# Old threads worth another look? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533 "2010-08-07T18:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/1 "2010-08-07T18:32:35Z")
I started out trying to find “the oldest thread” and decided after a bit of looking that maybe there’s some fun to be had in sharing that search with anybody who cares. Two ideas have come to me: 1. Continue trying to find Thread # 1 2. Take some of these oldies and start new threads on the same topic and refer back to them as inspirations for the new threads Maybe there are even more intelligent things to do with this information. Anyway here are some things I located in my dabbling: > **[The dumb questions thread.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=90000)** > > I’ll bet you’ve all heard the old cliche that “There’s no such thing as a dumb question”. It’s demonstrably false. For example: \* If all the Chinese people in the world parked on a driveway all at once, would they be able to tell us what the... The dumb questions thread. 09-28-2001, 03:17 PM Fenris > **[Question about "e.r." (TV Show)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=50000)** > > Regarding last night’s episode (Dec 7, 2000), has Anthony Edwards announced intentions to leave the program? My wife is really upset. \[sub\]If we can, let’s try to avoid spoilers in this thread. It’s just nicer that way.\[/sub\] Question about “e.r.” (TV Show) 12-08-2000, 08:58 AM sdimbert > **[This one will give you chills......](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=20000)** > > http://www.creepysites.com/julie/ifs.html I’m not sure if this is legit at all, but it really makes you sit a little uncomfortably. The journal is a must see. So, what do you think, any chance of it being real? He used about 5 quicktime clips and... This one will give you chills… 03-23-2000, 04:58 AM Omniscient > **[Sense of smell not for everyone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=10000)** > > I was wondering why only 50% of people are genetically inclined to be able to smell scents like almonds? I was watching a forensic science show recently and it was mentioned there referencing how some people cannot smell cyanide. (which has a very... Sense of smell not for everyone? 12-29-1999, 08:58 AM aenea > **[Cold Fusion?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=5100)** > > I remember reading in Discover magazine back in the 80’s that a couple of guy’s pulled off cold fusion. I am guessing that since I can’t remember their names they are not household names and that their version of cold fusion never really worked. Has... Cold Fusion? 08-26-1999, 10:51 PM Patricinus Scriblerus > **[ME-The Movie](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=5010)** > > Time for a little insight. Who would play you in your movie biography? My pick is…Jeff Goldblum! ME-The Movie 08-24-1999, 09:45 PM Czarcasm Time for a little insight. Who would play you in your movie biography? My pick is…Jeff Goldblum! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/2 "2010-08-07T19:06:02Z")
Some smaller Thread ID numbers, but not necessarily older contents. And there have been many “no such thread” (or words to that effect) responses. ================================================== > **[MAJOR SYSTEM PROBLEMS](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=2000)** > > As I’m sure everybody now knows, we’re having some serious problems here. The technical word for it is “screwed.” General Questions is totally non functioning. The other forums seem to be all right – so far – but I’m not making any promises. As... MAJOR SYSTEM PROBLEMS 09-01-1999, 11:58 PM TubaDiva > **[Why bracelet?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=1000)** > > Necklaces go around the neck. Anklets around the ankle. What’s with bracelets? Why aren’t they called wristlets? Bigamy is having one wife to many. Monogamy is the same. - Oscar Wilde Why bracelet? 06-01-1999, 09:17 PM Guest > **[Good-bye Straight Up Dopes](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=500)** > > I have been the victim of blatant censorship at the hands of one of your moderators. It’s going to take ALOT longer than you thought. P.S. FEEL FREE TO DELETE MY USER NAME MOTHERFUCKERS. “Right is only half of what’s wrong” - George Harrison -... Good-bye Straight Up Dopes 07-01-1999, 02:48 PM Guest > **[Porphyria vs. Lupus in folklore](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=200)** > > In his article: http://www.straightdope.com/columns/990507.html Cecil makes a persuasive case that porphyria can’t be an explanation for vampire legends. He also notes that porphyria had been proposed as an explanation for legends about werewolves. ... Porphyria vs. Lupus in folklore 09-17-1999, 06:11 PM Boris B > **[Italian Cooking and tomatoes?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=100)** > > I read somewhere that tomatoes were one of the vegetables that were brought from the New World to the Old. As I was eating pizza the other night, the thought occured to me: what did Italian cooks do before they had the tomato? It’s also odd that the... Italian Cooking and tomatoes? 06-16-1999, 06:52 AM Guest ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/3 "2010-08-07T20:54:35Z")
Okay! Thread #1 exists, but it’s not the oldest. What is? > **[TSD needs chat hosts, board moderators](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=50)** > > What with growing traffic on our Web message board and the usual turnover, the Straight Dope needs chat hosts and board moderators. Interested parties should write to tubadiva@aol.com for an application. You must be over 18. A fast computer and... TSD needs chat hosts, board moderators 05-14-1999, 10:53 AM Guest > **[Cecil's column on Preparation H](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=10)** > > I just have to disseminate my mother’s response to the report that women use Preparation H around their eyes. She said something along the lines of “It makes me wonder where they apply their eyeshadow.” Best regards from Deborah Cecil’s column on Preparation H 03-18-1999, 07:59 AM Guest > **[What does "DLUR, TRKE" mean?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=5)** > > On page 148 of Triumph of the Straight Dope, there is a question about the lyrics of “Blinded by the Light”. The questioner included a signature of IMSMRTRTNU, which I assume means “I’m smart, aren’t you”. Cecil responds with URSMRTRNI, which I think... What does “DLUR, TRKE” mean? 03-27-1999, 10:52 AM Guest > **[New Guy In Town](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=1)** > > cool New Guy In Town 07-12-2000, 02:38 PM zebbmx ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/4 "2010-08-08T15:03:00Z")
It would appear that the oldest (smallest) Thread ID numbers relate to Cecil’s columns. Can you think of some keyword that ought to appear in any really old threads so that a search on that keyword for any thread older than 10 years sorted ascending on latest post date might zoom in on the oldest starting date? My last batch of oldies until somebody else sees a point to this endeavor: ========================================================= > **[Cecil's Lousy Call Letter Answer (repost)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=2)** > > MODERATOR COMMENT: Please note that this thread is from 1999, revived in 2000, 2001, 2004 and a couple of other times. Please don’t bother to post anything that was already posted, and please don’t expect answers from people who may have posted... Cecil’s Lousy Call Letter Answer (repost) 03-12-1999, 06:58 PM Guest > **[Cecil's column \[From 1999 - Zombie, closed \]](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=3)** > > Thanks to your column my dad is looking to buy his first computer. I’ve tried to interest him in the wonders of computers for years and on his last visit \[a few days ago\] I finally got him in front of mine. After a few minutes he got bored so I... Cecil’s column 03-16-1999, 11:24 AM Guest > **[cecil's brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=4)** > > hey where is search cecil’s brain on the new web page ? If you don’t have one now , are you ever going to put one in ? I loved that . I could go and look up stuff I always wondered about and find the answers . It was one of the great pleasure’s of... cecil’s brain 03-21-1999, 10:03 PM Guest > **[8th man vs cecil's witless minions](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=6)** > > Oh wise windy sage- I mean wise sage of the Windy City: in “Triumph of the Straight Dope”, scott dropped the ball. “The 6 Million Dollar Man” is based on the novel “Cyborg” by Martin Caidin M.D. A brilliant novel punted by your vile lackey. FLOG THE... 8th man vs cecil’s witless minions 04-05-1999, 06:25 PM Guest > **[Welcome!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=7)** > > Hi, folks, and welcome to the “Comment on Cecil’s Columns” folder. Though the Boss is still far from comfortable with this computer thing, we’ve persuaded him to check in periodically to read your comments about his columns, and respond if the spirit... Welcome! 03-10-1999, 11:25 PM Guest > **[Ni-Cad Battery Answer](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=8)** > > Unc Cece had it “half-right” on his Ni-Cad Battery answer recently published. I used to manage a two-way radio shop. Now, as you can imagine, Ni-Cad batteries were very popular for the handheld radios, as you could simply recharge them instead of... Ni-Cad Battery Answer 03-16-1999, 10:04 AM Guest > **[Helicopter column of 12/30/94](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=9)** > > Browsing through the newly-available past columns, I happened upon an article about how helicopters work. Although I loathe to suggest that Maestro Cecil may have made a boo-boo, I must suggest a slightly different answer. Cecil says that when a... Helicopter column of 12/30/94 04-03-1999, 08:04 AM Guest ---
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/5 "2010-08-09T04:13:33Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > [This one will give you chills...... - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=20000) > This one will give you chills… > 03-23-2000, 04:58 AM > Omniscient Haha, the complaints in that thread about realplayer and quicktime plugins sure bring back memories. The internet has come a long way in 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/6 "2010-08-09T05:04:12Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > > [@Zeldar](#): > > > > [This one will give you chills...... - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=20000) > > This one will give you chills… > > 03-23-2000, 04:58 AM > > Omniscient > > Haha, the complaints in that thread about realplayer and quicktime plugins sure bring back memories. The internet has come a long way in 10 years. It is indeed enlightening to see how little has really changed in terms of what annoys people about the internet. BTW, I finally realized that searches can be based on “thread start date (or time)” so that those earliest ones can be hunted directly. Finding that magic keyword is still eluding me, though. Unless there’s some magic I can’t explain, I think the oldest on accessible now is > **[Welcome!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=7)** > > Hi, folks, and welcome to the “Comment on Cecil’s Columns” folder. Though the Boss is still far from comfortable with this computer thing, we’ve persuaded him to check in periodically to read your comments about his columns, and respond if the spirit... Welcome! 03-10-1999, 11:25 PM Guest My original idea in this process was to try to locate the thread topic that has been repeated/renewed the most times. Surely the failed zombies (by virtue of being closed) are good examples, but every time somebody thinks they have “a new idea” the odds are pretty good that somebody else will post a link to an older thread dealing with that very idea. I just want to locate one of those “better ideas” that has been reposted more than any other, so finding a neat batach of “original threads” seemed like the place to begin. Thus all the nonsense already in this thread! If other searchers for this treasure want to join me, I bet we can come up with some rewards that will be truly spectacular. Takers? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/7 "2010-08-09T05:04:57Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > > [@Zeldar](#): > > > > [This one will give you chills...... - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=20000) > > This one will give you chills… > > 03-23-2000, 04:58 AM > > Omniscient > > Haha, the complaints in that thread about realplayer and quicktime plugins sure bring back memories. The internet has come a long way in 10 years. Except the Quicktime plugin still sucks balls. Playing videos in little tiny windows that can’t be maximized? Fuck that. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/8 "2010-08-09T05:10:13Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > > [@Zeldar](#): > > > > [This one will give you chills...... - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=20000) > > This one will give you chills… > > 03-23-2000, 04:58 AM > > Omniscient > > Haha, the complaints in that thread about realplayer and quicktime plugins sure bring back memories. The internet has come a long way in 10 years. Another fun thing about that thread is that every poster in the thread (that I checked anyway) had a 4-digit or smaller Member Number. Not too long ago (maybe a year, maybe less) there was some fun in another thread of this type trying to locate the smallest Member Number that was “still active.” I don’t remember whose it is but it was 2-digit or less. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/9 "2010-08-09T05:15:55Z")
Yo! Check it out: [Straight Dope Message Board - Your direct line to thousands of the smartest, hippest people on the planet, plus a few total dipsticks.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/10 "2010-08-09T16:56:00Z")
Here is a [different Welcome thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=491#postid5251), this one in ATMB. Includes instructions in how to quote a prior post. Mind you, this was back before we had any buttons to do it for you. You had to manually type in the quote tags, if I recall correctly. Same with bold and italic: you had to type the square brackets and the i or b and then again to end them. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/11 "2010-08-09T17:03:28Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Here is a [different Welcome thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=491#postid5251), this one in ATMB. Includes instructions in how to quote a prior post. > > Mind you, this was back before we had any buttons to do it for you. You had to manually type in the quote tags, if I recall correctly. Same with bold and italic: you had to type the square brackets and the i or b and then again to end them. Thanks, #66! I guess you ought to know all about this stuff. Can you recall threads with older start dates than March 1999? What topic from those early days do you think has been repeated (in terms of thread titles) the most? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/12 "2010-08-09T17:53:33Z")
Yeah, but you’ll need a time machine to see them. This was the first SDMB thread I ever started, in 199 **7** : aol://5863:126/mB:59300:54753 For a surprisingly long time that link still worked (if you had AOL installed on your computer), long after the old AOL board was no longer extant. But eventually someone at AOL got around to unplugging it. March 1999 is when the curtain came up on this board. If there’s anything earlier it would have to consist of test posts by Tuba and Lynn. None of us ordinary mortals would have been around. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-threads-worth-another-look/549533/13 "2010-08-29T15:53:23Z")
Here are some facts relating to the Archives: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php) 250 threads per page About This Message Board [1] 03-10-1999, 11:38 PM [42] 08-29-2010, 09:14 AM The BBQ Pit [1] 03-11-1999, 12:20 AM [136] 08-29-2010, 10:06 AM Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS) [1] 03-15-1999, 08:17 PM [446] 08-29-2010, 08:09 AM General Questions [1] 03-16-1999, 02:57 PM [706] 08-29-2010, 10:34 AM In My Humble Opinion [1] 04-13-1999, 11:03 AM [285] 08-29-2010, 10:19 AM Great Debates [1] 06-02-1999, 03:39 PM [134[ 08-29-2010, 02:38 AM Cafe Society [1] 09-10-1999, 02:01 PM [369] 08-29-2010, 08:52 AM The Game Room [1] 01-10-2005, 04:26 AM [26] 08-29-2010, 09:14 AM =========================== My strategy in this list was First Post on First Thread on First Page Last Post on Last Thread on Last Page By the time you check for “last page” in any forum, odds are its number will be greater than what I have showed. The Archives appear to be updated in real time. This doesn’t account for the possibility that the most recent/latest post in the forum is the “Last Post on Last Thread on Last Page” since it could be the last post in a previous thread. But it ought to help with “ballparking” the ranges of each forum Other details about the Archives will be fun to figure out.