Here is another option that might be useful.
ProBoards - Free Forums & Free Message Boards
I belong to other forums that use this format. CF:)

I see you've opted to let the plebiscites in on the extend of the trash & garbage. certainly points out the magnitude of an absentee Forum-lord.

there's lot of other cooking related forums - some are better than others - keeping in mind that the definition of "better" is entirely subjective.

FaceBook? those social sites are a security sewer. I most strongly recommend _no one_ go there. LinkedIn is another non-sanitary sewer - since the IPO talk spam from LinkedIn has increased exponentially - I changed my email address there to a non-existent account, as "deleting" things is a useless exercise.

cheftalk.com - divided into "pro" and amateur divisions - a fair number of overbearing "professional" individuals that can easily get under one's skin with their outrageous and/or 'there is no other way but mine' opinions.

cooking.com - recently lept with full Admin intention on their sword supporting an exceptionally obnoxious member - other than moderators, pretty much everyone else left. used to be a good spot. might recover, not looking good tho.

netcookingtalk.com - pretty good board, currently in a bit of a lull.

discusscooking.com - this place has a reputation of exceedingly harsh and capricious moderators - otoh, it is well 'policed' - and if one keeps in mind that no differing personal experience or opinion to the select few uber-posters is tolerated, works. if you feel tempted to voice a different opinion than the golden few, stifle yourself or get your keyboard smacked by the staff.

there's many other places where you need an long count Mayan calendar to find recent posts / activity and some are so poorly 'organized' in the 'software' sense it's just too painful to even think about participating.

cookingforums.net
cookingjunkies.com
chef2chef.net
roadfood.com
chowhound.com (active, but fragmented to the extreme; impossible to 'follow')
reluctantgourmet.com - currently closed; one Admin couldn't keep up with the spam.....

I hope this doesn't ruffle any feathers or hurt any feelings... I know I vocalized an interest at first in taking part in a Facebook presence, but after a couple days and some careful thought I am now not so interested in that.

Truth is, I am only a very reluctant FB'er. My sister kinda forced me to build a profile there a year or so back and I just don't like it. I do maintain a page there but I seldom use it and do so mainly as a quick method of staying in touch w/ my young niece and nephew and all their goings-ons.

I just don't like the openess and multiple methods of contact and cumbersome options at FB. I find it cluttered and obtrusive, troublesome to keep in check and I don't like the dozens of daily messages I tend to recieve- and it seems no matter how well I try and manage my settings I still get plagued by the goofiness there.

I prefer a quieter, slightly-less-public place that I can drop by and visit when I wish to... I'd rather not be bombarded w/ daily reach-outs from strangers and the nuisance of being contacted by folks I don't know...

Anyway...

I don't like FB myself - but as of right now - Dilbert - why don't you moderate instead of me -
there's no real "safe" place on the net when you think about it -
I've seen the other sites Dilbert listed and many of them I don't like
guess we all have our own opinions

Mama, I agree there is no really safe place on the net. Gonna always be some a** trying to mess it up. The world is full of them. I would not mind kicking a few myself. CF:)