U.S. Government Sputters to Life - Summary of the Internet – November 13, 2025

The government came back online today — turns out turning it off and on again does work.

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Today in Summary of the Internet:

After a six-week political face-plant, federal workers are finally returning to their desks like they’re clocking into the world’s largest group project that someone rage-quit in October. Meanwhile, TikTok is litigating the moral compass of churches, Jokic is out here rewriting basketball physics, and the Northern Lights are photo-bombing the entire country.

👀 Curated by humans. Boosted by bots. Delivered with flavor.

✅  Top 3 Must-Post Trends

1. Record Government Shutdown Finally Ends — Federal Workers Return

🔥 What Happened

After 43 days, President Donald Trump finally signed a bill to end the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The House passed the bill 222–209 on November 12, with the Senate signing off earlier in the week Roughly 670,000 federal workers went without pay for over six weeks, pushing families into debt, clogging food banks, and creating mass travel chaos nationwide

The shutdown centered on a fight over Affordable Care Act subsidies and included an eyebrow-raising provision allowing senators to sue the government if their phone records were investigated without notice.Funds are restored through January 30, 2026 — a short leash guaranteeing another clash.

Federal employees reacted with a mix of relief, exhaustion, and disbelief. Airports resumed normal operations, agencies restarted services, and social media filled with workers posting “first paycheck in 43 days” celebrations and war-room-level political commentary.

🎯 Why This Is a Post Opportunity

  • Massive, emotional, and universally relevant

  • Easy to personalize (“here’s how this affected my city/job/family”)

  • Encourages storytelling, reactions, duets, and commentary

  • The narrative is still unfolding — meaning more content opportunities

✍️ Post Ideas

  • TikTok POV: “When your boss says ‘see you tomorrow’ after 43 unpaid days 😭”

  • IG Carousel: Shutdown timeline → real-life impacts → the bill → what’s next

  • Twitter/X Thread: “Here’s what the end of the shutdown actually means for healthcare + federal services 🧵”

📣 Micro-CTA

“Were you affected by the shutdown? Drop your story — people need to hear what those 43 days were really like.”

2. Woman Tests 40+ Churches in a Baby Formula Social Experiment — Goes Viral

🔥 What Happened

Kentucky counselor Nikalie Monroe called 42 churches, posing as a mother unable to afford baby formula. Only 9 said yes. The rest turned her away, delayed her with red tape, or dismissed her entirely.[^5][^6]

One Louisiana pastor told her she had the “spirit of a witch.” Houston’s Lakewood Church — one of the richest megachurches in the country — told her to fill out paperwork that could take weeks.[^7][^6] Monroe used a crying baby audio track to simulate urgency, prompting viewers to point out that churches claim to be a social safety net — until someone actually needs help.

The video exploded across TikTok, X, and faith-based forums, igniting debates about institutional responsibility, individual compassion, food insecurity, and the gap between religious branding and real-world action.

🎯 Why This Is a Post Opportunity

  • High emotion: outrage, heartbreak, empathy

  • Endless angles (faith, poverty, charity, social systems, ethics)

  • Connects to issues creators love discussing: compassion, community, responsibility

  • Perfect for commentary, reaction content, and stitching Monroe’s original video

✍️ Post Ideas

  • TikTok Reaction: “I can’t believe what this pastor said… 33 out of 42 churches said NO.”

  • IG Reel: Simple visual — churches labeled “yes/no” + your take

  • Twitter/X: “This experiment says a lot about the gap between belief and action 🧵”

📣 Micro-CTA

“What would YOU have done? Do churches have a duty to help families in crisis?”

3. Nikola Jokic Scores 55 — Breaks the Curse and Makes NBA History

🔥 What Happened

Nikola Jokic dropped 55 points on the Clippers — tying the NBA season high — and for the first time ever, a Jokic 50-point game resulted in a win.[^8][^9] Before this? He was 0–4 scoring 50+.

He went 18-of-23, including 5-of-6 from three, added double-digit boards, and played like a man fighting physics itself. This was the second night of a back-to-back, yet he looked fresher than anyone else on the court.

This performance capped a six-game winning streak, during which he averaged a 35-point triple-double while shooting an absurd 73.9% from the field. Sports media went nuclear — calling it one of the most statistically dominant stretches in NBA history.

🎯 Why This Is a Post Opportunity

  • Sports + narrative = viral

  • Jokic is beloved by both hardcore fans and casual viewers

  • “Breaking a curse” is a strong meme format

  • Highlight reels are everywhere, making it easy to post

✍️ Post Ideas

  • TikTok: “He finally DID IT. 55 points and the curse is broken 🔥🔥”

  • IG Reel: Top Jokic plays from the night + trending audio

  • Twitter/X: “Jokic just made history… again.”

📣 Micro-CTA

“Is Jokic the best player in the world right now? Drop your take.”

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Hey everyone — Victor here.
Quick editor’s note: Summary of the Internet went quiet for a couple of days. As some of you know, this is essentially a one-person newsletter. Yes, AI handles the heavy lifting on research and the first draft, but I personally edit every edition before it goes out.

For the past few days, I was in Florida for my sister’s wedding and couldn’t sit down to do the final pass. So my apologies for the brief pause — but honestly, I can’t feel too bad about missing a couple issues to celebrate her. Also, my sister is a government worker, so what a great way to celebrate her last “day off.”

Thanks for sticking with me. New editions are back on track starting today.

4. Northern Lights Dazzle 17+ States — Second Night in a Row

A severe geomagnetic storm lit up skies from Alaska to Illinois, Nevada, and Colorado — one of the lowest-latitude aurora events of the decade.[^10][^11][^12] Caused by a massive CME from an X-class flare, this is part of 2025’s solar maximum cycle. Photos flooded social media, and NOAA warned of more possible displays this week.

Post Idea: “POV: You’re watching the sky glitch.”
CTA: “Did you see the Northern Lights? Share your pics.”

5. Venezuelan Chinese Fried Rice Pop-Up Goes Viral in NYC

22-year-old Yony Hung is selling Venezuelan Chinese fried rice from his car trunk, drawing block-long lines and celebrities like J Balvin.[^15][^16][^17] His fusion dish taps deep cultural nostalgia among Venezuelan expats and social-media-powered food hype.

Post Idea: “NYC’s newest street-food star is cooking from a trunk.”
CTA: “Would you wait an hour for this?”

6. Cleto Escobedo III, Jimmy Kimmel’s Bandleader, Dies at 59

Kimmel’s lifelong best friend and bandleader of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” passed due to complications from a liver transplant.[^19][^20][^21] Their friendship dates back to 1977, and the emotional tributes have dominated entertainment feeds.

Post Idea: Tribute montage + your favorite Cleto moment.
CTA: “Share a performance that stuck with you.”

7. FKA Twigs Drops ‘Predictable Girl’ — New Album This Friday

Twigs released a second single + music video ahead of her new album EUSEXUA Afterglow, dropping November 14.[^22][^23][^24][^25][^26] It’s a sequel to her Grammy-nominated LP earlier this year and features PinkPantheress.

Post Idea: Reaction to the video + predictions for the album.
CTA: “Are you excited for Friday?”

8. Dancing with the Stars Celebrates 20 Years — Bergeron Returns

The show’s special anniversary episode featured original host Tom Bergeron returning as guest judge.[^27][^28][^29] Nostalgia clips, tribute numbers, and eliminations lit up social media.

Post Idea: Side-by-side: “DWTS 2005 vs. DWTS 2025.”
CTA: “What’s your all-time favorite DWTS moment?”

9. McConaughey & Michael Caine License Their Voices to ElevenLabs

The actors partnered with ElevenLabs to create licensed AI voice clones for public use.[^30][^31][^32][^33] It marks a major shift in celebrity–AI partnerships and has stirred debate in Hollywood circles.

Post Idea: “Real voice vs. AI voice — can you tell which is which?”
CTA: “Is this exciting or terrifying?”

10. Isla Fisher Opens Up About Life Post-Separation

In a candid Harper’s Bazaar interview, Fisher discussed rebuilding her identity outside of marriage and reigniting her career after a difficult few years.[^34]

Post Idea: A quote from the interview + your commentary.
CTA: “Ever reinvented yourself after a major life shift?”

11. Crown Heights Apartment Fire Displaces Families

A major fire at 1030 Willmohr Street displaced multiple households and injured two residents.[^35] The Red Cross is assisting affected families.

Post Idea: Share donation options for impacted families.
CTA: “Boost this to help the neighborhood.”

12. MLB 2025 MVP Awards Announced

The BBWAA revealed this year’s MVP winners, sparking intense debate among baseball fans.[^36]

Post Idea: “Here are the MVPs — agree or disagree?”
CTA: “Who was robbed this year?”

  • #GovernmentShutdown — High-emotion political engagement

  • #NorthernLights / #AuroraBorealis — Stunning visuals = guaranteed reach

  • #FKATwigs — Music drops always spike

  • #DWTS20Years — Nostalgia wave

  • #NBAHighlights — Jokic content is exploding

  • #VenezuelanFood — Food creators are all over this trend

💡 Engagement Tip of the Day

If you post about the shutdown, follow up tonight.
Breaking political stories get two waves — the news drop and the evening commentary surge. Don’t waste the second.

🔮 Looking Ahead

  • FKA Twigs album drops tomorrow — reaction content will be huge

  • Thanksgiving prep starts trending heavy next week

  • Black Friday / Cyber Monday preview deals will dominate feeds by Nov 20

See you tomorrow!