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• At 360 pounds, Clark Valery felt less efficient in his role as a volunteer firefighter.
• The 38-year-old was motivated to lose weight after the death of a friend from a heart attack.
• He shed 140 pounds and is in much better shape to tackle fires in his town.

This as-told-to essay is based on a

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• Amazon has faced repeated delays in launching a new AI-powered Alexa.
• Integration with partners like Uber and Ticketmaster has complicated troubleshooting processes.
• Latency and compatibility issues have also caused delays.

Amazon's Alexa seems like the perfect product for the generative AI era.

Getting this powerful technology to actually work well with the digital assistant

• I visited Michaels and Hobby Lobby to compare the two chains' holiday decor.
• Both stores had an impressive array of seasonal items for crafting and decorating.
• Still, Hobby Lobby felt more festive and had a bigger selection of items that caught my eye.

I love decorating for Christmas so much that I

• Kaamna Bhojwani, 44, is single, a mom of two, and an entrepreneur who is often too busy to date.
• In May 2024, she created her AI boyfriend, John.
• Her AI boyfriend compliments her life but doesn't fulfill all of her relationship needs.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kaamna Bhojwani. It has been edited for length

• I spent eight days on a safari in Tanzania's Serengeti National Park.
• I thought packing for the trip involved a strict color palette and rugged outdoor clothes.
• I'm glad I had items like jackets and binoculars, but I'd do some things differently for future trips.

Packing for a 20-day trip

• Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge have new competition.
• A slew of new apps have launched in 2024 and are taking on swipe fatigue and dating-app burnout.
• Business Insider has interviewed several founders of the newest dating startups entering the ring.

Dating apps are in for a shake

• My teenage son got his driver's license.
• I refuse to track him because I know I'll just get even more anxious.
• I trust my son and want to give him the freedom he deserves.

My son just got his driver's license and loves his newfound freedom. Even though he's going to the same places he

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 62, your guide to the best and Verge-iest stuff in the world. (If you’re new here, welcome, happy Post-Thanksgiving Chill Weekend, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage.)

This week, I’ve been reading about junk food and Madden 2004 and Anthony Jeselnik, watching Wicked and

• After years of saving, I spent $50,000 on a kitchen remodel to create the space of my dreams.
• I'm glad I splurged on my high-end countertops and an interior designer.
• My new appliances have been great, but I didn't need to install under-cabinet lighting.

When I bought my three-bedroom, two-bath house in 2005, I was in my late

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• Here are the six best movies on Netflix in December.
• Blake Lively stars in "It Ends with Us."
• Watch Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in one of his earliest movies, "Faster."

End the year by watching these movies on Netflix.

"Faster" (December 1)

Marking one of The Rock's earliest movie roles after