# It's time for the Unknown Posters thread. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 22, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677 "2003-02-22T00:29:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Minor\_Irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Minor\_Irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minor_Irritant)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/81 "2003-02-23T18:29:57Z")
I lurk far more than I post. GD scares the bejeezus out of me, so I mostly stick to nice, safe, non-judgemental CS. GD’s a good read, however. ---
**Author:** ![SRB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SRB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SRB)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/82 "2003-02-23T19:00:31Z")
Dahempfaerie…It’s great to meet you! SEEEEEE?? A response! LOL Stick around, it’s good to have you here! Minor Irritant, love that name!!! LOL ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/83 "2003-02-23T19:19:31Z")
I’ve been lurking since (gasp) 1999… but I didn’t even register until this past summer. I just didn’t have anything to say until then. Now, I’m a sporadic poster, at best, but I’m starting to come out of my shell. ---
**Author:** ![Watcher\_of\_the\_Skies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@Watcher\_of\_the\_Skies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Watcher_of_the_Skies)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/84 "2003-02-23T19:26:15Z")
I intended only to lurk and enjoy the various threads, but I have become totally addicted to posting on the “a” thread on MPSIMS. It takes mundane and pointless to its ultimate extreme. Plus it’s lots of fun. ---
**Author:** ![Pelleas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e8c25b/32.png) [@Pelleas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pelleas)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/85 "2003-02-23T19:50:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gypsygirl31 \* > \*\*I’ve been lurking since (gasp) 1999… but I didn’t even register until this past summer. I just didn’t have anything to say until then. Now, I’m a sporadic poster, at best, but I’m starting to come out of my shell. \*\* Wow! Somebody that lurked longer than I did before registering. Like so many others have said, whenever I think I have something to contribute to a discussion somebody else beats me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/86 "2003-02-23T19:51:27Z")
Oh, what the heck. I’ve lurked here for hundreds of years, maybe even thousands. Why, back when I was first lurking there wasn’t even an internet, there wasn’t even an _Al Gore_; it was all done with smoke signals…That’s right, it was the Straight Dope Smoke Board. It was tough on the eyes, too, I tell ya. I didn’t have a big fire like some of the others, so it was tough to join in so that’s how I got into the habit of lurking only and here I am today, many years and a handful of posts later… Seriously, though, I’ve been lurking for a couple of years, sometime around summer 2000, I think. I don’t remember what prompted me to finally register and post the first time. I do know that the thousands of posts I’d amassed(or at least 10), were wiped out in the winter of our missed content. I’ve been posting a bit more lately, but for various reasons, similar to all those already mentioned, I think I probably won’t be hitting that 1000 post mark anytime soon. But as someone already said (see, just like that, someone’s already said it!) I lurk every day and _ **I** _ feel like I’m a part of the community, but then when I post something, I realize no one else would feel that way. I’ve done it myself, over here on the sidelines. Someone with a low post count says something as if they’ve been around for ages, and I immediately think to myself, “What the heck…” and then I slap myself and say, “They could have been lurking for ages just like you, dummy.” Sometimes I really like the part when I slap myself. So there you have it. The [Merv Griffin voice] fascinating [/Merv Griffin voice] story of my low post count. Are you happy now **Exgineer**? You’ve drawn me out of my self-imposed exile and I’ll probably get laughed at and maybe even spit upon. And I’ll never post again and it will be _all your fault_. Are you Catholic, by any chance? That last part only works really well on Catholics. ---
**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/87 "2003-02-23T20:19:30Z")
Well, I’ve been here for 2 or so years and I have over 750 posts, but I seriously doubt many know who I am. Mostly because I tend to stick to IMHO and MPSIMS. I make good background noise, apparently. I am the ultimate lurker. Fear me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lonelocust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/73ab20/32.png) [@lonelocust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lonelocust)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/88 "2003-02-23T21:50:27Z")
I’ve been reading the board for several years now. I only really registered so that I could do searches. I could have put myself through med school with the time I put aside to read these threads. I’ve made a few furtive efforts to get involved but it’s been a daunting process. Some interesting thread appears and before I can post it’s already grown to several pages. All I can really do is second or third or tenth an opinion or factoid posted before me. I guess that would include this post as well. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/89 "2003-02-23T22:51:30Z")
I lurk, agaist my will. I’ll read a thread and think ‘aha! I have something witty and insightful to add!’ I’ll formulate a response while I’m reading, get to the shiny grey ‘Your Reply’ box and then… either my mind goes blank, or I’ll type my response, preview and realise that I have, in fact, written gibberish that has no point… …so I hit delete and go back to the (aparently crowded) shadows… ---
**Author:** ![CreaseMunky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@CreaseMunky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CreaseMunky)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/90 "2003-02-23T23:16:16Z")
Count me as a member of the “I rarely post because anything I have to say has already been said and much more eloquently” group. Which is actually kind of amusing because I’m fairly witty and outgoing in my everyday life. I may be on a bit of a tear, though… I think this is my 4th post this month!! ---
**Author:** ![KinSaba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@KinSaba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinSaba)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/91 "2003-02-23T23:47:54Z")
Well, I certainly qualify as a lurker. And here I am with my 2 cent answer to **SRB** > [@](#): > > STILL looking for the answer to the Great Question of Mankind; what was the song the Three Stooges finger-snapped? I maintain it was Beethoven’s Fifth In D Minor. I am not a Three Stooges fan as I lack a Y chromosome, but my brothers were and they taught me a finger snap song that was the William Tell Overture - you know - the Lone Ranger song. There. That is all I had to add to the conversation. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/92 "2003-02-24T00:57:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Salem \* > \*\*Are you happy now **Exgineer**? You’ve drawn me out of my self-imposed exile and I’ll probably get laughed at and maybe even spit upon. And I’ll never post again and it will be _all your fault_. Are you Catholic, by any chance? That last part only works really well on Catholics. \*\* I’m freakin’ ecstatic. Bwahahahahahahahahaha! And I’m Episcopalian. Is that close enough? ---
**Author:** ![Tinkertoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f19dbf/32.png) [@Tinkertoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinkertoy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/93 "2003-02-24T02:42:41Z")
Why I don’t post more: **lonelocust** > [@](#): > > I’ve been reading the board for several years now. I only really registered so that I could do searches. I could have put myself through med school with the time I put aside to read these threads. Someone always beats me to it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Witch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@The\_Witch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Witch)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/94 "2003-02-24T02:59:56Z")
Lonelocust made the point I would have made–who has time for lurking, let alone posting–especially when it takes five minutes for your computer to even bring up a page you want to look at . . . ---
**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:** [February 24, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/95 "2003-02-24T03:54:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lonelocust \* > \*\*I’ve been reading the board for several years now. I only really registered so that I could do searches. I could have put myself through med school with the time I put aside to read these threads. > > \*\* Yes, but then you’d be a doctor. _Like that means anything anymore._ Being a Doper ™ you are the life of the party with less collegiate loans and liability insurance to deal with. **SRB** Welcome aboard. (And everyone else too!) Here is the schedule, in case you didn’t get the memo: **MPSIMS** : Brainfarts all day long trickling over to **IMHO** where they cohere better. Eventually wander into \*\*Cafe Society \*\* and realize that it is still a Trekkie/LOTR/Comic Book love fest/bash going on. Get yelled at by your boss about something that wasn’t your fault and decide to take it out on her/him/it in the \*\*Pit \*\* where everyone either joins in with their tale of \*Bosses from Hell \* or tell you you are wronger and more evil than a baby seal clubber. Bruised, battered and scarred, you drag yourself unknowingly into \*\*Great Debates \*\* where God either exists ( according to **Polycarp** ) or Does not ( according to **David B** ) and no matter whose posts you read on the subject, you change your belief system more than J.Lo changes husbands. Deciding to wander elsewhere, the only place left is \*\*General Questions \*\* where the questions are _good_, the answers are _snappy_ and _informed_ and you wish you had thought of the question because - dammit - you were contemplating that very same subject the other day. Defeated that you have contributed zero to this time waster, waste expanding place, you go to the home page and find, through \*\*threadspotting \*\* one of the funniest threads to come along in eons. And you put in your two bits and then go back to work for awhile to actually try to keep your job. Then, when avoiding work, vainly go back to that hilarious thread to see if anyone has responded to what you felt was a brilliant shot. ( Or worse, it was ignored. No one gets your inner genius.) A silly smile crosses your face as you discover that it made one person blow coffee out of their nose that morning all over their keyboard because of it. \*Your job is done. \* You realize, it isn’t about what you can do for this place, it is about what the place does for you. And how you can blow any beverage - hot or cold - out of your nose whilst perusing this board. And then you go to lunch and do the whole thing over again after lunch… ---
**Author:** ![SRB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SRB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SRB)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/96 "2003-02-24T04:21:49Z")
KinSaba, THANK YOU! I believe “the Lone Ranger Song” and Beethoven’s 5th are one and the same! You have no idea how happy I am to hear that someone else noticed that!!! OMG…is this a “validation” moment? LOL Shirley Ujest, that was great! Thanks for all the insight; how very thoughtful of you to clue us in a bit! It is deeply appreciate! Not only are you nice; you’re downright prescient and funny as all get-out! ---
**Author:** ![Bishamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3e96dc/32.png) [@Bishamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bishamon)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/97 "2003-02-24T04:34:51Z")
I’ve lurked here for a couple of years before I registered. Long enough to recognize most of the names and their posting styles. I primarily lurk because I’m so intimidated by how smart/witty/clever everyone is. I like to think that I can turn a word or two, but here is where I learn that lots of people are intelligent and can write. Rather than get discouraged though, I sit back and bask in all the lively conversation going on around me. I deal with lots of dumb things in the course of a day, and this place just gives me hope that the world isn’t going someplace unpleasant in a handbasket. I lurk because it’s a relief from the rest of the world and I know that there are other intelligent people and they too have problems and they can get over them so I can too. So thank you unofficial support group. _meekly waves hello_ ---
**Author:** ![Salem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Salem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Salem)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/98 "2003-02-24T06:30:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exgineer \* > \*\*I’m freakin’ ecstatic. > > Bwahahahahahahahahaha! > > And I’m Episcopalian. Is that close enough? \*\* Well, Lutheran would be closer, but as long as you’re feeling the guilt (and clearly you are from your response…), it will do for now. But I do hear they’re having some super specials on Catholic conversions these days. ---
**Author:** ![Fang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/96bed5/32.png) [@Fang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fang)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/99 "2003-02-24T07:08:43Z")
I’ve been registered for a year and a half, over 200 posts, hang around mostly GD (but a handful of everything else except ATMB and the comments fora, even once successfully pitted someone). I still don’t feel like anybody knows me. I could be wrong, but I certainly don’t feel like I could be casually referred to as an example (“This is like something Fang would post”). ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677/100 "2003-02-24T08:04:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exgineer \* > \*\*I obviously can’t force people to post against their will. > \*\* Well, I was just going to read this thread and move on, like the lurker I am. Then \*\* Exgineer \*\* forced me, against my will, to post this 😃 . Most of the time I’m content to just read the threads. Every now and then I get a wild hair & post 10 or 15 times in a week. Then I go back to lurking for a few months. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-time-for-the-unknown-posters-thread/156677.md?page=6)