The Clone Wars

Lucasfilm is definitely not involved with the animated Tales of the New Republic. Quite to the contrary, Lucas appears to be somewhat putting the kabosh on it, perhaps to keep people from confusing it with the upcoming 3rd season of Star Wars: Clone Wars. Clone Wars debuts in 2008, and will concern events between Episode II and Episode III:

From the Wikipedia entry:

The third and last season of Star Wars: Clone Wars gives the audience a look at Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker's adventures in the Outer-Rim Terrortories as mentioned in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Anakin is knighted into a Jedi Knight and Coruscant comes under attack by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, as a diversion for General Grevious to sneak in and capture Chancellor Palpatine.

3D, Yoda is.
It's easy to see why Lucasfilm would want to squelch interest in Tales of the New Republic. For one thing, with the animators of Clone Wars transforming it it into a 3D, CGI-style for the 3rd season, its look is similar to that of Tales of the New Republic. Here is the teaser trailer:

"Moon River"

"Moon River" was written by Johnny Mercer (words) and Henry Mancini (notes) in 1961. It was sung in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's by Audrey Hepburn.

The song won that year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. Although an original score album to Breakfast at Tiffany's was released, it did not contain Hepburn's original version. Instead, an album version recorded by Mancini and his chorus (which I love) was released as a single and became a Top 40 hit. Despite all the various versions of the song, Audrey Hepburn's is considered to be the most poignant:


Some guy has filmed several of the records from his collection. And when I say filmed, what I mean is he actually plays his albums and videotapes the album cover and the spinning record while the best tracks play. It's kind of a cool idea. Here's one of Frank Sinatra's version of "Moon River," from Sinatra Sings Days of Wine and Roses, Moon River and Other Academy Award Winners:

Humble

Humble, Texas (population: 14,579), is 18 miles NE of Houston, where the Big Thicket meets the coastal plain. It is one of those small towns, of which there are many, that was "consumed" by the ever-growing beast called Houston. Humble never stood a chance.

View a slideshow version.

Humble City Cafe (housed in the Pangburn Building, which was built in 1914)

Jewel Theatre - built sometime between 1930 and 1945. The theatre was closed, gutted and converted into office space sometime between 1950 and 1965.


323 Main Street, c. 1918
McKay Clinic - according to a City of Humble Preservation Committee plaque, this was built in 1937, and was used up until 1996 as a doctors' offices. It's a great example of the Art Deco style of the time.
former Humble State Bank

Humble Camera Center, located in the Defee building. According to a City of Humble Preservation Committee plaque, the building was constructed in 1946.

"Summertime"

"Summertime" is an aria composed by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. The lyrics are by DuBose Heyward (author of the 1925 novel Porgy) and Ira Gershwin.

George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, Ira Gershwin

Ella Fitzgerald, Berlin 1968
Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry

One of these mornings
You're going to rise up singing
Then you'll spread your wings
And you'll take to the sky

But till that morning
There's a'nothing can harm you
With daddy and mamma standing by

Summertime,
And the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin'
And the cotton is high

Your daddy's rich
And your mamma's good lookin'
So hush little baby
Don't you cry

Charles Nelson Reilly

"Game show panelist Charles Nelson Reilly dies at 76"
In a strange way, Charles Nelson Reilly was an icon of my childhood. He had an omnipresence on the television of the 1970s. And I watched a lot of TV when I was a kid. There weren't many viewing options in the days just prior to HBO, cable, MTV and 24-hour CNN, so we watched hours of stuff like Match Game. Charles Nelson Reilly was a regular on the game show. And of course I was an avid viewer of Sid and Marty Krofft fare such as Lidsville, starring......Charles Nelson Reilly:

I completely relate with one of this video's commenters: "Watching this now at 40, makes me just an anxious as it did when I watched this as a kid."

"Dance Tonight"

Some chap named McCartney has a new album coming out on June 18, and here is the video for the opening track, "Dance Tonight." Mackenzie Crook plays a part in the video, as does Natalie Portman, and the home used for the exterior shots is the same one (I think) seen in the video for "Real Love." The interior appears to be Disney's Haunted Mansion.


The terrific Beatles blog I read the news today has some great info. about the Fabs, as well as a lot of stuff about Memory Almost Full.

Memorial Day

The ANICO building at night, Galveston

the Wikipedia entry:

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (observed this year on 2007-05-28). It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.

From Shorpy comes this picture titled "Memorial Day: 1942":

Tales of the New Republic

Tales of the New Republic


UPDATE (5/31/07): Lucasfilms has yanked the video from YouTube, so try the Tales of the New Republic site for a much better quality, Quicktime version.

I must admit, I'm fairly curious about Tales of the New Republic. Its origin and purpose are shrouded in mystery. Even the people who you would think know something about it, don't. There is a book that came out in 1999 called Tales From the New Republic, but I can't find anything indicating this animated thing is related to it.

any relation??

Corsicana

Corsicana, Texas (population: 24,485) is Navarro County Seat, and it is 58 miles SE of Dallas.

Smith's Bile Beans ghost sign

S.A. Pace Grocer, 1898


Palace Theater









State National Bank Building - 1926, Corsicana's "Eight-story Skyscaper"







Odd Fellows Building


Navarro County Courthouse (Style - Beux-arts, date - 1905) - the statue is of Jose Antonio Navarro

Chevrolet Co. ghost on what was once a dealership
Dee's Place - Dee's Place was an alternate site for the filming of Bonnie and Clyde, it is registered with the Texas Film Commission in Austin

R.S. Neblett Building
First First National Bank of Corsicana

See a slideshow of these pictures at Flickr.