Good Morning. A lab technician at a Siberian plague institute died of pneumonia. Russia says it has nothing to do with her work. Plus, AI voters and book bans, the "Winter Arc Mindset, and LeBron James' new job (first time here? Join 523,000 Betterists).
Friday’s most clicked link: The best chili recipe of all time
TOP STORY TODAY
Russian Cover-up
A 28-year-old technician at a Siberian anti-plague institute died last week after severe pneumonia that Russian authorities have described only as being of unknown cause. Nearly 200 people are under observation.
The head of a neighboring republic said she died of an unspecified form of plague. Russia's health agency says no organisms linked to her work were found and that no lab accident occurred. The institute declined to comment.
Hospitals in the region were quarantined, an aluminum smelter in her town required masks, and public events were canceled. Officials say contacts have tested negative and show no symptoms. Health authorities in the US and Canada say there's no cause for alarm. What pneumonic plague actually is.
AI Bans Books
A free expression group counted 11,982 book removals in public schools last year, the most since it started tracking in 2021. The count covers 7,370 unique titles across 114 districts, with most in Texas and Florida.
Districts are increasingly using AI to screen library collections for compliance with new state laws, according to the report. In some cases the tools flagged titles simply because other districts had already pulled them.
Titles removed for the first time include Jane Eyre and Lessons in Chemistry. Stephen King was the most removed author for a second year. The group counts temporary removals, while a librarians' association counts only permanent ones. The full index and methodology.
Chatbot Ballot
About one in five voters now consult AI chatbots for election information, at similar rates across parties, according to a September survey. Many use them for down-ballot races where local news coverage has thinned out.
The catch is that chatbots aim to please. One researcher says they tend to surface what reinforces your existing lean, so you finish more confident without knowing more. Companies also don't disclose how their models are trained or which sources they draw on.
His suggestions for anyone doing this: write prompts that hide your own preferences, use a temporary or incognito chat so the model has less history on you, and verify anything specific against an official source.
The move: look up your actual ballot from a nonpartisan source before asking any chatbot | See what's on your ballot
TOGETHER WITH NATURE’S BOUNTY
Two Days to Restock the Medicine Cabinet
Fall pulls everyone back into a rhythm: early mornings, packed schedules, and a house full of people sharing more than stories.
Nature's Bounty has been making vitamins and supplements for decades, and its wellness staples are on deal for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, October 6 and 7 only. That includes Vitamin D3, Vitamin C gummies, Super B Complex, magnesium, probiotics and multivitamins.
Two days, then the prices go back. It's a good window to stock the cabinet before the season gets loud.
Please support our sponsors!
GET 1% BETTER
Amazon Deal Days: 7 Health Buys for Fall
Shorter days, dry heat and cold season all arrive at once, and Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days* run through Oct. 7. Here are 7 things worth having before the clocks fall back:
For darker mornings: Verilux HappyLight Lumi Plus. It's a 10,000-lux light therapy lamp. Use it for 20 to 30 minutes within an hour of waking up.
For less sun: Nature's Bounty Vitamin D3, 2,000 IU. A 350-softgel bottle, one a day, on sale for Prime Big Deal Days. The NIH upper limit for adults is 4,000 IU, so ask your doctor to check your levels.
For cold-weather workouts: Bowflex SelectTech 552 dumbbells. One dial adjusts from 5 to 52.5 pounds, replacing 15 sets of weights.
For your gut: Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics for Men. It has 50 billion CFU across 15 strains, plus organic prebiotic fiber. Garden of Life is up to 25% off for Prime Day.
For dry indoor air: Levoit Smart Humidifier with sensor. The EPA recommends 30% to 50% indoor humidity, and this one holds whatever level you set.
For fall walks: GORUCK 20 lb rucking vest. It turns a walk into strength training. Start light and add weight gradually.
For cold and flu season: Braun ThermoScan 7. It's an ear thermometer with age-adjusted fever guidance, from newborns to adults.
Set it all up before Nov. 1, when the clocks fall back.
The Winter Arc Mindset
Winter strips away outside motivation: less sun, colder mornings, fewer reasons to leave the house. Chris Williamson asked bodybuilder Sam Sulek how to keep going anyway:
Decide now. The next three months will be hard. Lock in instead of complaining.
Ask the future-you question. What would you, a year from now, want you to do today?
Go through the motions. Slumps often lift within a few months. Keep your routine anyway so you're not three months behind.
Skip the motivation step. You don't need to feel like it. Just start.
Raise your floor. Drill the basics so your worst day still moves you forward.
Welcome hard days. When it's extra hard, Sam agrees with Jocko: good, go harder.
TRENDING
5 Stories
▲ The Supreme Court's new term opens with cases on climate liability, AR-15 bans, immigration and voting rules | Every major case on the docket
▲ LeBron James will earn $15 million endorsing Polymarket this year and $3.9 million playing for the 76ers | The NBA's $30 million warning shot
▲ Tom Cruise's first non-action film in years opened to $8 million and may lose $200 million | Why he said it was the hardest role he's done
▲ Karoline Leavitt joins Fox News as a contributor Nov. 1, two months after leaving the White House | The revolving door, both directions
▲ Sailors offered $25,000 for a single run through the Strait of Hormuz | Why a round trip costs $40 million
TOGETHER WITH GARDEN of LIFE
Whole Food, Not Lab Powder
Most supplements are synthetic compounds pressed into a tablet. Garden of Life builds its vitamins from actual foods, with the organic and non-GMO certifications printed on the bottle rather than claimed on the label.
The range covers probiotics with billions of live cultures, raw whole-food multivitamins, plant-based protein powders, and greens blends. No synthetic binders or fillers, and most of the line is certified organic.
Right now the whole range is up to 25% off, through tomorrow night.
Please support our sponsors!
Fun Links
Taylor Swift takes on Ella Langley [Blog]
Is Jeff Bezos running for POTUS? [Blog]
Which state each generation is moving to [Map]
What gas cost the year you were born [List]
9 subtle signs your accounts are hacked [List]
The secret club for pilots who survived ejecting [Blog]
America's 27 most haunted hotels [List]
Grow your audience and revenue: Join brands like AG1, Hims, BetterHelp. Reach +500K ambitious professionals who open 1% Better every morning. Apply here.