Ye' old general discussion board. Basically, for everything that isn't covered elsewhere. Come here to shoot the breeze, shoot your mouth off, or whatever suits your fancy. This forum is not for asking programming related questions.
White probably wouldn't give enough contrast with the white area's used for the content. At the same time it would increase the contrast with the menus and icons, making them stand out too much. It's a delicate balance, grey is a good neutral which works well in this situation.