Say farewell to May 2012!  Summer and fun times are coming – let’s be safe out there!

If this is your first time visiting The Western Word (TWW), “Thursday Numbers” is my weekly column where I take a look at the numbers mentioned in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary (often laced with a little sarcasm).

NOTICE:  By reading this column you will probably gain a great deal of knowledge not found on other websites!  You can use this information to impress your family, friends and co-workers, and it might even be life changing – so consider yourself warned…

This week I write about super PACs, unemployment, a salary, debt, Tweets, being bamboozled, blue the dog, Baloney – the sequel, Spurs, Packers, speeding, spelling, birthdays, poll results, conventions, radio ads, Clemens, and much more!1,000,000,000

According to a story in Politico, “Republican super PACs and other outside groups shaped by a loose network of prominent conservatives – including Karl Rove, the Koch brothers and Tom Donohue of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – plan to spend roughly $1 billion on November’s elections for the White House and control of Congress…”

Great googly moogly…

1,400,000

Planned Parenthood says they will spend $1.4 million on television ads in Florida, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Iowa to help defeat Mitt Romney.

383,000

The U.S. Department of Labor said today that 383,000 people filed new claims for unemployment last week which is an increase of 10,000 from the week before.

143,312

That’s the salary of the Great Falls (Montana) International Airport Director, John Faulkner.  He also received a $5,000 bonus during his recent evaluation.

I guess the honeymoon between Director Faulkner and Airport Authority Board will continue for awhile longer…

50,283.80

Someone named Rich Dunn, who has the title of Political Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Your new billing statement” saying, “Thanks to President Obama and Democrat initiatives, your share of the national debt grew to $50,283.80 and the entire United States owes over $15.7 trillion.”

If you have read my columns over the years, you might remember that I have never been that impressed with anyone who works (or worked) at the NRSC – many have their jobs not because of their expertise, but because of who they know.

Ol’ Rich Dunn should receive the “C’Mon Man” award for his e-mail.  At least some of the $15.7 trillion debt was caused by Republicans, too.  Each political party is to blame for excessive spending and racking up debt on the credit card…

20,000

That’s how many people applied for 877 jobs at the Hyundai plant in Montgomery, Alabama.

Things are still tough…

10,000

I tweeted for the 10,000th time yesterday.  I have been on Twitter since September 2008.  There were no parades or well wishes from elected officials and no key to the city.

Yes I do have a life, thank you….

2013

U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester want the F-15s to stay in Montana until 2013.  How do we know this?  They wrote another letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and released it to local news organizations.  Local reporters thought sending a letter was actual news.

The local news organizations were bamboozled by Baucus and Tester – sending another letter is not worth mentioning on the local newscast or in the local paper…

1,800

According to the Associated Press, “Blue the dog doesn’t have a home.  And he apparently doesn’t want one.  But the blue-eyed Australian cattle dog has $1,800 in savings, a Facebook page and an air-conditioned dog house.”  Blue also has a lawyer.

I read this story to my Beagle this morning and told her she was a failure…

371

That’s how many views (as of this morning) Denny Rehberg’s newest campaign ad “Baloney 2” has received.  It was posted on YouTube May 30.  You can watch it HERE.

I didn’t think Rehberg’s original “Baloney” video was good enough for a sequel…

278

That’s how many contestants there are in this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee including Lori Anne Madison, 6, of Woodbridge, Virginia, who was the youngest contestant to qualify for the spelling bee.

Maybe the Romney campaign can hire one of the contestants to help with spelling!

199

According to the Montana GOP, the early-bird rate for their state convention in Missoula (June 14-16) is $199.  On June 7, the price goes up to $299.

Food, booze, and a bed sure cost a lot these days…

170

That’s how fast a New York man was going on his motorcycle when clocked by police.  He lost his license for 90 days.

I think my best was 130 MPH – back in the day…

150

According to an e-mail from the Montana Democrats, they “have extended the deadline to take advantage of the advance registration price for the Montana Democratic Party Conventions.”  Full registration is $150.  The convention is June 8/9 in Helena.

I bet the Dems received a better deal on the booze…

82

Happy birthday!  Clint Eastwood turns 82 years old today.

66

According to a new poll from Gallup, “Sixty-six percent of Americans have a favorable view of first lady Michelle Obama, unchanged from nearly two years ago and in line with her ratings since Barack Obama was inaugurated as president.”

50

In The Western Word one-day poll, I asked, “Who are you voting for in the Montana Supreme Court Justice #5 race?”  Here are the results:

Laurie McKinnon – 50%

Elizabeth Best – 20%

Ed Sheehy – 20%

None – 10%

Thanks to all who participated!  This was not a scientific poll.  I will be posting a new one-day poll later this morning!

47

Happy birthday!  Brooke Shields turns 47 years old today.

46

According to Gallup, “Six weeks into Gallup’s Daily tracking of the U.S. presidential election, the race remains highly stable, both overall and within demographic groups. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are tied, 46% to 46%, among the more than 9,000 registered voters interviewed from May 7-27, exactly as they were in the previous three-week period.”

20

On Tuesday night the San Antonio Spurs won their 20th straight game (regular season and playoffs).

I think the Spurs will be NBA champs this year…

16

According to this story if New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has his way, you won’t be able to purchase “sweetened drinks” larger than 16 ounces in the city.

I guess there goes “Super-Size” me…

13

According to this story, “At least 13 politicians currently running for Senate – most with a message of fiscal restraint — have filed for bankruptcy, been hit with liens for overdue taxes or been convicted of crimes, according to an investigation of the 350 candidates running for Senate that was conducted by the nonpartisan research firm InvestigativeCheck (www.investigativecheck.com) and shared with the Washington Guardian.”

I think they will fit right in…

12

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wears number 12.  At least NFL.com got that right.  They spelled Rodgers’ name “Rogers” on the ad for his Nike game jersey.

It might be time for a discount double check on the spelling at NFL.com…or bring in some of Scripps National Spelling contestants to help…

7

The Roger Clemens perjury trial is in its seventh week.  Clemens is being accused of lying to Congress about getting poked in the butt with a needle…

This has been one of the biggest wastes of taxpayer money in history – we should all be ashamed of our U.S. Justice Department. 

4

According to this story, “Craig James run for the U.S. Senate is over.  The former ESPN college football announcer received just 4% of the vote in Tuesday’s Republican primary in Texas.”

I bet Mike Leach is smiling…I know I am….

3

The Jim Lynch for Montana Governor Campaign has three ads running on radio around the state.  You can listen to them HERE.

If you are a candidate or campaign person and wondering why I mentioned these three ads for Lynch, it’s because his campaign sent me the link to my e-mail at western_word@yahoo.com  – it was that easy…

1.9

That’s how many personal fouls Miami Heat forward LeBron James has averaged per game in his NBA career.

It seems the NBA referees are afraid to call fouls on the star of the league…

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