Calhoun County Democrats

09/07/2026

A proposed 1,600-acre AI data center near Bloomington is generating discussion about economic development and its potential impact on local residents.

09/07/2026

09/07/2026

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers open access to virtually its entire academic catalog—more than 2,500 courses—completely free online through its OpenCourseWare (OCW) platform.

Anyone in the world can explore full lecture notes, assignments, exams, and recorded lectures from leading professors without paying tuition, applying, or even creating an account.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the open-source initiative has reached over 500 million students and educators globally.

In an era where U.S. student loan debt exceeds $1.7 trillion, OCW serves as an accessible pathway for individuals seeking high-demand skills in computer science, business, mathematics, and engineering without taking on debt.

While the self-guided courses do not award formal university degrees or academic credits, they provide world-class resources for self-directed learning, showing that high-level education can be widely shared as a public good.

09/07/2026

Australian blood donor James Harrison became known as the “Man with the Golden Arm” because his plasma contained unusually strong anti-D antibodies, which are used to make medication that helps prevent Rh disease, a potentially deadly condition affecting babies during pregnancy.⁠
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Harrison began donating blood at 18 after receiving a major blood transfusion during chest surgery when he was 14. After his first donations, doctors discovered that his blood contained the rare antibodies needed for anti-D treatment. He went on to donate plasma regularly for decades, making 1,173 donations between 1954 and 2018.⁠
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His donations contributed to anti-D treatments that helped save or protect an estimated 2.4 million babies from the potentially deadly effects of Rh disease. ⁠
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He continued donating until Australia’s age limit required him to stop at 81.⁠
Harrison died in his sleep in New South Wales on February 17, 2025, at age 88. ⁠
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His extraordinary legacy was built on a rare gift in his blood and more than six decades of repeatedly giving it to help protect millions of babies.⁠
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Photo credit:

09/07/2026

Apparently Hobby Lobby stores in MAGA country have unveiled a brand-new section: White House Gold Décor. 😂

Everything you need to turn an ordinary room into a gilded palace — gold eagles, gold columns, gold frames, gold trim, gold everything.

And naturally, it’s 50% off every other week.

09/07/2026

Gov. Greg Abbott has blocked state agencies from spending money on Flock cameras, but the Texas Department of Public Safety has no apparent plans to stop using its existing roadside […]

09/07/2026