Smilies
You've probably seen others use smilies before in email messages or other board posts. Smilies are keyboard characters used to convey an emotion, such as a smile :) or a frown :(. This board automatically converts certain smilies to a graphical representation. For example, if you type :o in your BB post, it will automatically be converted to - a shameful face. The following smilies are currently supported:

:)	smile
:(	frown
:o	embarrassment
:D	big grin
;)	wink

Using HTML and/or UBB Code
You may not use HTML on our boards, but may use UBB Code in your posts. UBB Code is similar to HTML, offering a few basic functions, such as hyperlinking, image display, bolding and italicizing. A complete list of current UBB Codes are listed here.

Moderators
Moderators control the forums. They are listed as "BFFC Staff" and "Staff." These are general accounts, used by all of the administrators when attending to site duties. They do not correspond to any particular individual. Moderators can edit, delete, or prune any posts in their forums. If you need to contact Staff about anything, you can reach us at: Staff@bffc.org.

Changing Your Profile
You may easily change any information stored in your registration profile, using the "profile" link located near the top of each page. Simply identify yourself by typing your username and password and all of your profile information will appear on screen. You may change any items, except your username. Registering under more than one name is strictly prohibited and will result in automatic banning from the board.

Customizing User Preferences
As a registered board user, you may store your username and password in memory for up to one year at a time. This will prevent you from having to type your user name and password every time you post a note. You also have the option of changing the default number of days back to view topics. Just click on the "prefs" link and you can make either of these settings.

Cookies
This bulletin board uses cookies to store the following information: the last time you logged in, your username and password, and your preferred "topic view", if you set it in preferences. These cookies are stored on your browser. Cookies are not used to track your movement or perform any function other than to enhance your use of the bulletin board. If your browser does not support cookies, or you have not enabled cookies on your browser, many of these time-saving features will not work properly. Also, you need to have cookies enabled in your browser if you want to enter a private forum.

You may delete all cookies set in this forum by visiting the "preferences" area of the forum and selecting the "delete cookies" link.

Editing Your Posts
You may edit your own posts at any time. Just go to the topic where the post to be edited is located and you will see an edit icon on the line that begins "posted on..." Click on this icon to edit the post. No one else can edit your post, except for the forum moderator or the board administrator. A note is generated at the bottom of each post that is edited so that every one knows when a post has been edited.

Attaching Files
For security reasons, you may not attach files to any posts. You may cut and paste text into your post, however, or use UBB Code to provide hyperlinks to outside documents.

Searching For Specific Posts
You may search for specific posts based on a word or words found in the posts, user name, date, and particular forum(s). Just click on the "search" link at the top of most pages. Note: announcements are not included in the search returns.

Announcements
Announcements are one-way communications from either a forum moderator or a board administrator. No one may post replies to these announcements. If you want to talk about specific announcements, you will have to create a new topic in the appropriate forum.

Auto-Censoring
The forums have been set up to censor certain words (i.e. bad language). This censoring is not an exact science, however, so certain words may be censored out of context. Please realize that the censoring, if any censoring is being performed, is being done by a computer based on the words that are being screened. Words that are censored are replaced with asterisks.

Board administrators also have the ability to delete/edit posts which this site finds offensive. We are very concerned that this site reflect the integrity and professionalism of the man who inspires it, thus we have developed a specific list of topics that will receive routine deletion as follows:

• ANYTHING that we feel would embarrass Brendan, his wife or his family will be removed.
• Posts that are deemed offensive or hostile in nature or that promote dissention or ill-will will be removed.
• Posts that are too personal in nature regarding Brendan--i.e. excessive drooling, dreams, sexual innuendo--will be removed.
• Personal attacks (flaming) of members OR administrators will be removed from this board (This includes flames against staff masquerading as opinions regarding policy, when they really are not).
• On occasion, we have someone who prefers not to be talked about publicly by others, and has requested that we remove any reference to them from the public site. We honor these requests when warranted and the posts including their names will be deleted.
• Blatant misinformation and/or gossip will be deleted.

Lost User Name and/or Password
Retrieving your username and password is simple. All of the pages that require you to identify yourself with your username and password carry a "lost password" link that you can use to have your username and password emailed instantly to your email address of record.

Email Notification
If you create a new topic, you have the option of receiving an email notification every time someone posts a reply to your topic. Just check the email notification box on the "New Topic" forum when you create your new topic, if you want to use this feature.

What is the Daily Active Topic List?
When you visit this board, you will see a link at the top of the list of forums called "Daily Active Topic List". Clicking on this will provide you with a list of topics in all open (non private) forums that have been posted to that day.

Can I search private forums?
Only administrators and members of private forums can search them.

What are archives?
Archives are read-only areas that contain topics that were previously posted to one of our forums. You may not add a reply to a topic that is in an archive. Topics in an archive have been completely removed from the original forum where they were started.

What are icons?
You may associate an icon with each post that you make. There are currently more than 15 icons, each expressing a different emotion or identification. These icons range from a simple note to sadness to warning. These icons appear next to each topic in a forum listing and on each post.