Quote for today…

Some of y’all are too busy being Republican or Democrat to notice you stopped being decent a long time ago. – Unknown

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 JBS USA, deaths from coronavirus, fully immunized Montanans, unemployment claims, Gun Violence, TWW Poll results, same-sex marriage, U.S. abortion attitudes, Best & Worst States for Jobs, plus much more!

11,000,000

Major meat producer JBS USA said it paid the equivalent of $11 million to hackers to resolve a ransomware attack that forced the company to shut down its beef plants. (The Hill)

That’s a lot of steaks…

598,776

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 33,414,733 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 595,839.

405,648

That is how many Montanans have been fully immunized for COVID-19. That is 44% of the eligible population. (Source)

Last week the number of fully immunized Montanans was 394,775.

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.

376,000

In the week ending June 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 376,000, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 385,000. This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020, when it was 256,000. The 4-week moving average was 402,500, a decrease of 25,500 from the previous week’s unrevised average of 428,000. 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.

25,000

As of Tuesday night, the United States has now eclipsed 25,000+ combined fatal and non-fatal shootings this year. (Gun Violence Archive)

Is there a solution to this problem?

90

The Western Word’s poll this week asked, “Do you trust Dr. Anthony Fauci?”

Here are the results…

YES: 90%
NO: 10%

Thank you for participating.

70

U.S. support for legal same-sex marriage continues to trend upward, now at 70% — a new high in Gallup’s trend since 1996. This latest figure marks an increase of 10 percentage points since 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all states must recognize same-sex marriages. (Gallup)

Freedom.

58

Gallup’s latest update on U.S. abortion attitudes finds 58% of Americans opposed to overturning the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, while 32% are in favor. Since 1989, between 52% and 66% of U.S. adults have wanted to maintain the landmark abortion decision. Today’s support roughly matches the average over that three-decade period. (Gallup)

I do not think Roe v. Wade should be overturned, although I don’t want to see more abortions. I’d like to see adoption promoted more.

47

Americans are sharply divided in their abortion views, including on its morality, with an equal split between those who believe it is morally acceptable and those who say it is morally wrong. The 47% who say it is acceptable is, by two percentage points, the highest Gallup has recorded in two decades of measurement. Just one point separates them from the 46% who think abortion is wrong from a moral perspective. (Gallup)

Abortion is a deeply personal decision that needs to be left up to the woman and her doctor.

26

With the economy gaining 559,000 jobs in May, picking up steam after last month’s disappointing numbers, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021’s Best & Worst States for Jobs, as well as accompanying videos. Montana is #26. South Dakota is #1. Kentucky is last. (WalletHub)

I can’t wait for Montana Governor Greg Gianforte to shout, “We’re 26 we’re 26!”

## GET VACCINATED ##