Speculation is one thing (and we all love it

), stating something as fact while it is only speculation or hear-say is another.
I for one am quite happy with strict rules being applied; makes this forum one of the few that still has a level of civilization, unlike many, many, many others. And I do think there is harm in 'a little more', because if the rules are bent (or expanded) bit by bit, you will end up with just another crappy forum in the long run. I've seen this happen to so many forums. You can like the rules or not, but they are what keeps this place sane. Of all the forums I know, the ones I found most pleasant are always the ones with the strict rules.
That said, I encourage people to post stuff like this, just be prepared to back it up.