Quote for today…

I have the right to remain silent, but I lack the ability to do so. -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 nation, state, and local COVID numbers, unemployment claims, Captain Kirk, TWW poll results, Trump statement, firearms at airport checkpoints, Social Security boost, plus much more!

719,546

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 44,684,338 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 707,797.

Thanks to everyone who wears a mask and has been vaccinated – you are patriots!

495,205

That is how many Montanans have been fully immunized for COVID-19. That is just 54% of the eligible population. (Source)

Last week the number of fully immunized Montanans was 481,562.

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.

293,000

In the week ending October 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 293,000, a decrease of 36,000 from the previous week’s revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000. The previous week’s level was revised up by 3,000 from 326,000 to 329,000. The 4-week moving average was 334,250, a decrease of 10,500 from the previous week’s revised average. This is the lowest level for this average since March 14, 2020 when it was 225,500. The previous week’s average was revised up by 750 from 344,000 to 344,750. (DOL)

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

90,000

At least 90,000 COVID-19 deaths among unvaccinated adults since June could have been prevented with vaccines that were widely available, a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) analysis released Wednesday found. Most of the preventable fatalities — about 49,000 — occurred last month as the highly transmissible delta variant took its toll on the U.S. and sparked a surge in cases. (The Hill)

Freedom…

119

That is how many positive COVID cases were reported in the Great Falls Public Schools for the week ending October 8, 2021. (Source)

Last week the positive COVID cases numbered 150.

Mask up, Montana!

90

Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner, blasted into space Wednesday in a convergence of science fiction and science reality, reaching the final frontier aboard a ship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company. (AP)

Beam me up, Scotty!

49

The Cascade County (Great Falls, MT) City-County Health Department reports that as of Wednesday still only 49% of eligible individuals in the county are vaccinated. (Source)

The freedom to not get vaccinated or wear a mask is killing us…

30.77

This week’s poll question asked, “Which (Montana) congressional map do you prefer?”
Background can be found HERE and HERE.

Here are the results:

CP 2: 30.77%
CP 1: 23.08%
CP 8: 15.38%
CP 9: 15.38%
CP 6: 7.69%
CP 7: 7.69%

Please make sure you let the Montana Redistricting and Apportionment committee know your choice by clicking HERE.

‘22 or ‘24

Statement from former President Donald Trump:

If we don’t solve the Presidential Election Fraud of 2020 (which we have thoroughly and conclusively documented), Republicans will not be voting in ‘22 or ‘24. It is the single most important thing for Republicans to do. (Source)

Alrighty then…

20

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers detected a record number of firearms at airport security checkpoints this year, establishing a 20-year record with three months remaining in the calendar year and fewer passengers traveling due to the pandemic. By October 3rd of this year, TSA officers had stopped 4,495 airline passengers from carrying firearms onto their flights, surpassing the previous record of 4,432 firearms caught at checkpoints in the full calendar year 2019. TSA officers discovered 11 firearms in carry-on bags at airport checkpoints per million passengers screened so far in 2021. This compares to 5 firearms per million passengers in 2019. (TSA Press)

You must really be a dumbass to try to take a firearm through a security checkpoint…

5.9

Millions of retirees on Social Security will get a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows a burst in inflation as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of the coronavirus pandemic. (AP)

Is this a great country or what?

## GET VACCINATED – WEAR A MASK ##