def is_available_username(name):
    # print("profiles.models.is_available_username('{n}')".format(n=name))

    try:
        User.objects.get(username=name)
    except User.DoesNotExist:
        return True
    else:
        return False


def make_a_user(first_name, last_name, verbose=False, **kwargs):
    # print("profiles.models.make_a_user('{f}', '{l}')".format(f=first_name, l=last_name))

    flat_first_name = fmt.strip_and_compact_str(cast.to_ascii(first_name).lower()).replace(' ', '')
    flat_last_name = fmt.strip_and_compact_str(cast.to_ascii(last_name).lower()).replace(' ', '')

    if 'email' in kwargs:
        flat_email = fmt.strip_and_compact_str(cast.to_ascii(kwargs['email']).lower()).replace(' ', '')
    else:
        flat_email = None

    if verbose:
        print('*** flat_first_name: {}'.format(flat_first_name))
        print('*** flat_last_name: {}'.format(flat_last_name))
        print('*** flat_email: {}'.format(flat_email))

    # Given:
    #    first_name = 'Jon'
    #    last_name = 'Doe'
    #    email = 'Jon76@aol.com'
    #    zip_code = 90210
    #
    # ...we'll try:
    #
    #    jondoe
    username_attempts = [
        '{f}{l}'.format(f=flat_first_name, l=flat_last_name),
    ]

    #    jdoe
    try:
        username_attempts.append('{f}{l}'.format(f=flat_first_name[0], l=flat_last_name))
    except:
        pass

    #    doe
    try:
        username_attempts.append(flat_last_name)
    except:
        pass

    #    jon76
    if flat_email:
        username_attempts.append(flat_email.split('@'))

    #    jondoe90210
    if 'zipcode' in kwargs:
        arg_zip = extract.just_numbers(kwargs['zipcode'])

        username_attempts.append('{f}{l}{zip}'.format(f=flat_first_name, l=flat_last_name, zip=arg_zip))

    #    jondoeXX <- where XX is a two-digit, random number
    username_attempts.append('{f}{l}{ran}'.format(f=flat_first_name, l=flat_last_name, ran=randint(10, 99)))
    username_attempts.append('{f}{l}{ran}'.format(f=flat_first_name, l=flat_last_name, ran=randint(10, 99)))
    username_attempts.append('{f}{l}{ran}'.format(f=flat_first_name, l=flat_last_name, ran=randint(10, 99)))

    #    something random as a fallback, should the above all be taken
    username_attempts.append(str(uuid.uuid4()).replace('-', '')[:12])
    username_attempts.append(str(uuid.uuid4()).replace('-', '')[:12])

    if verbose:
        print('*** username_attempts: {}'.format(username_attempts))

    new_username = None

    for un in username_attempts:
        if verbose:
            print('*** trying username: {}'.format(un))

        if is_available_username(un):
            if verbose:
                print('*** username is available!: {}'.format(un))

            new_username = un
            break

    if new_username:
        if verbose:
            print('*** calling create_user()')

        the_user = User.objects.create_user(username=new_username, password=str(uuid.uuid4()))

        if 'email' in kwargs and kwargs['email']:
            the_user.email = kwargs['email']

        if first_name:
            the_user.first_name = first_name

        if last_name:
            the_user.last_name = last_name

        the_user.save()

        # Create the UserProfile too
        try:
            up = the_user.userprofile
        except:  # RelatedObjectDoesNotExist
            up = UserProfile(user=the_user)
            up.save()

        # Success
        return the_user

    # Fail
    return None