Star Wars: An End of an Era

Big news in the world of my Star Wars fandom....Disney has bought out Lucasfilm Ltd.

That's right, the universe I grew up with, full dangerous rogues, amazing Jedi, and strong Princesses, is going to be owned by the people who brought you Snow Dogs, The Country Bears, and every awful straight to video sequel.

Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 Billion in cash and stock, allowing for Lucas to begin preparing for retirement.

His hand is signing his name, but his eyes whisper “I’m sorry”.

Not only does Disney now have the creative right to Star Wars, no, they couldn't stop there.

In a press release announcing the acquisition, Disney announced that Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for a release date in 2015 and that “more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.”

On a conference call, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that in addition to Episode 7, episodes 8 and 9 are also in the works. The goal, Iger said, was to “release a new Star Wars feature film every two to three years.”

Yes, you read that right, they're making MORE Star Wars films.

Can Disney not leave anything alone? They plan to begin the movies 20 years after Return of the Jedi, following what happens to Luke and Leia after the fall of the Empire. But how can they do that without the original cast? I can only imagine who they will cast for Luke, Han, Leia, C-3PO, and the many others.

Star Wars fans the world over are mixed right now. Some are rejoicing, other are reeling. I'm in the latter group. I fail to see how they can feasibly make a new Star Wars movie every two years, at least, one that will be worth anything. Again, I could cite the hundreds of horrible straight to DVD sequels put out by Disney.

Not only that, but the universe I imagined being a part of as a child, will now be remade and altered, and called canon. How will these movies end? Will everyone hug and be nest friends at the end? Will there be tiny talking woodland creatures who aid the cast in their trials? Oh, and lets not forget the musicals!


I wonder how "The Force will be with you..." will sound when sung?

Love and Lightning Bugs,
 

Classy in the Kitchen: a Core Bamboo Review and Giveaway

We all have those days. You're tired, sick, or just not feeling like yourself. You've cleaned all day, and have finally decided to make yourself a quick lunch. So you grab that loaf of bread you baked this morning, and cut off a few slices for a sandwich. Only problem? Your only cutting board is now littered with what seems like a million tiny breadcrumbs, and has to be cleaned and wiped down before you can cut your tomatoes and other yummy sandwich goods. Does it ever end? Can't just one thing be made a bit easier today?

With Core Bamboo, it can!

I received this great Slotted Cuttingboard about a month ago, and have been using it nonstop! 

On their website, they have this to say as to why they decided on making bamboo products:

"Bamboo is one of the most remarkable resources on Earth. As a member of the grass family, not a tree, it grows at a much quicker rate than any other wood. From start to harvest (60-70 feet tall) it can take just four years. Bamboo is naturally anti-microbial, therefore stopping bacteria from growing. It is also one of the strongest yet lightest materials around. Bamboo is 16% stronger than Maple and is 33% lighter in weight than Oak. What is probably most remarkable is its unique extensive root system. When bamboo is harvested its natural root system spreads and automatically regenerates itself.

Virtually all of the bamboo we harvest is used in the process." 

I just love an eco-friendly company! This board has a removableslotted top, allowing all your breadcrumbs to fall through to the recess in the board. No more messy crumbs everywhere! Even better, I used the slots as guides, to make each slice of bread the perfect thickness. And it's not just bread you can cut on this board. I've cut up tomatoes, apples, melons, and other juice filled fruits. Then I let all the juice collect in the bottom, and drained it and washed it after I was finished. So much easier than cutting them on a normal cutting board!

But if you still love to have a normal flat topped cutting board on hand, no worries. Simply flip this board over, and you have a smooth side to cut on. That's right, two boards in one! This is a really easy to clean and use board, and would make a great gift for those who spend any amount of the time in the kitchen.

Love what you've heard here? Enter the rafflecopter below, then feel free to hop around and enter all the other awesome giveaways going on in the linky.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Love and Lightning Bugs,
 

Want to Play a Game?

Today, I have a game!

Now, it's nothing fancy in the slightest, but it will be fun, and a bit gross.

The rules are simple, just look at the images below, and try to guess what it's a picture of. Easy right? Maybe not...these are images taken with an Electron Microscope. Meaning that it could be anything bigger than a DNA strand....so good luck! The answer will be listed under each image, so no peeking!

 

A microcrack in a sheet of steel

A house dust mite (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus). Millions of dust mites inhabit the home, feeding on shed skin cells. They mainly live in furniture, and are usually harmless. However, their excrement and dead bodies may cause allergic reactions in susceptible people. Thought your house was clean didn't you?

 A human hair...with a split end. Yes ladies, this is what our split ends look like up close!

A Human artery, and blood cells that run through it. 

A human head louse, commonly called head lice, clinging to a hair.

The surface of a strawberry. 

Fimbriae of a Fallopian tube. These beautiful tissues gently cradle and sweep your egg to the Fallopian tube.

 Household dust which includes long hairs such as cat fur, twisted synthetic and woolen fibers, serrated insect scales, a pollen grain, plant and insect remains.

 Cigarette paper

Eyelash hairs growing from the surface of human skin. If you look closely at the base of some of the hairs, you can see the tail end of eyelash mites sticking out from the base. These mites live on almost everyone,  and feed off your dead skin cells. Best part? They don't poo!

 A clutch of unidentified butterfly eggs on a raspberry plant.

 Bacteria on the surface of a human tongue. Did you brush your tongue today?

 The nylon hooks and loops of velcro.

Toilet Paper!

 The head of a maggot of a bluebottle fly (Protophormia sp.) with tiny teeth-like fangs extending from its mouth. The maggots of this fly are used medicinally to clean wounds. The maggots are sterilised and placed in the wound, where they feed on dead tissue and leave healthy tissue untouched. Their saliva contains anti- bacterial chemicals which maintain sterility in the area. Maggots are used on ulcers and deep wounds away from organs or body cavities, most often being used to treat diabetic ulcers on the feet.

A human nerve ending.

Snowflakes 

Wan't that interesting? I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did...and remember, a little bit of gross and weird in your day never hurt anyone. It just makes life more interesting.

Love and Lightning Bugs,