No, the headlamp "new message" indicators should be on the forum home page. The "new message" light is a little dimmer than it was before.
I am experimenting with the whole forum look - but nothing is live yet. Specifically, I'd like to "join" it with the rest of the WW&F web page. In other words, it will have the same tuscon red background/gold text as the main web site does.
I'll also implement the minimal smileys at that time and go back to the original headlamp indicators (I agree that they don't stand out like they should.)
Then again, I might abandon the whole effort, if it looks like garbage.