Where did Snopes.com get its name?

Search: snopes name

Why: Last night, I was reading "Barn Burning" by William Faulkner and saw this:

What's your name, boy?" the justice said.
"Colonel Sartoris Snopes," the boy whispered.
"Hey?" the Justice said. "Talk louder. Colonel Sartoris? I reckon anybody named for Colonel Sartoris in this country can't help but tell the truth, can they?

Answer: From the FAQ:

Q: What are 'snopes'?

A: Snopes is the name of a family of characters who appear throughout the works of American writer William Faulkner. See the Faulkner on the Web glossary entry about Snopes for more information.

I think I probably read that before in that Reader's Digest story about the Rumor Detectives, David and Barbara Mikkelson.

That pic is from another story about them on RationalSkepticism.com.

Source: Snopes FAQ

The More You Know: Did you know you can add Snopes to your iGoogle homepage? It's true! I use the one that says "New Urban Legends."

Today I learned that refrigerating batteries actually shortens their lifespan, not extends it.