A Cookie is a very small text file placed on your hard drive (with your permission) by a Web Page server.

It is essentially your identification card, and cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses. It is uniquely yours and can only be read by the server that gave it to you.

We use cookies only to identify you. The cookie we give you stores your user id and tells us whether you've logged in or not. We need to know who you are so we can do things like show you your personal data instead of showing you somebody else's.

Without knowing who you are, we cannot guarantee your privacy. The information will never be sent to any web server other then the one that sent you the information in the first place.

A Cookie's Purpose is to tell the server that you returned to that Web page.

How a Cookie Helps You:

It saves you time.

If you register, a cookie helps us remember who you are.

Next time you return, we know to show you the information you requested. Of course, if you never register, then the server only knows that someone with your cookie has returned to the Web site. You are in charge of deciding whether we know anything about you.

How a Cookie Helps us:

It allows us to be more efficient.

We can learn what information is important to our visitors, and what isn't. We can discard features you don't use and focus our efforts on services you want.

If You Want to Control Which Cookies You Accept:

You can order your browser to accept all cookies or to alert you every time a cookie is offered. Then you can decide whether to accept one or not.

If you're using Internet Explorer 5.0:

1. Choose Tools, then

2. Internet Options

3. CLick on Security Tab

4. Choose Web content zone you want to set security for.

5. Move the slider to set the security level

If you're using Internet Explorer 4.0:

1. Choose View, then

2. Internet Options.

3. Click the Advanced tab,

4. Scroll down to the yellow exclamation icon under Security and choose one of the three options to regulate your use of cookies.

In Internet Explorer 3.0, you can View, Options, Advanced and click on the button that says Warn Before Accepting "Cookies."

If you're using Netscape Communicator 4.0 or newer: On your Task Bar, click:

1. Edit, then

2. Preferences, then

3. click on Advanced.

4. Set your options in the box labeled "Cookies".

How to See Cookies You've Accepted:

If you are using Internet Explorer 5.0, from your browser task bar:

1. Choose Tools, then

2. Internet Options

3. Under the General tab (the default tab)

4. Click on settings, then

5. Click on view files

If you're using Internet Explorer 4.0 On your task bar, click:

1. View, then

2. Internet Options.

3. Under the tab General (the default tab) click

4. Settings, then

5. View Files.

Internet Explorer 3.0 On your Task Bar, click:

1. View, then

2. Options, then

3. Advanced, then

4. View Files.

How to See the Code in a Cookie:

Just click on a cookie to open it. You'll see a short string of text and numbers. The numbers are your identification card, which can only be seen by the server that gave you the cookie.