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“Thursday Numbers” is the weekly column where I take a look at the numbers that are in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary (sometimes spiked with sarcasm) just to make you smile, shake your head, or make you send me nasty e-mails or Tweets.

This week I write about the national debt, table tennis, unemployment, the Broncos, Common Core, hospital charts, Barry Beach, supervised isolation, attorneys, happiest cities in Montana, The Great Seal, Ryan Zinke, College Football Playoff Rankings, World Series, and much more!

17,892,450,113,024

That’s our national debt – over $17 trillion…(Source)

1,000,000

The Associated Press is reporting, “The Montana Department of Agriculture is taking applications for $1 million in grants to help fight noxious weeds.” (Source)

I may try to get a grant for the weeds in my yard…

287,000

That’s how many people filed new claims for unemployment last week. (Source)

45,000

Table tennis star Zhang Jike won the $45,000 purse for the table tennis World Cup on Sunday in Germany. In celebration he busted two advertising boards after he won and was fined $45,000. (Source)

130

Paul Kitterman disappeared at halftime during the Broncos game Thursday night. He was found on Tuesday 130 miles from the stadium. Police say Kitterman told them “he had his fill of football.” (Source)

Watching the Broncos play makes me want to get away, too…

41

A new Gallup poll found “U.S. public school teachers are closely split in their overall reaction to the Common Core State Standards: 41% view the program positively and 44% negatively.”

Before the anti-Common Core folks start cheering, Gallup also reported, “the majority of teachers who say they work in schools where the Common Core standards were fully implemented in the 2013-2014 school year feel good about it: 61% view it positively versus 35% negatively.”

30

The Associated Press reported that the Montana Supreme Court has ordered the state to respond within 30 days to convicted murderer Barry Beach’s petition to revise his sentence.

I don’t believe current Attorney General Tim Fox has a favorable opinion of Barry Beach and his appeals.

30

Need a smile? Here are 30 actual sentences found in patients’ hospital charts.

21

That’s how many days American troops “will be placed in supervised isolation” after returning “from Ebola response missions in West Africa.” (Source)

18

Here at The Western Word attorneys and judges are fair game. Today I bring you 18 things that attorneys actually said to witnesses in court.

10

Great Falls television station KRTV has a list of the top ten happiest cities in Montana. See the story HERE.

Come on get happy…

7

There’s been a lot of talk about the misuse of “The Great Seal of the State of Montana” recently. Using my best research skills, I quickly found seven occurrences where Montana’s Seal’s use could be considered questionable. This research is saved and safely tucked away.

Disclaimer – To those folks who do not follow government or politics (and to those in the media), “The Great Seal of the State of Montana” is not referring to U.S. House candidate Ryan Zinke, who is a highly-decorated Navy Seal from Montana…

4

The top four college football teams in the first College Football Playoff Rankings are: Mississippi State, Florida State, Auburn, and Ole Miss.

The top four teams will meet in semifinal playoff games on January 1. The winners meet for the National Championship on January 12.

3-2

That’s the final score of World Series game seven with the San Francisco Giants beating the Kansas City Royals 3-2.

Thanks to the Royals for a great season – I am proud of you and Kansas City!

 

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