Castrated existences. Material on my novel in this post and an echo here.
Daily Kingfish, Lamar White, and Lamar’s links.
Louisiana children and teens up for adoption now. Had I not committed to this book project, were I five years younger and so still eligible, and were I just slightly richer, I would take a teen. I am not really set up for this but I am so used to so many layers of Louisiana at this point that I could totally relate to said teen. I do not have all the classic resources to have a teen — one might have a paved driveway with a basketball hoop, for instance, since most of those needing homes are boys — but I am biking distance from a good public high school and the university, and I have access to some sports facilities they are sure to like. If they have certain grades tuition at Louisiana universitites will be free, and if they do not, they can still go to mine on reduced tuition. I know how to cast a shrimp net and camp, and I am funny and relaxed.
Why location does matter. Belligerent men are everywhere in rural American places, with their NRA stickers and big dogs, their monster trucks and gun racks, their contemptuous attitudes toward anyone but themselves. It’s not just the guns; it’s a whole way of looking at life. Theirs is the worship of masculinity and the love of carnage with a huge helping of racism and misogyny…. That’s why we have to examine the race and class and gender issues that inform every aspect of our violence-loving culture.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
Here’s a topic that’s near and dear to your heart – academic freedom. It seems that the University of Rhode Island wants to kick one of its respected professors overboard for making an intemperate metaphorical remark on a recent public event, the statement of the president of the National Rifle Association on the Newtown massacre in which he calls for more guns in the schools.
“Even to suggest that Loomis’s tweet constitutes a “threat of violence” is an offense against the English language. We are dismayed that the university president completely fails to acknowledge the importance of academic freedom and of scholars’ freedom independently to express views (even intemperate ones) on topics of public importance. This statement—unless it is swiftly corrected— should give alarm to scholars at the University of Rhode Island, to scholars who might one day consider associating themselves with this institution, and to academic and professional associations that value academic freedom.”
http://crookedtimber.org/2012/12/19/statement-on-erik-loomis/
“We urge all of you to contact the following three administrators at the University of Rhode Island:
Dean Winnie Brownell: winnie@mail.uri.edu
Provost Donald DeHays: ddehayes@uri.edu
President David Dooley: davedooley@mail.uri.edu
Be polite, be civil, be firm.
We also call upon all academic and other bloggers to stand in support of Loomis. We invite others who wish to associate themselves with this statement to say so in the comments section to this post, and to republish this statement elsewhere.”
I just noticed that the University of R.I. did make a new statement on Christmas Eve. Perhaps in the spirit of the season but I wonder how much of this is political cover. I’d like to know how a short personal tweet would implicate the employee’s institution unless it was explicitedly stated.
“Over the past several days we have heard from many individuals concerning statements made or repeated by Professor Erik Loomis. Many writers forcefully expressed serious concern about his statements and many others expressed very strong support for Professor Loomis, especially in regard to his First Amendment right to share his personal opinions. In the statements at issue, Professor Loomis did not make it clear that he was speaking solely as an individual, and that the views he expressed were his alone and did not reflect the views of the University of Rhode Island. This was the rationale for our original statement.”
http://crookedtimber.org/2012/12/24/university-of-rhode-island-issues-new-statement-on-erik-loomis/
That is hilarious — they are totally backing down, it seems ! ! !