There are several levels of membership, based on the post count, and each level allows members to use more options.

Unfortunately, our board software displays all options to all members, and members without permission to use them receive a generic error message when they try, which is confusing and frustrating, and for this, we apologize.

Your post count and membership level ("Group") are displayed to the left of each of your posts. If you haven't posted, you are, by definition, a "New Member."

New Member: 9 or fewer substantive posts
New Members may use board Search from the banner at the top of each page. New Members may not use Private Messenger (PM), board email, or Member search.

New Members may start threads, respond to threads, and respond to blogs, unless posting privileges have been suspended. If a member is on "Moderated," the post will not appear until reviewed by a Moderator for content. (Please see How This Site Is Moderated for more details.)

Bloggers may choose to review replies before they are "published" to the blog. If you respond to a blog, and it doesn't appear immediately, the blogger hasn't approved it.

Member: Between 10 and 99 substantive posts.
Members have all of the privileges of New Members, and, in addition, may use Private Messenger (PM), board email, and the Member search from the banner at the top of each page.

Please note: If you try to send a PM or a board email to a New Member, you will receive an error message noting that the recipient doesn't have permissions to the service. Both members must have PM or email privileges for it to work.

Senior Members: 100 or more substantive posts.
Senior Members have all of the privileges of Members, and, in addition, may create blogs.