Nope, I can't control those things.

For what it's worth, this all rather sounds like a can of worms to me. Strikes me that creating a bunch of badges for different plant societies is redundant to the plant badge associated with the group. Same with 50 different Master Gardener badges - there is already a state badge for those folks who like those, wouldn't just a generic MG badge fit the bill if one wants to add that to your profile? A generic higher education degree in a gardening field - botany, horticulture, landscape architecture, etc. And then there are folks who are long-time landscape designers, or own their own nurseries or yard services, etc. with no formal schooling - will they also want a special badge? A bit convoluted in my mind. Personally, I'm content to simply stick with areas of interest rather than personal accomplishments.

No disrespect intended to anyone.

Aww, you can't fool me, Dave. Never had that happen before till you mentioned it. Soon as I read your post and looked up at my browser's navigation bar, that darn buttoning was flashing like crazy.
Really, the timing was pretty funny (as in amusing); I was going to do a screen shot to show where the button was on my browser.

Bonehead said: Personally, I'm content to simply stick with areas of interest rather than personal accomplishments. No disrespect intended to anyone.

Just checking in and (once again) Bonehead seems to have said it for me.

But if people want a Master Gardener badge...
What about a simple letter 'M' inside a green circle (or a blue circle) for the Master Gardeners? Why 50 badges? Let them pay acorns for the state badge and for the Master Gardener badge.

And for the rest of us ignorant, uneducated types, MG still means either 'morning glory' and/or a rather small sports car preferable in British racing green.

And again for those of us who were too busy working to get a formal education, what about a 'graduate of the school of hard knocks' badge? Just saying...

Good points Greene.

I had worked full time for fifty years before retiring. Eight of those were to put myself through college. I still wish I had some "formal" horticultural education, but it is now too late. I too learned through the school-of-hard-knocks. I still haven't graduated that school though. There is still lots to learn about the tropical plants I grow and plants in general. That's why I love ATP.

greene said:Just checking in and (once again) Bonehead seems to have said it for me.

But if people want a Master Gardener badge...
What about a simple letter 'M' inside a green circle (or a blue circle) for the Master Gardeners? Why 50 badges? Let them pay acorns for the state badge and for the Master Gardener badge.

And for the rest of us ignorant, uneducated types, MG still means either 'morning glory' and/or a rather small sports car preferable in British racing green.

And again for those of us who were too busy working to get a formal education, what about a 'graduate of the school of hard knocks' badge? Just saying...

I have no quibble with the idea of a Master Gardener badge, but I do agree with those who feel that a state by state MG badge is a bit of overkill. (And I also think of morning glories when I see the abbreviation MG... )
But if Dave is willing to go to the trouble of making the badges available, why should anyone else care? If it makes someone feel good to be able to show their achievements in their profile or in their posts, it's certainly not going to hurt my feelings.

Signature lines. Let's not forget we all have our own signature lines.
I tend to read them more often than I try to count or figure out badges in a post.

A lot of pertinent info about ourselves can go into signature lines.

I've always been with the opinions voiced now. When I said:

Leftwood said:Wow, this all happened so quickly. If we are going to have MG badges, then I think it is only fair to also have one for those with college degrees...

I thought I was already too late, and my only recourse is the parity I asked for.

But really, I think such an announcement belongs in the signature block, too.
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Postscriptum: MG stands for monosodium glutamate!

Actually it is MSG.