Thumbs up to another sign of prosperity in Montana: the taxable value of Montana property increased $120 million, topping $2 billion for the first time.

It should come as little surprise in Helena that the taxable values -- a small fraction of the property's real, market value -- was led by a 32 percent hike in taxable business property.

Thumbs down to pine beetles, whose spread in Montana has arrived on Mount Helena. The beetle is especially effective against trees weakened by drought, which obviously is a good description of Mount Helena trees after long weeks of heat with almost no rain.

Thumbs up to Montana ACT scores, which held their own at an average of 21.9 this year, compared with a national average of 21.1. State students scored higher than the national average in all four categories: English, math, reading and science. However, shouldn't those scores be going up?

Thumbs down to the latest Chinese dragon attack on consumers, this time involving multiple recalls of toys distributed by toy giant Mattel, mostly because they were tainted by lead paint. It's always troublesome when companies are forced to recall products, but who thought parents would have to be afraid of Big Bird and Elmo?