The Welcome part is easy. We know many of you are eager for a freer range of expression, and we hope the specific forums we've set up here will help you realize that goal.

You have two options on the Lion's Den (Beta Forum). Click on Reply to talk about the topic listed or click on Post New Topic and start a brand new thread (our word for topic). First, try to stay on topic. If you have something different to discuss, then click Post New Topic. Trying to talk about a different topic is called "hijacking" and is frowned upon in blogging circles. Now, if we don't have a forum for your topic, just let us know and we'll help you by getting one started. That's a function only a site administrator can do. Second, avoid ad hominem attacks -- a fancy Latin way of saying name calling, especially your fellow classmates. You can tell someone they're wrong and show them why they're wrong, but it will be very wrong to use slurs during such. You can attack the idea but not the classmate/person.

OK! Now on to the How To....when you click on Post New Topic, a box will appear for you to type in. Across the top of that box, are some icons that give you extra features to use. B  I  U  are the Bold, Italics, & Underlined functions for your type face. Up above and just to the right of the word Source is a little box. The little box allows you to browse through your picture files to post a picture you have downloaded from your camera, a friend, or off the internet. The Source icon allows you to put in You Tube videos (just follow directions on the main How To Information page). The little chain link on the right side of the second row (close to the anchor icon) allows you to post a link to another site on the internet. The link icon is very important if you wish to connect your reader with a large amount of information which is too cumbersome to post on a small thread. For example: if you were discussing a vote on State Lotteries, you might provide a link to a website that is against such and has many articles and other links about why lotteries are bad. In other words, it links you to websites that support your position or provide more information about the subject you are interested in.

Next item, there's a box at the bottom of your message (see the one below) that says subscribe to the topic YES/NO. If you click YES, you will receive an e-mail anytime someone adds a message to that topic. If you click NO, then you will only find out about new messages to a topic when you visit the page. Unless you're a glutton for e-mail, I'd recommend clicking NO for now.

Finally, you will notice my picture is posted with this topic. If you have selected a master photo from your photos on your classmate profile page, it will appear by your statements. I'll continue this later but you can explore those other icons on your own until then.