When ever I visit the forums I always press the "new post" button. For some reason I can't see the bar (or the posts under it) That says "These threads have not been updated since your last visit but still contain unread posts".
A man walks into a bar and asks the barmaid for a double entendre. So she gave him one.
The bar you describe is there for me. Coincidentally, I only discovered this feature two or three days ago. And someone saw fit to give me administrative power!