The ignore function doesn't work for status updates. And you have to be logged in all the time for it to work, and I spend a lot of time in incognito mode. That's the only way I can read the New York Times without paying for it.
So the only real cure for never having to burn your eyes on the concentrated stupidity from particular posters at that site is to stay far away. I have found this one to be getting better and better and has in many ways surpassed the current state of the original. But in terms of growing this site, I don't think there are any worthwhile posters left at the old site to pillage.