Living a Different Life In the Pandemic

Things I've missed during this COVID-19 pandemic:

I've missed going to the movie theater to watch first-run summer blockbuster movies, superhero movies, comedies that won't make me cringe (those are rare anymore), anything that looks good by Pixar, those sort of things. I have streaming at home like Disney Plus, thanks to a Christmas present last year, but the experience of the large theater, the decent-sized crowds oohing and aahing and cheering and laughing... I miss that.

I've missed browsing the bookstore. Yes, I work in a library, but it doesn't hurt me to go checking out all the other books and magazines the library can't carry (we ARE running on a city/county budget, people).

I've missed the occasional road trip to where my friends are, the ones I grew up with in high school and some I've made in my time living around the Tampa Bay area. I miss driving out to the Pinellas beaches. I miss revisiting Tarpon Springs, finding a gyro place to eat (sorry but Plaka's closed). I miss visiting any beach overall, it's been years since I went and just sat and enjoyed the view, the overwhelmed senses of watching and feeling and smelling sand and water and sky (no tasting though).

I've missed the chance to travel this summer, nothing major like I hope to someday - I desire a visit to Vegas and the Grand Canyon, I desire a trip to Ireland, I desire a trip to Prague, I desire a trip to Japan - but still a chance to go somewhere scenic and spiritual and fun (no, not Disney. Well, okay, MAYBE Galaxy's Edge). I did have plans to visit the Ta-Nehisi crowd this September, but that's on hold as well. Sigh.

I'm missing the weekend jaunts I take to places where I can sit and write, away from the distractions of home.

There are other regrets, but right now these are the things I know are missing in my life.

I have to accept this, because the risks of COVID are too great to ignore at my peril and everyone else's.

Perhaps another time, when a vaccine is confirmed, when life can return to a semblance of normalcy.

Perhaps...

Quick Takeaway from the First Round Democratic Debates for 2020 (w/ Update)

Okay, so everybody likes to make lists during elections.

Here's my list - brief and arbitrary and totally biased - of how the 2020 Democratic primary nominees should be ranked going into the next election cycle.

Big Hitters (The front-runners who stayed in place and those who impressed)	Joe Biden Kamala Harris Bernie Sanders Elizabeth Warren
Dark Horses (The ones who did better than expected or at least didn't embarrass themselves onstage)	Cory Booker Pete Buttigieg Julian Castro
Should Plan On the VP Short List (The ones who showed competence but not enough oomph to get past the main leads, if they were even allowed to show at the first round in the first place)	Michael Bennet Steve Bullock Kirsten Gillibrand Jay Inslee Amy Klobucher Tim Ryan
Should Drop Out Now and Run for Governor or the Senate or Something (Beto in particular is having a Rick Perry moment on the national stage. Just... go back and win Texas instead, okay?)	Bill DeBlasio John Hickenlooper Beto O'Rourke Joe Sestack Eric Swalwell
Should Drop Out of The Party and Go Work for Fox Not-News as the Token Fake Democrat	John Delaney Seth Moulton Tulsi Gabbard
Seriously, Why You Here???	Mike Gravel Wayne Messum Marianne Williamson Andrew Yang

I'll be making Honest Bumper Stickers to reflect this better. Soon. Maybe.

Update 7/7/19: Christ. I swear there are days when I wonder if author John Scalzi and I were separated at birth, because when it comes to politics I find myself agreeing on nearly every argument he makes...

I Know 2020 Is Coming Soon, I Just Wish We Had a Chance To Sleep In First Before the Primaries Overwhelm Us

I am loathing the non-stop cycle of the "Horse-Race" campaign coverage by the media, so coping with the incoming Democratic primary race is gonna hurt my soul.

Thing is, people are announcing now, have announced, and may still announce their candidacy for the 2020 primaries. So attention must be paid. Candidates must be scrutinized. And my predictions made utterly ridiculous early and often because most of the time I get the wrong impressions and back the wrong candidate. Sigh.

I'm also not thrilled about how 2016 ended up. The Republican primaries fell into madness thanks to a bullying and sadistic con artist in trump going up against a weak field that couldn't walk their rabid fanbase back from the cliff's edge. The Democratic primaries ended up a foregone conclusion of Hillary getting the nom but alienating a Far Left base that backed Bernie to the point that support for the Democrats floundered (it did not help that both the mainstream media - which hated Hillary - and Russian meddling crippled voter support in key states to twist an already-broken Electoral College to flip the election to trump).

 So here we are for 2020, facing the horror of trump being in solid position - despite his own mismanaged administration alienating enough voters - to win re-election (stop screaming, everybody) if the Dems fail to raise voter support again.

If there's any good news, voter turnout in the 2018 midterms hints at increased voter turnout in 2020... as long as media manipulation by the Russians and Hillary-haters doesn't depress it again. But the Democrats need to ensure they nominate a more popular figure than Hillary (even I admitted back in 2016 that Hillary wasn't well-liked... I just believed and hoped she was more well-liked than trump). The good news on that front is that so far nearly every Democratic candidate throwing their hat into the ring are more popular than trump (polling in the 50s while trump flounders around 40 percent).

So who exactly are the candidates (listed alphabetically with highest government office) worth our time and support, America?

By the by, David A Graham at the Atlantic is running a 2020 cheat sheet for candidates, so do keep up with his input please and thanks:

Michael Bennet: Senator, Colorado
Role as: The Guy Running as a Centrist From a State That's Turning Into an Up-and-Coming Progressive Hotbed
If Bennet Wins the Nomination: He had to beat his way past a lot of better-known White guys on the national stage, as well as win over enough Far Left voters who'll be wary of his Establishment creds.
Bennet Can Win It All If: He can get out of the second-tier rut that career political guys like him get stuck in. Right now, he's best suited to be a viable Vice-Presidential choice due to geographic necessity (there hasn't been a Democrat on the major ticket as Prez or Veep that far West since 1964). Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Joe Biden: Vice-President, Delaware
Role as: The Savior Candidate That the Beltway Likes And Then Will Immediately Humiliate Five Minutes Later To Enhance Their "Bipartisan" Cred
If Biden Wins the Nomination: The Progressive Left BernieBros will throw a conniption that he crashed into Bernie's "victory" parade.
Biden Can Win It All If: he can genuinely keep the factions in the Democratic ranks aligned to him, avoid the pitfalls of his constant faux pas screwups, and... and... Sigh. Not gonna happen. Seriously, Joe. Just stay on the sidelines like you did in 2016. You're in a safe spot as Party Elder. Getting into a Presidential campaign you've NEVER shown skill-sets for is a bad idea. You're committing a serious faux pas now regarding your misguided belief that Republicans are bipartisan at heart (NO THEY ARE NOT). Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Cory Booker: Senator, New Jersey
Role as: Obama Part II
If Booker Wins the Nomination: It means he ended up as the compromise candidate between the party faction who fear Bernie would be too socialist and the party faction who fear another woman candidate like Warren or Harris will scare away the general election voters.
Booker Can Win It All If: He genuinely impresses during the primaries as a consensus candidate able to stand as a strong Liberal candidate able to win Progressives to his side. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Steve Bullock: Governor, Montana
Role as: Centrist Dem From a Small Population State
If Bullock Wins the Nomination: It means he won over voters with his Western, small-state populism that may work in rural communities but comes across the urban voting base as uncomfortable Centrism.
Bullock Can Win It All If: Doubtful. I think he's not even invited to the debates, which is sick. In previous election cycles a Governor - especially over amateurs like a motivational speaker - would get invited no matter what. He'll be lucky to be on the VP short list at this rate. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Pete Buttigieg: Mayor of South Bend, Indiana
Role as: That Straight Gay Guy from College who was best friends with your girlfriend but kept it low-key with you at gatherings so it never felt weird one way or the other
If Butiegig Wins the Nomination: It means he won over voters with his Mayor Pete persona and a genuine charisma that rivals Obama's.
Buttiegig Can Win It All If: If can get past voters' squeamishness for a candidate with... no national political leadership (looks at motherfucking trump and shakes head). Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Julian Castro: Secretary of Commerce, Texas
Role as: That High School President Guy whose obvious law school future kinda made him act like a self-centered jerk but he was the one who came through with hiring the garage band for that house party so we're cool with it
If Castro Wins the Nomination: It means he outbid Mayor Pete in the charisma department and outlasted Biden, fellow Texan Beto, and others to the "Heir to Obama" title, as well as getting past the Progressive base wary of anybody who's been deep with the party Establishment as long as he has.
Castro Can Win It All If: He can convince Texas to flip Blue while keeping the 2012 Blue states aligned to the Democrats. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Bill DeBlasio: Mayor, New York
Role as: The Guy Ripping Off Other People's Roles (c'mon boss, Buttigieg beat you to the "Mayor" clique weeks earlier)
If DeBlasio Wins the Nomination: It would cause the Republicans to create fake "Law And Order" ads accusing DeBlasio of committing ALL the crimes in New York City since 1990. Ding Ding!
DeBlasio Can Win It All If: He can convince enough Americans he's done a good job of running the largest city in the United States - which he kind of hasn't - and deserves a shot running the country: Thing is, I don't think he can win re-election in NYC right now anyway. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

John Delaney: Congressman, Maryland
Role as: I Have No Idea
If Delaney Wins the Nomination: I Have No Idea other than the Russians DID hack the elections again.
Delaney Can Win It All If: Is he even invited to the preliminary debates coming up?! I have no idea...

Tulsi Gabbard: Congresswoman, Hawaii
Role as: Insane Sorority Girl Who Sent That Crazy Email
If Gabbard Wins the Nomination: It'll be due to her Syrian buddies hacking the elections as well as the Russians.
Gabbard Can Win It All If: Are you joking? She's actually the least-liked candidate - due to her odd foreign policy stances - on the board. When you're the Either/Or punchline to pop-up Twitter polls with DeBlasio or Bernie, that's never a good sign. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Kirsten Gillibrand: Senator, New York
Role as: The Hillary Replacement (literally) who doesn't have the same baggage Hillary had
If Gillibrand Wins the Nomination: It will be with a party divided between the pro-business Centrists - coming from New York, she kind of can't avoid that - and the socialist Progressives who might view her as just another Establishment figure who "stole" the rightful nomination from You-Know-Who.
Gillibrand Can Win It All If: She can get out of Hillary's shadow in more ways than one and make the goddamn mainstream media give up their disdain of women candidates for the White House. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Kamala Harris: Senator, California
Role as: Stern Neighborhood Mom who ran the PTA but kept the Bible Thumpers from burning everyone's Harry Potter books
If Harris Wins the Nomination: It means she won over voters with her tough-seeming stances and confident campaign style (and probably enough Dems hoping she'll physically punch trump in the mouth first chance she gets). But she's going to have to get past the Progressives who view her background as a hard-charging prosecutor as a detriment rather than view her current calls for reforms as "evolved."
Harris Can Win It All If: The goddamn mainstream media gives up their disdain of women candidates for the White House. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

John Hickenlooper: Governor, Colorado
Role as: That Poor Guy Who Has to Fill Out Legal Forms That Don't Leave Enough Space for Long Last Names
If Hickenlooper Wins the Nomination: the bumper stickers are going to have to be twice as long than usual.
Hickenlooper Can Win It All If: It means he had to beat back a fellow Colorado candidate hogging airspace as well as a field of better-known political figures on the national stage. All joking aside about his name, Hickenlooper is a competent candidate but also the kind that ends up being a second-tier player who usually ends up on the winner's Cabinet roster (and if he's from the Rocky Mountains, that's usually the Interior posting). Sorry. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Jay Inslee: Governor, Washington
Role as: That West Coast Guy Nobody's Heard Of Who Might Make a Decent Veep Candidate but probably won't
If Inslee Wins the Nomination: It means his agenda on sticking to a Climate Change/Eco-Friendly campaign won over the voters.
Inslee Can Win It All If: He adds on Warren's multilevel platform as a broad agenda to win over enough voters to a relative unknown. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Amy Klobucher: Senator, Minnesota
Role as: That Cool Sheriff from the movie Fargo
If Klobucher Wins the Nomination: Her homestyle persona won over voters despite not getting enough attention to her issues.
Klobucher Can Win It All if: The goddamn mainstream media gives up their disdain of women candidates for the White House. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Wayne Messam: Mayor of Miramar, Florida
Role as: Florida Man
If Messam Wins the Nomination: I think the rest of the nation will officially saw the Sunshine State off of the map like Bugs Bunny only for reals this time.
Messam Can Win It All If: Hnnnnn, don't make me laugh. I'm from Florida and even I know this is crazy. He's not making the first debates and nobody on the national level will ever recognize who he is. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Seth Moulton: Congressman, I forgot the state
Role as: Tim Ryan's Scapegoat
If Moulton Wins the Nomination: It means people forgot he tried taking down Pelosi as Speaker of the House and failed miserably.
Moulton Can Win It All If: He can't. He came at the Queen and missed. Nobody at the national stage thinks of him as a player. He missed the debate cutoff, that's how little support he has. He's probably not even on anyone's VP list. I doubt the Russians will hack any election for him.

Beto O'Rourke: Congressman, Texas
Role as: The Lead Guitarist for That Cool Garage Band from your high school/college days that never hit it big, damn the record companies
If O'Rourke Wins the Nomination: He could guarantee flipping Texas blue in 2020 (he barely lost in a midterm, when turnout is habitually lower). But he's got to run on solid Democratic (read: Liberal) platforms. And right now, his policy ideas aren't impressing...
O'Rourke Can Win It All If: he can translate the media love for his charisma into voter support for his centrist track record. But it's unlikely given how often Beto is putting his own foot in his mouth. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Tim Ryan: Congressman, Ohio
Role as: Passive-Aggressive Middle Manager at the corporate office
If Ryan Wins the Nomination: Doubtful. His highest-profile moment had been a palace coup - along with Moulton - to unseat Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker after Dems retook the House in the Midterms. He's not exactly Mr. Popular within his own party. His only saving grace is coming from a key battleground state - Ohio - that makes him a player on the national stage.
Ryan Can Win It All If: He can convince the Democrats and enough Indy/Republican voters his Centrist "Bring Back Jobs" Message can win voters. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Bernie Sanders: Senator, Vermont
Role as: Your Uncle Who Doesn't Understand Why Nobody Wants to Talk About 1970s-style Euro-Socialism at the family barbecue.
If Sanders Wins the Nomination: You're going to hear a lot of Hillary voters complaining before physically holding their noses to vote for him in November
Sanders Can Win It All If: He can convince enough Hillary voters to forgive him the various backstab moves he'd pulled in 2016 - and is pulling now - and to forgive his rabid and tone-deaf base who obsessively hate Centrists more than they do the Far Right. Problem is, of the major candidates Sanders is the one with the most baggage and the most polarizing hate. As much as Progressive turnout for Hillary fizzled, there's a risk of Centrist Democrat/Indy fizzle if Bernie embarrasses or insults them as a bloc. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Elizabeth Warren: Senator, Massachusetts
Role as: The College Prof with the reading syllabus that actually rocks
If Warren Wins the Nomination: The Republicans and the Beltway media will play it up as yet another Northeastern Liberal Elitist (not to mention trump and the GOP likely bashing Warren over her questionable Native ancestry claim from years ago), but it would signal another genuine attempt for Dems to elect a woman President, this time with a candidate with stronger progressive values (and positive polling numbers) than the less-liked Hillary.
Warren Can Win It All If: the goddamn mainstream media gives up their disdain of women candidates for the White House. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Marianne Williamson: Motivational Speaker, Somewhere
Role as: Seriously?
If Williamson Wins the Nomination: It's because the choice came down between her and Gabbard.
Williamson Can Win It All If: Ahem. Lemme go straight to the punchline. Also if the Russians don't hack the elections again.

Andrew Yang: Businessman, New York
Role as: A Technocrat with a single-issue platform and no political power base or national profile
If Yang Wins the Nomination: It would be insane. Granted, he's not as evil as trump, but you'd think the Democratic voting base still cares for such priorities as EXPERIENCE for the job, fer crissakes.
Yang Can Win It All If: The Russians don't hack the elections again.

Did I miss anybody? (Joe Sestack hops into the ring yesterday) OH FUCK YOU I AIN'T REWRITING THIS FOR THE UPTEENTH TIME. This is it, the list for 2020. OKAY?! Okay.

Personally?

I am pining for a Harris victory for several reasons - I agree on her education platform of paying teachers better, which plays into both stronger jobs-based economy AND improving our schools - and have Warren - who's got a plan for that - as my favorite back-up choice. I'm not a fan of Bernie - obviously - but I will vote for him if he wins because trump is evil. I'm not a fan of Biden - man, I keep telling you just stick to the Mentor role you're good at - but will vote for him because trump is evil. I'm kinda saying that for any Democratic nominee... but I do hope the final candidate is a competent, multipurposed and positive figure able to draw more than 50 percent of the electorate to vote Democratic across the board in 2020.

But I'm hoping beyond anything else that the confirmed Democratic ticket is a Harris/Warren or Warren/Harris match. YES. An all-woman ticket. BECAUSE FUCK YOU, INCEL GAMERGATE HATERS. Ahem.

Here's hoping the Russians don't hack the debates as well as the elections.

This Is What the Constant BernieBro Backlash Has Brought Me To

(Update: Big hello again to the Crooks & Liars audience visiting via the Mike's Blog Round-Up link! Thank you again, Infidel753 for the promotion!)

What I'm seeing in the Twitter feeds and on Salon.com - that site has gone so far in for Bernie and so against Hillary that when Hillary wins I'm afeared they'll go full Trump on us - that "we" need to blow up the Democratic Party to save it has driven me to break out the trout and perform the most epic of put-downs:

Breaking out poorly edited Monty Python snark.

Overheard at a Bernie Sanders Support Meeting

Bernie: All right, Shaun King. Don't labor the point. And what have the Democratic Party ever given us in return?

X-Man fan: Civil rights legislation in the 1960s.

Bernie: Oh yeah, yeah they gave us that. Yeah. That's true.

Guy Fawkes Mask Guy: And the unionized sanitation workers!

Shaun: Oh yes... sanitation unions, Bernie, you remember what the city used to be like whenever they'd go on strike.

Bernie: All right, I'll grant you that the civil rights and the sanitation unions are two things that the Democrats have done...

Jeff: And the roads bills they keep pushing so we can fix our aging highways and bridges...

Bernie: (angry) Well yes obviously the roads and bridges... the roads and bridges go without saying. But apart from the civil rights, the sanitation unions, and the roads...

Another Activist dressed like a Ghostbuster: Climate change activism...

Other Cosplay Voices: Cheaper Medicine... Public Education... Frank-Dodd regulations... Obamacare getting 90 percent of the population covered...

Bernie: Yes... all right, fair enough...

Anime Fan near the front: And Obama does his own crafted brewing! I've shared some recipes with him!

All of the Mob: Oh yes! True!

Pope Francis: Yeah. That's something we'd really miss if the Democrats broke up, Bernie.

Stan Lee (cameo): And the crime rate's dropped during the last eight years.

Pope Francis: Yes, they certainly know how to keep order... (The crowd nods)... let's face it, they're the only ones who could in a nation like this.

Bernie (frustrated): All right... all right... but apart from the civil rights and the sanitation unions and Obamacare and education and climate change issues and microbreweries and roads and a regulated financial system and public order... what have the Democratic Party done for us?

Jeff: Nobel peace prizes?

Bernie: (angry) What!? (scornfully) Peace... shut it!

(The previous has been ripped shamelessly from Life of Brian)

I have a little too much MegaCon conventioning on my mind right now. Apologies for that.

Just to note, this is post No.999 on this blog. So the next one I do has got to be a biggie. Keep alert.

Very Good Reasons To NEVER Vote For Trump

Just to clarify, for all the times I've commented on Trump's con artist ways, and just overall status as evil ignorant half-wit, I need to spell out EXACTLY why Trump is a disaster, has always been a disaster, and will be a disaster if anyone's foolish enough to vote for him.

The most obvious starting point is his failure as a businessman. He keeps promoting himself as this genius deal-maker, but his genius deals involve talking his way out of bankruptcy court with his ass still in one piece while everyone else pays for his follies. He's done this at least four times, with countless other broken deals in his wake.

His failures as a casino owner in Atlantic City contributed to that city's decline and ongoing economic malaise.

Here at home - Tampa Bay - Trump dirtied his hands with a contemptible condo scheme from the early 2000s where he scooped up people's deposits and fled with barely a skeleton frame of the building in place.

Don't forget: Trump f-cking killed off an entire sports league. The USFL was an upstart football league looking to compete with the NFL, and had done so by playing in a different part of the calendar (late spring) and in more diverse markets. Like all start-ups, the budding league had its financial woes but had established some strong market places and good teams. Trump had bought the New Jersey team from its Oklahoma-based owner and worked his way into the ownership group, arguing that the new league should compete directly with the NFL in the fall months. When one of his rivals arguing against it got sick from brain cancer, Trump gained control and pushed the move. It immediately killed off teams that couldn't share the same stadiums with the NFL, and they basically had to suspend operations while the owners pushed an antitrust lawsuit.

Combined with that lawsuit, the expectation was that the bigger league would cave and deal, bringing in the more successful USFL owners/teams into an expanded super-league much in the way they did with the AFL in the 1960s (It's near-common knowledge among the people involved that Trump was trying to bully the NFL into taking him as an owner). But the antitrust lawsuit fell apart: the jury found the NFL was behaving like a monopoly, but Trump's moving the USFL to the fall schedule was a self-inflicted punishment and the jury dumped the award down to a single dollar. By law, antitrust fines are tripled. The final check to the USFL ended up being $3.76. Ironically, the check itself - never cashed - is worth hundreds of thousands as a collectible.

The USFL never played another game. Good teams in mid-sized markets disappeared. Just on this alone, we need to avenge the Tampa Bay Bandits, by God...

Oh, and there's RIGHT NOW an ongoing story about another of Trump's failures, the so-called Trump University that is the centerpiece of a major fraud court case.

And that's just his past as a businessman. As his potential future as our highest executive officer...

Trump's lack of foreign policy experience is one thing. The more horrifying thing is his seeming unwillingness to learn or take it serious. As President, it's going to be his key job as Chief of State to represent the United States to the world and work as our primary receiver of ambassadors, foreign leaders, allies and enemies alike. Trump's campaigning attitude seems to be one of "bully now, bully later, bully always".

Trump is a dangerous departure for any campaign front-runner or potential President we've seen in the modern era. At least candidates like Romney in 2012 and Obama in 2008, who were inexperienced in foreign policy matters, make serious efforts to earn and learn towards the job (other candidates like McCain and Kerry and Gore in recent times had the foreign policy gravitas to make it moot points).

For the most part, Trump is going to be one of the most willfully ignorant Presidential hopefuls we've had run for office since William Jennings Bryan (I was going to say Bush the Lesser, but even Bush wasn't this willful. Dubya's ignorance as a candidate was sincere, and in some ways forgivable...). He'd be the most dangerously politically illiterate Presidents in office since Andrew Johnson.

The possibility of Trump being the Commander-in-Chief has already sounded a lot of DEFCON 1 notices among the military observers and insiders. There's been Twitter comments about how the Joint Chiefs are trying to figure out ways of keeping Trump away from the nuclear football, and those comments are not in jest...

The last point to make about Trump and foreign policy is how our own allies are going to react to having Trump as our political leader. There's already been a debate on the floor of Parliament - our staunchest ally - about banning Trump from visiting due to Trump's open racism. This has never happened before in my lifetime, and I'm uncertain if this had ever happened (probably during the early days of US vs. UK tensions). Even Sarah Palin never got this treatment.

In terms of personality, I've already tagged Trump as a clear Active-Negative character based on Professor Barber's model. I've heard there are other personality charting methods for Presidents, and I'm looking for one now. What I am finding are articles and reports from psychologists and therapists conceding that Trump shows the traits of a Narcissistic Personality Disorder, From what I'm finding about NPD, it's a fear-driven psychosis that affects decision-making in a way that would be troubling in the person whose decisions impacts upon the lives of the entire planet.

That's all I pretty much want to say about Trump. He's not the successful businessman he claims to be, he promises to be a massive disaster at foreign policy and military leadership, and his personality puts him at the emotional extremes of the likes of Nixon, LBJ, and a whole history book's worth of bad Presidents.

For all that is holy America, for the love of our children and their future, please no. Not Trump. Not one vote more. Please.

Speculation for Twelfth Doctor Who Already In Earnest. Here's My List

The Intertubes exploded last night with the word that Matt Smith, Eleventh Doctor, was quitting the show for the Christmas episode, meaning the push is on right about now to find a replacement Doctor (if you're one of the non-geeks out there: Doctor Who is a Time Lord and able to regenerate which is why there's been 11... no actually 12 different versions of him).

Everyone's already been on Twitter pushing their faves, which of course merely shows off that particular person's geek leanings.  But this is Serious Business, much in the way that getting a replacement James Bond is Serious Business (once they found an actor to play Spock in Zachary Quinto, doing a reboot of Star Trek was easy-peasy: finding an actress to fill out the costume for Wonder Woman after Lynda Carter... /headdesk).  There are rules to consider:

1) The next Doctor has to be British, or at least United Kingdom (Scots, Irish, Welsh).  They could go with Canadian or Australian or other Commonwealth if they could, but this is the UK's primary contribution to global geekdom.  It's gotta use home-grown talent.

2) The next Doctor to be younger or as young as Matt Smith now.  The producers are clearly thinking long-term: once a Doctor always a Doctor (even Chris Eccleston has learned that), and they're gonna want to have someone filling the role of Number Twelve for a good 40-50 years.  There's also a bit of archetype at play: The Doctor as a secular variation of Merlin/Wandering Jew, with the idea that such immortals age backward, meaning the older the Doctor really is the younger he's going to look.

3) Here's the variation: The Doctor's Wife introduction of The Corsair makes gender-crossing Time Lord a canonical fact.  Which means a woman / actress can be hired for the role.  So this is more up for grabs than anyone realizes.

That said, here's my list of Who To Be Who:

Matthew Lewis (formerly Neville Longbottom):
PRO: familiar to geeks, already has established fanbase of geekgirls; relatively young enough to fit the producers' needs
CON: already tied into a massive UK geek franchise with Harry Potter, he may not be interested in getting further embroiled into the geekdom's dark side of nitpicking.

Evanna Lynch (formerly Luna Lovegood):
PRO: England's answer to Summer Glau (minus the ass-kicking); also a known quantity with geeks from the Potter Verse; of actresses "qualified" to be quirky enough to play The Doctor, she's on the short list.
CON: Like Lewis, may be content with being a major star in other established franchise.

Idris Elba:
PRO: established television actor, well-respected, has huge geek cred (from, of all things, The Wire); there's been a clamor for a non-white Doctor for some time, and he's current on the Hot List.
CON: Is 40ish, on the wrong side of the age scale that producers might be looking for.

Helena Bonham Carter:
PRO: Geeks would die of geekgasm the second her name gets announced.  Which might be a CON since, you know, you've killed off your fanbase.  Has a knack for playing off-kilter, quirky, incredibly cool characters.
CON: Same problem as Elba, on the wrong side of the age scale; demand for her to star in movies and other time-consuming activities may make her unavailable anywho.

David Morrisey:
PRO: Already played The Doctor (kinda) in a Christmas special with David Tennant; fans liked the performance and wouldn't mind him as a real Doctor; has expressed interest; depends on when he needs to finish up filming for Walking Dead series (his character is due to die soon, but filming schedule is a tricky thing).
CON: Wrong side of age scale (late 40s)

Neve McIntosh (aka Madame Vastra):
PRO: Fans love her performance as Vastra, and some are arguing the Doctor could (in a rather complicated way) merge/regenerate using her as a template; having a non-human Who would be tempting to pull off.
CON: Make-up effects are costly; Vastra is already a cool character to begin with and she, Jenny and Strax deserve their own mini-series spinoff; don't want to confuse new fans with how regeneration works.

Emily Browning:
PRO: I'm just really keen on seeing a female Who, okay?  Browning is a slightly recognizable actress from a few fantasy/horror films (best known for Sucker Punch) but not too well known to be an established quality meaning fans might be intrigued to see what she brings to the role; plus is on the right side of the age scale (24, younger than when Smith took on Eleven).
CON: All depends on her schedule, really; as an Aussie she's not home-grown, but she's Commonwealth and has the accent; I don't see a downside.

Someone We've Never Heard Of:
PRO: Leaves fans guessing how the character will act; unheralded actors come CHEAP.
CON: Gambling big time on a franchise to give it to an unknown quantity; yes it worked well with Smith as Eleven, but you can't stay lucky forever.

If I had my druthers I'd go with Lynch first, Browning second, Lewis third.  We'll see if I'm right.

In the meantime, wanna good reason why Doctor Who is such a major force in modern geekhood?

"You'll Be Safe Here" artwork by Dean Trippe

The potential.  Not just time-travel, or space-travel, but universe-travel... the hopping between 'Verses.  ALL 'VERSES.

ALL OF THEM.  And there's few things that gets a geek worked up than the idea of all our heroes, in one spot, on one adventure to end all adventures...