Wow…it’s almost Labor Day. Where did the summer of 2013 go?

If this is your first time reading “Thursday Numbers,” this is where I take a look at the numbers that are in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary (sometimes spiked with a little sarcasm).

This week I write about Mars colonists, Miley Cyrus and twerking, Judge G. Todd Baugh, bonuses for VA claims processors and service awards, unemployment claims, starting school, John McCain, Jon Tester, MLB’s beer prices, NFL rosters, Labor Day, driving drunk, and much more so read on…

5,500,000

Although Veterans Affairs claims were backlogged, the Washington Post is reporting that “In 2011, a year in which the claims backlog ballooned by 155 percent, more than two-thirds of (Department of Veterans Affairs) claims processors shared $5.5 million in bonuses, according to salary data from the Office of Personnel Management.”

331,000

That’s how many new claims for unemployment were filed last week, a decrease of 6,000 from the previous week’s revised figure of 337,000.

165,000

That’s how many applications have been received to be Mars colonists.

This may be a good way to get rid of some relatives…

283

School started yesterday (August 28) in many places across Montana. For those looking ahead, school ends in many places across Montana on June 6, 2014.

That’s 283 days from beginning to end if you are counting…

77

U.S. Senator John McCain turns 77 today.

70

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., spoke to “nearly 70” members of the Wyoming State Democratic Party Tuesday night at the Black Tooth Brewing Company in Sheridan.

I was surprised Wyoming has 70 democrats…

60

The most expensive beer (per ounce) in Major League Baseball belongs to the Boston Red Sox at $0.60 per ounce. The cheapest is the Los Angeles Angels which is $0.28 per ounce.

53

On Saturday (August 31) NFL teams “must reduce rosters to a maximum of 53 players on the active/inactive list by 6 p.m. ET.”

Many eyes are on Tim Tebow.

53

A new Rasmussen Reports survey of 1000 adults found that 53% said school should start after Labor Day.

I agree with that. It should end the weekend before Memorial Day, too.

33

A new poll from Gallup found “Thirty-three percent of K-12 parents say they fear for their oldest child’s safety at school, unchanged from last December, and higher than the 25% at the start of the 2012-2013 school year.”

31

On Monday (Sept. 2) the Central Montana Labor Council is sponsoring the 31st Annual Labor Day Picnic at Montana Expo Park in Great Falls (MT) from noon to 4:00 p.m. Free food and refreshments!

30

A teacher, Stacey Rambold, was sentenced by District Judge G. Todd Baugh “to 15 years in prison with all but 31 days suspended and one day credited for time served for three counts of sexual intercourse without consent starting in 2007.” The sexual intercourse was with a 14-year-old girl, who later killed herself. During sentencing Baugh said the girl was “as much in control of the situation” and she was “older than her chronological age.”

On Wednesday morning Baugh apologized for his remarks.

There’s a problem with several district court judges in Montana; this is another sickening example.

20

That’s the age of Miley Cyrus. She has over 13 million followers on Twitter.

Thanks to Miley more people now know about “Twerking”

16

There are 16 NFL preseason games tonight – the final games of the pre-season. The regular season starts next Thursday (Sept. 5) with Baltimore at Denver (NBC).

7

According to KRTV in Great Falls, Mont., “Belinda Jean Hext has been charged with her seventh DUI, one count of disorderly conduct, and an open container violation.” Additionally, “The trooper said that Hext appeared very disoriented, and when he asked for her driver’s license, she handed over a $10 bill.”

Why are people like Hext even free to get a seventh DUI?

5

CBS News is reporting, “In January, a CBS News investigation found that a veterans’ hospital in Pittsburgh knew for more than a year that it had an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, but kept it secret until five patients died and 21 others became ill.”

Also, “Just days after that finding, the department gave [Regional Director Michael Moreland] a $62,895 service award for saving the government money on a hospital construction project, and for starting a new infection prevention program.”

 

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