Welcome to my weekly column where I take a look at the numbers mentioned in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary (sometimes tainted with just a little sarcasm).
DISCLAIMER: By reading this column you will probably gain knowledge not found on other websites! You can use this information to impress your family, friends, and co-workers. The information might even be life changing – so consider yourself warned…
This week I write about Powerball, unemployment, Koch and Baucus, RomneyRyan.com, Elvis, the least productive Congress, Pee Wee football, Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford, treatment from the media, salaries for commissioners, Jason Bourne, campaign signs, Garryowen, a small donation, and the Munsters. There’s a lot more so read on…
337,000,000
One ticket purchased in Michigan won the $337 million Powerball lottery last night.
It’s OK – the next Powerball drawing on Saturday will be for $40 million…which I think we all could survive with…
366,000
That’s how many people filed new claims for unemployment last week according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That is an increase from the prior week.
There are still not enough jobs out there…
40,000
According to the Montana Cowgirl Blog, Koch Industries (who donates mostly to Republicans) has donated $40,000 to U.S. Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.).
And the left goes wild…
5000
The bidding will start at $5000 for the domain name “RomneyRyan.com” according to this story.
1977
On this date (August 16) in 1977 Elvis Presley died at Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42.
Favorite Elvis Songs: Suspicious Minds and Always On My Mind and In the Ghetto.
1947
According to USA Today, “This Congress could be least productive since 1947.”
This report was released while Congress was on August vacation…
300
That’s how much a 12-year-old boy weighs and he wants to play Pee Wee football…
Crunch time…
82
Former football player and sportscaster Frank Gifford turns 82 today. His wife, Kathie Lee Gifford, turns 59 – also today.
That makes it easy to celebrate the birthdays in the Gifford home…
59
“A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 59% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Obama has received the best treatment from the media so far.”
I guess these folks don’t watch shows like Fox and Friends or much of the Fox News channel…
56
A 56-year-old man “accidentally shot himself in the buttocks at a Nevada movie theater during a showing of ‘The Bourne Legacy.’”
In some undisclosed location Jason Bourne is shaking his head…
24
According to this story from the Great Falls Tribune, “current salaries for members of the [Great Falls, Montana] commission were set nearly 24 years ago on Sept. 20, 1988.”
Maybe if the city paid them more it would entice highly-qualified people to run for City Commission or Mayor…
10
A new poll from Gallup tells us “Ten percent of Americans in August approve of the job Congress is doing, tying last February’s reading as the lowest in Gallup’s 38-year history of this measure. Eighty-three percent disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job.”
OK, so Congress tied an all-time low in the approval department and Mitt Romney picks someone from Congress (Paul Ryan) to be his Vice President…
9
The Jon Tester for Senate campaign sent an e-mail listing nine campaign offices across the state where you can pick up campaign signs.
I hope Tester will include a roller suitcase full of beef with each sign…
2
That’s the population of Garryowen, Montana. The town is for sale, but the auction “was called off Wednesday when none of the 15 people who showed up put in a bid.”
I always liked the song…
1.50
The Steve Bullock for Montana Governor Campaign sent me an e-mail saying, “Yesterday, a six-year-old named Fiona, reached into her pocket and pulled out one dollar and two quarters. The $1.50 came from her allowance and she told me that I should use it for our campaign.”
Immediately, the Montana Republican Party filed a complaint with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices because Fiona did not disclose her occupation.*
*This sentence is a joke…
1
Gallup conducted a poll after Mitt Romney announced Paul Ryan as his running mate and found “Mitt Romney’s standing in the presidential election campaign has not changed materially in the immediate days after his announcement of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his vice-presidential running mate.” Romney gained one point after the Paul Ryan announcement.
The good news is since Paul Ryan resembles Eddie Munster and Mitt Romney resembles Herman Munster, “The Munsters” will be making a comeback this fall! Check out this PHOTO.
Follow Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord
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