Fluctuating popularity indicator - a concept

This idea is to add another dimension to the dynamics of 'popularity' and the ability to search for 'current' and 'overall' popular articles and distinguish between articles still alive and ones long dead - but still popular.

It threatens the nice looking 'diggs/digg it' button we're now all familiar with. Or possibly not, depending on how it is implemented.

I do not have the knowledge to suggest the numbers involved in this equation, but it basically goes something like this...

There are two digg values: 'Current Diggs' and 'Totally Dugg' (or something like that).

'Totally Dugg' is the total amount of diggs over the entire life of the article and only ever increases. That one's pretty simple.

'Current Diggs' fluctuates over time.

- The first thing to decide is what 'section' of time it represents, whether it be 12 hours or 24 hours or whatever.
- The next step is letting it 'fly' - allowing people to 'digg' it in the 'upcoming stories' section and breathe life into it.
- Then, once in the 'popular stories' section, 'when' does it begin to reduce? Once it's alotted 'section' of time is over?
- How long each interval is between reductions requires an intimate knowledge of the workings of digg. It's value could change according the changing trends, but while in action it is essentially a steady and continuous cycle of, for arguments sake, every 15 minutes.
- The amount it is reduced by also requires similar knowledge of digg. The value could also be variable according to trends. It does however need to be a proportionate value and must therefore be a percentage value. Whether it be 0.1% or 1% is up in the air.

When 'Current Diggs' reaches zero, the article can be chucked out of the 'Popular Stories' section.

This might offer another possibility instead of the 'Popular', 'Top in 24 Hours', '7 Days', '30 Days', '365 Days' method of archiving/searching.

Ok, i think that's all. What do you think?