Happy Flag Day!  Please take a moment today to think about the history of our flag and about those who died protecting it.  God bless our country and those who protect us!

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 (sometimes 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 running up a tab, selling a town, toothpicks, unemployment, the pledge, stars, stripes, a special birthday, the annual hoedown, a perfect game, voting, Pearl Jam packages, speeding, public indecency, Goodfellas, a rancher, blame, and much more!

1,000,000,000,000

On Tuesday, President Obama told a crowd at a fundraiser in Baltimore that his administration “inherited a trillion-dollar deficit.”  He explained it this way: “It’s like somebody goes to a restaurant, orders a big steak dinner, martini all that stuff, and then just as you’re sitting down — they leave — and accuse you of running up the tab.  That’s what they do.  I am not making this up.  I mean, press, go back, check, take a look at the numbers.”

That was  a pretty funny way to explain things…

1,400,000

That’s the asking price Pray, Montana, which is a town.  Since it has not sold, they will hold an auction on June 27.

Maybe some of our richer politicians will buy it and disappear there…

400,000

That’s how many toothpicks were stolen from Armond’s Manufacturing Company in Athens, Georgia.

You might be a redneck if you had to remove your toothpick for the wedding pictures…

386,000

The U.S. Department of Labor reported earlier this morning, “In the week ending June 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 386,000, an increase of 6,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 380,000.”

This is not good news…

1954

On this date in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed an order adding the words “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.

God is good…

1916

In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14.

I am flying my flag today…

1775

Happy birthday to the United States Army which was founded on this date in 1775!

1000

“U.S Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester, Attorney General Steve Bullock, U.S. House Candidate Kim Gillan Invite you to join them for the 2012 Sieben Ranch Barbeque & Hoedown To Benefit Montana Victory 2012,  A joint account of the Montana Democratic Party and Friends of Max Baucus.”

For $1000 you can be a “Platinum Sponsor” and if you can’t afford the $1000, you can pay $50 per adult which includes food, beverage and entertainment.  As a bonus, “Children under 12 attend free.”

I was hoping the Montana Democrats would have a hootenanny instead of the hoedown…

500

For a $500 donation to Jon Tester’s campaign, you can get the VIP+ package at the Pearl Jam concert in Missoula, which according to Tester’s website is, “The VIP+ Package: What goes well with a great concert?  Great food.  Attend the pre-performance meet-and-greet, grab dinner with Jon and Pearl Jam bassist (and Montana native) Jeff Ament, and watch the show.”

This package was sold out as of June 13. Heartbreaker…

250

For a $250 donation to Jon Tester’s campaign, you can be treated like a VIP at the Pearl Jam concert in Missoula: “The VIP Package: See the concert in style, and attend a meet-and-greet with Jon Tester and members of the band before the show.”

This package was sold out as of June 13…

134

Shaun Kachina Bell (from Billings) is accused of driving 134 mph while under the influence of alcohol.  According to this story, “He is being held at the Yellowstone County Jail on a $15,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned on June 21 in District Court.”

Knowing how soft Montana’s District Court judges are on DUIs, he will probably get off with just a speeding ticket…

100

“Shelly Lewis, 45, and Alicia Binford, 43, were charged with public indecency, a misdemeanor.  Both women posted $100 bond.”  You may be wondering for what – click HERE to find out.

69

TMZ is reporting that “Henry Hill — the former mobster whose life story became the basis for the movie “Goodfellas” — died today (June 12) at the age of 69.”

Here’s your Goodfellas quote for the day:  “Anything I wanted was a phone call away.  Free cars.  The keys to a dozen hideout flats all over the city.”

Sounds a lot like a politician…

68

According to a poll from Gallup, “More than two-thirds (68%) of Americans say former President George W. Bush deserves a great deal or a moderate amount of blame for the nation’s economic woes — substantially more than the 52% who say the same about President Obama.”

Bush should have vetoed more spending bills…and the Republicans did not have the leadership in the House and Senate to lead…

61

According to a press release from the Montana Secretary of State, “more than 61% of the total votes cast in Montana’s 2012 primary election were cast by absentee ballot.  The record is a nearly 30% increase over the last statewide presidential primary in 2008.”

Voting is important…

50

There are 50 white stars on the flag of the United States.  The 50th star represents Hawaii which was added July 4, 1960.

40

The Montana Constitution was ratified in June 1972 which makes it 40 years old.  On Friday, June 15, there will be a ceremony to mark the anniversary in the House Chambers at the Capitol in Helena.

31

That’s how many words there are in the Pledge of Allegiance!

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

22

That’s how many perfect games have been thrown in Major League Baseball, including the one last night by San Francisco pitcher Matt Cain.

13

The flag of the United States shall be thirteen horizontal stripes, alternate red and white!

7

There are seven red stripes on the flag of the United States.

6

There are six white stripes on the flag of the United States.

4

The Rehberg for Senate campaigned launched their fourth ad of the campaign season called “Rancher” which Roll Call said, “strikes a decidedly independent tone.”  You can watch it HERE.

If I were a campaign advisor for team Tester, I’d check Rehberg’s voting record during the Bush years to see just how “independent” Denny Rehberg really is.

In regards to the new video, I think it’s better than Baloney 1 and Baloney 2.  Frankly, I am getting sick of hearing “The Denny I know…”

3

Montana State Rep. “Tony Belcourt of Box Elder has lost his Democratic primary election by three votes” according to this story from the Associated Press.

Another reason why voting is important…

1

Thurgood Marshall was nominated to become the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court by President Lyndon Johnson on June 13 (yesterday), 1967.

 

Follow Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord  – you will enjoy life just a little more…