While your bar analogy appears turned around, what with the hissy fits and all, you are correct and I appreciate the advice.
Though I, too, am new here and certainly not the FR police, or an expert, I read the forum for 15 months before signing on and have seen what can happen.
I've been here 6 weeks and have posted twice, one a live event, as an alert, and one news piece I alerted the mods to pull as it was a dupe ( got beat by a minute 20 while I was editing ).
Easiest way to get accepted is to post to an existing thread; no matter how good or bad your input is, it will be more readily accepted or shouted down than a vanity post.
Do stand up on your own hind legs, if you have a valid point, and make sure you develop a thick skin.
Put some info on your profile page...though many don't, it helps to let folks know you faster.
Many of these folks have been here for many years and have lot's of institutional knowledge: you can learn alot from them.
It's a great site....I came here from another conservative forum and though I still wander by at my old place, I can't think of a better place on the 'net.