I am probably one of the "newest" members running for Talkboard with almost 8 months of frequent daily use, though I did lurk for 5 years but was too scared to participate as I felt it was quite US based at the time, and I was learning and taking it all in on my own.
I read and comment on only a few forums: Millemiglia, Virgin Velocity, Travel Buzz, Luxury Travel, Trip Reports, Women Travellers, and a few others here and there.
I would like to think my contribution can be valuable for a few reasons.
1. I do not know anyone personally and have no pre conceived ideas of people/politics/discussions from the past etc
2. I don't live in the USA. While it is the most important destination in the world, I feel living elsewhere does give me a different perspective and other ideas and knowledge from being "out of the loop" so to speak.
3. I have had horrible members post short and rude responses and don't ever want to see it happen to other new members
4. I am big in supporting all cultures and learning about other countries and nationalities
5. Being from Australia, I do have different travel knowledge, ideas, and changes that could prove useful to the community as a whole in the future.