The plasma knives are vaguely similar to tools currently used in radiosurgery, but rather than heating tissue directly and damaging it, they penetrate and cauterize it safely. While tools like this are great because they have the potential to save many lives in situations where proper hospital care is not an option, let's be honest: most of us just plain want some mini lightsabers. [Wired]

The President got all en garderino with his lightsaber toy while presenting Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. Too bad he couldn't use his Jedi mind powers with the anti-healthcare reform bigots. You know: "This is not the healthcare reform you want to fuck up. Now TFSU." Yes, the country could have been a much better place if he actually were the real Mace Windu. [Huffington Post and Gawker--Thanks Debby]

Looking at the scale—compared to the tiny humans on the ground—and the strange external machinery attached to it, I thought this was part of some kind of huge experimental rocket. I was wrong, but kind of close.

It's the second interceptor silo for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system. It's being installed now by Boeing and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency at the Vandenberg Air Force Base, in Santa Barbara County, California. You know, the missile defense system that is not going to save us from any nuclear mayhem, but maybe from some retards launching the occasional warhead. [Boeing]

Now you can pay homage to the legendary lightsaber-toothed tiger through this fashionable $18 t-shirt from Threadless. It's available for both men and women, but only in white. (I mention the point of color only because I picture our Star Wars readership wearing nothing but head-to-toe black hoods at all times.) [Threadless via Fashionably Geek]

Other props sold at the auction include the head of C-3PO for $120,000 and Marlon Brando's costume from Superman for $72,000. But at least you can wear Brando's costume and smell his sweaty residue. What can you do with a lightsaber other than look at it and think of all the stuff you could have bought with $240,000 if you had only done your research? [Breitbart]

Last month, Christopher Bench inducted a stick into the National Toy of Fame. Yes. A wooden stick. The kind of sticks that grow on trees, which is probably the oldest tool/gadget/toy ever invented by humans. And certainly, the most basic toy one can have. And totally free, perfect for the recession.

Colbert doesn't agree:

Wrong! Free is never the perfect price! Retailers depend on holiday toy sales but thanks to Mr. Bench here, parents are gonna realize that sticks literally grow on trees. He makes me so mad I want to poke him in the eye, with not a stick, but a Star Wars Force FX authentic replica lightsaber. (Waves lightsaber around.) Just $79.99!

Yeah. We agree with him. Screw the kids' imagination. We want toys that do pew-pew! [Star Wars Blog]

The original Luke Skywalker is the property of Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz, and is going to be auctioned along the rest of the movie goodies by Profiles in History on December 11:

• C-3PO face for $83,000 and hands for $30,000.
• Mohawk and Brain Gremlins puppets for about $7,000 each.
• The original Jor-El tunic wore by Marlon Brando in Superman for $51,000.
• His t-shirt in Apocalypse Now for $20,000.
• An original set of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, bound in red cloth, signed by Tolkien, and containing a fold-out map of the Middle Earth for $124,000.
• For the same amount you can also snatch an 82-inch flying saucer made of wood, steel and fiberglass from Forbidden Planet.
• First editions of James Bond novels inscribed by Ian Fleming, including one that said "To the real James Bond from the thief of his identity", which was dedicated to American Ornithologist James Bond.

In total, there will be over 500 objects related to movies, from the silent era to sci-fi classics. Now, can any reader with deep pockets bid for Gizmo and then give it to us. Thank you very much. [Daily Telegraph]

[Current]

The project, from Instructables user Ricardoaraujo, uses a normal toy lightsaber hilt, some AA batteries, a rubber hose and a couple of LEDs to build a weapon you'd be proud to kick Jedi ass with. Now all you need to do is knock back a couple too many Guinnesses and find some Obi Wan Kenobi-worshipping dork to smack around. Death by pretend lightsaber it shall be!
[ Instructables via Technabob]