# What (just joking) things could the SDMB sell to raise revenue? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695 "2008-03-25T17:42:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/1 "2008-03-25T17:42:13Z")
All the questions in ATMB about the proposed direction of the boards (free membership if you don’t mind ads; paid membership for no ads) made me wonder: what kind of wacky stuff could the SDMB charge extra for to make more revenue? Now, of course, there’s the stuff that might really work, like customized titles. But I’m thinking of stuff they’d never in a thousand years really implement, but it’s fun to think about. For instance: For an extra 5 bucks, you can insult one Mod of choice and not get reprimanded For 7.50, you can post for a week in nothing but LOLCatSpeak, and no one can call you on it For 20 bucks, you can troll freely for a week 50 bucks to register a sock 100 bucks to actively precipitate a war with another MB You guys take it from here. Mods, if this is the wrong forum, please move appropriately. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/2 "2008-03-25T17:57:20Z")
Have an auction system that allows people to bid to change other posters’ names or give them custom titles. So I could, say, bid $5 to change **Drain Bead** ’s name to **Drain Gead** , and **Drain** would either have to outbid me or live with the name change. Edit: Selling indulgences to forgive past warnings. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/3 "2008-03-25T18:05:29Z")
$500. You can request that one poster be suspended for a week. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/4 "2008-03-25T19:16:07Z")
Since **Cecil Adams** isn’t a real name, why not rent it out to a sponsor? He could be **Cecil Verizon** or **Cecil Budweiser**. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/5 "2008-03-25T19:19:44Z")
[QUOTE=norinew] All the questions in ATMB about the proposed direction of the boards (free membership if you don’t mind ads; paid membership for no ads) made me wonder: what kind of wacky stuff could the SDMB charge extra for to make more revenue? Now, of course, there’s the stuff that might really work, like customized titles. But I’m thinking of stuff they’d never in a thousand years really implement, but it’s fun to think about. For instance: For an extra 5 bucks, you can insult one Mod of choice and not get reprimanded For 7.50, you can post for a week in nothing but LOLCatSpeak, and no one can call you on it For 20 bucks, you can troll freely for a week 50 bucks to register a sock 100 bucks to actively precipitate a war with another MB [/quote] Why wait? I take PayPal. > [@](#): > > Mods, if this is the wrong forum, please move appropriately. I think it’s better suited for IMHO. I’ll move it for you. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/6 "2008-03-25T20:06:33Z")
[QUOTE=norinew] Last edited by norinew : Today at 12:43 PM. Reason: Fixed dumb mistake. [/QUOTE] Making people pay for edits. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/7 "2008-03-25T20:17:56Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > I think it’s better suited for IMHO. I’ll move it for you. Oh? And how much is _that_ gonna cost me? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/8 "2008-03-25T20:27:08Z")
$20 for avatar pictures. $50 to add a smiley for the board $50 get someone to spellcheck for you ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/9 "2008-03-25T20:27:41Z")
[QUOTE=Rysto] Have an auction system that allows people to bid to change other posters’ names or give them custom titles. So I could, say, bid $5 to change **Drain Bead** ’s name to **Drain Gead** , and **Drain** would either have to outbid me or live with the name change. Edit: Selling indulgences to forgive past warnings. [/QUOTE] I think this idea would be a lot of fun. Too bad TLDR just got banned because I’m sure he would have been the first target and I bet the price would have gone pretty high too. I was going to suggest selling t-shirts but luckily I decided to check to see if they already did and they do. Well how about more of a cafepress type of thing with SDMB mouse pads, hats, sweatshirts, dog collars, neck ties, boxers, speedo’s, mittens or better yet SDMB toilet paper. Spaceballs T.P. sold so well TPTB could probably drop the ads altogether. That kind of stuff 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/10 "2008-03-25T20:41:45Z")
Well, I’m sure that most of the people here have an “extra” kidney. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/11 "2008-03-25T21:00:34Z")
[QUOTE=Silver Tyger Girl] $20 for avatar pictures. [/QUOTE] No, no. Free Avatar pictures. $50 to _not_ have them displayed. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/12 "2008-03-25T21:01:17Z")
We could whore out some of the more attractive members. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/13 "2008-03-25T21:01:40Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=] No, no. Free Avatar pictures. $50 to _not_ have them displayed. [/QUOTE] You are evil. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/14 "2008-03-25T21:36:55Z")
For 50 bucks, someone will bring pie. For 100 bucks TPTB will go out and find a \_\_\_\_\_\_ for any “Ask the \_\_\_\_\_” thread that can’t be answered by existing members. For 250 bucks you can sponsor a sheep for **Hal Briston** For 500 you can have the worst post you ever made (and all subsequent replies and Pit threads that came from it) completely deleted from the server and archives. For _one mil-lion dollars_ you can learn the true identity of Cecil Adams and not have to die afterward. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/15 "2008-03-25T23:49:36Z")
You people are all just so much more mercenary than I am. All I could think of was selling a Darwin fish with the word CECIL inside it. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2008, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/16 "2008-03-25T23:51:58Z")
[QUOTE=iamthewalrus(:3=] No, no. Free Avatar pictures. $50 to _not_ have them displayed. [/QUOTE] In that vein, trolls, jerks and whatnot are no longer banned – but you can pay to have them added to your ignore list. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/17 "2008-03-26T00:06:10Z")
[QUOTE=Tahssa] . . . I was going to suggest selling t-shirts but luckily I decided to check to see if they already did and they do. . . . 😃 [/QUOTE] I did not know that. They’re $10 plus shipping and handling, [here.](https://securesite.chireader.com/cgi-bin/dopestore/buystuff.bat#tshirt) My order’s in. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/18 "2008-03-26T00:08:58Z")
Make the search function pay as you go. $1 will get you one search or you can buy in at the discount rate of unlimited searches for $5 in a 24 hour period. $10 to get on the secret “good server” for a day. $100 dollars for getting the highest experts on a given subject to debate extensively on a subject you are interested in for a week. If they don’t participate of even try hard enough, they get banned unless the people in question pay another $200 for a dispensation on their own behalf. $100 to make a user give out their home address and telephone number. After setting up a meeting by phone or at their house, the person in question will be banned if they are not cordial or don’t present themselves in high charm and fashion at least for a little while. The only way out is a fine of $500 to block the meeting. Especially hot or interesting Dopers can buy a perpetual out of these meetings for $1000. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/19 "2008-03-26T00:39:19Z")
[QUOTE=Rysto] In that vein, trolls, jerks and whatnot are no longer banned – but you can pay to have them added to your ignore list. [/QUOTE] Let’s charge 5 bucks for everytime anyone wants to call someone a troll. After everyone shouts themselves horse, the SDMB will be rich. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2008, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695/20 "2008-03-26T00:44:56Z")
Pie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-joking-things-could-the-sdmb-sell-to-raise-revenue/442695.md?page=2)