I assumed he was talking about the "check pings" link at the top which is permanent and doesn't go away. Some forums the link goes away until new pings come in. Just a guess on my part.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams