I have a question about the pound sign

[MikeCh]

1. pound sign = # = hashtag (which is a programmer term and some freaking how has morphed into current-speak-as-cool-and-twitter-related)
2. I am not a twitter/tweeter user other than my loudspeakers that contain them

On my local news they have been reporting a larger than normal number of hit and runs. Vehicle and pedestrian collisions.

Well, let me back up....there have been a couple of years in the past where there were crazy numbers of hit and runs in the Denver metro area. This year there are a number of them (not the highest numbers like past years to the best of my knowledge), and the news media is trying to bring to light the overall problem. I get that, this is a good thing. However.....

Most every night (with any new hit and run news) they are clamoring on about "bringing awareness to the hit and run problem by using #juststop".

Question: How does this help anyone?
Question: Seriously, please help me understand how anyone sitting at home can do something like typing in poundjuststop that does anything helpful.
Question: If somebody that witnesses an actual hit and run types in poundjuststop into their phone does it call the cops? Does it call the news station?
Question: What am I not understanding about the current culture when I hear, "type in poundXXXXXXX", what does this tell somebody to do and what are the results?
Question: Why would I want to type in poundanything?

I'm being serious here.....

[NorthStar]

Are you a Facebook's and Twitter's regular?

[MikeCh]

No Bob, I am not.

edit: If I were, then how would typing in the #juststop help anyone?

I just don't understand how "bringing awareness to a problem" can actually work if the general population has to themselves type in some special message to get, what.....a secret answer or help?

I can understand if the TV station were to blast email communications to their subscribers to "just stop" along with helpful info and tips and phone numbers and that's one thing....ah, maybe if you type that in, they reverse email you (or twitter you?) with pertinent info?

Again, I'm just trying to understand how this works.

[NorthStar]

Me neither Mike. ...I just thought that a younger generation is into that kind of stuff; pound sign and all. ...#No?

[cmalak]

The power of the hashtag will compel morally bankrupt perps from abstaining from the run part after hitting someone. By seeing it pop up on their tweety machines, they will all of a sudden develop a moral back bone and actually stop after getting into an accident and call 911 and wait for the police and EMS to show up.

Of course, I am being sarcastic and agreeing with the exasperated nature of your question.

[Petro85]

im also not sure about that whole hashtag thing, i dont twit either. but i hear it on commercials and things now. hashtag to me would be something thats only legal in colorado. lol.
but im a #1= number one if its before the number, and 1#=1 pound if its after the number.
the rest is just weird, and no younger people understand the # meaning pound anymore from what ive noticed.
and yes the colorado "just stop" thing is weird as well. dont think it will quite catch on like the "just say no" thing did.

[the professor]

The only thing I can figure on the hashtag thing is that:

it is a way for the tv program that says to # something to show that people are actually watching them in order to charge more to advertisers.

[GaryProtein]

I'm going to make a judgmental statement, so no one needs to tell me I'm being judgmental.

ALL THE SOCIAL MEDIA CRAP IS JUST THAT. CRAP.

IT DOES NOTHING, HAS NO VALUE AND WOULD ONLY BE A WASTE OF MY TIME.

IT MAKES MONEY FOR IP's BY TAKING IT OUT OF YOUR POCKETS.

I AM NOT A PART OF IT AND DO NOT ANTICIPATE EVER BEING A PART OF IT.

I DO NOT EVEN WANT TO BE SO "CONNECTED".

IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN GIVING AWAY YOUR PRIVACY.


FINALLY, Mike, does anybody really care about the car crashes on the news. IT ISN'T NEWS. Those sorts of things only matter to the few people involved. After their crashes, everybody returns to the continuing tragedy of their everyday lives anyway. Just because shit happens, that doesn't make it news.


One more thing. Nobody needs to tell me, I know, I am a cynic.

[-E-]

In a reply to each of your shouts:
Most of it is, some of it isn't.
It does, and has.
You pockets are getting picked far cleaner for other reasons.
Yes you are - even if you think you aren't.

[MikeCh]

I'm glad I'm not alone with the misunderstanding.

[ohbythebay]

I understand completely ...but when did // (slash slash) become whack whack ?

[Bruce]

Maybe not Relevant but the Pound Sterling --Brit Dosh mate! to type is Opt-3

Sorry resume normal trans!

B