A fact is a statement that is true and can be verified objectively, or proven. In other words, a fact is true and correct no matter what. An opinion, however, is a statement that holds an element of belief; it tells how someone feels. An opinion is not always true and cannot be proven.
Many posts in the Forum are of opinions, and that is perfectly proper and is encouraged. However, when opinions are offered as fact, it does little to enhance the believability of the poster ... except with like minded persons.
My pledge to the Forum: I will continue to deal with facts, and I will provide the source site. Opinion posts are avoided at all times, since arguments will not change minds set in concrete. When offering an opinion, I will clearly label it with IMHO.
I do not expect others to make a similar pledge, since supposition seem to be so important to you.
That sounds fine to me.
But, when trying to look "behind the curtain" - there often is a dearth of provable facts. But there are patterns that can be used to make assumptions that are not based only on beliefs. If we rely on only proven facts, there is precious little to discuss, isn't there?
Brenda Snipes has exhibited patterns of behavior.
Adam Shchitt (I know - I know . . . ) has exhibited patterns of behavior.
Rod Rosenstein has exhibited patterns of behavior.
And, I'm thinking you might say that Donald Trump has exhibited patterns of behavior.
Sometimes you have to take the known facts, often incomplete, and try to connect the dots. Or, you have nothing to talk about.
So, here's one just out now.
The November 1 death of Daniel Best, a former pharmaceutical executive in charge of efforts to lower prescription drug prices for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has been ruled a suicide, according to the Washington D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which noted that Best died of "multiple blunt force injuries," according to Cleveland.com.
Now, fact - he's dead. Fact - he died of "multiple blunt force injuries." Face - the death has been ruled a suicide.
As I said, this just came out, and quite possibly we will hear more soon, but this reminds me of visiting a friend I went to college with back in the hills of Kentucky. Just before I got there, a man had been found in his neighbor's bed, shot six times through the head, and the coroner had ruled it suicide. Well, I guess it was . . .
The fact is that it was ruled a suicide.
The opinion is that's a mighty suspicious suicide.
The fact is that I went to the referenced site (Cleveland.com )and was alerted to close the site immediately.
It's a photoshopped copy of the article in the Cleveland Plains Dealer.
It will be interesting to see if Zerohedge.com prints a correction, or continues to exhibit this "fake news".
That's interesting.
Goes to show (maybe, at least) - "facts" aren't always what they are presented as.
As I said, this just came out, and quite possibly we will hear more soon