It'd be cool if instead of
You have 13 private messages

My account would say
You have no unread messages (0 of 13)
in black, if you have no new messages

And
You have unread messages (2 of 15)
in red, if I had new messages.

Kinda like on in4mador, how links are bright if there's new comments.

Leave poor brad alone! He's just a man!!!!