The plasma knives are vaguely similar to tools currently used in radiosurgery, but rather than heating tissue directly and damaging it, they penetrate and cauterise 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]

For $30 each, you get a torch shaped like either Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader’s lightsaber, complete with either blue or red LEDs. Both play the Lightsaber sound effects when you turn it on or off, and require three AAA batteries to work…

You know what? For $30, I don’t care if it’s not the best torch. I’m buying one anyway. Quick, where’s my wallet gone?

[Latestbuy]

No, it’s not a show. It’s an actual wedding.

Look at her dress—classier than the Stormtrooper hooker, though—the lightsabers, the decorations, the invitations, the tables, the guests, and the dancing floor with the disco Death Stars.

It’s so tacky that goes around into ultracool kitsch glamour territory, and—thanks to Pat Dy’s great photography—actually makes it look fascinating and/or absolutely nuts. How much money did all this Star Wars orgy cost? We will never know, but for sure many Bothan died to make this possible.

And by the way, can anybody tell me what, in the name of Peter Cushing, is this kid doing at the wedding?

Thank you very much in advance. Check the rest of the photos here. [Patdyphotography via Rock and Roll Bride—Thanks Genevieve]

I must say the results are kind of unimpressive. Nothing like heading to North Korea. But hey, it’s May Fourth. [VBS TV via Gothamist]

If two women were to ever lightsaber dueled for my affection, I might need to slice myself in half to accommodate the needs of them both. (Ever so slightly NSFW). [Thanks Nick!]

Forgetting about the conceptual weirdness, these cameras—both boasting 300,000 dot resolution, a built-in mic and LCDs for eerie illumination—do have one functional benefit over the USB hubs before them: they let you indulge your deepest fanboy desires and plop a Star Wars computers accessory on your desk, but in the one way that none of your Skype friends (read: actual friends) will ever have to know about. Genius.

If you are so inclined, they’re about $US40 on pre-order, plus shipping from Japan. [Akihabara]

Other props sold at the auction include the head of C-3PO for $US120,000 and Marlon Brando’s costume from Superman for $US72,000. 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 $US240,000 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 realise 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]

However, like any medical invention, there’s testing and trials to be done, and this lightsaber cancer-fighter is no exception. Still, hearing the inventor describe this thing you can’t help but get excited.

“We can use lasers to punch tiny holes exactly where we want them,” said Dr. Frank Gunn-Moore. “We can produce a rod of light – sometimes described as a sword – that can even go around objects. It really does sound like science fiction.”

The good doctor doesn’t plan on stopping with cancer, either. Other diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, are potential targets too. Good form. [Herald Sun, thanks Yash!]