Does the Twitterverse need a new tag symbol?

If one thing has become obvious since the Iranian elections, it's the importance of social networking sites in getting information out of places where restrictions on other forms of communication are put in place. Anyone following #iranelection on Twitter certainly won't need me to tell them that.

Or should I say trying to follow?

The problem at the moment with #iranelection is that the signal-to-noise ratio is abysmal. Anyone in Iran trying to get new information out on Twitter by using this hashtag is just going to get swamped in the noise - unless they already have people following their posts.

This post by @swombat summed it up nicely:

"Interesting to
think that maybe what Twitter needs is some kind of way for users to
indicate their approval *without* polluting the hashtag."

To which I replied:

"@swombat We need another symbol: if @ is for ppl and # for tags, how about % for support? #iranelection"

...further polluting the hastag... but how else to get the message out there? My thought was that the % tag looks like a pair of eyes, so is a tag for "this is what I've seen, check it out".

@swombat came back to me:

"@DoctorRad The question would be, then, how to make it catch on..."

To which the only answer I can think of is to publicise the idea and see if it catches on.

So, if you're actually posting something new which is directly related to the subject rather than further commentary, use the hashtag, e.g. #iranelection, but if you're re-tweeting or want to show your support, use the eye-tag, e.g. %iranelection.

Everything's Gone Green

Mikey boy rang me to talk turnips. About a dozen of fair size from lotty now in fridge along with two bags full of tops - turnip greens for our US readers - ready to make sag.

An Emotional Time

Medication taken? Check. Eaten recently? Check.

Wondering what's wrong.

Or maybe it's what's right.

It's been a long time coming.

Rode for the first time in years with other people on Sunday. Crappy hire bike with three-year-old on tag-along. But had fun and lots of it.

Wanting to ride more for the first time in years.

Antique FSR out of mothballs. Maintenance needed, spares run to Decathlon this evening.

Very emotional, lots under the surface wanting to come out. Found lots of people I used to know are still around, should be out with some of them on Saturday.

Nine years since I lost my mojo, I think it's coming back.

Oh my God, it's coming back...