Yash Chopra's next to surpass all lifetime collections?

As Yash Chopra enters the 81st year of his life, astro-numerologist predicts that 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' could be the biggest blockbuster of all time.

If SRK is the ultimate 'king' of romance, this man is the 'king-maker'. Astro-numerologist Bhavikk Sangghvi predicts what's in store for the dream merchant - director Yash Chopra on the eve of his 80th birthday.

"Yashiji was born on September 27, 1932 which makes him a Number 9 (Mars) person in numerology. He is a Libran (ruler Venus - Number 6) and his destiny number also adds up to the same number. No wonder the double influence of Venus - the planet of love, peace, romance, harmony etc. is over powering in all his movies", states Bhavikk.

"Yashiji will now enter the 81st year of his life which indicates a great phase for him - full of happiness, celebration and rejoice - both on the work as well as personal front", predicts Bhavikk.

"His Diwali bonanza for his fans 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan' made under his directorial baton will set the box office ablaze and surpass the lifetime collections of all previous blockbuster movies (including some made under his own banner)", predicts Bhavikk confidently.

"I would advise him to wear a Diamond on a Friday morning to further boost up his brand value and take it to an international scale", recommends Bhavikk before signing off.

We wish Yash Chopra a very warm Happy Birthday!

Why is playing Maharashtrian special for Rani?

 A Bengali brought up in Mumbai, Rani Mukherjee says essaying a Maharashtrian girl in Aiyyaa made it all the more special.

The role of a Maharashtrian girl named Meenakshi Deshpande in the movie was like a dream come true for her, says Rani.

"I have always said that I am actually a Maharashtrian girl because I have been born and brought up in Maharashtra. Being a Mumbaikar, Marathi language is not alien to me. It was my dream or wish that some day I should play a Marathi girl's role and with Aiyyaa, this dream has come true," the 34-year-old said at a promotional event here.

An Anurag Kashyap production, Aiyyaa, releasing Oct 12, also stars southern actor Prithviraj.

In the movie, Rani has imitated screen divas Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi and Juhi Chawla and says being a fan of them all, helped her in emulating their dance moves.

Rani says she and director Sachin Kundalkar are equally big fans of the three actresses.

"He (Sachin) has been a huge fan of Juhi, Madhuri and Sri-ji, so when he discussed the idea with me, I told him that it's unbelievable that even I am similarly a fan of theirs. I have grown up loving them," Rani said at a promotional event for the film in Mumbai.

"So it was a great fit, and I think because the fit was so good, selecting those songs that we loved of theirs and paying a tribute, came naturally," she added.

Oh My God: Police complaint against Akshay, Paresh Rawal

 

 A senior Punjab Mahila Congress leader of Punjab has lodged a complaint with Jalandhar police against film actors Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal for their film 'Oh My God' (OMG) along with the producer, director and writer of the film for hurting religious sentiments of Hindus.
State Mahila Congress vice president Nimisha Mehta along with presidents of three Hindu organizations in her complaint to Commissioner of Police has described the dialogues and sequences of the film in which Hindu beliefs and practices have been ridiculed. Meanwhile she has also sent legal notices through her counsels to Akshay, Rawal and others for deleting these portions and to tender and apology.
The complaint has pointed out that a scene picturized on Paresh Rawal, latter is shown is purchasing idols of divine Hindu gods, and uttering these words (dialogues) "Ek dozen bade pet wale Ganpati de, aath body builder Hannuman de, dhai sau wala Krishan de, Panch tiger wale de (Sheranwali mata), teen dozen ho gaye, teen Sai Baba to bonus me milega kya".
The complained has said that Hindus perform their worship through idols of the icons and these serve as a tangible link between the worshiper and God. "The image is often considered a manifestation of God, since God is imminent," the complaint has said while also quoting from Padma Purana.
"I n the next scene picturized in a bus on Paresh Rawal and various other artistes, it has been shown that liquor like substance is being poured into sacred pot (Gangajal) and various characters are being shown drinking the substance from it and when a female character questions "isme kya hai?", Paresh Rawal are shown uttering these words "Gangajal hai".
It has also mentioned another sequence where Akshay and Rawal respectively speak "Main bhagwan hoon", "Hamare bhagwan aise nahi hote hain bare body", and then Akshay again replies, "Kya ha abhi mera latest photo facebook pe update nahi hua".
Apart from Akshay and Rawal, director and writer Umesh Shukla, writer Bhavesh Mandalia have also been named in the film or deliberately and intentionally, outraging and hurting the religious feelings, beliefs and sentiments of complainant, as the dialogues and scenes in picture shows disrespect and insult towards the Hindu religion , its belief and practices.

'Sons of Anarchy' react: The death of [SPOILER] is series' saddest moment

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t watched this week’s episode of Sons of Anarchy yet, STOP READING. Sorry, West Coast, we need to start the viewer support group now. 
We all knew someone was dying this hour. According to our Inside TV poll, which counted more than 41,000 votes, 39 percent of fans believed it would be Unser. He was followed by Juice (18%), Tig (16%), Clay (13%), Opie (9%), and Tara (6%).
UPDATE: In the comments, some fans are saying they’re going to stop watching the show because it was Opie, a man who’d already lost a wife and his father because of the club, who leaves behind two kids, and who was beautifully played by Ryan Hurst. But as I argue below, and as other readers are articulating in the comments, his death makes sense. Great showrunners aim to surprise viewers, but they also know that fans have to be able to look back, connect the dots, and think, oh, of course. Kurt Sutter set the stage for Opie’s farewell. You may not have wanted it to be Opie, but were you blindsided? Opie admitted he wasn’t sure he was capable of loving anyone when he gave his ex $20,000 to take care of his children in last week’s episode. He told her he was going out-of-town and wasn’t sure when he’d be back. He soured on the club, but Jax was his best friend — that’s who he wanted to protect when he got himself tossed in jail and then thrown into the death match. Maybe Jax was the only person Opie remembered how to love.
The fact that fans are talking about sobbing and feeling as though they were going to vomit means the loss mattered. That’s what you want from a good show. That’s a drama in its fifth season having the power — and the balls — to destroy you in an epic way. When a turn was earned, as this one was, you mourn the death of the character and celebrate the life in the show. As Pope said, the pain will take Jax to a new level. It had to cut that deep.
Now, back to the recap… 
Once Pope had his sitdown with Jax in the Commander’s office, it would have been a cop-out had it not been one of the guys in jail. Pope gave Jax his terms: he’d be taking half of SAMCRO’s cartel payday from now on ($50,000 a shipment), Tig would get life in prison and suffer accordingly, and one Son would die as retribution for the Niner and the cop they’d killed. Once the Son was dead, the witnesses would recant their stories, the murder charges would be dropped, and Jax would be set free “to earn.”
Jax: Come on, man, I’m not just gonna kill one of my guys.
Pope: [Smiles] Yes, you are. Before the next guard shift. The cost of doing battle.
Jax: I’m not goin’ to war.
Pope: You already in it, son.
The Commander told Jax this needed to go down in solitary and the shift Sergeant would walk him through it. To get all four of our boys in solitary, Jax had them pound on the prisoners with ties to Pope in the yard. Both sides were put in solitary, two to a room. (That’s still solitary? Okay then.) Jax ended up with Opie, who knew Jax was holding back something. Opie heard it when the Sergeant came in to tell Jax whichever Son he picked would be put in “the box” with Pope’s guys to fight until he loses. When Jax admitted to Opie he had no idea how to keep everyone alive, and the two sat there in silence — that’s when I started to tear up. I couldn’t figure a way out for them either.
Jax then told Opie the truth about everything — why Clay had killed Piney and why he couldn’t let Opie kill Clay. Now I was panicking. I kept asking myself why is Jax telling him all this now? Was it because he was going to choose Opie and owed him that much? Because he was going to pick himself? Because he couldn’t ask Opie to help him come up with a solution with this weighing on him? When the Sergeant came back for Jax’s decision, Opie and Jax tried to stall. The Sergeant clubbed Jax in the knee, and Opie made a move — until the Sergeant pulled his gun. “This is my hell, b—-. I make the rules. If you don’t pick which guy fights, I will,” he said. Opie asked Jax what he was going to do. “Pick the guy,” Jax answered.
When Jax and Opie reunited with Chibs and Tig, Jax told them Pope wanted Tig inside forever and one of them dead. Chibs asked how they were going to handle it. “I don’t give a s— who Pope is or how deep his reach is. He doesn’t make that call. We decide our fate,” Jax said. The Sergeant entered with other guards and asked if he or Jax was making the decision. Jax looked at the boys and said, “My call.” He turned and was about to punch the Sergeant when Opie said, “No,” stopped Jax, and headbutted the Sergeant. In my mind, Jax hadn’t chosen himself — he’d told the boys they were taking their chances and fighting the guards, who hadn’t handcuffed them, together. But Opie, who’d seen the Sergeant pull his gun earlier, knew it wouldn’t end well. All four boys could die.
Opie had told Lyla that he wasn’t sure he loved anything anymore when he asked her to watch his kids. In his mind, he was already dead inside, so he was the one who should make the sacrifice (since Pope wouldn’t allow Tig to). Jax loves his kids and Tara; Chibs had nothing to do with this mess. “Throw him in,” the Sergeant said. As Opie was led away, Jax screamed and tried to stop it, but Chibs and Tig held him back. The Sergeant had pulled his gun again. The Sergeant gave Opie a pipe and told him, “Keep it interesting, s—head.” He must have bet that the Son would last longer than a second against Pope’s four men. Jax beat on the glass and called to Opie. “I got this,” Opie said.
In the comments, I would love for everyone to describe your experience watching this next part of the scene unfold. It’ll be therapeutic knowing that at that moment, I wasn’t the only one who not only teared up but also paused, shouted an expletive or two, and picked up a pillow to hold. You can be honest. I’ll admit that I actually left the room, pillow in hand, and paced and whimpered before pressing play again. When I finally resumed watching, I sat as far away as I could from the screen. Opie did okay just long enough to give you the slightest hope. But the biggest guy grabbed him from behind, and another guy punched him and took the pipe. He struck Opie hard in the face, and Opie collapsed as our boys watched. Jax fought back tears, and Chibs beat on the glass wailing. Opie got back up to his knees, ready for his execution, and kept his eyes on Jax. Tig turned his back, he couldn’t watch. The only sound was Opie’s heavy breathing until the swing and the snap of his neck. Chibs again beat on the glass and wailed, but Jax turned to face us. As we saw one of the guys continue to beat Opie’s lifeless body over Jax’s shoulder, Jax’s chin quivered. Was he still fighting back tears or was it from the anger? His eyes had already turned steely. I say the latter.
The Sergeant walked Jax to the Commander’s office. How much control did it take for Jax not to slam that guy’s head into a wall? Instead, Jax warned him: “I’m gettin’ released. There’s nothing you can do to stop that. I’ll find out who you are and where you live, and then I’m gonna kill you.” Not looking at him while he said that made it even more chilling. Pope was waiting for Jax in the office. Stone-cold Jax told Pope there was a new plan. He’d get the club to sign off on splitting their money with Pope, but he wanted Tig on the outside. Knowing Jax saved his life, Tig would be in Jax’s debt, which gives Jax an internal advantage. “And when I’m done, you can send him out the same way you did his kid. ‘Cause I really don’t give a s—,” Jax said.
“There you go,” Pope said. “Finding the hidden advantage in an unfortunate circumstance. Using pain to take you to the next level. Those are the things that turn players into kings.” Now I understand what Kurt Sutter meant when he said Nero would be a mentor to Jax but Pope would also become an example for him. Pope agreed to the terms and told Jax to keep Tig on a short leash. Jax told Pope the home invasions had to stop as well, and Pope told him those weren’t his doing and better not be the Niners’. Pope’s parting words: “Be smart, Mr. Teller. It’s who you are.”
Jax told Chibs they were getting out the next day, so he should figure out who they owe favors to and get intel on the Sergeant. He told him Tig was going with them but didn’t tell him how. Jax then told Tig, who knew it should have been him in the box, that he’d gotten him cleared. In exchange, Jax wants Tig to back his every play and never vote against him again — which Tig is cool with. Jax neglected to tell Tig that Pope gets to kill him in the end. Was that because Jax has no intention of letting that happen, or because he really doesn’t care about Tig now that he’s watched Opie, his best friend, die because of him? I’d like to think the former, but I fear the latter.

Yom Kippur 2012 with Michael Ames

LOS ANGELES, September 25, 2012--When the sun sets on Tuesday, September 25th, the Jewish people will celebrate Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur is the most serious holiday in Judaism, the day of atonement. We Jews beg Hashem (God) for forgiveness for our transgressions, and vow to make an effort to be better people going forward. What makes Yom Kippur so powerful is that on that day we are not who we are, but who we wish we could be.
From sundown Tuesday night until sundown Wednesday night, no food or drink is consumed. The one day of fasting is to purify our bodies and souls.
Yet the concept of atonement is a difficult one. It is one thing to say words that sound holy. It is another thing to mean them.
For instance, I have recommended that politically liberal Jews stay home and avoid Synagogues unless they are willing to apologize for everything they have said about conservatives. Ask a liberal Jew if they will apologize for everything they said about Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, and George W. Bush. They will make a joke or explain why some hatred is justified. Then they will turn it around and ask if conservatives like me will apologize for hating President Obama. Once it is explained to them that I do not hate him at all, but merely disagree with him, they offer a confused look. Isn't that the same thing?
No. Not at all. Not even close.
I have never been a fan of insincere requests of forgiveness. For instance, I do not apologize for acts of lust because I feel zero guilt over it. Maybe I should, but until and unless I do, any apology would be phony and meaningless. If I see a Republican Jewish brunette in Synagogue that I would like to flip over my shoulders and take back to my cave, I will probably make an attempt.
Atoning in my mind should not be "cosmetic." For instance, several relatives of mine should do the world a favor and just cease existing. To apologize for requesting that they drop dead would be insincere. In my mind they are terrible human beings, and requesting that they cease to exist is actually my way of saying I want a better world. They most likely feel the world would be better if I departed. If that is how they truly feel, then their apologizing would be pointless.
Yet some situations are not so simple. A flight I took recently offered food for thought that really does deserve my contemplation on Yom Kippur.
The passenger next to me in first class was gracious. He took the window and allowed me to have the aisle. I slept for most of the flight, and made small talk with the gentleman as we were landing. He admitted to me that he knew who I was. We had interacted once before, and it was not a good experience for either of us. My face was ashen when he told me where he met me as I quickly connected the dots.
I gave a speech in Idaho in front of former RNC Chairman Michael Steele. A reporter named Michael Ames wrote about the event in a manner that I considered unfair.
I responded by writing a column entitled "Michael Ames is a lying liberal scumbag."
Now Mr. Ames was sitting next to me on a flight. He also happens to be Jewish. Yes, there are Jews in Idaho.
Mr. Ames had only been reporting for one week when I unloaded on him. A couple of my readers thought I overreacted. Ironically, some of his family members agreed with me.
While I was sleeping, he was sending messages on Twitter about who he was sitting next to. One can go either way on the ethics of that.
We had a frank exchange, and he was genuinely bothered by my assessment of him. He felt I was unduly harsh.
I made a promise to him, and that promise was kept. To dismiss his concerns out of hand would be unfair. To just apologize on the spot would be insincere. My compromise was that I would go back and reread his column and my response. Then with everything fresh in my mind, I would reassess.
Apologizing is not supposed to be easy. True atonement is meant to be difficult. Jews on Yom Kippur are forced to confront some pretty dark situations.
Very careful consideration was given. Self-reflection is not always navel-gazing. In this case introspection was necessary.
My hope was that I would come to the conclusion that I was completely wrong. It is with deep sadness that I simply do not feel that way.
I was partially wrong. I called him a "lying, liberal scumbag."
It is possible that his misquoting me was accidental. His mistakes in the column could have been exactly that, and honest ones at that. This could be another case of that stereotype about two Jews in a room and three opinions.
He insisted to me that he is not a liberal. He is libertarian who does not fit into either of the two major parties neatly. While many liberal reporters deny they are liberals, I have to take him at his word unless contrary evidence shows up.
As for calling him a scumbag, that was harsh, and I regret doing that. The guy I sat next to on the plane was pleasant. Besides, if he was truly awful, my comments about him would have had zero effect. The guy obviously has feelings, since apparently I hurt them.
The problem I have is that I still intensely dislike the column. It contains a mixture of factual inaccuracies and interpretations that do not come across to me as fair.
I attacked his intentions when I should have focused only on the results.
Simply put, I questioned what was in his heart. That was wrong of me.
I apologize to Mr. Ames for how I described him, but not for being upset with his column.
I absolutely disagree with his assessment, but I would be willing to break bread with him if he thought any good would come out of it.
Should he be burned in effigy? No.
Should that particular column be used as kindling for a bonfire? Perhaps.
Have I ever written anything that others felt was inflammatory and worthy of scorn? Yes.
Were my critics justified in being angry? Sometimes.
Mr. Ames and I are both far from perfect, but I truly believe we were both sincere with each other on that airplane.
For that reason, I genuinely wish Mr. Ames a peaceful Yom Kippur, and hope that the holiday and days beyond provide him meaning physically and spiritually.

 

'How I Met Your Mother': Showrunners talk about the (possible) beginning of the end

It’s the beginning of the end, How I Met Your Mother fans – or it might be. Anyone who has watched the season 8 premiere may have seen the last season opener of Ted Mosby’s televised journey toward finding the mother of his children.

The CBS show’s writers approached tonight’s episode, “Farhampton,” like it was the beginning of the show’s final season.
“We sort of come in every day and go, ‘This is the last season of How I Met Your Mother’ until we hear different… We really feel like this launches the last season,” co-creator Craig Thomas told reporters last week. Still no definitive word on whether a ninth season is on the horizon.
So right now, the writers are going full speed ahead to the reveal of the mother, with a Plan B in place in the instance the show is renewed. Thomas and fellow showrunner Carter Bays revealed more about their plans for season 8 and about was going on in tonight’s episode. Fair warning: SPOILERS AHEAD about tonight’s episode and the fate of Ted Mosby and the mother.
Monday’s episode gave us a glimpse at the night Ted meets his wife-to-be. There was the familiar yellow umbrella, plus a guitar case – plus a pair of legs, the most of the mother we’ve seen so far. Thomas and Bays were not at all eager to divulge whether they’ve cast the mother or whether the woman carrying the umbrella in tonight’s episode was another “stunt mother.”
“I don’t want to say because ultimately when we do cast the actress who’s the mother, it’s going to have to be shrouded in secrecy, so if it already happened, we already did it, we don’t want to say,” Thomas said.
As for any concern about successful chemistry tests between Josh Radnor and the actress playing the mother, Bays said, “Josh just has good chemistry just as a guy, no matter who you put him with. I think he’s kind of a ladies’ man.”
Thomas did confirm that that night on the train platform is “the finish line” – Ted does finally meet the mother there. They may have not talked in tonight’s episode, but that is the time and the place where that meeting will finally happen.
Bays and Thomas were also tight-lipped about how long fans have to wait until the show returns to that rainy night at the Farhampton train station. Any questions about how soon we’d see the next moment in that fateful meeting were met with the same vague wording that appeared in the premiere: That moment is “a little further down the road.”
The two showrunners were a little more forthcoming when the topic of discussion wasn’t the ever-mysterious mother. Here are a few other things reporters learned from the showrunners about the season premiere and what’s to come:
The morning of Barney and Robin’s wedding may appear to be catastrophe-prone, but fans can hold onto hope that the two are meant to be.
Bays and Thomas talked with pride about the scenes between Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders in the season 8 premiere. “The chemistry between Neil and Cobie is so great that she doesn’t even need to be in a scene with him for them to have chemistry,” Thomas said.
As for what Barney’s thinking about while he’s in the cab with Quinn’s head resting on his shoulder, Thomas says, “He has his fiancée asleep on his shoulder, and he’s thinking about another woman.” But this is Barney we’re talking about, so Bays’ theory may hold water too: “He’s probably thinking about a suit he wants to buy.”
Marvin Waitforit Erikson will not take over the show, but Marshall and Lily are definitely living the parental life now.
Two of our merry crew are parents now, which any mother or father knows means their life has changed forever, and the writers will make sure that is clear — beyond Marshall and Lily’s delirious state displayed in tonight’s premiere. But there’s no need to worry that the whole dynamic of How I Met Your Mother will change. “I like to believe that we are tending to the fact that they have a baby more than some other shows have,” Thomas said, “but I don’t feel like the baby takes over the show.”
We haven’t seen the last of Robin Sparkles.
The How I Met Your Mother team are determined to get one last scene of Robin’s Canadian pop star alter-ego in the show. “We want to go back to [Robin Sparkles]. One more time before we hang it up,” Bays said. Added Thomas, “And we have a way to do it that I think would be completely different from the other ways we’ve done it.”
How I Met Your Mother will not pull an Office.
If HIMYM moves forward with a ninth season, you can expect to see all of its key cast on the show. “No, we would never, ever, ever [renew without all of the series regulars signed on]. It’s a family, and we’re finishing this thing together,” Thomas said. Negotiations among the studio, the network and the talent to determine whether the show will get another season are in progress.
For scoop about plans this season of How I Met Your Mother, check out EW’s report about guest stars lined up for season 8.

Nikon D600 Review: Images This Spectacular Have Never Been So Cheap

 Earlier this year, we fell in love with the Nikon D800. How could you not? It's a 36.6-megapixel hulk of a professional camera. But if you don't have $3000 lying around, too bad.
For a lot of serious photographers, the Nikon D600 sounds like an ideal compromise: the camera you can still afford with many of the professional specs you want.

Why It Matters

The Nikon D600 has a 24.3-megapixel, full-frame sensor and costs only $2100 for the body alone. Let's just come out and say it: That "only" is relative. This is a camera for people who are willing to shell out some dollar for photography. Still, this is the cheapest full-frame sensor camera Nikon has ever made, and amongst the cheapest you can buy in this class, period.
Until now, there has been a huge price gap between full-frame sensor professional cameras (like the $3000 D800) and the alternatives (like the $1200 D7000). For $2100, the the D600 (along with the forthcoming Canon 6D) splits the difference.
Full-frame sensors are the professional standard: Compared to the APS-C sensors found in most inexpensive DSLRs, a full frame sensor is 2.3 times larger. Spreading the camera's roughly 24 million pixels over a larger area means larger photodiodes, which in turn do a better job capturing light—less distortion, and better performance in the dark. Suddenly, there's a middle ground for serious photographers whose budgets can't stretch all the way into pro prices.

Using It

Hardware

As a rule, pro cameras look the part: They're big, heavy and covered in customizable buttons. The D600, as you might expect, is smaller and lighter than the D800. It's shocking that dropping five ounces can make such a difference when you're carrying the camera for hours.
The drawback of course, is that you lose the D800's unparalleled operability. The D600's streamlined design has fewer buttons, and though you can customize everything, it's just not the same. You also lose the but incredible cup on the D800's viewfinder.

Image quality

Simply put, the D600 takes some of the highest quality photos we've ever seen—better in some cases than much more expensive cameras like the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, which at 22-megapixels is a nearly identical resolution camera. You can see what we're talking about in this quick comparison. Here are two full-resolution crops from both cameras, taken in broad daylight. Both photos are equivalently exposed at the same focal distance. We used the 24-85mm f/3.5 kit with the D600 and our trusty 24-105mm f/4 with the 5D. The D600 is sharper. (Download the image or view it on its own in your browser to see it at full size.)

As for ISO performance, here's a side-by-side of the D600 and the 5D at ISO 3200 and ISO 6400. This is the highest light sensitivity you generally want to use, and at this setting, the D600 images have less noise. (Download the image or view it on its own in your browser to see full size.)

Performance

Now, of course, these benchmarks don't really mean anything if they're not backed up with performance. From the start, the D600's 39-point autofocus system is no match for the super-customizable new 61-point system in the 5D. That said, the D600's system is adequate in most conditions. It fell short, especially in darker or low-contrast settings, but it doesn't take long to get the hang of it. The camera's overall performance, though, is quite fast. The shutter fires instantly when you press the release. The D600's 5.5 fps continuous shooting speed is comparable to much more expensive full-frame sensor cameras. Still, photographers who like to shoot action might be disappointed that it's not faster.
  
Video

Nikon has been a step behind Canon on video for ages, and though it's made some strides recently, the D600 suffers from many of the same drawbacks as the D800. The video quality is sharp in broad daylight, but the quality falls apart in low light. Moire and rolling shutter distortions are evident. Inexplicably, you can't change the aperture of the lens in Live View mode.

Like

Excellent image quality in a lightweight low-priced package with all the essentials.

No Like

If anything, we're just sad the D600 can't be a D800. We'd love more hardware buttons and more powerful autofocus, sure. It would be nice to have the video quality on par with what Canon offers these days. But considering the price, these drawbacks aren't the end of the world.

Should I Buy This?

This camera's so good, we'd even say that a lot of people who would otherwise shell out for the D800 or 5D Mark III might consider the D600 instead. It's really more than just a scaled-down professional camera for amateurs. This is a different tool altogether. It's a leaner, more efficient DSLR. And that's exactly what most people need.
The crazy DSLRs that war and wedding photographers have dragged into their respective fields of battle have been both a physical and financial encumbrance. Take, for example, the D800. Yes, its sensor has unbelievable resolution, but it comes with two problems. First, processing files that large is very time-consuming—we know many D800 shooters who end up dialing down their sharpness to make life easier. Second, really truly taking advantage of that kind of resolution requires an arsenal of extremely high quality lenses.
In a lot of ways, the D600 gives you the power basically everyone wants, but without going overboard. If you're a serious photographer considering it because the price sounds right, it's almost definitely the one you should buy. If you're interested in shooting video, hold off until December, when we'll have a chance to review the new, comparably priced, Canon 6D.


View the gallery
 

  

Nikon D600

• Price: $2100 (body only)/ $2800 w/ 24-85mm f/3.5 lens
• Sensor: 24.3-megapixel, full-frame (35.9 x 24mm)
• Max ISO: 6400 (Standard)/ 25600 (expanded)
• Max Image Size: 6,016 × 4,016 pixels
• Video: 1920 x 1080 30/25/24 and 1280 x 720 60/50/30/25
• Max Drive: 5.5 frames-per-second at full resolution
• Screen: 921,000-dot dot, 3.2-inch LCD
• Storage: Dual-SD card slots
• Weight: 26.8 ounces
• Gizrank: 4 stars

View the gallery

 

A Hangout for All Your Social-Network Photos

Nowadays, people are storing a lot of personal photos on a variety of social networks. They capture photos with their smartphone cameras, instantly share them with Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and never see them again.
This week, I tried two methods for gathering photos from all sorts of social networks. I used ThisLife, a service that pulls in photos and videos from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, Shutterfly, SmugMug and Picasa, as well as from a computer's hard drive or an iPhone or iPad (via an iOS app). One thousand photos or one hour of video are free; more storage costs $80 or $150 a year. I also tested Seagate's STX +0.61% one-terabyte, $110 Backup Plus Portable Drive, which backs up photos and videos from Facebook and Flickr, as well as its primary function of backing up other computer files.
I was amazed by the trove of photos I didn't even know I had stored on many sites around the Web, and I spent hours flipping through them.
But is the photo quality on some social networks worth saving? Facebook, for example, resizes and compresses images. ThisLife recognizes this issue and uses image enhancement on each photo to improve things like balance, light and contrast. If it imports from a place where photos were saved in their original size, ThisLife preserves that photo size; it stores video at 1080p HD quality. Seagate simply copies the images from Facebook and Flickr to your computer or Backup Drive. Still, having all of my photos in one place outweighed any image quality concerns.

ThisLife

ThisLife stores photos and videos from social networks in one place.

ThisLife, which uses cloud storage from Amazon Web Services, takes a holistic approach, merging photos from various places, and also offers a timeline of favorite shots, facial recognition for labeling people and gets rid of duplicate photos. ThisLife saves photos posted by its users as well as photos from other people in which the user was tagged, or identified by name.
I connected my ThisLife account to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Picasa, Shutterfly and SmugMug, and installed its app on my iPad and iPhone to pull in photos from both devices. I used the ThisLife Desktop Uploader with my MacBook, clicking one button to move more than 7,000 photos from iPhoto into the service, a process that took a couple of days.
The overall interface of ThisLife is elegant, laying thousands of images out in a browse-friendly library that is organized left to right by time. I quickly scrolled through photos from a trip to New Orleans in 2006 (originally posted in Shutterfly) all the way up to my most recent Facebook photos, shared last week. The date of each photo appeared in the center of the screen as I scrolled, so I jumped to dates I knew had memorable photos, like my 30th birthday and a 2010 New Year's Eve vacation.
I dragged photos onto one another to organize each moment into stacks of images. And I deleted photos I didn't want. By tapping a heart icon on a photo, I added it to a timeline of favorite photos. The iPad and iPhone apps were a cinch to use on-the-go.
When I found an image I liked, I hit a Share button to send it to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or to friends' email addresses. It isn't obvious enough that you can type in a person's email. The site first encourages you to share it with friends on their Facebook walls. Later this week, ThisLife plans to introduce a better interface that makes it easier to download images and to tell where they came from. Also this week, it will let people privately share photos with a group of users who can be labeled as viewers or contributors.

Seagate

Seagate's Backup Plus Portable Drive backs up photos and videos from Facebook and Flickr.

People nervous about privacy or who want to stop using a social network (like Facebook) altogether without losing all of their posted photos will like Seagate's Backup Plus. And its ability to fully back up a computer will offer some peace of mind.
Seagate's social-media backup works on six different drives for Windows or Mac computers; I used the Backup Plus Portable Drive for Mac. This drive is relatively lightweight and portable, measuring about the size of a mini Moleskine notebook. I plugged it into my MacBook using an included USB cord and followed directions to install the Seagate Dashboard software. Once opened, this software prompted me to sign into my Facebook and/or Flickr accounts, and immediately began downloading photos from the sites. In 27 minutes, I backed up copies of roughly 1,100 Facebook photos. A small Auto Save check box will prompt the service to copy new photos from these two sites once an hour.
Since people may not always want a hard drive plugged into their computer for this backup, Seagate creates a folder called My Online Documents on the computer and stores new photos there. The next time a person plugs in the Backup Plus Drive and performs a system backup, the images are transferred to the portable drive. I glanced through photos in a subfolder of My Online Documents, called Facebook, where album names from Facebook were used to group images together.
Right now, Seagate saves only your own shared photos. The company says that by late October, you will be able to save photos in which you were tagged.
If you're looking for a way to save all the photos you have floating around the Web, ThisLife groups them in a beautiful interface, while Seagate's Backup Plus is a practical, no-frills option for offline storage.

New NASA photo satellite to join 40-year mission

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota — A fleet of picture-snapping NASA satellites that for 40 years has documented forest fires, tsunamis and everyday changes in the Earth's geography will soon get a new member.

With Landsat 8 set for a February launch, nearly 140 scientists and engineers from more than 25 countries are scheduled to gather in South Dakota next week to discuss how to best download, process and distribute the millions of data-rich images used in agriculture, education, business and government.

Since 1972, Landsat satellites have been continuously snapping pictures across the globe as part of a 40-year mission to document the planet.

But with Landsat 7 aging and its older sibling Landsat 5 failing, a new orbiter is needed to continue the long-term data record, said Jenn Sabers, remote sensing branch chief at the U.S. Geological Survey Center for Earth Resources Observations and Science.

"One of the things we want to do is preserve that legacy by ensuring that we collect consistent data with the prior missions," Sabers said. "Although we have that consistency, we also want to make improvements."

The USGS Center for EROS, located in the middle of farmland north of Sioux Falls, is the main federal repository for satellite images. Officials wanted to locate the center in the middle of the U.S, and they chose South Dakota in 1970 over several other states, partly due to persistent campaigning by the late Sen. Karl Mundt.

Members of the Landsat Technical Working Group will gather at the center next week to discuss how to best use the data-packed photos from the new orbiter, which will be known as Landsat 8 once it reaches space. The team, which provides scientific and technical input to the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA, will plan how to establish reception, processing and distribution capabilities from the new satellite.

Landsat satellites help document calamities, such as forest fires and hurricanes, as well as mapping the world's mangrove forests and tracking ice in the Antarctic. The images differ from programs such as Google Earth, as you can't see individual homes, but are able to see larger things, such as highways, NASA says.

Sabers said Landsat 8 will work harder, capturing at least 400 scenes a day instead of 250. It will also be able to point at angles not directly below the satellite, which can greatly assist gathering data during a disaster, she said.

"Before where the satellite would see exactly below it in the track, we can actually point the collection as well," Sabers said. "So we can get something next to where we would normally be collecting."

Jim Irons, NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission project scientist, said Landsat 8's sensor will offer improved sensitivity and a higher signal-to-noise ratio for more accurate land cover maps. The new technology is like switching from a ruler marked every quarter of an inch to one marked every 1/64th or 1/128th of an inch, he said.

Landsat 8 will also allow scientists to read ocean chlorophyll in coastal regions, detect cirrus clouds and correct for atmospheric effects.

NASA launched the first Landsat satellite in 1972, and the orbiters have been sending images back to EROS ever since. Two are still orbiting the Earth.

Landsat 7, launched in 1999, operates despite a faulty scan line corrector that leaves zig-zag gaps in some images.

Landsat 5, which dates back to 1984, began showing signs of impending failure in November, prompting USGS to halt the downloading of images. Sabers said engineers resurrected an older sensor on Landsat 5 and it is sending data, but EROS is archiving the data it can't currently process.

Landsat 6 never reached orbit after its 1993 launch because of a ruptured manifold.

The newest orbiter will hitch a ride on an Atlas 5 rocket, currently scheduled for a Feb. 11 liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base in San Luis Obispo, California.

Irons, who will attend the week of meetings in Sioux Falls, said scientists are excited.

"Since the launch of Landsat 1, there's always been at least one of the Landsat satellites in operation collecting images of the global land surface," said Irons, who is based at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

Landsat 8, which is about the size of a compact SUV with a 30-foot(9-meter)-long deployable sheet of solar panels, is being built with a 5-year design lifespan but will be stocked with at least a 10-year supply of fuel.

NASA is in charge of building and launching the satellite before turning over operation to the USGS, though NASA also uses Landsat data for science.

Long-term plans call for another orbiter to be launched before the end of Landsat 8's run.

"Hopefully we'll be able to continue with the next mission after that that will extend it even further," Sabers said.

Nissan Evalia launched in India; priced at Rs 8.49-9.99 lakhs

New Delhi: Nissan India has launched its all-new 2012 seven-seater Multi-utility vehicle, the Evalia on Tuesday.

The new product is priced between Rs 8.49 lakh and Rs 9.99 lakh (ex- showroom Delhi).

The Evalia, which will be available in four variants, all diesel, will be powered by Renault’s 1.5-litre K9K dCi engine that churns out a peak power and torque output of 85 bhp and 200 Nm, respectively.

"As part of our global Nissan Power 88 plan, we will be launching 10 new models by FY'16, which is introducing two new models every year," Nissan Motor Co Corporate vice president, Africa, Middle East and India, Toru Hasegawa told reporters here. 

ALSO READ- Five cars to watch out for in 2012

By FY14, the company will also launch the Datsun brand in India, he added.

"Emerging markets will play an important role in meeting our global target... There will be two products each from Datsun for India, Indonesia and Russia by FY'16," Hasegawa added.

Nissan will be considering all segments of the Indian market but special focus will be on the price sensitive segment.

Experts are also adding that the Nissan Evalia will give a tough competition to the Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo and the recently launched Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.

The interior cabin space of Evalia looks superb and seems to have been designed while keeping in mind the usefulness quotient.

The MUV in its global avatar, NV200, has already achieved a certain level success in the international market, being chosen as the new official taxicabs for the New York and London.

The Evalia, which is the joint venture of Japanese car maker Nissan and Indian commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland, was unveiled at 11th Auto Expo in Delhi.

Dev Anand was a democrat, says Advani

New Delhi, Sep 25 — BJP leader L.K. Advani, once a film critic, has lauded Dev Anand for his opposition to the Emergency rule imposed by prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Speaking at the 89th birth anniversary celebrations of the late actor, director, writer and producer of Hindi movies, Advani recalled Dev Anand's political activism during the 1975-77 Emergency.
"He led a group of film personalities and stood against the internal Emergency imposed by Indra Gandhi," he said here Monday at an event jointly organised by Delhi Study Group and the Dev Anand Fans Forum.
"He actively campaigned in support of the democratic political forces in the 1977 parliamentary election," which led to the ouster of the Congress party, Advani said.
Advani also recalled that Dev Anand accompanied then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his Lahore bus trip in 1999.
Dev Anand was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002 on the recommendation of the Vajpayee government.
Dev Anand dedicated 65 years of his life to cinema and acted in more than 110 movies.
He started his career in the black and white era with the 1946 film "Hum Ek Hain".
As an actor, he proved his versatility with hits like "Tere Ghar Ke Samne", "Johny Mera Naam", "Jewel Thief" and "Guide". As director, he made "Prem Pujari", "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" and "Des Pardes".
Delhi Study Group's Vijay Jolly, a BJP leader, recalled his close association with Dev Anand since the late 1970s.
"To speak and see positive was a trait of Dev Anand," Jolly said.
Speaking on the occasion, Dev Anand's son Suneil Anand announced the next new movie under the banner of Navketan Films titled "Vagator Mixer".
The English language movie will be based on the theme of a beach in Goa, he said.
Suneil Anand said he will play the lead role, write its script and also direct the movie. It will be launched with a new star cast in December.

PM loses to Dev Anand in popularity poll!

One was an ace actor, director, writer and producer in Hindi cinema. The other is an economist and politician, and currently the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy. Dev Anand and Dr Manmohan Singh are opposites in every sense, but have one thing in common — their birthdays.
Dev was born on September 26, 1923, and Singh came along nine years later on the same day. This year will mark the 89th birth anniversary celebration of the legendary star who passed away last year, while the politician who has sported many caps — including governor of RBI, minister of finance, railways and external affairs — will celebrate his 80th birthday.
However, with the UPA II regime now crunching numbers to avoid being a minority, and the possibility of early elections around the corner, one wonders how these two men would fare if they faced off in an election to pick the next prime minister of India. Radhika Raheja, a homemaker, says, “My vote goes to Dev Anand. His rapid style of speaking and the way he used to nod his head was so endearing. With Dr Singh, we don’t really have much to work with.”
Several others too emphatically chose the deceased film star over the seasoned politician. Rishabh, a journalist, says, “I would choose Dev saab, obviously. Whether he does anything for the country or not, we’ll get a PM who delivers punch dialogues and bashes up bad guys twice his size. Now, who doesn’t want that?” Akanksha Jain, who runs a boutique, adds to this with a grin, saying, “If Dev saab wins, we’ll have a ‘deadly’ PM.”
Others stuck with Singh though, as he is the more experienced of the two, and is also an economist. “As much as I admire Dev Anand, Singh will know what’s better for the nation,” says Maliha Saman, a dentist. Experience wasn’t the only thing getting Manmohan his votes. Mani*, an RJ, said, “I’ll go with the alleged coal thief than the Jewel Thief. He might even be a far better actor than Dev Anand.”
However, a few people decided to go with the 49-O option. Some others like Shiva, said, “I’d vote for Katrina Kaif.  That old age home called Parliament could do with a bit of glamour. Last time I checked, Jaya Bachchan remains the hottest woman in the house,” he says.

Remembering Dev Saheb

 "I want to touch the clouds and feel the weather," said a bubbly Dev Anand, when I asked him why he always chose the window seat in the plane. Forever full of life, Dev Saheb was always quick and clear in his answers. His nature was an amazingly positive blend of contrasts disciplined yet adventurous, larger than life yet humble, spending lots of time with fans yet punctual. He would have turned 89 years 'young' today (September 26).

A true Punjabi, he was always ready for a little adventure. He always skipped lunch, but when he was once leaving Chandigarh at noon, a fan brought "makki di roti and sarson da saag". He abandoned his discipline and lovingly obliged him by eating two rotis.
 "Love them," he exclaimed. Childlike purity, innocence and curiosity were his hallmarks. I could see wonders in his eyes as he looked at the vast green lands, mountains and seas.
A true lover of his fans, he would go to any length to make them feel happy and at ease. Once he was scouting for locations in Gujarat for his movie, 'Mr Prime Minister', accompanied by his production team.
As the evening neared, the entourage stopped at a roadside eatery for tea. An old truck driver from Dev Saheb's village in Gurdaspur met him there. Both chatted like long-lost friends. Soon, the cars left for their hotel.
After about 20 km, the production manager said, "Dev Saheb, that truck driver paid our bill." "You should have told me then and there, I had to thank him," came the reprimand. "Now turn the cars back, I have to thank him," Dev Saheb ordered.
"But sir, it is quite late and it would mean 40 km of extra travel; moreover, the truck driver must have gone his way," the manager pleaded. "Turn around, he would be sitting there, narrating my stories," was Dev Saheb's reply.
And the cavalcade turned back. As foretold, the driver was sitting surrounded by eager listeners. Dev Saheb hugged him and thanked him. "Here is my mobile number. I owe you a cup of tea. Whenever you are in Mumbai, come and have tea with me," he told the awestruck old man.
A workaholic, I remember the long sittings with him to choose photographs for his autobiography, often extending till midnight. "Now let us have dinner," he would say only once the work was finished. "Please order some papaya for me," he would lovingly ask me as if a kid was asking for dessert.
He was a rare Bollywood legend who was held in equal reverence by Bollywood celebrities as well as fans. I remember when Abhishek Bachchan quietly sneaked into a crowd of fans surrounding Dev Saheb to touch his feet and leave unnoticed.
Stylish and suave, he loved shopping for hats, caps, scarves, mufflers, jackets, shoes and all that was beautiful. "Don't buy what I have bought," he would lovingly tease us. "As you say, Dev Saheb," we would reply, only to go back to the store afterwards and try to find another similar one to buy and keep as a remembrance.
Now, I look at all those never-used things which flood my thoughts with Dev Saheb's voices and images from around the world. I should have listened to him and moved to Mumbai to spend more time with him, as he wished.
Talking about him, I still use the present tense many a time. His movies, songs, interviews and my personal memories of many years spent with him have kept him alive in me today. The loss of his departure, though very real, has not registered yet. I may spend my entire life thinking that someday Dev Saheb will call me from London and say, "My script is finished, come over, we'll spend some great time together."