Re 3: I'll keep my eye out for some anonymous posts that fit the bill.

Re: above the fold: Your suggestions sound good. The general checklist provided by whakka might be another option. I think the main work here is prioritizing: working together to get a read on the top 3-4 things that will give the first time or newish poster biggest payoff. Also I think we need to avoid "shouting" in the lead - entire sentences in bold is only one step away from all caps. It is not likely to invite people to read on for more details. (just my opinion).