Henry & June was a 1990 American movie. It is based on a book by French writer Anaïs Nin. The movie is about Nin's relationship with American writer Henry Miller and his wife June. The movie stars Fred Ward, Uma Thurman, and Maria de Medeiros. It was the first movie to be given the MPAA's rating of NC-17. The movie was released during the autumn of 1990.
John Ford
John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was an American movie director. He is best known as a director of western movies. He was born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Ford was a soldier in World War II. He served for the United States Navy as the leader of the photography division. On D-day, Ford and his soldiers crossed the English Channel. The soldiers arrived at Omaha Beach and watched the first boats land on the shore. Ford went on to the beach and filmed the battle take place.
Ford started directing movies in 1917 after he moved to California. His first movies were made during The Silent Era, an era where there was no recorded sound in any movies. In 1956, Ford finished making a popular movie called "The Searchers". The movie starred John Wayne as the hero. "The Searchers" is widely known today for its cultural and historical significance.
In the early 1970s, Ford broke his hip and had to be put in a wheelchair. Ford died on August 31, 1973 at his home Palm Desert, California from stomach cancer, aged 79.
Setsubun
Setsubun is a traditional event in Japan and it celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It takes place on February 3 or 4 and there are a lot of ways to celebrate the day. People take part in a traditional "mame-maki" ceremony. People throw roasted soybeans ("mame") and shout ‘‘"Oni wa Soto Fuku wa Uti"’’(Get out Ogre! Come in Happiness!). After the ceremony, each person eats the number of beans of their year of age in order to get happiness in the coming year. Another traditional custom is putting a head of a sardine and "hiiragi" on the door to get rid of "Oni" (ogre). In addition, people living in the "Kansai" area eat "Nori Maki" (a special "sushi" roll) while facing the ‘’lucky direction’’ and not saying a word .
Setsubun means “division of the seasons” in the literal sense. In ancient times the beginning of each season was called Setsubun. On the Setsubun day, various rituals were conducted to drive away devil’s sprits. Nowadays, however, Setsubun only refers to "Risshun" (beginning of spring) because the day is the most important than the other Setsubun day since the day is a new year’s day in lunar calendar.It is said that both of beans and rice have spiritual power in it, and to throw these things is a good way to drive demons from our own and our house. People used to throw rice in ancient time, but people started to throw beans instead of rice since Chinese folkway was introduced. Since then, people throw beans to drive demons on Setsubun day.
As we said above, people usually eat an "Ehomaki", which is a kind of "makizushi", on Setsubun. "Makizushi" means “call over happiness”. It is usually eaten without being cut because if it is cut, it implies “break up”. People usually put 7 kinds of ingredients in it after the Seven Gods of Fortune.
It is eaten without saying anything. Generally, it’s because it would be rude to the Seven Gods of Fortune if people are talking while it is eaten, but anyone doesn’t know the fact.
"Setsubun" means separating seasons, and indicated each day before the first day of spring, summer, autumn and winter.
However, the event "Setsubun" is very famous, so it became the word to indicate the day before the first day of spring
only.
Setsubun was a ceremony to drive off ancient China and gods who brought misfortune. Originally, it was the folk event
to hope talisman and good crop of private sector. This ceremony came down to Japan in the "Nara" era.
In the "Hiean" era, "Tsuina" that the event of New Year's Eve held in the palace, changed into the ceremony to drive demons.
It died out in the "Muromachi" era, but the event gradually spread among commoner and remained as "Mamemaki" of Setsubun.
In the evening of Setsubun, people set up branches of holly with sardine at the entrance of house, and scatter parched beans.
However, nowadays households which adorn with them decreased, and only scatter parched beans.
In the meantime, "Ehomaki" started as a custom to pray for the prosperous business at the harbor of "Osaka" in the end of "Edo" era. The custom died out temporarily, but "Osaka Nori Kyodo Kumiai" revived it in the event of "Dotonbori" in the late 1970's. Therefore, it was famous in the "Kansai" district. Also, it began to sell in the part of supermarkets and convenience stores in 1990's. In addition, it became rapidly popular among the whole country because "Ehomaki" was advertised considerably in stores.
There many events related to Setsubun in big shrines. For example, "Narita-san Shinsho-ji" in "Chiba" holds big events every year. Some believers of "Toshi-otoko" (a man who was born in a year with the same sign of the Chinese Zodiac as the current year.) or big names are invited to the event and they perform "mame-maki" ceremony to gather people. Because of the bad economy in Japan, these events are crowed with a lot of people who try to call in happiness.
Komodo National Park
The Komodo National Park is a national park in Indonesia. It is on several islands in the Lesser Sunda Islands. The park is in the area between the East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara provinces. The park includes three larger islands: Komodo, Padar and Rincah. It also includes 26 smaller ones for a total area of 1,733 km² (603 km² of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. This animal is the world's largest lizard. Later it began protecting other species, including some in the ocean. In 1991 the national park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The park is spread over several islands. It includes part of western coast of Flores, the three larger islands of Komodo, Padar, Rincah, and 26 smaller islands. It also includes ocean areas such as the Sape Straights. The islands of the national park are volcanic. The land is generally rugged, with some rounded hills to 735m. The climate is one of the driest of Indonesia. Each year between 800mm and 1000mm of rain falls in the park area. Temperatures in the dry season from May to October are around 40 °C.
The Park is hot and dry. There are many savannah plants that make it a good place for the Komodo dragon.
Cloud forests are in only a few areas above 500 metres. These forests are good places for some local plants. There are mangrove forests in some of the quiet bays of the three larger islands.
Large and complex coral reefs are along the north-east coast of Komodo. The park has many animals that live in the ocean, including whale sharks, ocean sunfish, manta rays, eagle rays, pygmy seahorse, false pipefish, clown frogfish, nudibranchs, blue-ringed octopus, sponges, tunicates, and coral.
The island of Padar and part of Rinca were made nature reserves in 1938. Komodo Island became a nature reserve in 1965. UNESCO also began to protect the island in 1977. The three islands were named a national park in 1980. The park was extended to include the nearby parts of the ocean and a part of Flores in 1984. In 1991 the national park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 1995, the national park authority has been supported by an American environmental organization called The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
Komodo National Park has been selected as one of 28 finalists to become one of the New7Wonders of Nature.
About 4,000 people live within the park. Scuba diving is popular because of the many different kinds of life living in the water. Ecotourism in the ocean is the main way to get money to support the park