# Make your "pay my subscription fee" request here **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 18, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105 "2004-03-18T22:52:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/61 "2004-03-19T19:17:30Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Problem is, I _did_ start this thread, and like I said, there are a number of people sponsoring others by proxy through me. So I couldn’t say all that stuff. **RNATB** , **Uncommon Sense** posted that in **EddyTeddyFreddy’s** thread too, I think in response to the idea that there be one master thread for donors to make themselves known. Since you got the ball rolling, would you like to ask the administrators for a sticky thread to handle this, and lay out all the general terms of granting gift subscriptions? If not, I’ll whip something together. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/62 "2004-03-19T19:32:17Z")
Yes, **sunfish** , thanks. I was trying to summarize everyones wishes in the broadest terms. IOW, if I started a master thread that is what it would read. Trying not to embarrass anyone and trying to make it the fairest is my goal. There seems to be an orgy of members getting all worked up about who`s sponsoring who and how many. I would like to avoid the publicity of it all and keep it more annonimous. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/63 "2004-03-19T19:34:15Z")
I slaughtered the word anonymous, Heh! ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/64 "2004-03-19T19:51:26Z")
I will sponsor up to four Dopers by paying for their subscription, and I’m willing to handle the registration of a Doper who wants to pay for their subscription. Email me at [greenfleurdelis@hotmail.com](mailto:greenfleurdelis@hotmail.com) Put SDMB in the subject line. Note that I only check this account once a day at most, so be patient. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/65 "2004-03-19T19:53:03Z")
> [@sunfish](#): > > **RNATB** , **Uncommon Sense** posted that in **EddyTeddyFreddy’s** thread too, I think in response to the idea that there be one master thread for donors to make themselves known. > > Since you got the ball rolling, would you like to ask the administrators for a sticky thread to handle this, and lay out all the general terms of granting gift subscriptions? If not, I’ll whip something together. I asked for a stickyization of this one and the Powers That Be discussed it, and decided it wouldn’t need to be a sticky now that they’ve moved it here. ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/66 "2004-03-19T19:57:28Z")
**The Straight Dope Scholarship Program** wolfstu’s contribution: I’m not rich, but I’m not starving-poor like a little while ago. And I know how important the SDMB can be to someone. I recognize that there are members who are very, very financially-bound for any of a number of reasons. Eighteen months ago, I couldn’t even pay for groceries (but had free internet - go figure). I recognize that there are members who simply cannot pay, even if they have the money. When I joined, I was a frightened teenager with no credit card, and it would have been unthinkable to let my parents know about this place to ask them to pay for me. So, though I only have limited resources, I will offer to pay for **three** $4.95 Memberships. Rules: - I’m not going to ask you to tell me why you’d like me to pay for you. I’ll trust that you need help. - You don’t have to be a member of the SDMB yet. If you’re a longtime lurker and want to join, I’ll sponsor that too, but sign up under the existing system before the deadline and I’ll pay for your ‘Charter Membership’ just as I would an existing member. (I can’t afford to pay for $14.95 memberships) - This is **not** for people who will not pay. This is for people who cannot pay. I’m imagining the two scenarios described above, but if you think your situation fits, by all means, request one of the three slots I can offer. This is not intended for people who’d rather I give my credit card info out so they don’t have to. - I guess I will have to ask what your screenname is, so I can do the registering. I won’t post it here, though, so that you can remain anonymous. If you want to use this offer, you’ve got to email me before the April 21st deadline. In fact, try to email me well before that, so that there’s no risk of missing the deadline because I’m in a car accident and can’t get to my email or something. My email is in my profile, and please include the acronym SDMB in the subject line, so I can recognize it. Just trying to do my part 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/67 "2004-03-19T19:59:28Z")
Hmm. That’s too bad, because it’s clear from the discussions going on in other threads, like the one in the Pit, that some people have no idea this thread exists. At least if it were made and announcement or sticky visible in all forums we could make this a little easier on everyone. ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/68 "2004-03-19T20:04:10Z")
OOps, I meant for my post to be under **RNATB** ’s. Good on ya, **wolfstu**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/69 "2004-03-19T22:31:19Z")
> [@j\_sum1](#): > > I would like the option to label myself as a DONOR DOPER or something similar. Then when someone clicks on my name and accesses the drop-down menu, right below where it says _email j\_sum1_ there is an item that says _request sponsorship_. Clicking on that would access a page with my email address and a brief note from me explaining who I might want to donate five bucks to. From an initial email contact we can arrange for membership using the **Ed Zotti** method. Changing the drop-down menu would require custom programming of some sort, and I wouldn’t bet a membership that they’d go for that. As I understand it, changing a user label is easier, but there’s no guarantee they’d want to do that, either. And what happens when you decide you’ve done enough sponsoring? More intervention required. May I suggest that you just put all of this in your sig? You get the word out without burdening the admins or the techs. ---
**Author:** ![j\_sum1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/70 "2004-03-20T04:02:20Z")
Yeah, I thought of putting it in the sig. But then there are lots of dopers that use their sig line for other things. I wondered if a bit of unifomity might get a few more on board and also be a little more discreet. ---
**Author:** ![kiwiboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kiwiboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiwiboy)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/71 "2004-03-20T05:30:43Z")
> [@j\_sum1](#): > > I’ve been toying with an idea this afternoon and thought i might run it by a few people before emailing an administrator. > > I see we are all going to get new tags – ones that say CHARTERED MEMBER, which is all fine and dandy I suppose although it does seem to smack of officialspeak. I was wondering about the possibility of introducing a new category which dopers can opt for (and opt out of) on their user control panel. > > I would like the option to label myself as a DONOR DOPER or something similar. Then when someone clicks on my name and accesses the drop-down menu, right below where it says _email j\_sum1_ there is an item that says _request sponsorship_. Clicking on that would access a page with my email address and a brief note from me explaining who I might want to donate five bucks to. From an initial email contact we can arrange for membership using the **Ed Zotti** method. > > Here are some advantages: > [ul] > [li]I can choose to sponsor say three new kiwi dopers and opt out when I wish.[/li][li]It enhances the general friendliness of the site; especially if newbies know that there are a lot of doper who are generous enough to both welcome them to the boards and pay their first subscription.[/li][li]I might be wrong, but I can’t see that it would be too taxing on the system.[/li][li]There are newbies around without credit cards and who wouldn’t want to go through the hassle of international money orders etc, Newbies who might otherwise drift away but who would stay and contribute if given a bit of a bump.[/li][li]It would diffuse the _paid members only_ kind of stigma which may arise.[/li][li]It would encourage a bit more person to person emailing, which is less strain on the hamsters and a way of getting to know other dopers even better.[/li][/ul] > > Disadvantages: > [ul] > [li]It wouldn’t be possible to donate anonymously.[/li][li]Dopers could brand themselves as some kind of benefactor; which has its own snobbishness.[/li][li]Hi Opal. (Always wanted to do that, but this is the first time I have used a bulletted list.)[/li][/ul] > > Anyway, your thoughts please. Does this idea have any merits? Is it worth pursuing? Any further suggestions or refinements before I email an administrator with the idea? I’d like to stay but don’t have a credit card. How about I mail you a cheque? Just email me your address and how much it’ll cost you in NZ$ and I’ll post you a cheque to cover it. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/72 "2004-03-20T06:12:01Z")
I’ll help pay for a few people. $5 isn’t much to me, but it might be hard for someone who has been out of work for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/73 "2004-03-20T15:54:10Z")
I’ll sponsor 3 members @ 4.95, and I’ll happily act as an intermediary for anyone without a credit/debit card or bank account. My e-mail is in my profile. ---
**Author:** ![The\_world\_s\_most\_deadliest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@The\_world\_s\_most\_deadliest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_world_s_most_deadliest)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/74 "2004-03-20T16:02:43Z")
_My post from another thread in this forum…_ I posted this in another forum, but hopefully I’ve found the right thread for sponsorships. I can afford to sponsor up to three Dopers who, for whatever reason, can’t do it themselves. However, since I’m always looking to get something out of the deal, I’d like to sponsor non-US or non-Canadian Dopers, if I can. My prerequisite is sending me the $5 in whatever currency your country uses. I have a small collection of non-US bills and I’d like to expand it. Any interested parties can email me…here’s to the SDMB staying active and interesting. -WMD ---
**Author:** ![htns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ba8739/32.png) [@htns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/htns)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/75 "2004-03-20T16:32:48Z")
Okay, here’s the deal for me. You pay by proxy for me (I mail you a cheque/money order, you transfer that payment to SDMB to cover my fee) and in return, I pay for your subscription to the SDMB. In other words, you get ten bucks, then you send that tenner to SDMB with a little note explaining that this is to cover your membership and **htns** both. Any takers? Email jim@aoeu.zzn.invalid (replace .invalid with .com) ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/76 "2004-03-20T19:45:31Z")
Ok, here’s my offer. -You email me if you are willing and able to buy me Dope. (email tag is not fun, I would mail a Doper who has already made this offer, but their quota may already be met, etc.) -We work out how I get my cash or money order to you -I mail you $12.00 US (this is for my membership, and you can use the rest either for your own, another Doper in need, or keep it as a thank you tip. The extra $2 is to cover credit card interest, online buying fees, and other such) and my password (which will be changed as soon as I am paid up). -my email is [timeliketears@suckyinternet.com](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?userid=44553) (take out the ‘suckyinternet’ and add aol) -Thank you very much! ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/77 "2004-03-20T20:22:05Z")
I would like to sponder a college student. I’m doing pretty good as a college student, in the end, and it’s only an hour’s work for me. (I typically think along the lines – if I work 3 hours, I can pay for Lisa’s LJ! etc). All requests would stay anon. just email me with SDMB in the subject line. /S ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/78 "2004-03-21T03:11:15Z")
3 wonderful members e mailed me.One sent her mailing address first, so she will keep me here(don’t hate her for this!) 🙂 God bless her(she will be anonymous) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/79 "2004-03-21T04:10:46Z")
\*\*World’s Most Deadliest \*\* Hi right back at cha. 🙂 Not a total farker, I should be, but then between Fark and SDMB, I would never get anything done, my children would be raised by the dog and I would be as attractive as Jabba the Hut. Welcome to the boards! ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105/80 "2004-03-21T05:32:32Z")
If anyone would be kind enough to sponsor my subscription, I would be very grateful to you. My email is [lavenderviolet@yahoo.com](mailto:lavenderviolet@yahoo.com) if you wish to contact me. I didn’t write any of the generous sponsors who have already stepped forward because I want to be sure that IF someone sponsors me it’s entirely their choice, not just because they were afraid to say no to me. I admit that I’m not homeless or eating dogfood to survive, so I’m not sure if anyone would consider it worth helping me. My situation is that I am a young person who still has no independent source of income (I have not yet had a paying job because I’ve been concentrating on school). So, I don’t want to mislead anyone into thinking I’m in desperate poverty, but a gift subscription is the only way I’ll be staying here. So, if there’s someone who wants to keep me on this board and doesn’t consider it a hardship to give a gift subscription to me, your generosity would be appreciated. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/make-your-pay-my-subscription-fee-request-here/235105.md?page=5)