NASA Launches Telescope-Toting Balloon from Antarctica on Christmas

A giant helium balloon is slowly drifting above Antarctica, about 22 miles (36 kilometers) up. Launched on Tuesday (Dec. 25) from the National Science Foundation's Long Duration Balloon (LDB) facility on Earth's southernmost continent, it carries a sensitive telescope that measures submillimeter light waves from stellar nurseries in our Milky Way.

"Christmas launch!" wrote?officials with NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, which oversees the agency's balloon research program, in a Twitter post yesterday. "BLAST launched today from McMurdo Station, Antarctica."

This is the fifth and final mission for BLAST, short for the Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Submillimeter Telescope, and mission designers hope it will reveal why so few stars are born in our galaxy.

On Dec. 12, BLAST was still in one of the two giant Payload Assembly Buildings at the LDB facility, a short distance from the U.S. research center McMurdo Station. Principal investigator Mark Devlin of the University of Pennsylvania and a group of graduate students were mounting a giant sunshade on the telescope, to ensure that the ultra-cold detectors won't heat up during the flight.

"The detectors are cooled to 0.3 degrees aboven absolute zero, using liquid helium," said Devlin. "If they were any warmer, they wouldn't be able to register the faint submillimeter radiation of cold interstellar dust clouds at just 30 degrees above absolute zero."

Star mystery

After test flights in 2003 in New Mexico and in 2005 in Sweden, BLAST's third flight, in 2006 from Antarctica, was a "mind-boggling" success, Devlin said. The instrument revealed beyond doubt that in most distant galaxies, new stars are born at a prolific rate. By measuring the star formation rate in galaxies more than 7 billion light-years away, the researchers determined that over half of the stars in the uuniverse were born within the first 5 billion years after the Big Bang.

"But there's an unsolved problem," added co-principal investifator Barth Netterfield of the University of Toronto, Canada, who was assisting the BLAST team with the launch preparations. "BLAST found lots of so-called dark cores in our own Milky Way ? dense clouds of cold dust that are supposed to be stars-in-the-making. Based on the number of dark cores, you would expect our galaxy to spawn dozens of new stars each year on average. Yet, the galactic star formation rate is only some four solar masses per year."

So why is the stellar birth rate in our Milky Way so low? Astronomers can think of two ways in which a dense cloud of dust is prevented from further contracting into a star: turbulence in the dust, or the collapse-impeding effects of magnetic fields. On its new mission, BLAST should find out which process is to blame. [Images: Life at Antarctica's Concordia Station]

The idea is straightforward: magnetic fields tend to align electrically charged, elongated dust particles. If dust particles have a preferred orientation, they will slightly polarize the submillimeter radiation from the cloud. Using polarimeters, BLAST can detect if the radiation is indeed polarized, and if it is, determine the direction of the magnetic field. "If there's no polarization present," said Netterfield, "turbulence must be the reason" why so few dark cores collapse into new stars.

Final mission?

In 2010, on its fourth mission, BLAST was already equipped with polarimeters. However, accdording to Devlin, "that flight did not do so well because of a melted filter. We have some data, but we know we can do better."

Luckily, repeating a balloon-borne experiment is much easier and much cheaper than re-launching a scientific satellite. After each flight, most of the payload is recovered and can be used again. In particular, the BLAST camera with its sensitive and expensive detectors has been recovered every single time.

?

BLAST's fifth flight will probably last between 12 and 14 days. While Devlin, Netterfield and their colleagues are celebrating Christmans and New Year's Eve, the 4,000-pound (1800 kilograms) stratospheric telescope will observe selected star-forming regions in the constellations Vela and Lupus.

?

And if senior graduate student Tristan Matthews of Northwestern University Illinois has his way, this may not be BLAST's final mission after all. Depending on the results and the recovery success of the current flight, Matthews hopes to fly BLAST in its present configuration for a sixth time, in the Arctic. "That would give us access to a well-studied and nearby star-forming region in Taurus," he said.

Meanwhile, Devlin has received a $5 million grant from NASA over a period of five years to develop a larger version of BLAST, with a 2.5-meter mirror, as compared to the current 1.8-meter aperture. That would vastly increase the number of stellar nurseries that could be studied. "We could fly SuperBLAST in 2016 or so," he said.

Dutch astronomy writer Govert Schilling visited McMurdo Station and the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station as a selected member of the U.S. National Science Foundation's 2012/2013 media visit program.?Follow SPACE.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?and?Google+.

Copyright 2012 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-launches-telescope-toting-balloon-antarctica-christmas-164200686.html

john l smith apple earnings the glass castle jennifer hudson trial north korea threat brandon jacobs brandon jacobs

Methods For Getting Trustworthy Pay Day Loan Businesses ...

urgent payday loans online Get fast cash in Indianapolis, IN by using urgent $ 500 payday loans online within one hour no extra fee 1 min approval.

Online payday loans are anything you must comprehend prior to deciding to get one or otherwise. There is a lot to consider when you think of acquiring a cash advance. For that reason, you are going to desire to develop your knowledge about them. Go through this article for more information.

If you may need quick cash, and are considering payday loans, it is best to steer clear of taking out multiple loan at one time. When it will be tempting to go to distinct loan providers, it will probably be more difficult to pay back the financial loans, in case you have a lot of them.

If you may need a cash advance, you may want to consider reevaluating your financial allowance or monetary habits. Though a cash advance really can be described as a existence-line, you should not be depending on them too frequently. You should figure out how to handle money wisely, and in a manner that leads to monetary strength, rather than carried on hardship.

One particular key tip for anyone searching to get a cash advance is just not to just accept the 1st offer you get. Online payday loans are certainly not all alike even though they usually have unpleasant interest rates, there are many that are better than other folks. See what forms of delivers you may get and after that select the best 1.

Stay away from generating judgements about payday loans from the position of anxiety. You may well be in the middle of a monetary problems. Believe lengthy, and hard before you apply for a cash advance. Remember, you should spend it back, plus attention. Ensure it is possible to do that, so you may not come up with a new problems for yourself.

Look out for loan providers which will roll above the loan quickly. In the event the financial institution fails to deliver this up, make sure to request! When a loan is rolled above, this means that you may be incurred more service fees, plus more attention then you may well be prepared for. Never be afraid to speak up and request queries.

Should you need over a thousands of money, you must get another answer. You should be able to obtain a cash advance from anywhere between five hundred bucks to your thousands of. Explore developing a payment plan with your loan providers should you need to pay over a thousands of money, or if you want to steer clear of payday loans.

For those who have assessed a bunch of their options and get made a decision that they must work with an unexpected emergency cash advance, be described as a sensible buyer. Perform a little research and select a payday financial institution which provides the smallest interest rates and service fees. Whenever possible, only acquire what you are able manage to pay back with your next paycheck.

Charges which can be associated with payday loans involve numerous kinds of service fees. You will need to learn the attention amount, penalty service fees and in case there are program and processing service fees. These service fees can vary among distinct loan providers, so make sure to look into distinct loan providers prior to signing any arrangements.

Check the BBB ranking of cash advance companies. There are some reputable companies around, but there are many other folks which can be lower than reputable. By exploring their ranking using the Far better Enterprise Bureau, you will be providing oneself self confidence that you will be working with with one of the honourable versions around.

Before you apply for payday loans, consider just how long you might have been at the present task and street address. Demands for both of these can vary from no less than 90 days to your year or maybe more. These applications might not ding your credit score, as it is frequently not checked by payday loan providers. It could possibly, nevertheless, just spend your valuable time when you find yourself in the crunch.

Ensure you may achieve somebody in the cash advance company you would like to select. Many companies of the kind are popping up online, so it may seem that this 1 you are considering is a great 1. Nonetheless, if you fail to achieve somebody very easily, that could be a warning sign as well as a indicator anything is incorrect with the company.

By no means acquire greater than it is possible to pay back. You might have probably noticed this about a credit card or another financial loans. Though in relation to payday loans, this advice is even more crucial. Once you know you may spend it back without delay, you may steer clear of a great deal of service fees that normally feature these types of financial loans.

Are you currently Thinking about acquiring a cash advance at the earliest opportunity? In any case, now you know that acquiring a cash advance is undoubtedly an selection for you. There is no need to think about not needing adequate money to manage your funds down the road once more. Just remember to listen to it clever if you decide to sign up for a cash advance, and you need to be fine.

Source: http://www.dgstradinginc.com/methods-for-getting-trustworthy-pay-day-loan-businesses/

george michael usain bolt Closing Ceremony London 2012 Tom Daley Leryn Franco The Campaign Kinesio tape

cash converters personal finance - Online loans approvals and

How can you obtain loan or perhaps advance loan?

Rating Score :

A?proval : 98.7 %.

Get Cash in : 60min

Benefits : No fax , No credit check , Real fast money ... and more !

According to your condition associated with home, employment position and profits, it is possible to be entitled to credit of up to $1500, and some loan companies will loan no more than $500. You will have possiblity to discover how much you be eligible for a before agreeing to just about any loan agreement.


There is an essential legal difference from the present and also a loan. A very generous relative or perhaps friend may offer you $5000 with regard to vehicle repairs, as an example. When there is no hope associated with payment, the cash may very well be a present. The actual giver couldn't file suit with regard to repayment later within a civil fit. However when the credit provider designates the money like a bank loan as well as the customer will pay back again even a dollar, the money can be viewed as a real loan as well as the loan company may demand payment anytime. Little claims legal courts spend much of period determining regardless of whether a deal including cash would have been a present or even bank loan. Because of this paperwork is essential when creating personal financial loans to buddies or relatives.

The requirements for getting that loan are quite obvious. If you are employed, having a monthly income involving $800 or maybe more, this will let you banking account, you fulfill the fundamental requirements. A number of loan companies inside our network could have extra needs.

Cash financial products are unprotected financial loans removed on the next wage. Because they're short-term financial loans, they can be small; varying from $100 to $1500 as well as payment arrives in your next payday. They may be very useful for conquering a quick financial crisis, however really should not be regarded as the long-term monetary solution.

military loans fast

Most home loan programs are usually addressed by banking institutions or other expert loan providers. They might use a various criteria to find out in case your possible client is actually skilled for a financial loan. Past credit score is virtually always deemed, together with existing earnings as well as assets. The goal of the credit can be an issue-a set up investment chance may have much more appeal compared to an misguided idea for any new restaurant. One essential consideration may be the revenue in order to debt ratio through the client. Could the customer have the ability to pay for the bank loan back with interest? Professional loan companies basically 'sell' cash, so debtors must be aware simply how much funding really 'costs' in relation to a real income.

Related topics:

Number Of Loan Payments Remaining Well give you a cash advance. Zip or state select e.g. 79534 TX.

1hour Cashadvance Quick application and fast cash! Select state 41721 KY.

Loan 90 Day Payday Loans No Credit Check or Faxing Required. Your state select 52136 IA.

Source: http://drevalyusha.livejournal.com/192145.html

dash diet how to make moonshine joel osteen emmy rossum jay z and beyonce the big chill tony blankley

Holiday Obstacles for Authors | Writing and Publishing News

Merry Christmas. I hope you?ve noticed that I haven?t been blogging daily this week. It is good to be missed?to have people disappointed when they get up and head to their computer for words of publishing wisdom, only to find nothing new posted. It?s not that I want to disappoint you. Rather, I hope that you find value in this blog effort of mine. I?ve been posting here for 7 years and one month. For most of that time, I have posted daily. This is my 1,693rd post. I will hit the 2,000 mark sometime in 2013. Who else do you know who has posted anywhere near that number?

Okay, so it is Christmas day. It has been busy in the family arena and I?ve been enjoying every minute of it. But I am eager to get back to my client work and putting the final touches on my second novel. It will also be nice to feel as though everyone else is back to work. Some of you know what I mean. During the holidays and sporadically throughout the summer, you find it difficult to communicate with editors, publishers, reviewers, your publicists, program directors and so forth. Why? Because they take time off?they leave out-of-office-replies to your earnest emails. You are ready to move forward with your project. You want to set up speaking gigs, submit an article or a book manuscript, get your book reviewed, move your marketing program forward, etc, and they are taking a ?much needed break.?

Well, you?ll probably have to wait a little while longer. On the heels of this holiday, of course, is the tradition of seeing in the New Year. Maybe you?ll connect with the person or people who can help you move ahead around January 2. Although, some of the key people may have been waiting for the holidays to be over before heading out to snowboard, ski or maybe vacation in a warmer climate. Sigh!!

If you are a freelance writer or author, you know about obstacles and challenges. If you?ve been earning your living for many years through writing like I have or even just enjoying the writing life for a long time, you?ve experienced many different roadblocks?or potential roadblocks. Here are some words of wisdom from earlier generations: ?This too will pass.? Yes, the obstacle may diminish at some point, but what about the opportunity? Often, timing is everything. But as writers who must rely on others, it is difficult to know or have control over the timing of events and activities related to our projects.

It is up to us to do the research in order to learn whether our book, story or article is timely. And when we think we?ve nailed the time element and we move forward with our gut, to have doors to what we believe are the opportunities we need, close is?well, rather disheartening, don?t you think?

But we will survive. As writers and authors, we are creative. We know how to do the research necessary to move our projects forward. We understand the importance of filling many baskets with eggs (possibilities, opportunities, potentialities?).

And here?s another clich? I?d like to remind you of today: ?When one door closes, another opens.? But be ever aware because the next door might be a window?a small, nearly invisible window.

If you are a bit out of sorts because you have business you want to conduct this season and you are finding many closed doors despite your attempts, stay calm. Stay focused. Either take a break of your own and enjoy an aspect of the season or move to plan B and see what transpires.

In the meantime, good luck with your current project. May it bring you great joy throughout the process and beyond.

If you are an author in any phase of writing, producing or marketing one or more books, be sure to check out my most current array of books for authors:

Publish Your Book
Promote Your Book
Talk Up Your Book

All available at Amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores. You can also order your copies here: http://www.matilijapress.com

Download my FREE ebook, ?50 Ways to Prepare for Publishing Success? at http://www.patriciafry.com

Source: http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog/?p=2447

playoff schedule charles addams pinewood derby cars republican debate tonight tinker tailor soldier spy rich forever rick ross project runway all stars

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood reportedly weds

Stuart Wilson / Getty Images

Ron Wood and Sally Humphries.

By Natalie Finn, E! Online

Ronnie Wood wants to be Sally Humphreys' man for good.?The 65-year-old Rolling Stones guitarist married his 34-year-old fiance Friday at London's Dorchester Hotel, according to multiple reports.?

Faces mate Rod Stewart served as best man and the VIPs in attendance for the intimate ceremony included Stewart's wife, Penny Lancaster, and Sir Paul McCartney and wife Nancy Shevell. (Perhaps Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts don't do weddings.)?

Just how many people has Mick Jagger slept with over the years?

This is Wood's third marriage and he has three grown children. He and Humphreys announced their engagement in October after about six months of dating, though they first crossed paths, per the bride, eight or nine years ago when he was having an exhibit of his paintings close to the theater where she was working at the time.?

"There is an age gap," Humphreys told London's Evening Standard earlier this month, at the same time also laughing off rumors that she was pregnant. "I would prefer it if there wasn't but there is. But maybe I'm a bit older and he's a bit younger at heart."

See more celebs who tied the knot on the down-low

Asked if she was concerned about her new husband's wild past, the theater producer shrugged it off.

"You can't be jealous of a past, because I wasn't part of it," Humphreys said. "It's there, so you deal with it, or walk away. His three girlfriends since his split from (his second wife) is not an excessive number."?

Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/12/24/16124775-reports-rolling-stones-ronnie-wood-marries-sally-humphreys?lite

space shuttle enterprise ryan leaf ryan leaf luke kuechly brad miller chandler jones peyton hillis

The Hidden Man of Christmas

As far as biblical figures go, St. Joseph?the man who married the mother of Jesus?often gets short shrift: his life isn?t prominently featured in the Gospels, and he?s rarely depicted on Christmas cards. Yet Joseph did fulfill an astonishingly important task:? raising the son of God. James Martin explores what we do and don?t know St. Joseph?s identity in a 2008 article reprinted below.?

Christmas cards tend to fall into three categories: the family card (cheerful children in red and green sweaters), the secular card (snowmen, snowflakes, snowy villages), and the religious card. The religious card usually bears a portrait of the Virgin Mary gazing beatifically at the crib of her newborn son, Jesus. Behind her, the picture is just as some of the Gospels describe: shepherds, animals, maybe even the three wise men, though they actually were late on the scene.

But where's St. Joseph? Where is the man to whom, according to the Gospel of Matthew, an angel announced the birth of Jesus? Where is the guy who married Mary even though she was already "with child," the man who helped to raise Jesus, the carpenter who taught Jesus his craft?

He's off to the side or stuck in the back, behind a shepherd. And he's old, balding, and stooped, looking more like Mary's father than her husband. Sometimes, he's not there at all. Many Christmas cards show just Mary and Jesus. And how many carols even mention Joseph? He is at the Nativity scene and in American Christmas traditions. That's a loss since Joseph can be a powerful figure not only for fathers but also for the average believer.

For a number of reasons, Joseph has presented something of a problem for the Catholic Church over the past two millennia. The miracle of Christmas was not only that God became human but also that this was accomplished through a virgin. Naturally, Mary is one of the stars of the story. But the emphasis on her virginity may have meant that her marriage to Joseph may have been an uncomfortable reality?after all, if they were married, didn't they, well, have sex? That flew in the face of what became an early tradition in the Catholic Church?Mary's "perpetual virginity."

Better, then, to have Joseph in the background. Some scholars have posited that this is also the reason that he is portrayed as elderly in all those paintings, even though some experts estimate he was around 30 years old at the time of Jesus' birth. Lawrence Cunningham, a professor of theology at Notre Dame and author of A Brief History of the Saints, told me, "Nine times out of 10 in Christian art, Joseph takes on more of father-protector role rather than a husband. That was a way of solving the sexuality problem." Cunningham points out that in some paintings, Joseph is shown dozing off in the corner of the stable or even leaving the scene of the Nativity entirely, "out of modesty."

But don't blame Western artists for giving Joseph short shrift. They didn't have much material to go on. Joseph is given no lines to speak in any of the Gospels, and he disappears entirely after Jesus' childhood. Significantly, he is absent during Jesus' public ministry and even at the Crucifixion, where Mary is featured prominently. This has led some scholars to believe that he must have died before the end of Jesus' earthly life.

So what do we know about Joseph? Apart from his trade?he's called a tekton in the Gospels, which is usually translated as carpenter but is more likely a general craftsman?not much. But Pheme Perkins, a professor of the New Testament at Boston College and the author of the widely used textbook Reading the New Testament, says you can draw some interesting conclusions if you read the Gospels carefully.

Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=72916a06a0be0e39b5a7b8451098388a

johnny depp jerry sandusky raul ibanez completely wrong hayden panettiere mila kunis stacey dash

Bengals clinch playoff spot, edge Steelers 13-10

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel (99) celebrates after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarterof an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. Keisel was penalized for the celebration on the play. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel (99) celebrates after making a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarterof an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. Keisel was penalized for the celebration on the play. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) is sacked by Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins in the first quarter of their NFL football game on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall, left, trots into the end zone after intercepting a pass from Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green (18) is hit by Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu (43) as he tries to catch a pass in the second quarter of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec 23, 2012. The pass was incomplete. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

(AP) ? Andy Dalton and A.J. Green have the Cincinnati Bengals back in the postseason.

Dalton hit Green for a 21-yard pass in the final moments, setting up Josh Brown's 43-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining. That lifted the Bengals over the Pittsburgh Steelers 13-10 on Sunday, sending Cincinnati into the playoffs for a second straight season.

It's the first time since 1981-82 that Cincinnati made the playoffs in consecutive years ? and the first time not involving a strike season.

Brown missed a 56-yarder earlier in the quarter. He earned a second chance when Reggie Nelson picked off Ben Roethlisberger and returned it to the Pittsburgh 46 with 14 seconds remaining. Andy Dalton found Green down the right sideline, setting up Brown's winner.

Dalton completed 24 of 41 for 278 yards and two interceptions for the Bengals (9-6), who snapped a five-game losing streak to Pittsburgh (7-8). Green caught 10 passes for 116 yards for Cincinnati.

Roethlisberger completed 14 of 28 passes for 220 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, including his costly mistake in the final seconds that ended Pittsburgh's playoff hopes. It marked the second straight week a Roethlisberger pick cost the Steelers: He threw an interception on the second play of overtime in last week's loss at Dallas.

The Steelers needed to win out to play into January, but couldn't manage any momentum against a Cincinnati defense that gave Roethlisberger problems all afternoon. The Bengals sacked Roethlisberger four times and allowed Pittsburgh to complete just 2 of 14 third downs.

Cincinnati wasn't much better, managing all of 14 yards rushing against the NFL's top-ranked defense. But Dalton and Green worked just enough magic.

Pittsburgh did a decent job of keeping Dalton and Green in check, forcing a season-high three turnovers and making a season-high six sacks. But the offense couldn't take advantage.

Still, the Steelers had one last chance when they took over with 44 seconds left. Roethlisberger rolled right and tried to hit Mike Wallace down the sideline. The ball sailed over Wallace's head and into the arms of Nelson, who had dropped an earlier pick.

It was just enough time for Dalton and Green to get together one last time and help Cincinnati take one more step away from its mediocre past.

The Steelers, meanwhile, head into next week's season finale trying to avoid their first losing season under coach Mike Tomlin after falling for the fifth time in six games.

Both teams squandered opportunities earlier in the fourth quarter.

The Bengals drove into Pittsburgh territory before stalling at the Steelers 38. Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis sent out Brown to attempt a 56-yard field goal into the tricky Heinz Field winds.

The kick was never close, giving the Steelers premium field position with 3:18 left.

Pittsburgh, however, had its own kicking issues. The Steelers moved to the Cincinnati 36, then brought out Shaun Suisham for a 53-yard attempt that was short all the way.

The Steelers spent the week insisting they play their best when backed into a corner, then spent most of the first half getting pushed around by the Bengals. Roethlisberger, who had been critical of offensive coordinator Todd Haley after the loss to Dallas, struggled getting into a rhythm.

The quarterback had voiced concern over the inability to get the ball to tight end Heath Miller against the Cowboys and tried to make up for it early. Cincinnati was waiting.

Leon Hall stepped in front of a crossing pass to Miller late in the first quarter and sprinted 17 yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals the lead. Pittsburgh, fueled by the return of running back Rashard Mendenhall following a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, drove deep into Cincinnati territory only to have Suisham shank a 24-yard field goal wide left following a botched snap.

The Bengals eventually went up 10-0 on a 41-yard field goal by Brown late in the second quarter before the Steelers finally found some life. Brown streaked down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown catch to pull Pittsburgh within 10-7.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-23-Bengals-Steelers/id-08b847b1c2bb4fe895397e845a80c101

uconn ncaa march madness mario williams vcu unlv sam young ncaa bracket

Quentin Tarantino unchains America's tormented past in "Django"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Twenty years after Quentin Tarantino unveiled his first film "Reservoir Dogs," the director has turned his eye to America's slavery history, spinning a blood-filled retribution tale in his trademark style for "Django Unchained."

Tarantino, 49, has become synonymous with violence and dark humor, taking on the Nazis in "Inglourious Basterds" and mobsters in "Pulp Fiction."

In "Django Unchained," to be released in U.S. theaters on Christmas Day, he fuses a spaghetti Western cowboy action adventure with a racially charged revenge tale set in the 19th century, before the abolition of slavery in the United States.

Jamie Foxx stars as a slave whose freedom is bought by a former dentist, played by Christoph Waltz. The two set off as bounty hunters, rounding up robbers and cattle rustlers before turning their attention to brutal plantation owners in America's Deep South.

Tarantino is well-versed in delivering violence. But the director said he faced "a lot of trepidation" about filming the slavery scenes. He has already come under fire from some critics for the frequent use in the film of the "N-word" - a racial slur directed at blacks.

The director said he was initially hesitant to ask black actors to play slaves who are shackled and whipped, and even considered filming outside of the United States.

But a dinner with veteran Oscar-winning actor Sidney Poitier, whom Tarantino called a "father figure," changed his mind after Poitier urged him to not "be afraid" of his film.

"This movie is a deep, deep, deep American story, and it needed to be made by an American, and it needed to star Americans. ... Lots of the movies dealing with this issue have usually had Brits playing Southerners and it creates this arm's-distance quality," Tarantino said.

Much of the film's more graphic slavery scenes, such as gladiator-style fights to the death and being encased naked in a metal hot box in the heat of the Southern sun, are drawn from real accounts.

"We were shooting on hallowed ground. This was the ground of our ancestors. ... Their blood was in the grass, there's still bits of flesh embedded in the bark," Tarantino said.

The film has received good reviews from critics and is expected to add Oscar nominations in January to its five Golden Globe nods.

With the exception of Waltz, who plays eccentric German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz, the majority of the main players are not only American but from the South.

"It seemed sacred to us, and we couldn't help but channel those emotions, everybody on the crew and on the set. ... Those were very moving days," Tarantino said.

'DESPICABLE' CHARACTERS

Tarantino reunited with Waltz, who won an Oscar in 2010 for his role as a menacing Nazi officer in "Inglourious Basterds," and long-time collaborator Samuel L. Jackson, who plays slave housekeeper Stephen, a character who Tarantino described as "the most despicable black (character)" in movie history.

"Stephen might be frankly the most fascinating character in the whole piece, and it was important to deal with that whole upstairs-downstairs aspect of the Antebellum South," he said.

The role that has people talking is Leonardo DiCaprio's first villainous turn as a racist plantation owner - a stark contrast from his Hollywood heartthrob "Titanic" days and roles as eccentric Americans in "The Aviator" and "J. Edgar."

Asked how he felt to be the first director to make DiCaprio a villain, Tarantino laughed, saying he felt "pretty darn good about it." He commended DiCaprio for turning into a "Southern-fried Caligula," referring to the tyrannical ancient Roman emperor.

"I saw him as a petulant boy emperor. ... He has nothing but hedonistic hobbies and vices to indulge him, and it's almost as if he's rotting from the inside," Tarantino said.

The film's female lead, Django's wife Broomhilda played by Kerry Washington, moves away from Tarantino's fierce screen women such as Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill" and Diane Kruger in "Inglourious Basterds."

Tarantino said Broomhilda was meant to be the "princess in exile." He said he was "annoyed" when he was asked by a friend why Broomhilda did not exact revenge on her abusers in the same way as Thurman's "Kill Bill" character. The film, he said, is "Django's story."

"It invokes ... that odyssey that Django goes on and gives the black slave narrative the romantic dimensions of great opera or great folklore tales," Tarantino said.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant, Patricia Reaney and Will Dunham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/quentin-tarantino-unchains-americas-tormented-past-django-130742536.html

cbs sports adam sandler College Football Scoreboard nfl scores nfl scores Devon Walker Tom Cruise