 

You will recollect the time when you walked into your first exam. Your parents must have wished you best of luck when you walked away from them towards the school. 

But yet when you stole a small nervous glance back at them, to get that last boost of confidence, your parents must have signaled a "thumbs-up". That would have told you - go on my dear, nothing can go wrong.

And years later, when you appeared for that high profile board exam, you friends across the exam hall must have given you the same "thumbs-up" signal. Undoubtedly, that would have given you amazing confidence to the crack the exam at hand.

Who can forget Akshay Kumar saying - Thums Up, Taste The Thunder.

Well, such instances are many and one common thread unites them - encouragement. After all it's a signal to motivate. An alternative for "All The Best" or "I Like It".

But as life started moving towards the net, bringing in its passivity, its aloofness - such tokens of encouragement were rare. In fact, they were non-existent.

However, man has learnt to fill voids. And the Facebook designers introduced this wonderful "thumbs-up" button - rechristening it as "The Like Button". And needless to say, it has been one of the most sucessfull little features developed on the internet. 

With Facebook being rich in content - be it the pictures, the videos, the status updates, the web of links, the pages, the forums, etc etc - you had a lot to like and love. And - most likely - with the intent of indicating your fondness for a particular content , your appreciation for a particular subject, they introduced The Like Button.

It would be surprising to note that a like is not determined purely based on the content. There is some additional element or aspect in play when you like something. It's the human element.

Think about a content which originates from an individual who is Relatively Unknown. If you like the content (be it a picture or status or anything) or think that the content is good, you are more likely to click The Like Button.

Alternatively, think about a content which originates from an individual who is Relatively Known. You may like the content (be it a link or a comment or anything). However, whether you click The Like Button or not it is dependent on your relationship with the individual. You would think twice before saying - I Like It.

You may love the matter or admire the subject generously. But you would have second thoughts before Liking It. And remember, this is just for the Relatively Known.

After all, the internet is anonymous. Yet it is just a small world.

You must be wondering - how would you identify someone who is Relatively Known or Relatively Unknown? Well, it's a question you can answer definitively. Try to place individuals into these two buckets - and you may find behavior in play. 

And who comes between the Relatively Known and the Relatively Unknown. Well, they are the Well Known. And for them, you don't have to even think once before clicking The Like Button.

Well, I might be wrong about this human impact on the process of liking. Or I may be right after all. But it would be important to say that these behaviors are not wrong or irrational. After all, Facebook and the internet is a social network. And a social network is incomplete without such human emotions.

And it will be worthwhile to note that today The Facebook Like Button celebrated its first birthday. Read more here.

I wonder how many would like this blog post of mine. And how many actually click on The Like Button.

P.S. Motivation Courtesy - A couple of Woody Allen movies I saw this weekend. He understands human emotions and depicts them in a simply awesome manner.

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What Is Missing?

What is missing?

Did this thought cross your mind recently? Did you wonder about something which was missing in a certain aspect of your life? 

Maybe you were pondering about that thing which was lacking in your professional life? A little something which could make your job (your work) a bit more fulfilling?

Or were you mulling over a finer point in your personal life? Something which could make your life a bit more satisfying? A bit more complete?

Or was it about that small missing piece of the puzzle in your social life?

You must be wondering as to why I am asking these questions. Well, it's because I watched an excellent movie yesterday -  Vicky Cristina Barcelona, directed by Woody Allen.

It's a movie that revolves around four wonderful protagonist and the eternal question - What Is Missing?

Rebecca Hall In Vicky Cristina Barcelona

The movie stars the pretty Rebecca Hall and the beautiful Scarlett Johansson as Vicky and Cristina respectively. 

Scarlett Johansson In Vicky Cristina Barcelona

On their summer vacation in the beautiful city of Barcelona, the girls try to delve and solve the puzzle of their life. And you can feel the weight of the question on their mind in these pictures.

It's a story about Vicky who considers herself to be realistic and grounded. She thinks she knows what she wants. And in fact, she gets what she wishes. 

Yet, when she eventually gets what she desires, she is a bit unhappy about it. But trying to be inline with her identity, she goes on with life.

It's a story about Cristina who doesn't know what she want. She knows only what she doesn't want!!

But yet when she experiences a life full of love in Barca, the difference from the ordinary life stings her and she goes back to her own unsure life.

Then you have Penelope Cruz starring as Elena Maria - as the eternal muse of the artist Juan Antonio, played by Javier Bardem.

Penelope Cruz In Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Starring as ex husband and wife, they share a lot of love for each other. Yet they ruminate over something missing in their life which prevents them from sharing selfless love.

Yet, it is Elena who recognizes that missing piece of puzzle when Cristina walks into their life - bringing in stability for both of them.

She sums it up beautifully with the next lines.

~~

Before you, we used to cause each other so much pain, so much suffering. Without you, all this would not have been possible. You know why? 

Because you are the missing ingredient. You are like the tint that, added to a palette, makes the color beautiful.
~~

Well, all of us think about something devoid in our life. After all, we are humans and our needs, our desires, our wishes are infinite. 

We all can hope that when that missing piece of puzzle does fall into place to complete the picture, we recognize it instantly, and feel the happiness that it brings to us!!

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Vladimir Lenin

In one of my earlier blog posts, I discussed about Mao Zedong and his deep imprint on specific brand of communism - Maoism. Read more - from Mao to Maoism to Maoists - on this blog post.

In the same vein, it will be apt to discuss about another champion of communism - Vladimir Lenin.  It would be worthwhile to note that Lenin was in power in the erstwhile USSR only for a period of less than six years. Yet, he has made a profound impact on Russia and the world, and the followers of communism (I'm not one of them).

To start with his birth, Lenin was not born as Lenin. He was born as Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov on 22nd April 1870. The Russians and the communists commemorated his 141st birth anniversary yesterday. 

Lenin was considered as an intelligent boy from his younger days. However, events over a period time resulted in Lenin becoming a leader with radical thoughts.

It all started with the assassination of his elder brother in 1887. His brother participated in an attempt to kill the Russian Tsar and was hanged. His sister was also arrested with his brother before his death. His father had died just an year back, and all these events had a deep impact on Lenin's mind and triggered an revolutionary outlook within himself.

Lenin studied Karl Marx in his Law course. And later he went on to profess about his own theory of communism - known as Leninism. As a student, he participated in student riots and was arrested too.

While he was exiled in Siberia in 1898, he married a lady by the name Nadezhda Krupskaya. She herself was a socialist. At the end of his exile in 1990, he moved onto various countries in western Europe. And in 1902, he adopted the name Lenin - inspired by the Lena river in Siberia.

What did Leninism propose?

Leninism argues for the forceful deposition of the incumbent government; assume power (as agent of the proletariat) and establish a dictatorship of the proletariat  government. Moreover, as the government, the vanguard party must educate  the proletariat — to dispel the societal false consciousness of religion  and nationalism that are culturally instilled by the bourgeoisie  in facilitating exploitation.(Courtesy Wikipedia). 

The below quotes by Lenin would give you an idea about his radical thoughts. 

“A lie told often enough becomes truth."
 
“One man with a gun can control 100 without one.”

What was it that possibly triggered the these radical thoughts in Lenin's mind? It was possibly the Bloody Sunday - when 92 people were killed while marching to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg at the possible orders of the Tsar.

You can understand Lenin's opposition to capitalism with his quote below.

“Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners.” 

All along, since the early part of the decade(1900 - 1915), Lenin was a member of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. He was a part of the Bolshevik faction.

In the middle of the World War I, the Russian Tsar Nicholas was forced to abdicate the throne. A provisional government had taken over. With the beginning of the revolutions in Russia, Lenin came back to his country from Europe. 

However, the provisional government faced riots and a coup in its nascent stages. And finally, it was overthrown in October 1917 - resulting in the creation of Bolshevik Government in Russia.

Lenin became the head of the Government. And he went on to create Socialist Russia.

And after assuming power, he created what is known as the Cheka - a.k.a the extraordinary commission. It was some sort of secret service. It gave the Bolshevik's total control on all media platforms. It opposed non-Bolshevik soviets. It suppressed media freedom. Net in net, it supported Lenin in creating a totalitarian regime.

Lenin escaped an assignation attempt in August 1918. Later, he ordered shooting of several Tsarist ministers and civil servants. It is also alleged that he had earlier ordered the killing of the last Russian Tsar - Nicholas Romanov and his family in Ekaterinburg in July 1918.

The Russian Civil war which commenced after the collapse of the provisional government in 1917 continued till 1921. With the difference of opinion between the Lenin led Bolshevik's and the anti-Bolshevik faction (known as White Russians), the war continued resulting a lot of destruction and death. Some countries to supported the White Russians and all this further strengthened the totalitarian regime supported by Lenin.

Learning lessons from this mayhem, he worked on implementing a New Economic Policy, a significant deviation from socialism. 

However, his own brand of extremism had spawned a set of leaders like him - among whom was Josef Stalin. Stalin was the General Secretary of the Communist Party since 1922. Surprisingly, Lenin was not happy with the "unlimited authority" available with Stalin, since he himself was a totalitarian leader.

And at an young age of 53, Lenin died on 21 Jan, 1924. Just six days later, Lenin's body was embalmed and rested at Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow. And till this date, it stands there on the Red Square, just behind the centre of Russian power - The Kremlin.

What we now know as the city of St. Petersburg was known as Petrograd in those days. And immediately after Lenin's death, it was renamed Leningrad in his honor - and that was the case till 1991.

Just yesterday, hundreds of communists in Russia laid flowers at his mausoleum in Moscow, Russia. And astonishingly, in Tajikistan - an ex-Soviet nation, workers began pulling down the biggest statue of Lenin in Central Asia to move it to another place. Read the news here.

And more than 90 years after his death, Lenin continues to inspires scores of communists and socialists around the world.

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A Job Well Done

Well, this topic has been buzzing in my head for the last half a year. And it was a very recent news that has prompted me to give words to these thoughts.

And before we go onto the actual source of inspiration, just have a look at a conversation my friend and colleague depicted to highlighted the importance of work. 

~~

Person 1 - Hi.

Person 2 - Hi. How are you?

Person 1 - I'm fine, Thanks. How about you?

Person 2 - I'm good too, Thanks. What do you do?

~~

Well, what we can see here is that the thing that you do (the work) comes as one of the first things that identify you. And that in itself highlights the importance of the work or the job you do.

And if it is one of the most important things, it goes without doubt that you would want to excel at the work you do. This is more to make you feel good about it rather than make for someone else. 

Like Indian cricket skipper M.S. Dhoni said after India's victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 - "I had a point to prove to myself and to no one else."

If a job is well done, you feel proud about yourself. And you feel you have done due justice to the task assigned to you. Importantly, you feel that you can give a pat on your back!!

The job can be extremely simple or amazingly complex. It might takes hours and days and months to complete it, or it can be done within a matter of minutes. It can be done with a lot of effort or with a simple and innovative idea. 

It can be done under a lot of limelight or it can be done quietly.Whatever may be the case, it does not reduce the importance of the job executed. It does not diminish the significance of the work done. 

A job well done is a job well done. Come what may!!

Let's consider my humble job - that of a software programmer. What brings a smile on my face? 

It can be a small piece of code which works like a champion. It can be a small idea which stands the test of time. It can be a small thought which rolls up a chain of ideas. Or something which simply brings in a smile on someone's face.

While no job is too big or too small, too important or less important, a few job profiles are simply awe-inspiring.

Here is a picture of a few pilots and some air hostesses.

You must be wondering what's special about the picture. 

Well, these guys were abroad the Qantas Airbus A380 super jumbo from Singapore to Sydney on 4th Nov 2010 when an engine caught fire mid air. On board were 459 travelers. And at stake were the life of these people, and the destinies of their close friends and family back on earth.

Under these trying circumstances, the pilots flew back a whole of 15 minutes to bring the mega bird back to earth, and saved the lives of these people. 

The image below is from the same Qantas jumbo just after it landed back at the Changi International, Singapore. You can see the burnt out engine, as fire engines try to cool it down.

Most importantly, you can see the modesty in the crews behavior, in spite of them being heroes. You can feel their sense of quiet pride and relief. You can feel the calm with which they executed the complex task at hand.

It was a truly commendable achievement. And a job well done!! 

The second news was about India's Prime Minister - Manmohan Singh. Just a few days back, he had an conversation with journalists on board his official aircraft.

Asked by journalists on board Air India One on his way back from Kazakhstan about five things he would like to achieve in relations with Pakistan, Singh, said, "Five would be too much. Well, if I can succeed in normalizing relations between India and Pakistan, as they should prevail between two normal states, I will consider my job well done.''

Doesn't it impress you that a prime minister of a very big nation also is closely thinking about the task he thinks he should execute to feel proud about himself?

The task isn't simple by any means. It can't be executed with a definitive plan. Yet, there is an aspiration to complete the job. And surprisingly, he was not chosen to complete this job. Yet he feels obliged to complete it.

And if he does, without doubt it will be a job well done!!

Well, to conclude, all of us don't have a job which is as complex as illustrated above. However, that does not dilute the significance of the job that you do. That does not reduce it's importance.

If you think that you can give a small pat on your own back, or feel the pride with a twinkle in your eyes, it's a job well done!!

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Amazing Art

DM - DailyMail of London - never fails to give you an interesting piece of news.

And this one caught my eye today. 

Here is a very beautiful picture an tiger.

This is what the artist - Craig Tracy - had to say. 

"The South China Tiger image is certainly one of my favorite images so far. I love what it represents and all of the good that it has done to help save the tiger."

And if you are wondering how the painting was done, just check the picture below.

Yes, on the body of three women!! Stunning isn't it??

Simply a wonderful piece of art.

Read more here.

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The Last Word

A slightly busy day resulted in a few thoughts rumbling through my little mind.

The most significant one is from the book SuperFreakonomics.

I read Freakonomics a few months back and since then, I am in love with this series. 

This book not only asks intriguing questions, but also gives equally surprsing and interesting answers. 

This book not only teaches you a bit of economics, but gives you wonderful lessons in life. 

The line below is from the introduction section of their book. 

We are trying to start a conversation, not have the last word. 

Need I say more?? Of course, not!!

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The Royal Wedding

~~

Click here to read about the Royal Wedding Day.

~~

Boy loves girl. And girl loves boy. Both of them think that they are made for each other. And decide to spend the rest of their lives together. They get married under the loving and proud eyes of their parents and close family. This would be the story of any normal wedding.

But this is different. This is The Royal Wedding. 

Who is the royal we are talking about? It is Prince William of Wales. The eldest son of Prince Charles and the Late Lady Diana, he is second in line to the British throne  - right behind his father Charles.

And who is the love of his life, who will become his wife on 29th April 2011? She is Catherine (Kate) Middleton. All of 29 years, she will be a royal wife and a princess in two week's time.

Prince William and Kate Middleton

 

There hasn't been an wedding in my living memory which has caught the public eye like this one. All the top international newspapers (prime among them - BBC and CNN) - are running a separate independent sections about The Royal Wedding on the front page of their website. This reflects the interest of the people in this wedding.

The lives of William and Kate have been under close public scrutiny since the announcement of their engagement last last year. 

At the Engagement Announcement

Since then, people have speculated about the wedding date. People are discussing about her pretty engagement dress. People have been wondering about the dress she will wear to the wedding. And the wedding ring. The place of the wedding. And the honeymoon destination. Just about every single thing is being closely discussed and evaluated.

All this would make the couple wonder on whether their marriage is a private matter or a public affair. But when you are a royal, everything that you do is under the public scanner.

Official Engagement Photo

While Prince William has lived his entire life under the media spotlight, Kate has had an otherwise normal life. She is the eldest of her three sisters and has grown up in rural England, in Berkshire. Astonishingly, her parents are millionaires - importantly, self made millionaires. 

As a little kid, girls hear stories about a little prince stealing away their hearts. It would have been the case with Kate too. And by God's grace and lots of luck, she came in touch with Prince William while studying at the university in Scotland in 2011. The affection has built over the years, and after many ups and downs, she will be walking down the aisle with her beloved William.

Kate and William at University

Considering her modest background, and amazing looks, Kate Middleton is all set to become the people's princess - a tag which has been empty for the last 14 years since the death of William's mother - Late Lady Diana. This picture says it all.

People's Princess Kate

A royal wedding comes with its own nitty gritties. A bank holiday has been declared in England on Friday, 29th April 2011. Add to that, stamp's have been released by the British Royal Mail commemorating the joyous occasion.

The Royal Stamps

A lot of wedding memorabilia is being sold across the United Kingdom. Then you have dolls depicting Kate Middleton. There are China cups, fridges, wall clocks, cuff links. 

It would surprise you that people are even selling books and nail paints too - picturing the royal couple. Going beyond all is the sale of sick-bags (in case you get uneasy seeing all this euphoria - and I wonder who would) and contraceptive rubber - once again depicting the royal wedding. What next??

If you are interested in gossip, The Daily Mail is for you. It has innumerable news articles discussing about Kate's formative years in school, how she was bullied in school, the ex boyfriends of Kate and the ex girlfriends of William et all. The royal wedding has generated a lot of fodder for the tabloids.

While Kate has been an epitome of grace in all her formal and official engagements as the royal fiancee, she is seen to have a great sense of casual dressing too. All this has resulted in Kate being touted as the next fashion icon. 

Kate in elegant formals and stylish casuals

How many times have you had a queen giving the stylish super models a chase for their money? But I bet that Kate can win hands down over most of the fashion models.

Super Model Kate

Well, this is one topic you can't stop writing about. The excitement in the United Kingdom and across the world is bound to increase in the coming two weeks.

Westminster Abbey is the place of the wedding. All eyes will be on the Royal Couple as Prince William weds Kate Middleton. This will be the day when the lovely Kate would make a transition to HRH Princess Catherine. And we all hope that they have a very strong and sucessfull marriage.

Prince William with soon to be HRH Princess Catherine(Kate)

After all, it's spring time. And love is in the air.

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Underpromise, Overdeliver

India Inc. has completed its financial year - just a fortnight back. And the annual results have started pouring in, starting with the IT major Infosys Technologies Limited.

Infy for years has been the first company in India to declare the annual results. I don't know the reason behind it. However, it is one of the most keenly watched results in the market. And importantly, it gives an indication of the potential performance of other similar companies.

In the context of financial results, it would be worthwhile to understand the term Guidance.

What is Guidance?

Guidance is the information, usually provided by a company director, about the company's outlook, especially in terms of earnings. Guidance can be positive or negative, and is watched very closely by analysts and investors since it is often a strong indicator of that company's future performance. (Courtesy - Investorwords)

Infosys is a company which gives guidance for next financial quarter, and for the next financial year. It justifies its reasoning and then goes about its task of earning that money.

And usually Infosys - long considered as the darling of the Indian stock market - beats its own guidance by a respectable margin. This sends the market into a state of euphoria. It increases the confidence of the people in the organization and increased the share holder worth.

Consider the complexity of the task at hand. Below is the summary of Infy's guidance over the next quarter and year - extracted from their website (both in rupee term and US dollar term)

~~
Quarter ending June 30, 2011
Revenues are expected to be in the range of 7,311 crore and 7,382 crore
Revenues are expected to be in the range of $1,643 million and $1,659 million

Fiscal year ending March 31, 2012
Revenues are expected to be in the range of 31,727 crore and 32,270 crore
Revenues are expected to be in the range of $7.13 billion and $7.25 billion
~~

Here, you are predicting that you will be earning more than 1.6 Billion USD in just the next three months.

Predicting this figure, I would say, would require a lot of skill. After all, you need to earn this money. And how much you earn would be dependent on the business you do. And for the business you do, there has to be someone who pays. And it will be difficult for you to decide how much will be be willing spend. And then, of course, you need to sell. And selling isn't an easy task.

Add additional complexities. The USD INR exchange rate fluctuates wildly. You have a risk of recession - which is like a slumbering monster. You have the risks of changing regulations. You have the risks of new players on the block. And the established competitors too.

In my modest personal opinion, if Infy projects a revenue as mentioned earlier, which is approximately 18% to 20% above the current fiscal,  and meets that guidance - I think it would be a very respectable performance. You have delivered what you have promised. And if it beats the guidance, then you could call it as icing-on-the-cake.

With this, I fail to decipher the reaction of the market yesterday. Infy met its guidance for FY11 and Q4FY11. Yet the stock lost more than 9% in the Indian market and approximately 13% on NASDAQ.

I would call it knee jerk reaction. It would be unreasonable to expect Infy to beat its own guidance by huge margins year after year. Yes, it can be done in some quarters. And for the rest, even if the guidance is met - it's a job well done.

But the market does not seem to understand that. Why is someone punished for meeting expectations? It's not fair.

All this made one thought rumble though my mind since yesterday - Underpromise, Overdeliver.

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A Tale Of Two Tigresses

~~~~~

Tale 1

~~~~~

The jungle was calm and steady,

The silence roared.

The weather was misty,

The heavy air howled.

Ruffling were the leaves, 

For they didn't fear for their life.

Rest all who loved her dearest, 

Dared not even to meet her eye. 

A few scattered, 

The rest passed into hiding. 

Was she someone to be feared,

To cause such shrouding?

Out of the shadow, 

She walked out majestically.

The vision was narrow,

They admired her generously.  

She wasn't looking for a beast, 

Needing only a little saunter. 

 They thanked God that they didn't become a feast,

Of a royal tigress imperial. 

Photo Courtesy -  Tigers of Bandhavgarh

~~~~~
Tale 2
~~~~~

The jungle was noisy, 

Not even a hint of calm.

She walked in softly, 

And I almost sang a psalm. 

Supreme grace,

Amazing poise.

A bright face, 

And brash eyes. 

She caught my attention, 

Putting a magnet to shame. 

She made clear her intention, 

She was looking for a game.

Her eyes caught mine, 

My heart quivered. 

Was she looking for a dine, 

Or love unwavered.  

The world seemed to halt, 

She sized up her chances. 

What would she do next, 

I was clueless. 

Should I become her prey, 

Leaving aside my pride. 

The thoughts colored my mind grey, 

And I failed to hide. 

She walked towards me, 

I gasped my breath. 

And as she walked past me, 

I heaved a sigh of relief. 

She was a smasher,

With her eyes blazing.

A stunner and a ravisher,

She was an urban tigress dazzling.

 

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When Shuffle Really Works

MP3 shuffle works - but you love it the most when it plays some great melodies - back to back. After all, who would not love a personal jockey - who dishes out the best songs - one after another.

Well, after a long long time - my MP3 player (who also works as my cell phone, and my offline blog notebook) - played out some good surprsies. 

The first one was Bas Ek Pal - from the movie with the same title.

The song is a bit sad - but has great music and some awesome lines.

I like these the most.

Sunaah hain Mohabbath ki Thakdeer mein,
Likhein hain andherein Ghanee,
Thabi aaj Shayad Sitare Sabi,
Zara saahi roshan hue...
Mere haath ki in Lakeeron mein
Likhe abhi aur kithne... sitam,
Khafaa Ho gayein hain kushi
Waqt sey ho rahein hain meherbaan gam

The next one was from an album - Relax, Take It Easy.

What more can I say?Just relax and take it easy. There is an answer to the darkest times.



And last but not the least, one of my all time favorites - Dil Chahta Hai.

Often I find myself echoing the thoughts of the next four lines.

Kaisa Ajab Yeh Safar Hai,

Socho To Har Ik Hi Bekhabar Hai

Usko Jaana Kidhar Hai,

Jo Waqt Aaye, Jaane Kya Dikhaaye
 

Great music never fails to uplift a sagging spirit!!

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Affection

I extended my hand warm, 

Stretched my little finger. 

Wished to feel your lovely charm, 

And love sweet and tender.  

The solitariness was cold, 

The emptiness so stark. 

The fingers clutched my palm, 

And colored my lonely heart dark. 

Like a lovely angel, 

You held my hands icy.

Set my heart flutter,

And just made me feel dainty. 

Like a beacon selfless, 

You guided me for miles.

When I took to the skies, 

You were all smiles. 

P.S. Holding Hands - the simplest and greatest way for showing your affection - is never out of vogue.

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