So WK finally posts...while my computer is being rebuilt after a hard drive failure. That's really what it took? :P

My thoughts on on new players...well, I was new once too, albeit considerably more recently. I'll agree - new players rarely stick around for long, and rarely are able to contribute much. Even with us in advanced, I'm not sure that'll change much. Having run a few threads myself with spectacularly short-lived results, I think I'm in favor of limiting or closing off new players. 

(I'm also struck by the sudden realization I've been here for two years myself, and it still feels like I only joined a month or two ago. Time is scary)