I'm a relative newbie since I signed on a couple of nights ago... found this particular forum when searching info for another TCTC fan I met on yet still a different forum. Gonna refer him to this so watch out more newbies on the way.
Some of the threads of THIS topic I read and some gave me an "uh-oh" when it was suggested that newbies be corralled into a whole different section before joining the old timers.
I'm currently participating in the thread exploring the movie option to our beloved saga. Some of the dates of the thread gave me pause as I didn't want to be beating the proverbial dead horse (never a Ranyhyn!...those Ramen scare me). I went ahead and posted my views anyway and it looks like someone nibbled at the newly offered bait I dangled.
This is my third posting and while I'm thrilled to have found a discussion group dedicated to one of my favorite series (read all 6 each year for the last 16 years...just can't get enough and it's long enough to make for a good bedtime story...if you're a Giant that is.
I own and moderate one YahooGroups board and moderate still another. It is tough to prevent newbies from bringing up an old subject but out of consideration it's tolerated because as someone else mentioned (ya'll) were all once newbies and searching around the ole' archives for a thread to answer a question is the long way around when it's easier to ask anew and fresh.
One person could volunteer to accomidate the newbie's question if it's indeed a dead horse, which I do with my group(s). Or as some one else here on this particular thread mentioned a fresh perspective could be added to an otherwise old pot of stew. Kinda like dropping a couple of drops of tabasco sauce in a old pot of chili. Wakes it up don't it?
Anyway... long winded as I may be (past life I probably WAS a giant) I'm glad to have found this discussion board and hope that it will bring new life to an old friend ... The TCTC saga.

remember joy is in the ears that hear not the mouth that speaks