Well DougR didn't pick a very smart example there! According to Christopher North, some 200 years ago, the sun never set on "His Majesty's dominions."

Having had to apologise to Teribus a couple of times recently, I'm certainly beginning to see the case against facts (though I think it was him, not me, who was left "clutching at straws" in that infant-mortality wrangle you mentioned, Ake). But to be fair to the guy, his extraordinary marshalling of facts has given me pause for thought on quite a few occasions.

I'd always rank a good opinion ahead of a dubious fact of course - provided it comes clearly labelled as such, rather than masquerading as a fact.