Jacob Authement

Cajun French (Oh-Tee-Mon)⚜️ | big fan of state politics

[Anish Moonka @anishmoonka]

The doctor who delivered Dolly Parton in a one-room Tennessee cabin in 1946 was paid with a sack of cornmeal. Her father farmed other people's land and could not read or write. Eighty years later, the reading program she built in his name has mailed more than 300 million books.

She wrote "I Will Always Love You" on the same afternoon she wrote "Jolene," as a goodbye to Porter Wagoner, and released it in 1974. Elvis wanted it. The night before the session, Colonel Tom Parker called and said Presley would only record it if they got half the publishing, meaning half of everything the song ever earned. She had been in Nashville ten years by then. She said no, and cried all night. Whitney Houston cut her version in 1992, held number one for fourteen weeks, and Forbes later put Parton's royalties from it near $10 million. She put some of that money into an office complex in Nashville and called the place the house that Whitney built.

Dollywood opened in Pigeon Forge in 1986 because she wanted paychecks in the county she came from. Around 4,000 people work there now. Three million visitors come every year. The University of Tennessee put its economic impact at $1.8 billion, and it is the largest employer in Sevier County. Since 2022 the company has paid tuition, fees, and books in full for every worker from their first day, seasonal hires included.

Wildfires tore through those mountains in November 2016, killing fourteen people and destroying more than 2,400 buildings. Her foundation was handing out money within 48 hours. Every family that lost a home got $1,000 a month for six months, regardless of income. The final check was $5,000. Total delivered: $8.9 million.

In April 2020 she sent $1 million to Vanderbilt for coronavirus research. When Moderna's vaccine results ran in the New England Journal of Medicine that November, her fund appeared in the footnotes.

Carl Dean, her husband of nearly sixty years, died in March 2025. The note she wrote to fans afterward ended with the same five words she wrote for Porter Wagoner back in 1974. She died in Nashville today. Her family asked that instead of flowers, people give to the Imagination Library, which still mails 3.4 million books a month to children who will never get to meet her.

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

I saw an early draft of this project at @theWPSA’s 2023 conference in San Francisco, and I’m happy to see it finally land! An interesting blend of congressional behavior, interest groups, and parties here — read Robert’s thread for a TL;DR on the results.

(And cite it!)

[Robert Anstett @RobertAnstett]

My first ever publication! I couldn’t be more excited! How LGBTQ interest groups operate in Congress, especially as there is a push against Obergefell in the states, couldn’t be more important: a 🧵 1/5

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

First snow (Nov. 2020, Columbia, MO) and yesterday’s snow (Lafayette, LA)

Plenty of changes since then!

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

Had a great time at @SPSAnews this year! Packed schedule of research presentations, networking, and catching up with colleagues and friends in beautiful San Juan.

Already looking forward to New Orleans next year!

[Laron K Williams @LaronKWilliams]

Fun night in San Juan with a bunch of @MizzouTSGPA folks at Southern

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@JonahDubinski @football_csn I have opinions about this, but I’ll keep them to myself 😂

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@cleaming_ @dissectpodcast has a video on Mac Miller’s aptly-titled “Circles” album here: https://t.co/PkCKz1v4dz

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@davidhughes_phd I like running my syllabi through it to highlight weaker areas or assignments with vague instructions, which makes a lot of sense lol

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@davidhughes_phd “Here’s an artistic representation of your life, blending your focus on congressional reform, local civic engagement, and educational pursuits, all tied together with Louisiana-inspired details and a sense of productivity.”

Damn, they got me. 😂

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@Spencer_Goidel Fixed your map. You’re welcome.

[New Orleans Pelicans @PelicansNBA]

Hey Lafayette 👋

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@Spencer_Goidel Congratulations!

[Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns® Football @RaginCajunsFB]

Fixed it for you, see you in September

🎟️ https://t.co/JgnYi2JLJC

#GeauxCajuns | #cULture

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@RobertAnstett @HydeAryanna You know those photos aren’t a live feed, right? 🤔

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@RobertAnstett @HydeAryanna Skill issue

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

Northern lights in Columbia, MO!

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@YJuliaJung @MizzouTSGPA @Mizzou @rylie_y_w @MPowellPolicy @Sailing_HQ1123 @LaronKWilliams Thank you Julia! You’re the best!

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

I am proud to have been voted the Outstanding Graduate Student during my last semester at @MizzouTSGPA!

Most of graduate school is a community effort, and I’m really thankful to the close friends I’ve made here for making it all possible.

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

@YJuliaJung @mwcps_tweets Well deserved! Enjoy Chicago!

[Jacob Authement @Jacob_Authement]

I spoke with @KOMUnews regarding the new (returning?) Republican caucus system in Missouri. The biggest problems they face are informing the public and a likely decrease in turnout.

Make sure you know how, when, and where you participate:

https://t.co/XP6gwq6kW9