Examples of external being Setpember 11th, the 2000 presidential elections, the 2004 presidential elections…etc.
Examples of internal being the LOTR thread, the Horror of Blimps, Nazi Groundhogs…etc.
I know several of our threads have been noticed off the boards and attracted temporary members. It also seems like huge world events would somehow bring people here due to increased scouring of the internet.
I’m just wondering if anyone has found there way here because of any of these types of things and decided to stay. I think it would be kind of neat.
Sadly, I can’t even remember the thread that brought me here. All I know is that it was sometime right after 9-11; whether it was actually about 9-11 I don’t know. Initially I just went to GQ and GD, but the LOTR thread opened me up to the other boards.
I registered a week after 9/11, but I don’t recall it being motivated by that in particular. I was certainly losing a lot of sleep though, so maybe I had more time to stay up late and thus ended up surfing the Web more.
I registered because I stubbled across Straightdope.com one day during computer net/tech class during high school and thought it was pretty cool. So I said what the hell . .and registered. And thus, I am here today. One threat that sealed my registration was on about the funniest thing that ever happened.
I post at several other forums and I came across a thread where people were posting links to other interesting sites (may have just been forums) on the 'net. Someone posted a link to the SDMB and mentioned how he only goes there to lurk.
When I saw the GQ Forum I immediately signed up to find the answers to all the unGoogleable questions I had in my mind.
Not entirely internal, but I came because of the board wars between this board and another. Someone posted a link over there, I came to check these out and liked them much better. So I stayed. And haven’t been there in almost three years.
I came here looking for answers a few days after 9/11- look at my join date. I tried a few other forums, but the impression I got from each was a bunch of 733t speak and bad attitudes toward everyone else in general. I knew this board was different the first day I got here, andf I find I prefer this board over any others I’ve found.
I read the columns on the site for years before I even had any interest in the message boards. Then Threadspotting hit the Very Vaguely Creepy thread, and I was interested enough in that subject to read and respond. And it was in that very thread that I met Gunslinger, to whom I am now engaged. Way to go, Threadspotters!
I just got here and don’t remember why…Actually I registered before…answered a question…got shot to pieces…and just sort of stayed. But i just got the credit card payed down enough to pay the $15 subsription fee, so I just subscribed today.
Someone over at Heartless Bitches posted a link to the Straight Dope front page, I clicked it, saw something called “Threadspotting: Evil Nazi Groundhogs”, clicked that, read it, and registered that same day. I’m downright affectionate towards those Nazi Groundhogs.