PRIVACY STATEMENT

What information do we collect?

Anonymous browsing

You can visit this site without telling us who you are or revealing any information about yourself, including your email address. In this case, our Web server may collect the name, address, the IP address and domain you used to access this Site, the type and version of browser and operating system you are using, and the web site you came from and visit next. This information is used by us to measure the number of visits, average time spent, page views, and other statistics about visitors to this site in general. We may also use this data to monitor site performance for systems administration purposes, to make this site easier and more convenient to use and to report information in aggregate form to our advisers (e.g. how many visitors log in to this site).

Cookies

Cookies are small pieces of data stored by your Internet browser on your computer's hard drive, which permits us to recognize you when you access this site. If you are browsing, a cookie is used to help us measure the number of visits, average time spent, page views, and other statistics relating to your use of this site. If you are searching, a cookie is used to carry the search request data from the request page to the results page. This cookie, by itself, doesn't tell us your email address or who you are.

Please note portions of this site will not function if you do not accept cookies.

Our Use of Cookies

To ensure we are publishing content customers need and want, we collect aggregated site-visitation statistics using cookies. We do not track your individual use of the site, nor do we connect the pages you have viewed, or your registration information.

When you visit our site, a cookie is placed on your machine (if you're machine accept cookies) or is read if you have visited the site previously.

Cookies may also be used in connection with the use of the "Remember Me" option. This cookie is sometimes referred to as a session cookie. Our site will know you are logged in to the Restricted sections as you move from page to page. Once you close your browser, this session data is lost.

If you choose to not have your browser accept cookies, you will be able to view the text on the screens, however you will not be able to access the dynamic areas of the site.

Cookies: What They Are, Why You Are In Charge

A Cookie is:

A very small text file placed on your hard drive by a Web Page server. It is essentially your identification card, and cannot be executed as code or deliver viruses -- they can not harm your computer. It is uniquely yours and can only be read by the server that gave it to you.

What we use Cookies for:

- To tell who is a new user versus who is a returning user.
- To count, in aggregate, the total number of unique users.
- To count, in aggregate, the total number of pages viewed.
- To maintain your session. This means that once you log in, our site will know you are logged in.

How a Cookie Helps You:

If you register for products or services, a cookie helps the Website remember who you are. Next time you return, we know to show you the information you requested.

The cookies keep you logged in. Each web page that is behind a user name and password, needs to know that you are currently logged in. We use session cookies to determine whether you are logged in or not.

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 Web pages our visitors don't use, and focus our efforts on information you need.

If You Want to Control Which Cookies You Accept:

You can configure 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 or later:

1. Choose Tools, then
2. Internet Options.
3. Click the Security tab,
4. Click Internet, then Custom Level.
5. Scroll down to Cookies and choose one of the two options.

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.

If you're using Netscape Communicator 4.0 or later:

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're using Internet Explorer 5.0 or later

On your task bar, click:
1. Tools, then
2. Internet Options.
3. Under the tab General (the default tab) click
4. Settings, then
5. 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.

Netscape Communicator 4.0 or later:

Netscape bundles all cookies into one file on your hard drive. You'll need to find the file, which it calls Cookie.txt on Windows machines.

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. Cookies are also normally date-stamped.