diff --git a/css/badged-bar.css b/css/badged-bar.css
index 2ec050b..416a30c 100644
--- a/css/badged-bar.css
+++ b/css/badged-bar.css
@@ -8,69 +8,36 @@
 
 #wp-admin-bar-updates .ab-label,
 #wp-admin-bar-comments .ab-label {
-	background-color: #d5231f !important;
+	
+	/* need to be rude for these */
+	background: #ff0000 !important;
+	-webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #888 !important;
+	-moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #888 !important;
+	box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #888 !important;
+	
 	color: #fff; /* just in case, is white per WP default */
-	font: 11px/15px Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;
-	text-shadow: 0 1px 1px #771717;
+	font: 12px/21px 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;
+	font-weight: 200;
+	text-align: center;
 	
-	background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3)), color-stop(100%,rgba(255,255,255,0)));
-	background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#4dffffff', endColorstr='#00ffffff',GradientType=0 );
+	text-shadow: none;
 	
-	border: 2px solid #fff;
-	-webkit-border-radius: 10px; /* just in case, is 10px per WP default */
-	-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-	border-radius: 10px;
+	width: 21px;
+	height: 21px;
+	display: inline-block;
+	padding: 0;
+	-webkit-border-radius: 21px;
+	-moz-border-radius: 21px;
+	border-radius: 21px;
 	
 	-webkit-background-clip: padding-box;
 	-moz-background-clip: padding-box;
 	background-clip: padding-box;
-
-	margin-top: -1px;
 	
-	padding: 0 3px;
-	position: relative;
-	-webkit-box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #000 !important;
-	-moz-box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #000 !important;
-	box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #000 !important;
 	vertical-align: baseline;
 }
 
 
-	/* inject another styling layer, for inset shadow & shine gradient */
-	#wp-admin-bar-updates .ab-label:before,
-	#wp-admin-bar-comments .ab-label:before {
-		content: "";
-		position: absolute;
-		left: 0;
-		top: 0;
-		width: 100%;
-		height: 100%;
-
-		-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
-		-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-		border-radius: 10px;
-
-		-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px #631212;
-		-moz-box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px #631212;
-		box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px #631212;
-		
-		background: -moz-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: -webkit-gradient(radial, center -5px, 0px, center -5px, 100%, color-stop(0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3)), color-stop(59%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3)), color-stop(65%,rgba(255,255,255,0)), color-stop(100%,rgba(255,255,255,0)));
-		background: -webkit-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: -o-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: -ms-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#4dffffff', endColorstr='#00ffffff',GradientType=1 );
-
-	}
-	
-
-
 /* ============================================================== */
 /*   IE 8 Only Styles */
 /*  ============================================================== */
@@ -78,7 +45,6 @@
 .ie8 #wp-admin-bar-updates .ab-label,
 .ie8 #wp-admin-bar-comments .ab-label {
 	filter: 
-		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#4dffffff', endColorstr='#00ffffff',GradientType=0 )
 		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#000000,direction=180,strength=3) /* bottom */
 		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#444444,direction=90,strength=2) /* right */
 		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#444444,direction=270,strength=2); /* left */
diff --git a/css/badged-menu.css b/css/badged-menu.css
index 5edfd41..817ca98 100644
--- a/css/badged-menu.css
+++ b/css/badged-menu.css
@@ -15,79 +15,37 @@
 #sidemenu li a span.update-plugins,
 #sidemenu a .update-plugins, 
 #rightnow .reallynow {
+	
 	/* need to be rude for these */
-	background-color: #d5231f !important;
-	-webkit-box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #888 !important;
-	-moz-box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #888 !important;
-	box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #888 !important;
+	background: #ff0000 !important;
+	-webkit-box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #888 !important;
+	-moz-box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #888 !important;
+	box-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #888 !important;
 	
 	color: #fff; /* just in case, is white per WP default */
-	font: 11px/15px Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;
-	text-shadow: 0 1px 1px #771717;
+	font: 12px/21px 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;
+	font-weight: 200;
+	text-align: center;
 	
-	background-image: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3)), color-stop(100%,rgba(255,255,255,0)));
-	background-image: -webkit-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: -ms-linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	background-image: linear-gradient(top, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-	filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#4dffffff', endColorstr='#00ffffff',GradientType=0 );
-	
-	border: 2px solid #fff;
-	-webkit-border-radius: 10px; /* just in case, is 10px per WP default */
-	-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-	border-radius: 10px;
+	width: 21px;
+	height: 21px;
+	display: inline-block;
+	-webkit-border-radius: 21px;
+	-moz-border-radius: 21px;
+	border-radius: 21px;
 	
 	-webkit-background-clip: padding-box;
 	-moz-background-clip: padding-box;
 	background-clip: padding-box;
 
-	margin-top: -1px;
+	margin-top: -2px;
+	vertical-align: baseline;
 }
-	
-	/* darker shadow for badged on active menus */
-	#adminmenu li.current a .awaiting-mod,
-	#adminmenu li a.wp-has-current-submenu .update-plugins {
-		-webkit-box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #444 !important;
-		-moz-box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #444 !important;
-		box-shadow: 0px 2px 2px #444 !important;
-	}
-	
-	/* inject another styling layer, for inset shadow & shine gradient */
-	#adminmenu .awaiting-mod:before,
-	#adminmenu .update-plugins:before,
-	#sidemenu .update-plugins:before,
-	.reallynow:before {
-		content: "";
-		position: absolute;
-		left: 0;
-		top: 0;
-		width: 100%;
-		height: 100%;
-		
-		-webkit-border-radius: 10px;
-		-moz-border-radius: 10px;
-		border-radius: 10px;
 
-		-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px #631212;
-		-moz-box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px #631212;
-		box-shadow: inset 0 0 3px #631212;
-		
-		background: -moz-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%, rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: -webkit-gradient(radial, center -5px, 0px, center -5px, 100%, color-stop(0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3)), color-stop(59%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3)), color-stop(65%,rgba(255,255,255,0)), color-stop(100%,rgba(255,255,255,0)));
-		background: -webkit-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: -o-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: -ms-radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		background: radial-gradient(center -5px, circle, rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 0%,rgba(255,255,255,0.3) 59%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 65%,rgba(255,255,255,0) 100%);
-		filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#4dffffff', endColorstr='#00ffffff',GradientType=1 );
-
-	}
-
-/* a bit less padding on the number inside */
 #adminmenu li .awaiting-mod span, 
 #adminmenu li span.update-plugins span, 
 #sidemenu li a span.update-plugins span {
-	padding: 0 4px;
+	padding: 0;
 }
 
 
@@ -101,18 +59,7 @@
 .ie8 #sidemenu a .update-plugins, 
 .ie8 #rightnow .reallynow {
 	filter: 
-		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#4dffffff', endColorstr='#00ffffff',GradientType=0 )
 		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#888888,direction=180,strength=3) /* box-shadow replacement, bottom */
 		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#b3b3b3,direction=90,strength=2) /* right */
 		progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#b3b3b3,direction=270,strength=2) /* left */;
-}
-
-	/* darker shadow for badged on active menus */
-	.ie8 #adminmenu li.current a .awaiting-mod,
-	.ie8 #adminmenu li a.wp-has-current-submenu .update-plugins {
-		filter: 
-			progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#4dffffff', endColorstr='#00ffffff',GradientType=0 )
-			progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#444444,direction=180,strength=3) /* bottom */
-			progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#666666,direction=90,strength=2) /* right */
-			progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.Shadow(color=#666666,direction=270,strength=2) /* left */;
-	}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
\ No newline at end of file