I’ve been reading the Twitter API docs and just discovered that Twitter lets you search based on the tone of the tweet using emoticons. For example, type this search:
#829strike :)
Twitter returns tweets about the Fast Food strike on 8/29 with a positive attitude.
If you want to see the other side of the the emotions, use a frowny face.
#829strike :(
This works on Twitter Search as well as through the API.
Using emoticons as operators to represent attitude is pretty cool.