I did like the origin story for that they adapted in the recent direct to video animated anthology. The first four Lanterns were given rings that were to be used like powerful laser beams, but even they weren't really enough to fight off an fleet of space battleships. All was lost, until the geeky, not that strong librarian who had been chosen realizes that since the beams are controlled with your mind, the mind gets to determine what the beam can do. Thus, the "constructs"

Those constructs have always been an issue. When Bruce Timm and friends did the first season of the animated Justice League, they downplayed them, but as time went on they loosened up and had fun with the idea.

Lots of aliens/monsters would have been better left only seen once. The more you bring them back, the more the writers feel they have to expand on them, and the less effective they become. Doctor Who is full of this kind of thing, both original and next gen. The Angels, in the episode "Blink", are fucking awesome. However, it only takes one more story with them (written by the same author) to already have them talking and with a personality. and ignoring the rules already set up. I'd be willing to bet we see some allied with the Doctor at some point...

Haven't seen The Ladykillers, but from what I understand they should have been told that before doing it True Grit was a book adaptation, and anyone could have played the John Wayne role.

One group of cool actors can substitute for another group of cool actors. I'm referring more to cases where a role is created to fit an actors abilities perfectly, rather then the actor being cast into a role that fits them.

That sounds like something more suited for the first DIF of a TV episode. I have to assume Terra Nova will get a quick DVD release over the summer.

A panel topic that is always fun at conventions is, "How Not to Get Published", all the things you should do to make sure your manuscript never makes it out of the slush pile (the joke being the authors giving the talk don't want competition). You guys could do similar episodes: how not to get cast in anything, how not to get funding, etc.

I would also imagine it's also reasonable to show it to someone to see if in fact there's a reason to bother fixing any problems. Knowing when to abandon an idea has to be an important skill to have.

For topics that really get you guys in a grove, at the 30 minute mark just have Teague stop the conversation for a moment, play the end theme, then play the intro again and continue the topic.

As for topics, an all Trey stories episode would be fun. Maybe one with all the names replaced by, say, Dusty and Buddy to draw from an old George Carlin bit.

It's the fact they kept the original model footage that I find amazing. Makes you cry all the more that all the Babylon 5 CG data was erased, making any updating of its FX to match the HD live action footage too expensive (as well as screwing later TV movies over)

It would be interesting to adapt the original books and not the cartoon. Those, from what I understand, are social satire (one reason everyone is named after their job). Also, ALL they say is "smurf", making the international version much easier to create

Not always. However, many of us didn't de-convert easily and as faith faded really tried to research and find some aspect of not just our religion but other religions that made sense. Those who never really questioned don't bother doing that. Thus, an atheist probably knows more about both Islam and Mormonism then either a Muslim or Mormon, even if each knows their own faith better then the godless one. We had to learn enough about every religion to reject them, where as they only learned enough about one faith to believe.

(atheists who reject certain religions out of ignorance, I have little respect for)

I kind of like the advice to new writers given, I think, by Larry Niven: If something is keeping you from writing... let it.