Maybe we will get used to it and it won't feel that it is a public display. Except it is a public display.

thanks Tony...  really if I sprout new bling will I look silly.

I have a funny story about natural competitiveness on ActiveRain BUT I can't share it....

Like the worthless points, the badges are ingenious.

I think the community builders need to change their's or the alt text for their bling anyway. It needs to be a small g not capital G.  itty bitty detail and I am not offended by them being called "gods."  The devil is in the details... It looks like a sideways 8? Is that Greek?

Frank or Sharon least expensive way to get your face on is probably lead router.  Best investment may be the outside blog?  I am not sure. Only $9? to sponsor a community on Localism but it is still NOT live.  Sticks in my craw... and I think I should have a little L, should have one community FREE for a year... but I don't.

they are going to make it so we can remove them if we don't want to show off our bling, interesting conversations on Brad's blog about them...  I wish there was a standardized way when I see the Outside Blog (Individual blog) badge I  would be able to go look at the blog...  maybe there is a way.  I am off  to see if it is there and I just don't know it. 

I found Georgina's.  Could not find anyone elses.

Thanks for the comment.   Are you involved in the conversation on Brad's post Linda? Some people like them some people don't.  There will be an option to turn them off.

I think the little green badge is short hand (I can't tell if it is  an I for Individual blog of it is a !... and exclamation point? Sadly  I can not even tell with my glasses on) 

To me that symbol is short hand for this little blurb on Todd's featured blog today:

"So, the answer to the outside blog and if you should get one is an astounding yes and well worth the $19 a month. I just took two years with of work and created a brand new 1200+ page website that is all mine. It's not going to be shared with anyone else. They can't leave my site and visit others on Activerain in the area. The Google search feature on the blog is only for only my site and with 1200 posts, I truly believe that they can find a topic on pretty much anything to do with Beaverton. If they can't... JUST WAIT!"

I think we will get used to seeing the bling or some people will remove their bling... if I choose to display my bling maybe I will lose readers on ActiveRain.

I don't believe they display on Localism or our Individual (formerly known as outside)  blogs.  That I would not like.

No disrespect meant to ActiveRain or Todd but I prefer an itty bitty bit o bling on someones badge telling me they are the proud owner of an Individual Blog to getting a steady diet of  posts festooned with a Gold Star saying "I love ActiveRain let me count the ways"  and most of us have gone through that phase.   I can not usually read those posts. Luckily I really don't have to read those.   Those will go on because it is in ActiveRain's interest to have satisfied customers give their testimony. 

If someones "flair" or bling on their site or posts offends me I move along.

Not all of the bling means money spent, there is talk of more merit badges like the 300,000 badge. Didn't spend anything for that, just been here since 2006 and racked up worthless points.   

Realtors have displayed CRS, GRI, ETC to the public for years and the public has chosen to ignore those.  I think they will ignore the bling too.   Or maybe not... only time will tell.

I think the badges just say "I support ActiveRain" and it may not always be monetarily.

Yep you've got a picture and some bling!

I don't know if you can really tell how much money anyone is spending with their bling.. You could do some research if you really, really want to know about someone's Localism sponsorships... but the time would be better spent contributing content towards Localism yourself IMHO . It would be hard to tell with the Lead Router how much someone is spending.... paying.  I prefer to see the bling more as a statement of "I support ActiveRain" than I am a paying member.   I hope it won't make it into a caste system.  Maybe those of us who want to display our bling will look silly when those who do not want to display badges take theirs off.

Do the points create a caste system?

This blog was about bling enrvy.  I did not have the Localism badge when I wrote this but I was entitled to one community for a year. I am not paying $9 a month for that community, it was a special Bob Stewart AR Christmas Charity opportunity.... Keep an eye open for opportunities.  They are here all the time.  

I had  sponsored 4 communities for months then got in a snit over Localism not being launched.

thanks Kathy, nice to meet you.