The idea of the member menu is to have readily available buttons to click, without having to scroll all the way back up to the top. If you place this all the way at the top (by the search), you are defeating the purpose. Why click on that if you can just use the top nav anyway?

I like the idea of the member menu.....however, it does get in the way of the bottom links.....the site needs to be lifted up several pixels.....