with the Anakin one taking a bit too many liberties with podracer names

Actually, I those are the podracer names from the TPM novel by Terry Brooks. It's not liberties being taken exactly - it's that it was written before Episode I came out, and they thought those were going to be the podracers' names. But since that's contradicted by the movie and related materials since then, you can probably count that as on of those small out-of-continuity things. I think one of the reference books might have retconned that by saying those were the names of some of the backup racers who would have been allowed on the course had any of the main competitors dropped out.

Does anyone have information from a source that's NOT a wiki? No offense; I just don't trust them.

I can personally confirm that the quoted material from the Wiki accurately sums up the situation, and contains no factual inaccuracies.

I'm on JC's side here. I'm skeptical and cautious myself, but Wiki sources can be very useful, as long as you don't trust them absolutely.

Wikipedia etc., in my opinion, is in general more reliable than other sources, because it's more democratic. It's not the truth from one person's point of view, it's the common denominator of many people's points of view.

Of course, this starts not to work as well when you get to articles that are so obscure that few people have edited them. But in general, I think it's unfair and shortsighted to consider Wiki worthless.

Where is it established that there is a barrier around the galaxy? If there was, how would the characters travel to the Unknown Regions or Wild Space? And how would the Yuuzhan Vong have invaded.

There is no evidence to suggest that there is a physical barrier around the galaxy at all. It makes no sense.

Eh, myself, I'd rather go without that retcon. For me, at least, it'd kinda dampen the emotional impact of the end of ESB is I knew that our heroes were looking at something a fat Besalisk mentioned in AotC briefly. Sorry.

My hero! Enter the Academy of Journalism, GL24, and claim your prize.<<< blush
Thank you, ma'am.

marches toward the academy like one of Appo's troops heading for the Jedi Temple.

VIPs, or anyone who can help: At the end of ESB, Luke and Leia watch the Falcon disappear in front of what looks like a galaxy...can anyone tell me just what they're looking at? Is it the Star Wars galaxy, or some bit of space phenomenon, or what?
From the ESB novelization: After their resounding defeats at the hand of the Empire, the Rebel Alliance has retreated to the space just outside the edge of the Galaxy, to (in essence) catch their breath, and regroup.

When TESB came out, there was no mention of the Chiss or Unknown regions. No mention that the Empire was controlled anything less than the ENTIRE galaxy.

In other words, it IS the SW galaxy.

(cont.)

2. It could be the Rishi Maze, as mentioned in AotC. When we see the Jedi Archives map of the galaxy, the Rishi Maze is one of two "satellite galaxies" in the outer regions. The AotC DVD-ROM states that this may be what Luke and Leia are looking at. Also, the name 'Intergalactic Banking Clan' seems to support the theory that there is more than one galaxy in the GFFA.

3. It is some kind of space phenomenon, such as a protostellar disk or a nebula. This is supported by the fact the speed of rotation visible would be impossible for a galaxy.

I've wondered that myself. In Tales of the Bounty Hunters, in Zuckuss and 4-LOM's Tale, it states that the Rebel fleet is stationed at the extreme edge of the galaxy, and I can't remember if the ESB novelization has anything to say about it.

Well, we did get a Zeltron in Jedi: Shaak Ti, found in the Clone Wars Volume 2 TPB.