Phobias are treated by exposure or immersion. How, then, is one supposed to deal with a phobia of petty authority? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 8, 2009 - 18 answers

I'm a freelance writer and I am trying to find instances related to the letter of inquiry below I sent to a Virginia magazine. This is a real-life situation of an acquaintence in the state of Utah. I'm looking for contacts, primary sources and attributable anecdotes. I've left calls with appropriate offices and have received no response. Meanwhile, my deadline is looming. Any help would be appreciated. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on Apr 2, 2008 - 7 answers

It's become apparent that in my personal, work and social life, I need to get people to do what I want them to do naturally. Without having to justify every little incident. How do I do that and become more assertive? [more inside]
posted by aprivateperson on Jul 24, 2007 - 32 answers

In the famous Milgram experiment, to examine obedience and authority, why does the actor never specifically use the word 'help'? [more inside]
posted by bluejayk on Apr 8, 2007 - 18 answers

My university library turned vicious today when they had a policeman threaten to drag me out in handcuffs for "disorderly conduct" because I said "fucking" one time, and not loudly. He called it a "warning," but his attitude was full-bore Authoritarian Condescension. The situation is strange enough that it seems like I shouldn't just let this lie, but what is the best way to complain to the school, officially, without actually doing something brash like suing? [more inside]
posted by JHarris on Mar 31, 2007 - 77 answers

I might have to go to court for a parking violation, and, for several reasons, I'm not sure what to do. [more inside]
posted by Ash3000 on Oct 12, 2006 - 8 answers

How should I handle this sticky job situation? I was offered a job, declined, have worked as a consultant, and now they hired an executive and charged him with tasks I would have been doing had I taken the job. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 22, 2006 - 10 answers

What are my rights, as a canadian citizen, dealing with police? [more inside]
posted by ChrisR on Jul 30, 2006 - 15 answers

Last night I jokingly sent an email to my college's internet maintenance crew [for lack of a better description].... [more inside]
posted by cloeburner on Feb 1, 2006 - 40 answers

I saw white Homeland Security cars during a walk through San Francisco tonight. They were marked, "Department of Protective Services," or something like that -- I'd never heard of the DPS. What is it, and why would they be cruising around a neighborhood?
posted by johngoren on Oct 27, 2005 - 11 answers