The answer is a resounding Yes!
 

1. We believe most of them to be actual facts,
   i.e., we believe them to be true, or at least to
   have some truth to them. 

   However, many have a degree of subjectivity,
   or a "point of view" aspect.
    
   As the reader, you must decide what you think.

2. Since we ourselves cannot independently "prove"
   most of them, we label them factoids.
    
3. Almost all of them are based upon secondhand
   knowledge, generally from something in print*
   ... or the modern equivalent, such as radio, TV, cable,
   Internet, social media, etc. -- which is another
   reason to call them factoids.

   *	The term factoid was first coined by Norman Mailer back in 1973 to describe facts that came into existence by appearing in a magazine or newspaper.

    
4. Also, they are briefly stated and somewhat interesting
   facts -- which are what were labeled as factoids
   in the 1980s and 1990s by CNN and the BBC.

View them.  Study them.  Think about them.
 

• If you believe the factoid, describe why you believe it.
• If you disagree with the factoid, describe why you disagree.
• If you believe the factoid - but do not like the
  situation it addresses, then please describe:
  1. Why do you not like the situation?
  2. How do you suggest the situation be changed?
  3. How do you suggest that change be accomplished?

The intent is that each factoid primarily should stand
by itself and should be contemplated alone. 
Subsequently, it can be linked with other factoids
to further study the relationships between them.
 
In addition, reading the factoids in a random sequence
helps to keep the mind alert and stimulated.

It is the abbreviation we use for "compare with" and to
flag links to related factoids and references.

1. We openly display the source in those cases where
   we think the source is part of the message.
    
   1. Most times, we believe that the value of the
      message lies with the message itself,
      independent of the source. 
       
   2. Often, identifying the source up front
      might trigger pre-bias in the reader and
      hamper the intended communication.
       
   3. Starting in 2013, pop-up boxes are being added
      to selected factoids to display the information
      source, especially for direct quotations.
       
2. A factoid often highlights just a portion of the
   original words, so the focus in the factoid may
   vary from the overall theme of the original author.
    
3. It would be cost-prohibitive for us to locate and
   verify what might have been the "original" source
   -- as opposed to from where the students
   found it.
    
   1. As the next best alternative, we try to document
      the immediate source (albeit behind the scenes)
      with a comment line embedded in the HTML
      source code of the page.
       
   2. Starting in 2013, pop-up boxes are being used
      with selected factoids to display the source
      information more readily.
       

1. Business is politics and politics is business.
    
2. There is a very large business sector, whose business
   is politics.
    
3. What happens in business, drives the need for
   political policy, laws, and regulation, which in turn,
   drives the behavior of business (too often to skirt the
   law, unfortunately).

1. A lot of people do not believe (or practice)
   separation of "church and state."
    
2. Politics is a religion to many people.
    
3. And for some people, their religion is their politics.
    
4. The actual religion practiced by many people
   involves "profits" and evangelical-extreme politics.

1. Editorial license
2. We cannot help it

1. Some of them may be.
    
2. It may well have been a biased situation
   that prompted the factoid.
    
3. Indeed there appears to be a steady trend
   caused by the rapid shift in the Republican
   Party over the past few decades.
   (See also 15000.)
    
4. Every reader has her or his own unique bias.
   Consequently, each factoid (or the situation
   which prompted it) will likely appear to be
   either to the left or to the right of the reader.
   (See also 5479.)
    

Yes, indirectly.
 

1. In order to collect factoids, students must
   read, listen, watch, and think -- all of which
   is beneficial to the students.
    
2. Competative rivalry exists among the students,
   to find the most significant, the most informative,
   the most challenging, (etc.)
   ("Political Checkmates" are the most prized.)
    
3. The more involved students are with the
   factoid collection, the better they tend to do
   on exams, particularly since the factoids
   are used in one of their final exams.

Yes, absolutely, continually.
 

1. Any errors reported by readers are fixed
   promptly.
    
2. The on-going peer review of the collection
   by fellow students frequently identifies typos,
   small editing errors, and occasionally,
   word changes needed for clarification.
    
3. Evolution of the website over time drives
   needed changes to the HTML coding.
    
4. As time passes, some factoids need
   to be revised to ensure continued
   readability (e.g., tense, context).

It signifies the end of the factoid.  Traditionally
used by journalists to indicate the end of a story,
it often appears at the end of a press release.