Somewhere Different Now

( HUZZAH!!!!! (celebratory gifs under the fold) )

So relieved.  Thank you America.

Also, Todd Akin loses to Claire McCaskill.  As a friend wrote on Facebook, looks like women's bodies had ways of shuting that whole thing now.  The Senate in general looks likely to remain Democratic, which is AWESOME.

Look what I found while out hiking on Sunday!
( photo under the cut )

I've been doing too much mindless internet and too little in the way of productive activities lately.  However, I do have a few things to share with you, o flist.  Well, four things.  Well....four things and a manta ray.  Some of the things are vids, and some are my thoughts on various matters.

(1) Dance can express many things:  emotion, identity, sheer physical talent...and science.  Yes, science!  , Behold, the winner of chemistry category of the Dance Your PhD Competition, "selection of a DNA aptamer for homocysteine using SELEX."  Both the idea of the competition and this specific video are AWESOME.

( video and other the things under cut to spare your flist )

I read a fascinating blog post by nightsky (ellipticcurve  on LJ) about the costuming trend for femme!Doctors and what it might mean.  I was a big fan of the femme!Doctor costumes I saw at the last few cons I went to, especially this latest Gallifrey, but couldn't really articulate why I loved them aside from the beauty of many of the costumes, the playfulness, and perhaps the chance for women to play the Doctor without having to disguise themselves as men.  Nightsky explores how the femme costumes play with concepts, looks at some history, and concludes with some great points about how femme costumes can be a way for women to assert our belonging in geekdom without sacrificing femininity to act like one of the boys.  Plus, there are nifty costume pictures!

Prior to me seeing this blog post but strangely related, my father and I got into a discussion of women we think would be good in the role of the Doctor.  After mentioning Emma Thompson, his initial top choice was Holly Hunter (with the point that if the Doctor was switching genders, a Georgia accent was not that big a stretch).  I really haven't seen Hunter in enough stuff to comment on that casting choice.  My list of fantasy casting for a female Doctor, without regard for the likelihood that said actresses would actually be willing to take the role, is as follows:

4. Kate Winslet:  Because she is just generally awesome and should be in everything.  She's got great presence and acting range. I bet she could do a great Oncoming Storm mode.

3.  Sigourney Weaver:  This is a bit off the wall, since she is (a) American, and (b) mostly known for blow-'em-up action movies, but I think it would actually be amazing. She can do the serious acting in addition to the blowing up of aliens.  Galaxy Quest shows that she can also do comedy.  Also, I think it would be great stereotype-busting to have the first female Doctor be tough as nails.  She's older than any of the previous actors were when they took the role (yes, even Hartnell), but she's fit and gorgeous for her age. (Realistically, I'd want a British actress as the Doctor, but I still kinda like this idea.)

2.  Catherine Tate:  This was a rumor prior to the casting of Matt Smith, though probably a rumor based utterly on fannish wishful thinking.  Sure, it would need some crazy sci-fi explanations for why the Doctor regenerated to look like Donna, but it would be brilliant enough to be worth it.   DoctorDonna FTW!   Raise your hand if you can come up with a reason why the Doctor could end up looking like Donna (or Donna could end up AS the Doctor) that makes as much sense as some of the stuff the show gives us.  I bet everyone has her/his hand up now.  Also, ginger!

And my number 1 choice for a woman Doctor is...

Helena Bonham Carter.  She has a wonderful, very Doctor-ish quirky energy.  She's hilarious but also capable of the serious acting when need be.  A little bit of madness is definitely an asset in the role.  She's old enough for gravitas but still gorgeous and charismatic.  Her idiosyncratic goth/bohemian style could translate into a really cool Doctor costume.  After hearing this list, my dad shifted Helena Bonham Carter to the top of his. 

What about you, flist?  What women would you cast as the Doctor? Assume no budget constraints.

Also on the subject of Teh Wimmins, flickr user caseface123 posted a neat photography project where she asked people of various ages and genders to make a sign about what feminism means to them and then shot their photographs with the signs.  Some are positive, some are negative, all are fascinating for what they say about people.  My favorite is below the cut:
( photo under here )

( Very intriguing rumors about setting and casting for Torchwood series 4, cut for potential spoilers )

( Doctor Who S5 speculation, cut for mild spoilers of one shooting location. No plot info, just one place the TARDIS sets down. )

OMGWTFDOLLHOUSESQUEEEEEE! How is Fox canceling this show? Have they watched the episodes that aired tonight? If they had watched it then there is no way in hell they could cancel, ratings be damned. Still, their tactic to clear Dollhouse out of the way faster does mean sweet two-hour blocks of Dollhouse, which I kinda love.

( Double the Dollhouse, double the fun, double the SPOILERS )

OMG!  Dollhouse tonight!!  So awesome!!!  Joss Whedon FTW!!!!

*pause to breathe deeply and regain ability to type in comeplete sentences* 
Folks, if you've liked some of Whedon's previous series but you haven't watched Dollhouse due to the mediocre reviews of the first few episodes, you might want to rethink your decision.  This show has grown into some damn fine television.

( This kind of expansionist thinking led to the Trail of Tears! [CONTAINS SPOILERS] )

HUZZAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am jubilant right now!  I am so thrilled that my country made this choice.  Filling in the bubble for Obama in the voting booth was such a wonderful feeling, even though my state's presidential result was never in doubt.  This is the president we need.  His acceptance speech was marvelous.  It brought tears to my eyes. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the CA ballot measures, but it's not looking good for gay marriage.  :(  I just don't get it, people.  Love is love.  Why discriminate against some of it?

But Obama will be president!  I'm so pleased that it's a broad victory and not just Kerry's states plus Ohio or Florida.  A real, unifying mandate will do Obama and this country a world of good.