Good morning. This is 1% Better. Unbiased news and practical life advice that makes you a little better every day.

Today we're covering the Secretary of State’s AI imposter, the missing minute in the Jeffrey Epstein video, and body benefits on being sober for 1-3 months straight.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the Justice Department's Jeffrey Epstein video release Tuesday, explaining a missing minute in prison surveillance footage that sparked conspiracy theories. The video skips from 11:58 p.m. to midnight, prompting claims about the disgraced financier's death.

Bondi said Bureau of Prisons resets surveillance videos nightly, creating the same one-minute gap every evening. She promised to release additional footage proving this standard procedure. The Justice Department concluded Monday that Epstein died by suicide and no client list exists. See video here.

The memo aimed to dispel right-wing conspiracy theories about Epstein's 2019 death and alleged connections to prominent Democrats. FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino previously promoted Epstein conspiracies before joining their current roles. Thousands of case-related video hours contain child abuse material and won't be released. DOJ says there is no client list.

An impostor used artificial intelligence to mimic Secretary of State Marco Rubio's voice and writing style, contacting foreign ministers, a U.S. governor and a member of Congress, according to a senior U.S. official and State Department cable obtained by The Washington Post.

The culprit created a Signal account using "[email protected]" as the display name in mid-June, authorities said. The impersonation campaign targeted at least five officials through voice messages, texts and the encrypted messaging app extensively used by the Trump administration (More).

U.S. authorities don't know who orchestrated the scheme but believe the goal was manipulating government officials to gain access to sensitive information or accounts, according to the July 3 cable from Rubio's office to State Department employees. Similar audio deepfakes, like Leonardo DiCaprio or Taylor Swift, available here.

Kirk Tanner will leave Wendy's to become Hershey's president and CEO on August 18, succeeding retiring Michele Buck, the companies announced Tuesday. Wendy's appointed CFO Ken Cook as interim CEO while searching for a permanent replacement, effective July 18.

Tanner led Wendy's for 18 months, introducing collaborations like Takis-topped chicken and SpongeBob SquarePants meals. He also tested AI voice-ordering systems and planned AI-enhanced digital menu boards. Wendy's struggled with declining same-store sales and cut its annual outlook amid industry-wide customer retention challenges.

Hershey shares fell 3% to $170.23 while Wendy's dropped 1.5% to $11.13 in Tuesday trading. Tanner previously spent three decades at PepsiCo before joining the burger chain. Cook said he would continue Tanner's strategic initiatives during the leadership transition. Kirk Tanner talks “failing forward” right here.

Kevin Rose's framework: The 30-Day Neural Reset Method measures recovery progress through liver enzyme tracking rather than relying on willpower and social pressure (interview starts here).

Kevin Rose, founder of Digg.com, hit rock bottom when his quarterly blood work revealed liver enzymes at 150 (normal is under 20). After multiple failed attempts at 90-day sobriety challenges, he discovered something counterintuitive. Most entrepreneurs try to white-knuckle through alcohol reduction using the same willpower that built their companies—completely ignoring how alcohol rewires executive decision-making.

The breakthrough: Instead of arbitrary calendar goals, Rose tracked biological markers and realized that "not today" beats "not for 90 days" every single time (More).

Why this matters: Most high-achievers fail at sobriety because they treat it like a business goal instead of a biological process. Through connecting with recovery veterans, Rose discovered that "surrounding yourself with people who've done assisted programs" creates accountability without judgment.

Transform setbacks into strategic advantages through radical acceptance. When problems hit, most people spiral into "woe is me" thinking or toxic positivity denial. Jocko Willink's "Good" philosophy cuts through both traps: first, accept reality completely—no delusion, no wishful thinking. Then immediately ask "What good can come from this?" Got fired? Good—now you can find a better opportunity. Project failed? Good—now you know what doesn't work. Lost a client? Good—now you can focus on better clients. This isn't naive optimism; it's tactical thinking that forces your brain to shift from victim mode to solution mode, turning obstacles into stepping stones. This 2-minute video has 14 million views for a reason. Bookmark it.

> Trump bans Chinese farmland purchases targeting 265,000 acres, kicking 700 foreign nationals off USDA contracts (More).

> Teachers union launches AI academy with $23M from Anthropic, Microsoft, OpenAI to train educators (More).

> Boxer Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. misses court after ICE arrest, lawyer says location unknown following cartel warrant (More).

> Florida targets NYC investors after Mamdani's primary win sparks luxury property inquiry surge (More).

> Goldman Sachs re-hires Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as part-time senior adviser (More).

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