The code that powered the Twerrible Towel (http://twerribletowel.com). It processed 44,610 relevant tweets over the course of 5 days.

switch.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
import sys
import random
from ctypes import *
from Phidgets.Devices.InterfaceKit import InterfaceKit
from Phidgets.PhidgetException import PhidgetErrorCodes, PhidgetException

try:
  kit = InterfaceKit()
  kit.openPhidget()
except RuntimeError as e:
  print("Error %i: %s" % (e.code, e.details))
  exit(1)

flip = (len(sys.argv) > 1 && sys.argv[0] == "on")

try:
  kit.waitForAttach(10000)
  kit.setOutputState(0, flip)
except PhidgetException as e:
  print("Error %i: %s" % (e.code, e.details))
  kit.closePhidget()
  exit(1)

kit.closePhidget()
exit(0)

twerribletowel.rb

##
# Twerrible Towel
#
# It makes a towel spin.
#
# It complains about its problems via Prowl.
#
# Keep it simple, handsome.
##

require 'rubygems'
require 'twitter/json_stream'
require 'prowl'
require 'json'

PROWL = {
  :keys => [] # => ["8b6954da6ff41c...", "8b6954da6ff41c..."]
}
TWITTER = {
  :username => "", 
  :password => "", 
  :search_terms => [], # => ["steelersnation", "steelernation"]
  :count_file => "#{Dir.pwd}/tweets.count"
}

class Integer
  def ordinalize
    return "#{self}th" if [11, 12, 13].include?(self % 100)

    case self % 10
      when 1
        "#{self}st"
      when 2
        "#{self}nd"
      when 3
        "#{self}rd"
      else
        "#{self}th"
    end
  end
end

def notify(event, description)
  puts "Twitter => #{event}: #{description}"
  PROWL[:keys].each do |key|
    Prowl.add(
      :apikey => key,
      :application => "Twerrible Towel",
      :event => event,
      :description => description
    )
  end
end

count = File.read(TWITTER[:count_file]).to_i

EventMachine::run do
  stream = Twitter::JSONStream.connect(
    :path    => '/1/statuses/filter.json',
    :auth    => "#{TWITTER[:username]}:#{TWITTER[:password]}",
    :method  => 'POST',
    :content => "track=#{TWITTER[:search_terms].join(',')}"
  )
    
  stream.each_item do |item|
    tweet = JSON.parse item
    screen_name = tweet['user']['screen_name']
    puts "#{count} => #{screen_name}"

    # Ensign, engage!
    `python switch.py on`
    `open "x-launchbar:large-type?string=@#{screen_name}\\#{count.ordinalize} twirl"`
    sleep 4
    `python switch.py`

    count += 1

    file = File.open(TWITTER[:count_file], 'w')
    file.puts count
    file.close
  end
  
  stream.on_error do |message|
    notify "Error", message
  end
  
  stream.on_reconnect do |timeout, retries|
    notify "Reconnect", "Reconnecting in #{timeout} seconds"
  end
  
  stream.on_max_reconnects do |timeout, retries|
    notify "Max Reconnects", "Failed after #{retries} failed reconnects"
  end
  
  trap('INT') do 
    stream.stop
    EventMachine.stop if EventMachine.reactor_running? 
  end
end

puts "Stopped."