Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

Friday morning, more than most weeks, I was struggling for a column idea, so this week you get a few short columns all in one.

'NOT REAL NEWS' FEATURE

With all the talk now about "fake news" the Associated Press has a weekly roundup of "Not Real News: A look at what didn't happen this week."

It's stories that have circulated on social media by fake news sources or satirical sources that people take as fact.

I can tell I haven't been on Facebook as much as some people because I was not familiar with any of the "not real news" in the AP's column, it included a story that Jefferson Davis statue was to be replaced with an Obama likeness, another was that the FBI uncovered evidence that 62 million Trump voters are Russian spies.

You have to love that last one - that would be a great one for April Fool's Day.

The new weekly feature, according to the AP, is their ongoing effort to fact-check claims in suspected false news stories.

This brings to mind a recent Facebook post about a rumor in Worland that O'Reilly was not coming in but instead it was going to be a Wendy's at the former CowCamp lot.

The facts are that Wendy's is not coming to Worland and that O'Reilly's is building the store that they submitted plans for to the city last year.

CULTUREFEST TODAY

While May is an extremely busy month for us at the newspaper with a lot of end-of-the-school year events and photo assignments, there is never a dull moment or any real downtime, and that includes the summer.

The pace may not be as hectic but there's still plenty for us to do including covering the 16th annual CultureFest today. It's a great line up of entertainment and plenty of vendors so come to the community center and enjoy some time in the sun.

This summer will also be full of demolition derby June 24, DPS Dyno and Dirt Drag Races also June 24,

Ten Sleep Fourth of July celebration, Washakie County Fair in August, Nowoodstock in August and the barbecue and bluegrass festival in August.

There's also some baseball tournaments, summer camps at the museum and community center and many more activities that will keep us and many of the area residents busy this summer.

IT WASN'T FUNNY

And, following along the lines of last week's column, where the Texas teachers gave the fun, fake "most likely to be a terrorist award fell way short of being funny, this week's It's Not Funny Award goes to Kathy Griffin. Whether you like President Donald Trump or not, whether you are conservative or liberal, a photo of a a bloodied head of the president is not funny.

It doesn't make any type of political statement.

To come out, roll your eyes during a supposed apology, doesn't mask the fact, it wasn't funny. It was inappropriate.

To come out and blame the president and say it was a political statement for his comments about former Fox News and now NBC commentator Megyn Kelly, well OK that's sad but kind of laughable.

Once again Kathy Griffin shows what's wrong with today's society. So many people won't take responsibility for their own actions.

Yes, the First Amendment gives her the freedom to make fun of the president but it also gives people the right to call her out on it and she has to learn to deal with the consequences.

She called a photographer, had the bloodied head prepared. There was a lot of thought into her "stunt." She thought her liberal friends would stand beside her. Conservatives and liberals alike condemned the stunt. So instead of just owning it and taking responsibility for it and dealing with the consequences, it's someone else's fault.