There are newbie threads because people like to introduce themselves to the forum. There is a much better chance that they'll get a bit more popular by making a newbie thread. & as for the beating with sticks & fish, that's just madness.

Answer to the latter: No I didn't. Reason being because I thought it would've got locked because they weren't allowed. & when I first started posting I was posting in the FF fora instead of GC.