# Badges and business



## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Still no badges, seems like they won't return.

On the upside (?), I got an alert telling me the forum added a "grow your business" section.


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## skarrd (Jul 20, 2011)

well thats a start


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Maybe we should just take it upon ourselves to get the badges going again. If we could find or remake the images. Require people to post a vid like before, and maybe have some very basic quality control lime two members giving a thumbs up to the video?

After that it would be sort of honor system for putting the badge image in your profile. And anyone claiming one without having a video up.....


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

I agree, making a badge and putting it in your signature might be a possibility 🍻


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## cpu_melt_down (Mar 20, 2017)

You might be able to collect all the images from past archives; i.e. the wayback machine.


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

cpu_melt_down said:


> You might be able to collect all the images from past archives; i.e. the wayback machine.


Excellent idea! 
I just saved the 300fps badge, then added it into my signature. It works 🤩
Just click on the image below, save it, then add it to your signature - 
I'll grab more & post them here


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)




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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)




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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

We can let the mods add them or give you permission once you have followed the rules in the competition forum & posted the approved video. I know that there's more, but that's a start.


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

Karen says it’s not fair for one to have a badge if everyone else doesn’t. I really miss mine. They took a bunch of work!


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Awesome guys! A big virtual high five to those who found the badge images!


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

For those who are here on this thread- a few quick thoughts.

First- Has anyone seen Charles? As we are thinking about people we haven't seen lately... Last I knew he was the gatekeeper for many of the awards. We should probably check with him on bringing these back. Both out of respect for all he did before and for hints on logistics.

Second- should we make a push (post a thread) to get these going again? And if so how. Honor system, maybe something like following guidelines of contest (video proof, etc), or get a judge or committee of judges? Maybe post the ideas and see what input from the forum is?


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Hey Reed- would you be willing to save the badge files to a new topic in the competitions forum? We could ask the moderators to pin this so it would always be at the top. Then anyone who won a badge would have an easy place to find it.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Ibojoe said:


> Karen says it’s not fair for one to have a badge if everyone else doesn’t. I really miss mine. They took a bunch of work!



I think if we get the ball rolling and make it easy for people to do, many who had them before will reclaim them. And this will hopefully spark interest in the competitions for all the new members who have joined since the badges went away.


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

High Desert Flipper said:


> Hey Reed- would you be willing to save the badge files to a new topic in the competitions forum? We could ask the moderators to pin this so it would always be at the top. Then anyone who won a badge would have an easy place to find it.


Sure 🤠 

I have them in my gallery and can send them to Charles or Henry also.


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## Sandstorm (Apr 5, 2021)

Can’t wait to see what happens. Right on.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Reed Lukens said:


> We can let the mods add them or give you permission once you have followed the rules in the competition forum & posted the approved video. I know that there's more, but that's a start.


Having the mods oversee it would be great. Should we contact one or all? And I guess I haven't been in trouble with out of line posts enough, I will have to look up who the current mods are.


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

I sent Henry & Charles a pm with this link.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Reed Lukens said:


> I sent Henry & Charles a pm with this link.



Thank you! And apologies, I am really excited to get these back but this is perhaps a great example of how badly my ADHD and desire for organization can collide. It would be awesome if they would agree to do it. If so then we should promote to the whole forum.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Ibojoe said:


> Karen says it’s not fair for one to have a badge if everyone else doesn’t. I really miss mine. They took a bunch of work!


No problem . They will be given a participation badge . Karen will approve of this one .


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

I did a test to see if the badges could be posted in the signature section . Apparently only one is allowable with the new software . An administrator would need to get involved .


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

It's unfortunate for many who worked hard and achieved the distinction of " Slingshot Of The Month " multiple times or completed difficult shooting challenges . Those honors need to be restored . I know . Just beating a dead horse .


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Some days I would take one of those (participation awards). Just to say I am doing it even if not very well.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

treefork said:


> I did a test to see if the badges could be posted in the signature section . Apparently only one is allowable with the new software . An administrator would need to get involved .



Dang. So to put multiples up a person would have to make their own collage and put that up as the single photo. Probably doable but tedious and messy.

I am eager to see if we can find a work around since I have zero faith in or hope for new admin.


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## Sean Khan (Mar 27, 2020)

Just declare yourself a Communist.

Us Communists have no need of titles, honors, recognition, etc.


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Sean Khan said:


> Just declare yourself a Communist.
> 
> Us Communists have no need of titles, honors, recognition, etc.



Can't do it. I like the challenge and the reward associated with things like the badges. I might be able to go along like that sometimes. But probably not as often as I think I might be able to. And not here. I want the badges back!

And truth be known, communism doesn't really work that way. Maybe in theory but not in practice. 

About 15 years ago I did a project in Russia. It was wonderful and I got to spend a lot of time in Moscow and St Petersburg. I found that Russians were people too and enjoyed them a lot. In spite of being told they were evil and the enemy all the time I was growing up.

The other thing I found out about the Russians / (former) communists? They are more competitive, and dare I say, better capitalists than we are? They all learned to live in a system that tried to make them all equal. Which totally goes against human nature. None I met were okay with that. All wanted to get ahead. And learning how to do that in a system like communist Russia.... Well, I've never seen people who were willing to work so hard (or cheat so badly) to get ahead. Or make a profit.

I believe this is why communism has failed so many times. Now socialism in a democratic capitalistic sense (like the social republic that the US is) I think has a chance. But straight up communism is tough, and maybe impossible, for humans.


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## Sandstorm (Apr 5, 2021)

Wait a minute… isn’t Communist a title?! 😉
Just messing with ya Sean. I’d like to see badges come back somehow though. I missed out on that as I joined right before the changeover.


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## Sean Khan (Mar 27, 2020)

Sandstorm said:


> isn’t Communist a title?!


Not sure. I don't recall ever being addressed as "Sir Communist sir"....



High Desert Flipper said:


> and enjoyed them a lot


I haven't. Too expensive.

Afghans are the cheapest and can be summoned by Whatsapp. But I have some standards.



High Desert Flipper said:


> being told they were evil and the enemy all the time I was growing up.


Same here!



High Desert Flipper said:


> a system like communist Russia.


If I want to learn about communism, Russia would be the LAST place I would try.

They basically confused central-control of all aspects of society with not bowing down to special interest groups (REAL communism). Did the former, not the latter.



High Desert Flipper said:


> straight up communism is tough, and maybe impossible, for humans.


Works for China. Made them rich.

I asked a Chinese friend "how are you communist?" and he explained, China's economy is capitalist (totally), It's the political system that will always be communist. Meaning they are not going to do whatever their military-industrial complex... or Amazon... or Apple... or Lockheed... tells them to do.

There was a survey done some 30 years ago about which societies and cultures are "communist at heart".... We were number one.  

This is because, there are 83 (last I counted) different versions of Islam and we have one that tilts towards communism. It's called "Hanfi" and it's only present in countries whose name ends with "...STAN"... and Turkey. This is not the Arab or Iranian version... which is why they think we are hippies and why most "STAN" countries are former communists or best friends with communists. 

All I know is, if we had been Arab style Muslims... Capitalists... we would not have been able to have nukes. Our Prime Minister once said "We will eat grass but we will get nukes". So we ate grass... like every good communist should... and got armed to the teeth. Now I eat all the chocolate I want.


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## Sean Khan (Mar 27, 2020)

As for badges.... sure. Get them back. I might be interested in a few myself.

Jolly good idea, I think.


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

High Desert Flipper said:


> Having the mods oversee it would be great. Should we contact one or all? And I guess I haven't been in trouble with out of line posts enough, I will have to look up who the current mods are.





treefork said:


> I did a test to see if the badges could be posted in the signature section . Apparently only one is allowable with the new software . An administrator would need to get involved .


I sewed a few together for the test, it was easy -


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Reed Lukens said:


> I sewed a few together for the test, it was easy -
> View attachment 361008


That looks awesome! Maybe not too big a task for those who want to have the badges.

It would be great to hear back from mods that they will supervise. If not we could put the images out and go on the honor system ( getting called out for not having vid proof after grabbing a badge would suck), or we could see if there are a couple of members willing to serve as judges.

Members willing to supervise is probably no big deal for all but SOTM contest. That may be a tougher one to get back


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

Sean Khan said:


> Not sure. I don't recall ever being addressed as "Sir Communist sir"....
> 
> 
> 
> There was a survey done some 30 years ago about which societies and cultures are "communist at heart".... We were number one.


I guess one could ask what is in a name, or a title? You are right that Russia was communist the same way bacon is Kosher. When the party leaders have their own private malls to shop at (I visited some of these, pretty wild), their own chauffer driven cars, etc. it is hard to say all are living as equals. 

And if we are going by names, N Korea would actually be a democracy according to their name (Peoples Democratic Republic of N Korea). And with so many different sects / flavors, Christians are suffering the same challenge as Muslims.

On a different note, when the badges get back, I'm going to give myself three for knocking threads off topic and into left field tangents. I think I'll award you a couple of those as well.


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## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)

Yes bring back the badges!!!!


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

S.S. sLinGeR said:


> Yes bring back the badges!!!!


Thanks to @Reed Lukens tracking down all the images I think badges will be back soon. Pretty exciting! I think getting the shooting badges back will be great for the forum. I would love to see all the vids of people trying to cut cards, hit 4/5 from 10m, etc. go up again.

After that we just need to talk somebody, or a few somebodies, into judging the SOTM to get that going again. Maybe a few of the master makers here could be coaxed into that?


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## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)

I hope we get our old earned badges back too!


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

S.S. sLinGeR said:


> I hope we get our old earned badges back too!


I will be grabbing my past earned badges again for sure. The videos I put up for card cutting etc should still be there, so I am definitely adding my previously earned badges back, just as fast as they get back up on the forum.


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## Slide-Easy (Aug 16, 2020)

Reed Lukens said:


> View attachment 360934
> 
> View attachment 360932
> 
> ...


How about this one for a 'Bullsh*t Artist Badge'?


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## Tremoside (Jul 17, 2013)

Hi There, testing signature with badges!


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## High Desert Flipper (Aug 29, 2020)

They look great!


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## Slide-Easy (Aug 16, 2020)

High Desert Flipper said:


> I will be grabbing my past earned badges again for sure. The videos I put up for card cutting etc should still be there, so I am definitely adding my previously earned badges back, just as fast as they get back up on the forum.


I bet you could copy and paste them now...


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