100 Things Every...

The series. One hundred things every man, woman, dad, mom, young person and grandparent should know, do or own.

Your pie crust is tough because you were stingy with the water

Flaky, tender pie crust comes down to cold butter, enough water and less handling. Here's why dough cracks and how to fix it at the counter.

GuideGarden & YardWes DunbarOct 5, 20267 min

Build the Chicken Coop for the Raccoon, Not the Hen

A small backyard flock is a great idea. Just check your city code, wire the coop against what's hungry, and do the honest egg math first.

Ask BRO

Give me something to do with my kids this weekend

Ask it

StoryHistoryWes DunbarOct 4, 20267 min

Before Paul Bunyan Was an Ad, He Was a Few Thousand Real Men

The north woods camps ran on pine, pancakes and nerve. They built the Midwest, nearly burned it down, and left a lesson in how to clean up after yourself.

Dude.com — 16 AI advisers who listen, talk and are here with you

PartnerDude.com

Food6 min read

Bake your first sandwich loaf by the dough, not the clock

A soft, sliceable sandwich loaf takes flour, yeast and a free afternoon. The trick is knowing when the dough is ready, whatever the recipe says.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

GuideGarden & YardWes DunbarOct 5, 20266 min

Buy the Skinny Fruit Tree and Pick Off the First Apples

The bare-root stick beats the big potted tree with fruit on it. Here's how to choose, space and raise fruit trees through the first three years.

StoryHistoryDean ShawOct 4, 20267 min

The Wright Brothers Flew for Five Years Before the World Believed It

Kitty Hawk was the easy part. The hard part was the cow pasture, the newspapers that yawned, and the years they chose not to fly at all.

Shirts.com — Design it with AI. Wear it this week.

PartnerShirts.com

GuideHomeWes DunbarOct 3, 20267 min

Caulk a tub and a window so nobody can tell you did it

A pro-looking caulk line has almost nothing to do with a steady hand. It comes down to what you do before the gun ever comes out.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

GuideGarden & YardSam OrtizOct 5, 20266 min

A Kid's Garden Needs a Win by Week Four

Tomatoes and pumpkins lose kids by July. Radishes, bush beans and one giant sunflower keep them coming back out the door.

StoryHistoryMarcus ValeOct 4, 20266 min

The Railway Canada Couldn't Afford and Built Anyway

A young country promised a train to the Pacific, nearly went broke keeping its word, and finished five years early. Not everyone was thanked.

Ask BRO

Pressure-test my business idea

Ask it

GuideSurvival & Self-DefenseWes DunbarOct 3, 20267 min

Fire Without Matches Is a Tinder Problem, Not a Spark Problem

A ferro rod, a bow drill and a 9-volt battery will all make fire. Only one should be your plan, and none of them work without the boring part.

CancerDefying.com — The research, protocols and reading in one place

PartnerCancerDefying.com

GuideGarden & YardNina CastellanOct 5, 20266 min

Water-Bath Canning Lives or Dies on the Acid

Jam, pickles and tomatoes are the safe starting point for home canning, but only if you get the acid right. Grandma's method won't cover it.

Poll

How many days a week are you actually training?

StoryHistoryMarcus ValeOct 3, 20267 min

The Pony Express Went Broke Delivering the Mail on Time

For eighteen months, kids on fast horses beat the clock across 1,900 miles of open country. The company lost a fortune doing it. The ride was worth it.