Welcome to “Thursday Numbers!” I’m glad you stopped by!

If you are a new visitor, this is my weekly column where I take a look at the numbers that are in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary (sometimes with a little sarcasm).

TAKE NOTE:  By reading this column you may be able to use the information to impress your family, friends, and co-workers. Please consider yourself warned.

This week I write about Powerball, unemployment, Flathead Lake, Fort Harrison VA Medical Center, Powder River Training Complex, sexual assaults, Dow Jones, birth control pills, Bullock vetoes, Elvis, Mark Sanford, Minot Air Force Base, Congressional approval, Cleveland, and Titus Young. There’s much more so read on!

270,000,000

That’s how much ($270 million) the Powerball jackpot will be for the next drawing, which is Saturday night.

Time to dream…

323,000

That’s the number of new claims for unemployment filed last week, which was a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week’s revised figure.

It seems to be getting better…

83,500

Keller Transport Inc. was fined $83,500 for a 2008 spill near Flathead Lake in NW Montana.

Give a hoot, don’t pollute…

59,820

The Helena Independent Record reports, “A man who thought he would be dead within six months after being incorrectly diagnosed with brain cancer at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center has been awarded $59,820 for the grief and stress it caused him and his family.”

And you thought the VA claims process was a mess. 

27,500

The proposed expansion of the Powder River Training Complex from 8,300 square miles to 27,500 square miles is expected to be decided by March. Then the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs to review the plan. The area will be used for the training of B-1 and B-52 bombers. The area includes parts of South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.

This plan should have been approved long ago…

26,000

According to the New York Times, “the Pentagon released a survey estimating that 26,000 people in the armed forces were sexually assaulted last year, up from 19,000 in 2010.”

Terrible leadership. Terrible.

15,056.20

The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 15,000 on Tuesday for the first time, closing at 15,056.20.

For the rest of us, it’s just a number…

1960

On this date in 1960, the Food and Drug Administration approved use of a birth control pill.

490

The Associated Press reports that Montana Governor Steve Bullock received 490 bills from the Montana Legislature this past session. “He signed 387 of them, vetoed 71, used line-item veto authority on three spending bills and let another 28 become law without his signature.”

And that’s how our government works…

87

According to Public Policy Polling, “87% of Americans think Elvis is dead.”

I actually saw Elvis the other day – he was sitting between me and Bigfoot on the UFO…

54

Back from his political grave, former Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford won his congressional race Tuesday night with 54% of the vote over Elizabeth Colbert Busch, who had about 45%.

Apparently the National GOP abandoned Sanford during his campaign which may mean several other Republicans may ask the GOP to abandon them.

17

I Tweeted a link to this story early Tuesday morning: According to an Associated Press exclusive report concerning Minot Air Force Base (AFB), in North Dakota, “The Air Force stripped an unprecedented 17 officers of their authority to control — and, if necessary, launch — nuclear missiles after a string of unpublicized failings, including a remarkably dim review of their unit’s launch skills.”

These young officers should realize that this is not rocket science. Oh…wait…never mind…

Maybe the Air Force should close Minot and move their missions to Malmstrom AFB in Montana.

16

A new poll from Gallup found that, “Americans continue to express frustration with Congress: 16% approve of the job it is doing, essentially the same as in April.” They do like their own Congressional Representative a little more.

There are only so many ways to say someone sucks at their job…

9

The Associated Press is reporting, “The U.S. can keep nine bases in Afghanistan after the scheduled 2014 NATO combat troop pullout, the country’s president said Thursday, the first time he has made such an offer in public.”

How about zero?

3

Prayers go to the three women who were found in Cleveland after being abducted about 10 years ago.

Amazing story – here’s hoping their captor(s) receive the maximum sentence.

2

Former Detroit Lions receiver Titus Young was arrested twice in 15 hours, first for suspicion of DUI then for burglary when he tried to steal his car from the impound lot.

Young needs some professional help…

Follow me on Twitter @TheWesternWord

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