# What’s behind Obama’s executive order against Snopes? \[Joke on Snopes site\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 11, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652 "2016-03-11T16:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/1 "2016-03-11T16:08:09Z")
This morning, while browsing Snopes, I stumbled across an article written by Kim LaCapria, and later found other pieces by her, and [they all end with:](http://www.snopes.com/author/kim/?page=5#!) > [@](#): > > Kim LaCapria is a New York-based content manager and longtime [snopes.com](http://snopes.com) message board participant. Although she was investigated and found to be “probably false” by [snopes.com](http://snopes.com) in early 2002, Kim later began writing for the site due to an executive order unilaterally passed by President Obama during a secret, late-night session (without the approval of Congress). Click like and share if you think this is an egregious example of legislative overreach. Since when did Obama start writing executive orders forcing sites like Snopes to use writers for their site, that not only was not their choosing, but they also found to be probably false on content? This reads like a spoof. I kept checking to see if I really was on Snopes. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/2 "2016-03-11T16:11:07Z")
Perhaps the text means that the signing of the order and it’s subject and effects motivated her to write, instead of meaning that the order literally ordered her to write. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/3 "2016-03-11T16:15:42Z")
Are we being serious. It’s a joke. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/4 "2016-03-11T16:16:53Z")
> [@razncain](#): > > This reads like a spoof. You don’t say? Personally, I (and my friend Rene Descartes) would be more concerned about how a physical person can be found “probably false.” ETA: It’s not exactly rare for writers to pen tongue-in-cheek bios. I’m surprised you haven’t seen one before. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/5 "2016-03-11T16:17:00Z")
I have no idea who she is or what the word salad at the end of her article means, but I do have a question. Do other Snopes writers have spurious biographies? I think the bio is a marginal attempt at mocking the ridiculous web content she disputes as a writer on the site. Do other Snopes writers use similar biographies? ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/6 "2016-03-11T16:22:49Z")
Well, I guess a spoof it is then. I was looking at other articles by her, and they were all serious, but ended with that, so I guess she got me. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/7 "2016-03-11T16:25:27Z")
It looks like a “funny” bio writers or their editors throw in there. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/8 "2016-03-11T16:36:22Z")
Every writer on Snopes has a funny fake bio. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/9 "2016-03-11T16:39:42Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > Do other Snopes writers have spurious biographies? Yes, several of them. > [@](#): > > Dan Evon is a Chicago-based writer and longtime truth enthusiast. His work has appeared somewhere, and he earned a degree at the University of His Choosing. His exploration of Internet truth has been supported by grants from the Facebook Drug Task Force. > [@](#): > > founded [snopes.com](http://snopes.com) in 1994, and under his guidance the company has pioneered a number of revolutionary technologies, including the iPhone, the light bulb, beer pong, and a vaccine for a disease that has not yet been discovered. He is currently seeking political asylum in the Duchy of Grand Fenwick. > [@](#): > > Jeff Zarronandia is the pseudonym of J. Eff Zarronandia, an American author and journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize for numismatics in 2006 and was one of four finalists for the prize in 2008. He was also the winner of the Distinguished Conflagration Award of the American Society of Muleskinners for 2005. But not all > [@](#): > > Brooke Binkowski is an award-winning journalist and researcher. She has written and produced for CNN, CBS, NPR, the Globe and Mail, AJ+, the Christian Science Monitor, and various other outlets. Brooke speaks two languages well and five languages very badly. She loves to travel, run, play music, and read, and is an avid saber fencer and an accordion enthusiast. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/10 "2016-03-11T16:58:57Z")
No executive order is an example of “legislative overreach.” Executive overreach, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/11 "2016-03-11T17:10:50Z")
With the density of political CTers in this country I think a spoof bio on a site dedicated to debunking BS would do better than to invent a fake CT involving one of their debunkers. Pretty shortsighted if you ask me. ETA ref **Ravenman**. Neither are executive orders “passed.” ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/12 "2016-03-11T17:40:34Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But not all > > > [@](#): > > > > Brooke Binkowski is an award-winning journalist and researcher. She has written and produced for CNN, CBS, NPR, the Globe and Mail, AJ+, the Christian Science Monitor, and various other outlets. Brooke speaks two languages well and five languages very badly. She loves to travel, run, play music, and read, and is an avid saber fencer and an **accordion enthusiast**. Accordion enthusiast? And you think that one’s not a spoof too?? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/13 "2016-03-11T18:30:04Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Accordion enthusiast? And you think that one’s not a spoof too?? Weird Al is one. So that makes at least two. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/14 "2016-03-11T18:45:07Z")
Snopes has a history of not taking itself too seriously. > **[Mister Ed was a Zebra](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mister-ed-zebra/)** > > Was Mister Ed a horse? ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/15 "2016-03-11T18:45:52Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > With the density of political CTers in this country I think a spoof bio on a site dedicated to debunking BS would do better than to invent a fake CT involving one of their debunkers. > > Pretty shortsighted if you ask me. > > ETA ref **Ravenman**. Neither are executive orders “passed.” Wasn’t Snopes the website that started the rumor that Mr. Ed was a zebra? ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/16 "2016-03-11T19:23:28Z")
It appears to be a common belief among the derpier side of right-wing/tea party supporters that Snopes is a big part of the Liberal Media Conspiracy, and therefore if you try to refute any claims they make by citing Snopes, your cites are automatically invalid. I suspect this is part of the satire (“Obama is forcing me to write articles that advance his socialist agenda!”) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/17 "2016-03-11T20:05:30Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Wasn’t Snopes the website that started the rumor that Mr. Ed was a zebra? “What’s the secret of com…” “ **Timing**!” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/18 "2016-03-11T20:25:34Z")
Since this is a joke, let’s move it over to MPSIMS. I also added a clarification to the title. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/19 "2016-03-12T06:52:27Z")
Gee. I don’t happen to look at snopes all that often, but I just did. It has been re-organized and re-formatted beyond recognition from when I last looked there. Are the Mikkelsons even running it any more? I always thought it was just the two of them running the whole show. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652/20 "2016-03-12T07:43:38Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Snopes has a history of not taking itself too seriously. > > [Mister Ed was a Zebra | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/lost/mistered.asp) Yes, from **T** he **R** epository **O** f **L** ost **L** egends section. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-s-behind-obama-s-executive-order-against-snopes-joke-on-snopes-site/748652.md?page=2)