Why do the link colors of visited pages stay the same instead of changing?

Within the CIP Web site, colors for unvisited links and visited links have been set to the same color because actual use of the site for solving puzzlements will often require visiting pages several times. Most browsers allow users to override site-specific features such as the color of links and background colors. In Netscape, this feature is under Preferences/Appearance.

Why is there no "Back" button feature available upon entering the Townhall discussion or a linked resource, and how does one return to the CIP Web site?

Going to Townhall or to a linked resource that is outside of the CIP Web site actually creates a new window in your browser which opens on top of the existing one. To return to the CIP Web site, either close the window, minimize it, or toggle using the navigational tools of the operating system. If you are using Windows 95 or later, click on the appropriate button in the bottom tool bar.