Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American space
opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story
by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. It
was the second film released in the Star Wars saga, and the fifth in
terms of internal chronology. The film is set three years after the
destruction of the Death Star. The villainous Darth Vader and the
forces of the Galactic Empire are in pursuit of Luke Skywalker, Han
Solo, Princess Leia Organa, and the Rebel Alliance. While Vader chases
Han and Leia across the galaxy, Luke studies the Force under Jedi
Master Yoda. Vader uses Luke's friends to set a trap for him, leading
to a fierce confrontation between the black-armored Sith and the young
Jedi which ends with a shocking revelation. Following a difficult
production, The Empire Strikes Back was released on May 21, 1980. The
film initially received mixed reviews from critics, although it has
since grown in esteem, becoming one of the most popular chapters in the
Star Wars saga. It earned more than US$538 million worldwide over the
original run and several re-releases, making it the highest grossing
film of 1980. When adjusted for inflation, it is the 12th highest
grossing film of all time.
Read the rest of this article:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_V%3A_The_Empire_Strikes_Back>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1775:
American Revolutionary War: British forces took Bunker Hill outside of
Boston.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill>
1789:
French Revolution: The Third Estate of France declared itself the
National Assembly.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assembly_%28French_Revolution%29>
1963:
Buddhist crisis: Riots involving around 2000 people broke out in South
Vietnam, despite the signing of the Joint Communique to resolve the
crisis one day earlier.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Communique>
1972:
Five men were arrested for attempted burglary on the offices of the
Democratic National Committee in the Watergate complex in Washington,
D.C., igniting the Watergate scandal that ultimately led to the
resignation of U.S. President Richard Nixon more than two years later.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate_complex>
1982:
The body of Italian banker Roberto Calvi, known as "God's Banker" due
to his close association with the Vatican, was found hanging from
scaffolding beneath London's Blackfriars Bridge.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Calvi>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
dalliance (n):
1. A wasting of time in idleness or trifles.
2. Playful flirtation; amorous play
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dalliance>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
Whether one believes in evolution, intelligent design, or Divine
Creation, one thing is certain. Since the beginning of history, human
beings have been at war with each other, under the pretext of religion,
ideology, ethnicity and other reasons. And no civilization has ever
willingly given up its most powerful weapons. We seem to agree today
that we can share modern technology, but we still refuse to acknowledge
that our values — at their very core — are shared values.
--Mohamed ElBaradei
<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mohamed_ElBaradei>
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