united states

Cicadas are weird creatures. While most species emerge annually, there are some special species in the US that dwell underground for 13 or 17 years before coming up to mate. These groups of the insects are referred to as "broods," and there are a whole lot of them. So many of them hatch at once (to ensure a number survive) that their emergence is actually being picked up by weather radars.

While the insects are harmless, there are a lot of people who would rather they stay in the ground. They're loud. They squirt. And they're bad for your pets. Unfortunately for the cicada haters in the Eastern United States, Brood X is here, and they're not shy. The billion bug brood has even played a hand in pestering the President and delayed the White Housepress plane ahead of Biden's first foreign trip. To some people, the hubbub may seem ridiculous - but one way we're enjoying this entomological event is through memes and tweets. For the next few weeks there are bound to be a lot of 'em, but we've put together our favorites right here for some easy scrolling. 

Isn't it weird to think that maybe one day our experiences wil be retold in meme form? 2020 has already inspired a zillion memes, but these trials are going to be in history books. Hell, there's probably going to be an entire chapter on coronavirus alone. While we struggle to keep our heads high as obstacles are flung at us, it's nice to look back and remember that the past sucked too. That's where these history memes come in. While we don't take pleasure in the pains of our predecessors, it's nice to feel a bit of solidarity.

If you're at all connected to what's going on in the world, you're probably aware that many people in the United States seem to be worried about a gas shortage. Here in New York, the last time we had a gas shortage (after Hurricane Sandy) was pretty debilitating. Lines of cars sometimes went for miles, filled with worried and agitated drivers - and then, of course, there were the ones who had to find a way to navigate around them. This time it's not a natural disaster that's causing mayhem. This gas panic is a direct result of last week's cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline, a major pipeline that provides gas along much of the East Coast, and all the way to Houston. 

Colonial Pipeline announced today that they've restarted their pipeline system and have resumed deliveries, but that can't undo the panic and the memes its inspired. The ransomwear attack influenced hordes of frantic drivers in the Southeast to stockpile gasoline in whatever containers they had available - a move that evoked the country's toilet paper crisis from the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis. While several photos and videos of people stockpiling gasoline in unorthodox containers have been flying around, none have faced as much ridicule as a photo and video of people attempting to collect gasoline in plastic bags. 

And this is how someone thinks they should get gas...🙄 #gasshortage pic.twitter.com/XT7APSI9rM

— Tyler in Texas (@ty_p3) May 12, 2021

Oh, shit. #gasshortage? Better pick up a couple extra bags. pic.twitter.com/a09ue2eQfK

— Fiendishly Yours, (@FiendishlyYours) May 11, 2021

Though both the photograph and the video are real, neither of them were taken in the last week. In the trunk? Gasoline that two men had attempted to steal, not in the United States, but in the Mexican state of Puebla. The video was taken in December of 2019, and according to Snopes, it depicts a woman doing some weird sh*t in Houston, Texas. Despite the misconceptions, people on Twitter have been eating up the idea that people around the country are filling up bags with gas. It even got so bad that the US Consumer Product Safety Safety Commission published a thread urging citizens not to horde gas in this unique manner. Even more entertaining than the thread (which should not exist) are the roasty tweets that users are firing out left and right. We know it's kind of shitty to make fun of people who might have a screw loose, but god, we can't help but enjoy the spicy savagery. 

Every single place on Earth has its fair share of dumb stereotypes and myths. Many people believe that everyone in the United States is an overweight gun-toting Karen. An embarrassing number of Americans believe the French are anti-shower, unshaved chain smokers. The reality of most stereotypes is that they are woefully overblown. This r/AskReddit threaddoes a really good job of debunking some of the world's most misguided assumptions. And helps people from pretty much everywhere bond over the misconceptions.  

We know that stereotypes generally carry a negative connotation but we absolutely love memes and tweets that play with generalizations. These very specific memes poke fun at the habits of Midwesterners- we're sorry in advance if any of this offends anyone who hails from this region!

TGIF, meme enthusiasts. We've returned with another edition of what we call "The Dank Drop." It's our weekly gallery of our favorite trending memes on Reddit. Last week was all about Oprah's interview with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. And while they make a couple appearances in this collection, the memes are a bit more varied. Which we're thankful about. 

It's been less than a week since people in the US learned that they would, in fact, be receiving a $1,400 stimulus payment. While many progressive critics have claimed it's far from enough,the general consensus from much of the public is: Hell yeah. And nobody is celebrating quite as loud as Twitter users, who have (obviously) taken the direct deposit and turned it into an extremely successful meme. Upon news of the payments, comedy-minded netizens began tweeting their big plans for the money - and most of them involve delusions of grandeur and a whole lot of plays on words. We've included what we believe to be the most amusing stimulus goals, but Twitter is absolutely brimming with these jokes. Happy scrolling.

Residents of Florida really make it easy to make fun of the sunny southern state. We mean no disrespect, but these Florida Man headlines and dragging memes are endlessly entertaining. Florida is kind of like that little brother that you love but can't help but poke fun at. If you like these memes and headlines, there's more where that came from.

Well, well, well. We've actually made it to the big day. You know what I'm talking about...yes, it's election day. A whole lot of crazy shit has happened since Trump waddled into office in 2016, and we've got the memes to prove it. We thought it might be fun to look back on the last four years through the glorious lens of hilarious memes and just laugh and laugh. What does the future hold for us? It's hard to say, but there's one thing we know for certain. There will be memes.

It was a somber weekend for much of the United States after the news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death broke on Friday. The 87 year old judge was a champion for women's rights, and had become somewhat of a cult figure in recent years. Many devotees shared somber, wordy, and often beautiful tributes to their hero, highlighting her accomplishments and struggles as a woman in politics. But it's a warm and silly Twitter thread from one of Ginsburg's former clerks, Scott Hershovitz, that really made us feel something. 

The thread, which involves some "friendly" fantasy baseball competition, shows a side of RBG that's a little more personal than most. A quiet but feisty mischief that we assume only those closest to her were privy to witness. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 

Generally speaking we tend to fall on the "Jack of all trades, master of none" side of the expertise spectrum. Except when it comes to procrastinating. We're, like, really good at procrastinating. Because we're really good at finding memes. And here's a whole bunch for you.