Club Jade

The bushfires that raged in the Australian state of Victoria earlier this year killed more than 200 and left over 7000 homeless. The fires may be snuffed, but the victims are still hurting, and Star Wars fans have banded together to help them.

Though there are plenty of items up on Ebay now, including signed photographs from David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Jeremy Bulloch and Bonnie Piesse. But of particularly of interest to EU fans is a chance to get a namesake (tuckerized) character in the fifth Clone Wars novel by Karen Miller or a yet-unannounced Star Wars book (!) from Sean Williams. And Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta are offering an original manuscript from one of the Young Jedi Knights novels.

• People: Kenny Baker recovering after last month’s health scare.

• Lucasfilm: Chief technical officer Richard Kerris is one of Variety’s Ten Innovators to Watch. (Check the second link for videos.)
• History: Opinion L.A. considers who killed Ben Kenobi?
• Politics: Just in case you’re not sick enough of this election, there’s now The Empire Strikes Barack.
• Sports: “Golf is the ultimate game when it comes to the Jedi teachings.” Adventure, excitement, a Jedi craves not these things…

The actor was returning to England from Chicago when an “apparent asthma attack struck.” He was rushed to the hospital when the plane landed. His son told reporters that the attack was ‘nothing serious.’ He’s already awake and talking, so hopefully things will be okay!

Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher will be at Celebration IV! Several other guests have also been confirmed: Kenny Baker (R2-D2,) David Prowse (Vader,) Garrick Hagon (Biggs,) Paul Blake (Motti) and more.