when you go to the forums home, you will see lighted forums (square is bright) if there are new messages posted since you last came
also, when you are in a forum, you see those "arrows", meaning that these are new messages since last time you came..
ALSO... go to your PROFILE (link at the top of the screen) and make sure you have th eoption "store username and password in the browser memore" set to YES! this is yoru cookie control
