This is actually the largest wave of newbies I have ever seen here on the posting board. Of course, I haven't been here for that long.
Here's a gluten free cupcake simulation. Don't worry. It's not a grenade.

Have some fudge!

...we love it when newbies come in. :D

So welcome! :D

Here, have some Messiaen for the road:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht5qqE_e1UE

We get, in my memory/experience, weekish-long waves of new people, over about two or three pages' time. Then things quiet down, usually after at least one person has double-posted and been asked not to do so again, and then there's a pile-up, and then people go "Hey stop piling up!" and other people go :| and :
(Hey, maybe we could avoid that bit, this time around!)

I don't know how common it is, being a newbie myself, but it may just be that time of year when alot of people spend time indoors on their computers. Winter can do that to people, or at least to me.

But, it is most definitely not an organized invasion of newbies poised to take over the PPC. There is no need to worry, fret, or prepare a counterstrike, because that would just make you look silly.