Which type of questions do you prefer to answer?

I prefer to answer the questions from people who are genuinely wanting to know rather than from those who are trying to make a point.

Global warming is an important subject but difficult to understand so it is useful to help people understand it. The difference between climate and weather is a good example of a difficult aspect of the subject.

I think it is also useful to help people understand what they can do about global warming and to feel that it is worth trying.

Honest answer?

For me I like to answer ones that fall into a few categories.

1. Funny. I don't do this too often but sometimes questions are so far out there I like to give a very blunt yet I feel funny answer.

2. Honest. When questions appear to be seeking information and I believe I am able to help with what knowledge I might have.

3. Rebuttal - rare, but occasionally when a diatribe is posted and poses as a question and I have issue with it, I'll post a rebuttal type or contrarian view. Most times I do not waste my time or energy on this though.

I like factual answers, short sweet and to the point.

I am not political (hate politics)

Opinions are just that and mean nothing

detailed science, there is opposing science and weighing one up against another is difficult

I hate long rambling answers

This is the global warming section of Yahoo and questions should be based on global warming. While questions looking for opinions, such as this one, are fine as longs opinions are not seen as a substitute for science.

I prefer to see the questions that require a more detailed study of the topic. I like having to learn more in order to give an informed answer. However, since this is not a true science blog, then it would be more appropriate for the more general questions being asked that the average reader of the page is more apt to understand. Not that most that visit here are illiterate, it is just many here are just beginning to learn about AGW and the AGWT. Overloading them would with detailed and exacting information would do more to discourage their learning than to promote it. There are science based blogs to visit for the more advanced in the information to attend. Judging by many of the questions and answers here, many users are still using their training wheels when it comes to science. While I myself still slide the training wheels on as needed, I do plan to remove them permanently some day.

Genuine knowledge-seekers looking for answers at a level I can usefully provide.

The denialists are annoying, they rarely understand meaningful scientific answers, and usually just pick some like-minded soul ragging on the science.

Most scientific questions from people like you are above my weight class.

And talking about the politics gets depressing.

The questions I prefer are:

(1) Ones where the person does not lie or mislead in the question

(2) Ones where they actually care about the answer.

If those two are satisfied, I like questions about meteorology in particular.

Because my knowledge of the subject is limited I tend to answer the questions that are open to discussion. I am interested in the on going science as it relates to the future of global warming, so I do try to read the links supplied by those who are more qualified. I don't understand why most who choose to deny are so bitter and vitriol to the most basic of the science. I have however noticed that some very good answers have been given to some very outrageous questions, so I suppose everyone serves a purpose.

I answer a range of types of questions, but prefer questions that are

a) genuine questions, as this one is (many or even most in this category, however, are not really questions, but are statements thinly disguised as questions).

b) about the topic (global warming), as this one is not really

c) are answered by people actually interested in providing knowledge

d) questions that could NOT more readily be answered by googling, looking at Wikipedia, or searching the YA "resolved questions."

e) questions (or "questions") from whom any really significant underlying assumptions are spelled out

Those that require factual answers. Those that require detailed scientific answers are more work to answer than other questions, but they are the most interesting.

edit

It isn't just the asker who reads the responses. Just because I don't think the asker will be convinced, doesn't mean that I shouldn't respond to nonsense with the facts.

I prefer to answer real questions from members who are actually interested in learning. NOT questions by members who ask questions just to asl them, sometimes 4 or more a day, who really have no interest in learning..These members are first cousins, once removed from the people who send spam to your email