Some older versions of Internet Explorer didn't handle "high number" characters well, regardless of encoding selection. If you're using an older IE, I'd suggest you'd like IE7. With WinXP I'd avoid IE8 until they shake a few more bugs out, although quite a few XP people seem to like it.

If you happen to be using the "Yahoo browser" there may be an update that you need - (say to something not Yahoo, according to my friends who've tried it). You don't really have to use their browser to use their site, I'm told.

You might also check what "language(s)" you have selected, and make sure that your display font in the browser isn't something unusual. Some of the older "short fonts" occasionally have difficulty with links and coded stuff.

John