# Straight dope membership **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 19, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044 "2012-01-19T18:39:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GeddyClaypoolBurton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce7236/32.png) [@GeddyClaypoolBurton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GeddyClaypoolBurton)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/1 "2012-01-19T18:39:01Z")
I’ve been on the message boards here for almost three months now, and I am overall really impressed with the conversations and people on here. Call me an eager beaver, but how exactly does one become a “Member”, “Charter Member”, etc.? If it is a matter of time spent on the site and/or number of posts, then I suppose patience and commitment are virtues. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/2 "2012-01-19T18:42:22Z")
You become a member by paying for a subscription, which I believe costs something like $14 a year for new members. You can’t become a Charter Member anymore; that’s for folks who were around when the board first offered a paid option. I believe regular members can also pay for a special title/tagline if they like (see my post–the Feline Overlord thing. It’s about $8/year.) ETA: To subscribe, click your User CP link at the top, then click Paid Subscriptions under Miscellaneous on the left side. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/3 "2012-01-19T18:52:41Z")
> [@GeddyClaypoolBurton](#): > > I’ve been on the message boards here for almost three months now, and I am overall really impressed with the conversations and people on here. Call me an eager beaver, but how exactly does one become a “Member”, “Charter Member”, etc.? If it is a matter of time spent on the site and/or number of posts, then I suppose patience and commitment are virtues. 😃 Welcome to the Straight Dope, **GeddyClaypoolBurton**. I see **Infovore** already showed you how to sign up as a paid member, where you will no longer see ads, and will have access to some special features (like posting in the Marketplace). There are several “sticky” threads in the ATMB (About This Message Board) forum, including one that describes the [custom titles](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=552461) that **Infovore** mentioned. ATMB, by the way, is the forum for all questions about the board itself and how it operates, so I’ve moved your thread there from the GQ forum. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/4 "2012-01-19T20:44:11Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > You become a member by paying for a subscription, which I believe costs something like $14 a year for new members. You can’t become a Charter Member anymore; that’s for folks who were around when the board first offered a paid option. > > I believe regular members can also pay for a special title/tagline if they like (see my post–the Feline Overlord thing. It’s about $8/year. Can the tagline be: Charter Member? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/5 "2012-01-19T20:47:52Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Can the tagline be: Charter Member? No. Nor “moderator” or similar. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/6 "2012-01-19T20:50:07Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > No. Nor “moderator” or similar. How about “Moderator baiter?” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/7 "2012-01-20T00:19:44Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > How about “Moderator baiter?” 😛 Or “Master Baiter”. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/8 "2012-01-20T00:22:12Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > Or “Master Baiter”. I wouldn’t-it could get sticky. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/9 "2012-01-20T00:44:52Z")
At the very least there would be something fishy about it. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/10 "2012-01-20T01:17:03Z")
We do tend to offer more free malware if you’re not a member. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/11 "2012-01-20T01:53:56Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > We do tend to offer more free malware if you’re not a member. More than what other site that has paid ads? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/12 "2012-01-20T02:12:28Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > How about “Moderator baiter?” 😛 This is good… ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/13 "2012-01-20T09:19:23Z")
I’m going to guess that “Left Hand of the Master” would not be permitted either. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/14 "2012-01-20T17:44:58Z")
But “Big toe of the Master” is still open. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/15 "2012-01-20T17:47:17Z")
What about “Lower Urinary Tract of the Master”? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/16 "2012-01-20T18:06:53Z")
How about “Master of the Left Hand”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/17 "2012-01-22T19:39:36Z")
Wow. Sixteen posts and no mention of the squid. Or sheep. You’re slipping, folks. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/18 "2012-01-22T20:54:30Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > Or sheep. Goat. As in ‘goat felching’. ‘Sheep’ applies to a certain poster. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2012, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/19 "2012-01-22T21:14:17Z")
Back in my day, we used to get pie. Real nice pie. Mmm— Pie. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044/20 "2012-01-31T05:22:32Z")
If y’all haven’t run poor **Geddy** off, with your goat fucking (or whatever that is), I wanted to welcome him and let him know I’m giving away 2 memberships on 2.14 for Valentine’s Day if he’d care to send me a pm and put himself in the running. Membership is $14.95 per year, btw. 😉 Thanks Q PS: I see what you did with your name there, **Geddy**. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope-membership/610044.md?page=2)