Let The Chips Fall Where They May  

Tinker Tailor (Corporate) Soldier Spy 

Skimm’d by: Aryanna Prasad Bhullar and Maria Corpus

What’s going on: A powerful CEO has a clandestine affair with a suspected spy, potentially exposing his company to corporate espionage — this isn’t the latest TV drama, it’s Jensen Huang’s real life. He’s the founder and CEO of Nvidia, the world’s largest semiconductor company and the most-valued publicly traded company (or at least it was). The chip maker's stock price fell on Monday after Nvidia announced an investigation into its CEO and his alleged affair with Alice Huang (yes, they have the same surname), a former executive at a Singapore data center company who US intelligence officials say is a Chinese spy. Per The New York Times, an internal White House memo said she’s been feeding intel to Beijing — aka the US’s biggest competitor in the AI chip arms race. A spokesperson for the Chinese government called the allegations of espionage “unsubstantiated.” On Sunday, Jensen admitted in a note to staff (which includes his kids) that he had an extramarital affair, cheating on his wife of over 40 years. Didn’t the Astronomer cheating scandal teach us anything?

Love is blind?: Nvidia’s board says it doesn't believe Jensen compromised proprietary information and plans to keep him on as CEO. Still, the intel on this relationship has sparked a lot of questions and AI-generated memes (oh, the irony). According to The NYT, Beijing’s top spy agency recruited Alice to learn about American AI chips and convince Nvidia to make its most advanced versions in China. While that didn't seem to work, Jensen did get President Donald Trump to ease restrictions on US chip sales to Beijing. And in 2024, the Commerce Department had been looking into Alice’s company until Nvidia stepped in. As an internal investigation gets underway, the US is expected to make its own congressional inquiries, putting Jensen’s close relationship with Trump under a microscope. In an interview with Fox News, the president stood behind Jensen, calling him “an honorable guy” who “probably has an excuse for [the affair].”

Related: From Journalist to Executive to Possible Spy, Here’s What We Know About Alice Huang (The Wall Street Journal gift link)

Setting Expectations

Will Everything Still Be Expensive in January?

Skimm’d by: Stephanie Gallman and Samantha Darby 

What’s going on: Voters made it clear in the midterms that they aren’t thrilled with the state of the economy. Here’s what might be on the agenda come January: Senate Democrats say they will repeal President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, cap credit card interest rates, and rein in private equity for immediate relief. They also want to restore Affordable Care Act subsidies. To lower soaring energy costs, Democrats might also move to defund the Iran war. Less directly, some sitting congressional Democrats sent letters to companies like airlines and grocery stores to inquire about practices that led to record profits while American consumers struggled. They’ve also announced plans to grill CEOs on their White House ties.  

The catch: President Trump’s veto pen remains their steepest hurdle, but the party may also be fighting itself. Many legacy Democrats want to take things slow (strongly worded letters, anyone?), while other members of the party are ready to go scorched earth on the status quo. There’s also concern that answering some of their campaign promises — like curbing data centers and slowing AI — could have unintended negative economic consequences. And when it comes to fighting inflation, Congress really isn’t in the driver’s seat. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates in September, pushing up borrowing costs. So while Democrats are riding the blue wave, one voter told The Guardian: “People have not suddenly become Democrats. People are very clear that they want something different.”

Related: Shoppers Are Using Black Friday To Stock Up on Basics (The New York Times gift link)

The End of an Era

About That Road Trip Detour

Skimm’d by: Erika W. Smith and Maria Corpus

What's going on: If you’ve ever driven past a kitschy roadside attraction, we hope you stopped to take a picture. Skimm writer Erika loves seeing Detroit’s Giant Cow Head and the World’s Largest Tire whenever she visits her parents in Michigan, while Skimm editor Maria is a fan of the Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha, WI. These offbeat landmarks are common across the US, Canada, and Australia, but many may soon be gone, thanks to rising upkeep costs and expiring leases. (While some of the oldest attractions are eligible for grants — shoutout to New Jersey’s Lucy the Elephant — most pull from the town budget or donations for maintenance.) Take Alberta, Canada’s Tyra the Tyrannosaurus, who is 86 feet tall and holds a viewing platform between her fiberglass teeth. She needs a spruce-up every five to seven years, and the last one cost over $200,000. With her land lease set to expire in 2029, residents wonder if she should go the way of real dinosaurs. If Tyra goes extinct, she’ll join many other attractions that have reached the end of the road (RIP, World’s Largest Hockey Stick). 

Let’s drive: Roadside attractions peaked around the mid-20th century as highways expanded and car ownership increased. Some served as advertisements (the World’s Largest Tire is essentially a billboard for Uniroyal Tires), while others simply tried to get people to stop and spend some cash in town. But within a few decades, the novelty wore off. The rise of the internet and GPS navigation didn’t help, either. However, some experts say that after a long decline in popularity, social media may be sparking a new resurgence in interest. (Just think about how many likes your TikTok of Long Island’s Big Duck could get.) “More and more people want to know: What’s something only [found] in North Carolina, or what’s something unique and quirky?” a Visit NC director told The Assembly. (Answer: The World’s Largest Chest of Drawers, of course.) 

Related: The “High-Camp Wonderland” of Vintage Motels (Dwell)

Together with THE AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION

20/20 Isn’t Everything

Reading the bottom line of the eye chart? Impressive. But there’s more to healthy eyes than acing a vision test. While online vision tests and kiosks may offer a convenient vision check, they can’t assess your eye health or reveal clues about your overall health. 

Many eye and systemic health conditions develop without noticeable symptoms. During a comprehensive exam, an optometrist examines your cornea, retina, and optic nerve for signs of 270+ eye and overall health conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes, blood pressure, and certain cancers.

Translation: Seeing clearly doesn’t always mean all clear. Learn why a comprehensive in-person eye exam matters. 

Quick Hits

🍞 Running on fumes? It might be because you’re low on iron, fiber, or one of the other three nutrients Americans tend to under-consume.

🎥 If you’ve ever panicked about missing a scene in a movie because you had to pee, you need the app that gives you the exact time and line where it’s OK to go. If only there was a similar app for the snack line. 

👰 A bride thought she said “yes” to rewearing her mom’s carefully-preserved wedding dress from 1994… until she opened the box and found a different gown. This is not what she meant by “something borrowed.”

🍸 The quest to find the next James Bond just got shaken and stirred as British heartthrobs Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult have entered the running. Maybe it’ll come down to who can do the best Sean Connery impression. 

📜 It was the Ring camera photo that led internet sleuths to map out Bill Belichick’s relationship with Jordon Hudson. Three years later, the 25-year-old filed a lawsuit claiming the footage was unlawfully released. 

🥗 Edamame, blueberries, and quinoa? That’s what nutritionists consider the makings of a “perfect salad.” We make no guarantees about the taste.

👙 ‘Tis the season of giving… and issuing refunds if you’re Skims. Customers are outraged after Kim Kardashian’s brand gifted bobby pins and bra straps in its $150 advent calendar. The tissue paper was a paid actor.

Gifts for the Home

It’s hibernation season, and these holiday gifts will keep their homes cozy and bright until spring:

• A soft and breathable waffle blanket

• A nostalgic board game for those cold nights at home

• The cutest heart-adorned taper candles

• And more small decor gifts that make a big impact

​*PS: If you have gifter’s block (aka writer’s block for gift giving), QVC has a little something for everyone.