I'm curious as to the meaning of the gold stars in the thread titles. What do they signify?

Those appear if you're a "Founding Member" or "Pub Member / Supporter" -- it makes you feel special! :)

Not those stars that appear with my posts as a pub member. But in some, not many, thread TITLES are stars. As you look at a forum header and see all the thread titles, very few have stars in them.

Oops, didn't see the part about the thread titles. Have a screen-shot of the stars? I can't see them at all.

It means that the thread has an average rating of "excellent" (Rate this thread).

Thread rating :)