Lugnet
Lugnet is an acronym for the Lego Users Group Network
The website hosts a very large global community of Lego enthusiasts. If you are at all a fan of Lego, it is probably worth a visit.
Even if you are not interested in Lego, they have a few active newsgroups on robotics topics which will probably be of interest. These groups can be visited on the web, as newsgroups (in Usenet style) or subscribed to as a mailing list, which can be posted to. While the subscription and posting to can be awkward, it is worth persevering as the groups like .build.mecha and .robotics are more than worth it.
There are a number of localised Lugnet groups, like .loc.uk, a UK group. These contain discussions related to local events, or local signs ups etc. They are a very good place to keep an eye on if you want to keep up with, or meet up with your peers.
The .dear-lego group is superb for getting in touch with The Lego Company themselves, and seeing the kind of gripes or requests that Lego users have made. The .announce groups are there for announcing new events, or models (MOC - my own Creations) that people have created. These announce post groups do not normally allow responses, and models tend to be cross-posted to more specific groups, like .build.mecha, .space or .technic for example.
They also have a list and guide to most Lego parts and sets - with pictures. Used with Peeron they are an invaluable resource.