By Myles Tanzer 4:35pm

Visiting Dignitaries

Ms. Cyrus (Photo: Wikipedia.org)

Miley Cyrus Starts Campaign for Emoji Equality

Miley Cyrus had a brush with social advocacy last year when she recorded Occupy Wall Street’s unofficial theme song, “Liberty Walk.”  But since then, she’s remained pretty quiet on any issues of equality. In 2012, she’s cut her hair several times, most notably when she got rid of her bun, which put popular fan account @Mileys_Bun in an awkward position.

But now Ms. Cyrus is back to the fight with a new issue. Yes, Ms. Cyrus has something that all Americans can get behind — Emoji equality. Read More

By Jessica Roy 12/10/12 8:50am

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(Photo: MetroWeekly)

‘I Created Emojis’ Apparently Not a Good Pickup Line

In recent years emojis have transitioned from an SMS-based shorthand primarily used in Japan to text decoration employed by everyone from iPhone-obsessed tweens to twenty-somethings still on their parents’ family plan. Emojis officially appeared on the iPhone 3Gs back in 2009, and have since experienced numerous updates, with the newest version finally incorporating a pizza icon into its visual repertoire. Read More

By Jessica Roy 9/11/12 2:19pm

This Means War

Who dare call these lil cuties ugly? (Photo: I am Cal)

Emoticon Creator Declares Beef with Emojis: ‘I Think They Are Ugly’

In a feud that will surely go down in the annals of Internet history, the so-called father of emoticons, professor Scott Fahlman, has decided to take issue with the emoticon’s livelier cousin, the emoji. And on the 30th birthday of the emoticon, no less.

Professor Fahlman is widely credited with creating the modern day smiley face emoticon. “I propose the following character sequence for joke markers: “, he wrote in a 1982 email, solidifying his place in history for pounding out a few symbols on a keyboard one day. We should all be so lucky.

But now, all that fame and glory seems to have finally gone to his head. Read More