Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with opinion

Just Questions? Just Answers?

london302 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:24:47 -0800

I just bumped into a website justanswers.com while researching the world of medical second opinion. I have questions about the business and the human psyhcology behind it..... 1. I am intrigued byt their business model where you pay what you think is fair and also if you are not satisfied with the answer you can choose not to pay (is this real and how does it really work?). Are they relying on the goodwill of the customer and isnt the web a dangerous place to be doing this?

2. Have you, do you or do you know anyone who works for justanswers.com (pref. medical side)? What are your experiences?

3. Does this model make money?

Thanks very much in advance

I'd like to read some more legal mumbo jumbo

Deathalicious — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:29:21 -0800

After reading the legal opinion posted through this FPP post, I am reminded of how much I actually enjoy reading a well written, interesting legal opinion or briefing. So. What are some other exciting or interesting legal readings, and are there good websites or other (preferably free or available in a library) resources for reading legal documents?

Recommend me a gym

sailoreagle — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:42:27 -0800

Brighton-UK-filter: recommend me a gym. I've recently moved to Brighton, UK, and I would like to start going to a gym; but I have honestly no idea where to begin picking one. Google's turned up a bunch of options, with varying reviews, but I'm interested in personal experience - I'd rather not waste my money on something that looks good on paper but is vastly different in reality.

If it matters any, I'm female in my late twenties, and my boyfriend (obviously male, also in his twenties) is also interested. We'd both prefer something more than "just" a gym - ie. something more like a fitness center, with a gym, a swimming pool, etc.

cricket chirps in my head

The Biggest Dreamer — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 14:31:19 -0800

How can I become more opinionated? Some background on myself: I'm a somewhat introverted person who doesn't have a problem with talking. I'm not shy. However, I usually don't think I ever have anything useful to say. The way I see it... everything happens for a reason. Why argue. At least, I'd rather let someone more competent with words and persuasion take care of any arguing.

When it comes to having an opinion, my mind feels very... blank. I'm a very mellow person (no drugs or anything like that, I'm mild-mannered and usually happy), and I get riled up over very little. Sure, I think some things are nice and some things are not very nice, but I can't seem to form any strong opinion I can get behind. Doesn't everything have its good aspects and bad aspects?

But sometimes I need to form opinions. Particularly for this weekend because I have an assignment to write an op-ed -- a fun writing exercise, but I can't really say I am devoted to the issue we need to write about -- but also because people seem to like opinionated people, and nothing in this world seems to be able to move forward without a talented and opinionated force pushing it.

TLDR: So, in short, I, a laid-back, uncaring transient being in this noisy world, would like to learn how to form opinions. Eventually I'd like to learn how to have persuasion skills and support those opinions, but I figure I best start from the basics.

Would you guys recommend to buy MOTORS LIQ CO (MTLQQ)?

omaralarifi — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:32:31 -0800

Can I buy MOTORS LIQ CO (MTLQQ) AKA General Motors stock? If yes, Would you guys recommend to buy the stock? Whatever your answer I need to know the reason. Thank You

Just let me grow you some food already!

TheArpenter — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:20:12 -0800

What would you like to eat from my garden? I live in a large building in the Chicagoland area. The condo association has recently decided that they want to create a vegetable garden.

I have to come up with a proposal of what I will be growing/how much space I will need. All vegetables will be put in a common area so the other tenants can take them for free.

I have asked various people in passing what kind of vegetables they would want, only to be met with responses that are then than enthused. Tomatoes are the one real response I have gotten.

I would just poll my neighbors, but the last poll we issued got very few responses.

So - let's say YOU were in my building, and taking into account the fact that I am in the Chicago climate, what would YOU want me to grow?

Thank you

What's a site similar to StandPoint?

PandemicSoul — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:44:23 -0800

Help me find a web2.0-ish site, similar to (the now defunct) StandPoint. I used to be an avid member of StandPoint, which was a website where people would introduce a topic, say "Abortion is wrong," and then other people would respond with their view. It would allow you to either vote up or down and then given an explanation. I know I've seen a few other sites like this in the past year or two, but as is usual, I can't ever find them in my myriad of bookmarks or on Google.

C'mon SCOTUS throw me a bone!

Science! — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:03:27 -0800

Dear US Supreme Court Fans, when will the opinion on Columbia v. Heller be issued? In the last year I've become a fan of the supreme court. I listen to oyez.org podcasts of the arguments and opinions when I can. I'm almost done with Toobin's book "The Nine" and I am becoming increasingly fascinated with the court. I've browsed through scotusblog, oyez, and justia but they all seem to be wholeheartedly dedicated to reporting the facts. Fair, and honorable enough. I however want to know what date this ruling is likely to come out on, and what website I should be hitting refresh on to get the opinion as fast as I possibly can.

If I've missed a forecasting page on one of these sites or any other please point it out. References or a history of accurately predicting opinion release dates preferred.

Trolls: For the purposes of this question the outcome does not matter, I just want to know when it's going to be released.

How dare you! ... we like it.

divabat — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:20:24 -0800

What are some audacious things that people have done to convince someone of their goal/cause/opinion or change their mind - and succeed? One of the sponsorship books I'm reading tells the story of a non-profit club member that, when given a rejection for his club's proposal, actually drove three hours to see the company's sponsorship manager and ask why they were rejected. Said sponsorship manager (who was also the author of this book) was blown away by the man's passion and dedication, and eventually agreed to the sponsorship.

Who else has managed to pull off something like this? Richard Branson's possibly the king of audacious gestures, though his are more publicity stunts than attempts to get someone on their side. There's also all the high school seniors who keep saying "oh, I'll go to College X That Rejected Me with all my awesomeness and show them what they're missing", but I've never heard of anyone that's actually done so, let alone succeed at it. And there's all the Idol auditionees that do crazy stuff to get in - though arguably no one's made it to the finals on a stunt.

I'm mainly interested in stories that involve getting a rejection overturned or have someone change their mind about the asker (for example, getting accepted for something you were once rejected for), but anything works really.

Recycled content? Energy Use? None of the Above?

Eringatang — Thu, 24 May 2007 13:49:38 -0800

Looking for stats on what people THINK is most important in a "green" product. NOT looking for what is ACTUALLY most important.
Looking for polls of the type:

Which do you think helps the environment the most?
a) Buying products with recycled content
b) Buying products that were produced locally
c) Buying less products
d) Buying products with organic content
e) etc, etc

Or, other incidental info from books and other sources. References to technical papers appreciated as well. Thanks as always hivemind.

Op-ed

Aghast. — Thu, 10 May 2007 09:23:50 -0800

I'm an op-ed fan. It's usually one of the only pages of a newspaper that I'll read. NYTimes with that crew of Dowd, Herbert, and contributors I like but I need some other good ones that have rich, original content everyday. International, US, foreign, whatever. You don't have to try to gear it to my taste (and I'm aware that "it depends"): tell me what you like.

What qualities make Bill Clinton attractive

Funmonkey1 — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 04:41:35 -0800

Why is Bill Clinton viewed as an inspiration to the world, whereas many other international politicians struggle to find the qualities that unite people? This isn't a sales or politics askme, nor a USA blindside to the current state of affairs. So take with a grain of salt.

After traveling the world, I do find it rather amusing so many people identify one man as having their common goals and ambitions many years after his sphere of influence has dissipated.

His charm and charisma are legendary, but I am looking for the reasons. Is it a comforting word? Working knowledge? Or just down right say anything to anyone?

Have you ever wondered...

Clementines4ever — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 10:56:33 -0800

1) Why does Adobe (and others) include patent numbers when its programs start (ex. Acrobat)? 2) What is the specific term that refers to the notion of swaying an opinion of something by describing it in certain terms? (Ex. These are absolutely stunning wildlife photos!) 3) Does anyone remember a Mefi comment that touches on the idea that today's "social conformity/peer pressure" has taken the place of yesteryear's freedom restricting laws? The comment had a profound effect and for the life of me I cannot seem to find it (IIRC posted during the summer).

Internet Opinion Shaping Tricks

srboisvert — Fri, 20 Oct 2006 03:18:07 -0800

Sockpuppets and gaming Digg. What other tricks are being used to deceptively manipulate opinion online?

Now we know better...

FlamingBore — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 09:15:22 -0800

The world isn't flat and pluto isn't a planet. What are some other things that the majority of the population were taught, believed, or were led to believe that we have since found out otherwise? In another venue there is a great debate raging about opinion and belief. There is a very closed minded individual stating her belief/opinion and that nothing anyone says or does will change her mind.

She went on to say that "you'd be surprised how many people think the way I do." Well, I wouldn't be surprised, actually. My response included the two examples above as well as a WMD and Salem Witch Trial reference. But that got me to thinking about all of the other things in this vein. What are they?

Roehampton Creative Writing Masters

0bvious — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:44:00 -0800

What do you know/think about the University of Roehampton, London? Most especially I am interested in its School of Arts, and its MA in Creative and Professional Writing.... Good uni? Did you attend there? What are your experiences of the Roehampton area?

Any info gratefully appreciated

GPS ready Digital SLR Cameras

0bvious — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 23:16:52 -0800

GPS ready Digital SLRs : What are the best available? Coming soon? Am I better waiting until the industry catches up? I've been eyeing up digital SLRs for a while now (my past askmefi question), and have decided a GPS ready one would really hot things up.

(For those who don't know, Geo Positioning System (GPS)cameras will stamp every photo with your exact location on planet earth as it's taken.)

What's your opinions on this tech? Worth waiting until the next camera season?

Thanks

New Product Development Methodologies

dhacker — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:48:27 -0800

I'm looking for an article I once read that described the best way to develop a new software product within a company that must continue to build/support its legacy applications. The premise was, I believe, that you must isolate the developers you assign to the new project and treat them as if they work for a new and different company. No resouce sharing, no pulling them back into support for the older stuff. I looked at Joel on Software (an obvious source) but I couldn't find it. Any ideas on where I might have read this?

It was most likely a fairly mainstream site so I don't think its a wild goose chase here.

How useful/rewarding are you finding Flickr?

josh — Sun, 12 Sep 2004 15:17:42 -0800

How useful / rewarding are you finding Flickr? Is it worth it for me to spend time uploading and tagging photos, and to bug my friends to join? It looks very cool and like a social network that's actually good for something: it also looks like kind of a lot of work, especially since I can't keep all my photos there or print pictures from Flickr.

My love of cool web apps says "yea," while my schedule says "nay." What say ye? If anyone is using Flickr heavily on a Mac, in combo with iPhoto or iView, I'd be curious too as to whether you're having a Crazy Photo Management Nightmare or a Silky Smooth Photo Management Soy Caramel Latte Macchiato type experience.

Are there any really, truly great bands?

LittleMissCranky — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 18:54:10 -0800

Are there any really, truly great bands? [more inside] My brother and I were talking the other day, and he argued that there are very few, if any, truly great (as opposed to good) bands. According to him, there are a lot of great solo artists, but not actual bands. For the purposes of the discussion, a band is defined as a group that plays its own instruments, but does not necessarily write its own material.

I came up with the Beatles, the Ramones, the Clash, and a couple of others as counter examples, but it got sort of hard after that. What do you think?

(NB: people suggesting Journey will be immediately bitch slapped. They may be good, but they are decidedly not great.)