# I want my "Charter" back! **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 28, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604 "2005-04-28T19:59:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/1 "2005-04-28T19:59:42Z")
Come on, my membership lapsed four less than for hours. I already paid the inflated rate, isn’t there any way to at least get my “Charter Member” status back? That “Member” just looks so darn lonely sitting under my username all by itself. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![VenusProbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e495f1/32.png) [@VenusProbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VenusProbe)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/2 "2005-04-28T20:15:48Z")
So why did you wait? ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/3 "2005-04-28T20:41:42Z")
> [@VenusProbe](#): > > So why did you wait? At the risk of seeming like a moron . . . I just didn’t know about it. I haven’t been coming on here very frequently in the last month or two (at least not compared to how often I used to read these boards), just due to being very busy with school/work. It’s only in the past few days that I’ve finally started having some more time to read the SDMB again, and I was mainly just looking a GQ (and to a lesser degree Cafe Society), where there weren’t any threads discussing it. I’m told there was an announcement at the top of the page, but I guess I was just skimming past it without realizing it was there. And if e-mails were sent out about it, none was ever sent to my address (or else my spam filter was feeling overzealous and ate it). So for whatever reason, be it my own stupidity or whatever, I didn’t have any idea I had to renew until I started getting the “your guest membership has expired” message every time I tried to post. Which at first had me totally confused, because I was incorrectly remembering that the fee I’d paid was for a lifetime membership (I think I was misremembering the “your yearly fee will be fixed for life” claim). Once I figured out what had happened, I resubscribed right away. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Wing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/51bf81/32.png) [@Little\_Wing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Wing)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/4 "2005-04-28T20:42:44Z")
Yeah, I was a bit puzzled to see mine change from “Charter Member” to just “Member” as well. I saw the notice about registration and when I checked my subscription information a few days ago, I saw I was paid up until November of this year. I figured I didn’t need to do anything else but all of a sudden I’m down graded. Not a big deal but I guess I didn’t understand the process. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/5 "2005-04-28T20:45:32Z")
> [@Little Wing](#): > > Yeah, I was a bit puzzled to see mine change from “Charter Member” to just “Member” as well. I saw the notice about registration and when I checked my subscription information a few days ago, I saw I was paid up until November of this year. I figured I didn’t need to do anything else but all of a sudden I’m down graded. Not a big deal but I guess I didn’t understand the process. In your case it sounds like maybe the system screwed up. I can’t see why you’d be downgraded if your subscription never lapsed. (But maybe I’m not understanding the process either.) In my case, _I’m_ clearly the one who screwed up, but I’m hoping maybe one of the board administrators will take pity on me. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/6 "2005-04-28T20:59:20Z")
> [@Little Wing](#): > > Yeah, I was a bit puzzled to see mine change from “Charter Member” to just “Member” as well. I saw the notice about registration and when I checked my subscription information a few days ago, I saw I was paid up until November of this year. I figured I didn’t need to do anything else but all of a sudden I’m down graded. Not a big deal but I guess I didn’t understand the process. Your initial subscription date was in November of 2004. Technically, the only people who were “Charter Members” were those who subscribed prior to April 28, 2004. The usergroups weren’t properly changed until a few weeks ago, separated out by subscription date. All who signed up prior to April 28, 2004 kept the “Charter Member” appellation; all others became simply Members. We apologize if this was confusing, it’s certainly understandable. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Wing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/51bf81/32.png) [@Little\_Wing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Wing)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/7 "2005-04-28T21:18:10Z")
Thanks for the explanation, **TubaDiva**. I certainly wasn’t fretting over it (as little as I post, it’s hardly worth mentioning) but I _was_ curious about it. I appreciate your taking the time to respond. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/8 "2005-04-28T21:59:42Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > At the risk of seeming like a moron . . . I just didn’t know about it. > > I haven’t been coming on here very frequently in the last month or two (at least not compared to how often I used to read these boards), just due to being very busy with school/work. It’s only in the past few days that I’ve finally started having some more time to read the SDMB again, and I was mainly just looking a GQ (and to a lesser degree Cafe Society), where there weren’t any threads discussing it. I’m told there was an announcement at the top of the page, but I guess I was just skimming past it without realizing it was there. > > And if e-mails were sent out about it, none was ever sent to my address (or else my spam filter was feeling overzealous and ate it). Same here. Straight Dope email usually makes it to my inbox, but the mass-mailed subscription reminder went to the ol’ spam folder. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/9 "2005-04-28T22:15:26Z")
One nitpick, TubaDiva, It doesn’t matter when you ‘joined up’. It seems to go by when you paid. My profile preceeds the cutoff, but I’m just a member, because I only paid within the past few months. Signed, Just Another Doper. ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/10 "2005-04-28T22:20:20Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > Come on, my membership lapsed **four** less than **for** hours. Heh, I just noticed I did that. It had originally read “four less than four”, but I caught it when I previewed. Only to correct the wrong one, apparently. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/11 "2005-04-28T22:22:06Z")
So TubaDiva, is there any chance I’ll ever see my “Charter” again? ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/12 "2005-04-28T22:24:58Z")
It’s possible. It’s being discussed by management as I type this. We’ll let you know what happens. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/13 "2005-04-28T22:27:16Z")
Thanks. I appreciate you all taking the time to consider it, in any case. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/77aa72/32.png) [@Heart\_On\_My\_Sleeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_On_My_Sleeve)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/14 "2005-04-28T23:49:27Z")
Mine doesn’t have “Charter Member” and I signed up 3/24/2004 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/15 "2005-04-29T00:10:09Z")
That is weird. I’ll ask Jerry to take a look at your subscription. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/16 "2005-04-29T01:55:15Z")
Hey! Mine doesn’t say “Charter Member” either. ---
**Author:** ![Agenais](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b19c9b/32.png) [@Agenais](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agenais)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/17 "2005-04-29T02:02:58Z")
I’m afraid I have the same problem…I renewed my membership three hours too late thus losing my “Charter Member” status. Yes, it was my fault for renewing too late and I’ve been mentally kicking myself over that. But if there’s any way I can have that title back…I wouldn’t mind. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Good\_Egg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Good\_Egg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Good_Egg)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/18 "2005-04-29T02:03:02Z")
Its supposed to say overlord, right tom? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/19 "2005-04-29T02:11:54Z")
> [@Agenais](#): > > I’m afraid I have the same problem…I renewed my membership three hours too late thus losing my “Charter Member” status. Wow, that’s quite the delurk. **TubaDiva** , anybody that’s posted 10 times in 4 1/2 years and is still willing to pay should not only have “Charter Member” under their name, but a gold star beside it! ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2005, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604/20 "2005-04-29T03:38:40Z")
I can only agree with that. Maybe we can all chip in and buy them a calendar . . . and a clock. ☹ your humble TubaDiva I say that with great affection and respect. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-charter-back/301604.md?page=2)