The Western Word is coming to you from deep inside an underground bunker in Montana – where we’re helping to deprogram the Trump cult one column at a time…

Welcome to “Thursday Numbers!” In case you are a first-time visitor, this is the weekly column where I take a look at the numbers in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary sometimes sprinkled with sarcasm and humor.

This week’s topics include unemployment claims, USA deaths from coronavirus, fines for lawmakers, Rep. Liz Cheney, Golden Globe Awards, U.S. military, Madden 21 Super Bowl simulation, Super Bowl, former President Donald Trump, a boa constrictor, and much more!

779,000

In the week ending January 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 779,000, a decrease of 33,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The previous week’s level was revised down by 35,000 from 847,000 to
812,000. The 4-week moving average was 848,250, a decrease of 1,250 from the previous week’s revised average. The previous week’s average was revised down by 18,500 from 868,000 to 849,500. (DOL)

*Note: On Thursdays, this column is published right after 6:30 a.m. (Montana time), so I can post the latest unemployment numbers.

450,823

That is how many people have died in the United States from coronavirus, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. There are at least 450,823 deaths and 26,558,715 cases across the country so far. The first death in the USA was reported on February 29, 2020. (Johns Hopkins)

Last week the death total was 429,178.

10,000

The House on Tuesday night adopted a rule to impose fines on lawmakers who flout new security measures requiring they pass through security screening, including metal detectors, to enter the House floor.
Under the measure, lawmakers that refuse to comply would be fined $5,000 for the first offense and $10,000 for a second offense. (NBC News)

Some of the House members are nutjobs.

145-61

The establishment wing of the GOP won a rare and dramatic victory Wednesday night, when Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) beat back an attempt by Donald Trump’s staunchest allies to knock her from power as retribution for voting to impeach the former president just three weeks earlier.
The 145-61 vote in favor of keeping Cheney in leadership, conducted by secret ballot, followed a marathon, closed-door “family discussion” in the basement of the Capitol Visitors Center, where dozens of House Republicans lined up to voice their frustrations with the Wyoming Republican, the most powerful GOP woman in Congress, and called for her removal as conference chair, a role that entails leading the party’s messaging efforts. (The Hill)

I heard that U.S. Representative Matt Rosendale (R-MT/AL) was an asshole during the “family discussion.”

78

After a year where the pandemic nearly emptied movie theaters, Netflix dominated nominations to the 78th Golden Globe Awards on Wednesday, with David Fincher’s “Mank” leading film nominees with six nods and “The Crown” topping all television series. (AP)

60

The U.S. military on Wednesday acknowledged it was unsure about how to address white nationalism and other extremism in its ranks, and announced plans for military-wide stand-downs pausing regular activity at some point in the next 60 days to tackle the issue. (Reuters)

This is a very serious issue.

55

The defending Super Bowl champion and AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs take on the NFC Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV on Sunday, February 7, 2021.

Click HERE for all the details. Go Chiefs! #RunItBack

37-27

Super Bowl LV is just days away and with it, the predictions have begun to roll in. One of the yearly traditions is EA Sports’ Madden NFL franchise running a simulation of the game and this year, they’re predicting a repeat for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
In the game’s official simulation of this year’s matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs, Madden has the Chiefs winning 37-27 to take their second consecutive Lombardi Trophy. (CBS SF Bay Area)

I’m good with that. Go Chiefs!

20

Support for a 2024 run by former President Donald Trump has cratered by 20 points since December, in a stunning poll that illustrates the political bind many Republicans find themselves in.
The new survey from Echelon Insights found that only 45 percent of Republicans would “like to see Donald Trump run for president in 2024,” down from 65 percent in December. (Mediaite.com)

5

A pet boa constrictor that became stuck behind the dashboard of a car in North Carolina needed the help of some animal control officers to wriggle free. But the snake believed to measure about 5 feet in length was ultimately released unharmed from its owner’s vehicle — after some car parts were removed. (AP)

Sounds like a great place to hide…

## WEAR A MASK TODAY ##