# Pay to Post? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 9, 2001, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487 "2001-11-09T18:54:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/241 "2001-11-10T05:51:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racinchikki \* > Accord to Silver Fire, all should rejoice because I shan’t be here once it switches over. Self-absorbed much? :rolleyes: And of course it’s ALL ABOUT RACINCHIKKI! Allow me to reiterate - :rolleyes: Nothing personal, racin. I’d have to actually care about you to dislike you enough to rejoice that YOU personally are leaving. But I don’t - I’m completely indifferent to you. The point I’m getting at is, while we may lose 50 real, genuine members, we still lose a million trolls. It’s a trade I’m willing to make. > [@](#): > > Originally posted by some fuckwad who apparently has no grasp on reality whatsoever - Silver Fire more than insinuates that racinchikki’s being “weeded out” because of the fee-based proposal is not only good, but should be something to be look forward to- simply because she disagrees with her opinion Feel free to refer to my response to racinchikki. Same goes for Nacho4Sara, all the minors, pepperlandgirl and anyone else who may or may not be offended by that post. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/242 "2001-11-10T05:51:58Z")
**Guin** said > [@](#): > > That said, I still think it sucks the meat . I have searched for this phrase in print, but there is no cite. I think that your previous statement, > [@](#): > > Now I just have to rant about my non-existant love life…that’s a joke-23, never even been goddamn fucking KISSED. from [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=98197) influenced your poor choice of words. If you read this in a book, burn the book. Please see my previous offer of dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/243 "2001-11-10T05:52:11Z")
**JillGat** , “poor” is a relative term. Get out of your memmories, and turn an objective eye on this. When your back is to the wall, even a small extra burden is too much. That’s as true here as it is anywhere. Sure, we’re starting from a higher baseline. A _far_ higher baseline, but even so, that little extra bit can be too much, and this board seems to attract smart people that have no slack left. And you chastise them for it. I expected better from you. ---
**Author:** ![milroyj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/244 "2001-11-10T05:54:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \* > \*\*Oh, and **milroyj**? Yes, I pay my bills. Which is why I, for one, have a balance way to close to $0.00 in my checking account by payday. \*\* I’m sure you do. But if one can afford 34 cents for the stamp to pay the bill, surely one can afford 38 cents to post on the SDMB? Or is the extra 4 cents somehow a deal-breaker? ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/245 "2001-11-10T05:54:19Z")
> [@](#): > > I served in the Peace Corps in a village where people my age had lost all their teeth or were blind in one eye from conditions we in the US would consider completely preventable. If a kid in that village broke his leg, there was no chance of getting it set and casted… he was a cripple and beggar for life. If you didn’t have shoes, you couldn’t go to school. And that was pretty common. I had neighbors with hair that had turned red from malnutrition. Poverty is a relative term. > > If you don’t like the idea of paying for this entertainment and escape and community, fine. I’m really not trying to talk anybody into paying to post on a message board. But quit singing the blues. It’s making me sick. Thank you, Sally Struthers. Come on, Jill, you’re smarter than that. I have done quite a bit of research into the Peace Corps, and plan on joining after college. In most African villages, I would be wealthy. $8 an hour would be a lot. In America, it is not. I make below the poverty line. I am POOR. Thank you for bringing the poverty-stricken children of Africa into the argument, though. Excellent use of straw men. The African children certainly relate to this argument, just as the debate over whether you use seperate knives for PB and jelly or simply wipe in between use applies to this argument. Your elitist attitude makes ME sick. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/246 "2001-11-10T05:54:55Z")
I forgot who saud it, but they were right. If this does go to a “pay to post” basis, this will turn into a dead bord. Sure there will be no trolls, but then there might not be new posts for days. It will be much like ATMB. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/247 "2001-11-10T05:57:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JillGat \* > \*\*Not to diss you folks or anything but… what’s that you say? You have a car? You have a bank account? You have _leisure time to use the frigging INTERNET?_ You’re… _poor_?? > > I served in the Peace Corps in a village where people my age had lost all their teeth or were blind in one eye from conditions we in the US would consider completely preventable. If a kid in that village broke his leg, there was no chance of getting it set and casted… he was a cripple and beggar for life. If you didn’t have shoes, you couldn’t go to school. And that was pretty common. I had neighbors with hair that had turned red from malnutrition. Poverty is a relative term.\*\* JillGatt – that’s pretty unfair of you. Yes it is all relative. We here all have some kind of internet access, be it home, school or work, so we are comparing this to a third world culture? That’s just poppy-cock in my eyes. Many people that use the 'net use it as entertainment. Not everyone lives in plush homes and has the latest and greatest computer. Many may even have computers donated to them by family or friends. Many may live in conditions that you would think are bad for these here industrialized countries. But you are making a judgement based on your experiences. In these United States and other countries, food is purchased using money, electricity costs money, heating costs money, clothing costs money, gas and your car cost money but that doesn’t mean that you should pull the “you should eat those brussel sprouts because of all the starving children in China” analogy. Yeesh, that’s pretty fucked up if you ask me. The issue at hand isn’t if Joe-Schmoo in Vietnam can afford to buy a hut from the rich land lord, this is about regular people who are struggling to make ends meet in this society and to have the SDMB go to pay really sucks for them because they enjoy the hell out of it and takes them away for a couple of hours and if they are forced to pay they will have to leave. Not everyone drives a pretty Lexus, some drive pieces of shit cars that are constantly needing repair and suck more gas than that army tank I saw today. Many drive to the grocery store to buy all generic food and can’t afford produce because it’s too expensive – they live in an apartment so they can’t grow their own veggies and fruits, etc…I could go on. I can’t believe the attitudes of some of you, egads, your priorities aren’t the same as everyone else on this board or in the world. Life isn’t the same for your nieghbor as it is for you. Get off the “money shouldn’t be an issue” thing. Egads. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/248 "2001-11-10T05:59:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nacho4Sara \* > \*\*Thanks for the link to that thread, CnoteChris. > > So for $20 a year, I can look forward to: > > [ul] > [li]being judged by arrogant, egotistical pricks who know nothing about me;[/li][li]the elitist, good-ole-boy, back-slapping, fifth grade bully mentality Demo and Mr. Cynical displayed;[/li][li]insightful remarks about “cunt seepage.” Thank you for doing your part to fight ignorance, Maeglin;[/li][li]back-stabbing, bitchy comments like those from SilverFire;[/li][li]a minority of posters whose main purpose AFAICS is to flirt in MPSIMS, flame in the Pit, and flirt some more in MPSIMS; and[/li][li]an insightful analysis into my finances and a list of why, exactly, I am poor.[/li][/ul] > > \*\* Don’t forger the posts about shitting your pants And we all know that this is worth $20 a month. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![LoverBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LoverBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoverBoy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/249 "2001-11-10T06:02:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JillGat \* > blah blah blah blah \ “i worked in the peace corps and some people have no money at all. so to my conclusion, if you don’t pay for the SDMB because you “don’t have the money”, you are an arrogant white supremacist. the end.” (Please don’t give me any crap about this being a strawman - it’s just sarcasm.) ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/250 "2001-11-10T06:02:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silver Fire \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by racinchikki \* > > Accord to Silver Fire, all should rejoice because I shan’t be here once it switches over. > > Self-absorbed much? :rolleyes: And of course it’s ALL ABOUT RACINCHIKKI! > > Allow me to reiterate - :rolleyes: > > Nothing personal, racin. I’d have to actually care about you to dislike you enough to rejoice that YOU personally are leaving. But I don’t - I’m completely indifferent to you. The point I’m getting at is, while we may lose 50 real, genuine members, we still lose a million trolls. It’s a trade I’m willing to make.\*\* Gosh, Silver, I’m sorry. See, there were some posts in that thread that WERE directed towards me personally. Pardon me for assuming yours was, too. Or don’t. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/251 "2001-11-10T06:02:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by milroyj \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \* > > \*\*Oh, and **milroyj**? Yes, I pay my bills. Which is why I, for one, have a balance way to close to $0.00 in my checking account by payday. \*\* > > I’m sure you do. But if one can afford 34 cents for the stamp to pay the bill, surely one can afford 38 cents to post on the SDMB? Or is the extra 4 cents somehow a deal-breaker? \*\* If you must know, I don’t mail any of them. They’re all local and are deducted directly from my checking account (which is free). I can account for every penny every pay period. When I say I can’t afford it, I know what I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Planet\_Ape](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/85e7bf/32.png) [@Planet\_Ape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Planet_Ape)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/252 "2001-11-10T06:05:54Z")
[http://aan.org/gbase/Aan/publicationDirectory](http://aan.org/gbase/Aan/publicationDirectory) turns up a lot of sister sites. How about a coalition? You need to hit on the people where they stand! ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/253 "2001-11-10T06:09:17Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Nacho4Sara \* **[ul][li]back-stabbing, bitchy comments like those from SilverFire;[/ul]**[/li][/QUOTE] Oh my fucking GOD! HAHAHAHA!!! Back-stabbing? I don’t think that means what you think it means. Or you’re completely unbalanced. Either one. (I’ll freely and openly admit to being bitchy, though I maintain that my comment was not a personal attack against racinchikki.) :shrugs: In any case, you’ve honestly hurt my feelings. No really. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/254 "2001-11-10T06:09:53Z")
PayPal now has a dealie where you can shop anywhere using your paypal account. They assign a one-time-use MasterCard number for the transaction and the money comes out of your PayPal account. Just a handy thing to think about if you worry about your CC# getting stolen online 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/255 "2001-11-10T06:12:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silver Fire \* > **I maintain that my comment was not a personal attack against racinchikki** OR ANYONE ELSE. Sheesh. Better remember to cover all angles around here. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/256 "2001-11-10T06:16:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tranquilis \* > \*\*What planet is the Chicago Reader on when they think they’ve the right to charge me for license to freely use my content? > \*\* 😕 Huh? What worth does your content have to them if it continues to be free? Right now your “content” \* costs them money!! \* To whom is that “fair”? How is it “fair” for them to \* pay for you to add to their bandwidth costs \* ? Please explain this to me, because I fail to see it. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shayna \* \*\* > But to dun me for money when there’s perfectly good ad space right at the top of this very board that they aren’t taking advantage of - well, that just pisses me off. And then to lie about it with the “we’ve tried everything” line? I’m insulted. > \*\* Shayna, did you read the announcement? Do you read the business section? Do you follow the internet as a business? Ad space is going begging. You can’t \* give \* ads away in some places. Internet advertising has been shown to have extremely limited value. And I’m shocked that you would accuse them of simply \*\* lying \*\* to you! Are you privy to the books?" Do you know what it costs to run this place, how hard they may have tried to sell that space, and for what price? Has the Chicago Reader and the staff of the SDMB \*\*\* ever \*\* \* done \* \*\* anything \*\* \* that would justify your leaping to that conclusion? Unless there’s something I’m missing, all they’ve ever done “to” you is give you a social outlet you never would have had otherwise, and enabled you to meet the love of your life! FREE! How can you leap to such dastardly conclusions about them? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > \*\* BTW: A :eek: / 😃 moment. Other than the pay/publish aspect, I agree with _everything_ **Stoid** said. Hey **Stoid** are _you_ becoming more reasonable, or am _I_? 😉 \*\* Must be you, Fenris, since I’m known for being intractable. 😃😃😃 Reading more about the whole “pay to give the license” stuff, can anyone come up with a SINGLE instance in which the Reader has profited or even USED your writing for any purpose whatsoever? Don’t you think you are making a mountain out of a boilerplate molehill? stoid ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/257 "2001-11-10T06:18:51Z")
I think, before this debate goes any further, we need to settle one point. If we give you $50 in membership fees, will we get a Chicago Reader coffee mug? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/258 "2001-11-10T06:22:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racinchikki \* > \*\*Pardon me for assuming yours was, too. \*\* Assume, ass, u… Well, you’ve heard that old saying. ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/259 "2001-11-10T06:24:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silver Fire \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by racinchikki \* > > \*\*Pardon me for assuming yours was, too. \*\* > > Assume, ass, u… Well, you’ve heard that old saying. \*\* Clever. I want to be just like you when I grow up. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487/260 "2001-11-10T06:24:11Z")
And another thing about this “pay to publish” rubbish (the more I think about it, the more ludicrous it becomes). If you all are so damn brilliant that you shouldn’t have to pay to be published…shouldn’t you also be so damn brilliant that you can scare up a million page views a week all by your lonesome, on your own dime? I mean really, kids…get a little perspective! If you want the audience for your brilliance, you’re going to have to pay for it. Get over yourselves. stoid PS: By the way, I am a writer. There have been many, many things I’ve refrained from posting here \* precisely because I did not want to hand over the rights to that material to anyone else \*. All my best stuff stays with me. I can’t believe this is the first time any of you have stopped to think about this fact. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pay-to-post/92487.md?page=14)