Cheiromancer
Adventurer
I suppose it makes a difference whether you are raising the thread to new life - the topic is still a "live" one, and there are useful contributions to be made - and animating the thread to an unholy mockery of life, in which case it just goes "Argh" and eats people's brains.
The former is fine, the latter should be avoided.
The former is fine, the latter should be avoided.