Quote for today…
Confidence comes not from always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong. —Peter McIntyre
Welcome to “Thursday Numbers!” In case you are a first-time visitor, this is the weekly column where I look at the numbers in the news (in descending order) and provide commentary sometimes sprinkled with sarcasm and humor.
This week’s topics include the Mega Millions lottery, coronavirus deaths, unemployment claims, fully immunized Montanans, eating chicken brains, John W. Warner, TWW Poll results, Adam Vinatieri, another mass shooting, Karine Jean-Pierre, and much more!
516,000,000
Someone purchased the winning Mega Millions ticket worth $516 million in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. (WGAL)
That should pay some bills…
591,957
That is how many people have died in the United States from coronavirus, according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. There have been 33,191,141 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 587,875.
406,000
In the week ending May 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 406,000, a decrease of 38,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 444,000. This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020, when it was 256,000. The 4-week moving average was 458,750, a decrease of 46,000 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 504,750. This is the lowest level for this average since March 14, 2020 when it was 225,500. (DOL)
*Note: On Thursdays, this column is published right after 6:30 a.m. (Montana time), so I can post the latest unemployment numbers.
385,959
That is how many Montanans have been fully immunized for COVID-19. (Source)
Last week the number of fully immunized Montanans was 372,806.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Montana’s estimated population in July 2019 was 1,068,778.
Find COVID-19 Vaccines Near You by clicking HERE.
111
Australia’s oldest-ever man has included eating chicken brains among his secrets to living more than 111 years. Retired cattle rancher Dexter Kruger on Monday marked 124 days since he turned 111, a day older than World War I veteran Jack Lockett was when he died in 2002. (AP)
A cattle rancher eating chicken…
94
Former U.S. Senator John W. Warner (R-VA), a courtly figure and longtime military expert whose marriage to Elizabeth Taylor gave him a potent dash of star power, has died at 94. (AP)
I had the honor of escorting Warner when he came to Great Falls to campaign for U.S. Senator Conrad Burns in 2006. Warner loved to play tennis, so we arranged for him to play at the Meadowlark Country Club. He also talked to his ex-wife, Elizabeth Taylor, while I was driving him to Malmstrom AFB. He was a very nice man who loved the military and those who served.
Rest in Peace.
50
Regarding the latest Palestinian-Israeli conflict, this week’s poll question asked, “Do you support Israel or Palestine in this conflict?”
UNDECIDED: 50%
ISRAEL: 25%
PALESTINE: 25%
Thank you for participating.
24
Kicker Adam Vinatieri, the NFL’s all-time scoring leader, announced Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show” that he is retiring after 24 seasons. Vinatieri, 48, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and a first-team All-Pro pick three times, scored 2,673 points and made a record 599 field goals for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis, where he played his final 14 seasons. (ESPN)
He has four Super Bowl rings.
9
An employee opened fire Wednesday at a California rail yard, killing eight people before taking his own life as law enforcement rushed in, authorities said, marking the latest attack in a year that has seen a sharp increase in mass killings as the nation emerges from coronavirus restrictions. (AP)
Fox News is reporting that a ninth victim died overnight. (Fox News)
Another sad day in the United States…
1 & 2
White House principal deputy press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made her debut at the briefing room podium on Wednesday, making history in the process in what some viewed as a first audition for the press secretary job down the road. Jean-Pierre became the first openly gay woman to deliver a White House briefing, and she is only the second Black woman to do so. The first, Judy Smith, did so in 1991 as deputy press secretary for then-President George H.W. Bush. (The Hill)
There are many firsts in the Biden administration.
The Western Word 
Two questions. How many poll participants proceeded to post? (say that fast four times) The number of voters would be helpful. Second. If you kick a football enough times, can you get chronic traumatic toeopathy?
San Jose. many dead, add it to the list. Republican recalcitrance. Mentally ill people, not an effective voting constituency. OR, mentally ill body politic voting for mentally ill (mostly republican)
candidates. Many foreign countries, with good and bad will, think Canada or China, Think we are really stupid. We must act to redress our weaknesses or lose our system, which I think is the best the world has ever seen, even with warts.
John – Thanks for your comments. I don’t disclose how many participants there are in polls. I’ve had as few as 25 in some polls to several thousand in other polls. I don’t know about voters. Thanks, JmB
voters was a poor word choice. I should have said respondents or participants. total numbers helps.
Let’s take a stab at the official Republican response to the mass shooting in San Jose:
“Thoughts and prayers. But now is not the time to talk about doing anything about gun violence. We can do that later. Just remember, guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people.”
Terry- That about nails it. Thanks, JmB