Social media flurry around blizzard: gripes, jokes and romance

By Laila Kearney and Barbara Goldberg NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fear, disappointment and even romantic thoughts about the Northeast's blizzard of 2015 powered a social media storm that raged on the Internet on Tuesday. The avalanche picking up speed on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook included mashup photos that replaced the Statue of Liberty's torch with a snow shovel and outfitted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio in a king's fur cape and sword with the motto "Winter is Coming" from the "Game of Thrones" television show. Two of the most popular Twitter hashtags were #Snowmageddon2015 and #Snowpocalypse, although some felt #Blizzfizz was more appropriate. "A whole lotta 'nope,'" @kelso2utd wrote on Twitter, referring to the storm's underwhelming showing in most of New York City and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sent out a flurry of Twitter posts late on Monday, each one sounding more like the "regular guy" some say would be a refreshing choice as a Republican presidential candidate in the upcoming 2016 election. In one instance, Christie, who famously wore a fleece jacket for days after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, retweeted a post from @the_real_kuzi, "Wonder if @GovChristie is going to be wearing his fleece tomorrow" with the reply "too cold for the fleece." While New York Governor Andrew Cuomo retweeted eerie photographs of an empty George Washington Bridge and deserted Penn Station, several of his counterparts in New England used Twitter to express gratitude to those honoring the driving bans. As the storm barreled toward New Hampshire, Governor Maggie Hassan on Tuesday tweeted a plea to businesses: "Gov. Hassan asks employers who have asked workers to come in to reconsider. Continues to encourage people to stay off the roads." Her concern was echoed - with a smirk - by Roger Carroll of the Telegraph of Nashua who tweeted: "Here's how you know the storm is serious: NH is closing liquor stores on Tuesday." Even those with serious news like school cancellations had a little fun, including the principal of Moses Brown School in Providence, Rhode Island, whose YouTube video announcement of the snow day went viral, showing him dancing and lip-synching to a parody of the hit song "Let It Go" from the animated Disney movie "Frozen." The search for cuddle buddies through the storm filled Craigslist with offers from those looking for love. "I'll be your blizzard boyfriend," a Jersey City, New Jersey, resident posted. "Blizzard tryst and maybe more," said another from Manhattan. (Reporting by Laila Kearney and Barbara Goldberg; Editing by Bill Trott and Christian Plumb)