Junk Food Nation, I was reading Gawker yesterday and came across this story about emojis….you know, those little picture icons that people insert into texts.  People used to do text emojis like : ) … but then companies started getting into picture emojis like 🙂 And from that point on, civilization was officially ruined.

The article talked about people using this emoji:

Now, the debate was whether this was a high-five emoji, or a hands clasped in prayer emoji.  ABC in Philadelphia suggested this was a high-five, while Gawker broke down why this was a praying hands image.

My take: YOU SHOULD NEVER BE USING THIS EMOJI REGARDLESS OF WHAT IT “MEANS.” Let’s really think about this.  People use the emoji 🙂 as a cute way of saying “I like this” or “yes.” Example: “Want to eat five bags of Doritos with me?” ” 🙂 “

The emoji takes the place of the words. But when the hell do you ever SAY “high-five”?  If someone texts me “I GOT THE JOB!” I usually text back CONGRATS! or YES! or even 😀 …I’m never saying HIGH FIVE. And if I texted the picture above? Then I’m REALLY reaching. “I GOT THE JOB” “IMAGE OF US HIGH FIVING AS IF WE WERE NEAR EACH OTHER BUT WE’RE NOT SO HERE WE GO!”

Now let’s flip it the other way – a picture of hands in prayer. When the hell would I use this???  It seems EXTREMELY insensitive to respond to a serious text in such a fashion.  If I texted someone “My dog is sick; at the vets” or “Eddie is in coma” and someone texted me BACK a picture of hands praying?? I’d flip my S. NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE CUTE. YOU TEXT ME ACTUAL WORDS OF SYMPATHY OR I WILL CUT YOU.

So yeah – this emoji is the worst. And generally emojis are the worst. Don’t use ’em 😉 What do you think? Tell me in the comments.

Today’s junk food: New JIF Cereal!

New JIF Cereal! Since so many of you wanted me to review more cereals, I decided to oblige.  This cereal isn’t ENTIRELY new, and I discussed it with the guys over on the Nosh Show.  Still, as someone who grew up loving Peanut Butter Crunch but who hasn’t eaten it in YEARS, I was eager to try this.  I mean, the box just SCREAMS try me.  Well, to me it did…and that’s why you don’t buy groceries on an empty stomach.

New JIF Cereal contains JIF peanut butter…and apparently a ton of other nuts too.  Damnit, JIF. As fellow blogger Dubba would say, “CLEAN YOUR MACHINES MORE.”

Ah, I retract my previous comment.  Apparently, this New JIF Cereal contains pecan, almond, and walnut on PURPOSE.  To add flavor?  Well, WTH, JIF?  I thought your peanut butter would be enough.

New JIF Cereal is a bunch of little puffed squares with holes.  Actually, I’ve been sitting here trying to think of what these shapes reminded me of – like puffy Cheese Nips?  I dunno – let me know if you can think of anything in the comments.

Opening the box, this cereal smelled peanut buttery and very sweet. Inhaling deeply, there was a definite peanut butter cookie vibe going.

I popped a handful of this New JIF Cereal into my mouth and chewed – pretty effing good.  I mean, it’s not the most complex flavor I’ve ever tasted, and I haven’t had Peanut Butter Crunch in a while to compare it – but this tastes pretty effing good.

The cereal pieces are a combo of corn and wheat that are super crunchy and have the texture similar to a lot of cereals – Froot Loops, etc.  They aren’t super dense pieces or even fine grain pieces like Cheerios – these are your standard puffy corn/wheat blend cereal pieces.

The taste was as I expected – very much like a peanut butter cookie.  There wasn’t much salt to this flavor; this definitely was not a salty PB taste.  Instead, there was almost a buttery taste to the cereal, like popcorn.  But the flavor, to me, was all peanut butter cookie – nice peanut flavor with plenty of sugar.  Not overly sweet, but definitely sweeter than normal peanut butter.  Reminded me a lot of what I think Peanut Butter Crunch tasted like, but more buttery and sweet.

Would I get it again? Heck yeah. My hope is that the next go-round for this cereal has hints of honey instead of brown sugar – now THAT would be awesome.

PURCHASED AT: Wegmans

COST: $2.99

Thoughts? Please comment below or hit me up on Twitter @junkfoodguy or LIKE my Facebook Page and message me there. I also have Google+!! Let’s hang out.

Sincerely,

Junk Food Guy