Books

What to read next, the classics worth the effort and how to make reading a habit again.

The rotten-egg smell is your alarm, and it can fail

Propane has no odor of its own. The smell is added on purpose, and a few situations can mute it. Learn them before you need them.

GuideCan You Fix ItWes DunbarNov 8, 20266 min

The Drip Under Your Sink Isn't Where the Leak Is

A leaking sprayer hose can ruin a cabinet floor in months. Find the real source with a paper towel, fix it for under thirty bucks, and know when to call a plumber.

Ask BRO

Give me something to do with my kids this weekend

Ask it

GuideFoodWes DunbarNov 8, 20266 min

Why your rice is gummy, and the ten minutes that fix it

Most bad rice is decided before the pot hits the stove and ruined by a lifted lid. Rinse, measure, simmer, then leave it alone.

Coconut.com — Tell us when. We find where the sun is.

PartnerCoconut.com

Home5 min read

Seal the rim joist and your basement stops fighting you

It's an afternoon's work with foam board and a few cans of fire-block foam. It also fixes the cold floors and the damp smell.

Poll

How often do you see your closest friends?

GuideGarden & YardWes DunbarNov 8, 20265 min

Build a Rain Barrel That Actually Lasts Through July

One barrel, one downspout, about a hundred dollars and a Saturday. Here's the sizing math and the mistakes that leave most barrels empty by midsummer.

GuideScience & SpaceDean ShawNov 8, 20266 min

What a Chainsaw Chain Is Really Doing, and What Dulls It

Wood is softer than you'd think on steel. Dirt is the real enemy, and the sawdust tells you whether your chain is sharp.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

PartnerGermProof.com

GuideTravelDean ShawNov 8, 20265 min

Check the passport before you book anything you can't refund

A passport that looks fine can still strand your family at the counter. Check these dates first, then book.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

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

GuideMedia LiteracyMarcus ValeNov 8, 20266 min

The verb in the headline is telling you what the writer thinks

Writers rarely announce their position. They leave it in the verbs, the labels and the adjectives. Here's how to find it in five minutes with a pencil.

StoryHistoryMarcus ValeNov 7, 20265 min

Boone and Crockett Never Met, and Both Hunted Past Any Help

The two men the famous hunting club is named after lived 52 years apart. Their wilderness had no rescue in it, and they paid for that.

Ask BRO

Pressure-test my business idea

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GuidePreparednessWes DunbarNov 7, 20266 min

Build your parent's kit for the day you can't get there

The drive takes twenty-two minutes on a good day. In a storm it may not happen at all, so the kit has to work without you.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

PartnerNames.com

GuideSurvival & Self-DefenseWes DunbarNov 7, 20267 min

Your buddy is hurt and you're four miles from the truck

A tourniquet runs about $30 and a satellite messenger about $300. Here's what to do in the first hour after a serious injury, and who walks out.

Poll

How many days a week are you actually training?

GuideCan You Fix ItWes DunbarNov 7, 20266 min

A sagging cabinet door is usually a two-dollar fix

Before you buy new hinges, find out which of three things is wrong. Most sagging doors need a toothpick, a screwdriver, or a piece of cereal box.

GuideFoodWes DunbarNov 7, 20266 min

Your spice rack is a museum. Cook from twelve jars.

Most of what's on your rack lost its punch years ago. Here's the short list worth keeping, where to store it, and how to tell when a jar is done.

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

PartnerCancerDefying.com

GuideGarden & YardWes DunbarNov 7, 20265 min

Mulch Goes Down After the Soil Warms, Not When You Get Excited

Three inches of the right stuff, laid at the right time, cuts your weeding and watering all summer. Laid too early, it does the opposite.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

Home5 min

Stand outside in the rain and watch where your gutters send it

Recipes5 min

Ground Turkey Tacos With a Spice Mix That Beats the Packet

Ask BRO

Rehearse the raise conversation with me

Ask it

GuideMeal PlansCal BrennanNov 7, 20265 min

A Week of Winter Dinners From the Bottom of the Vegetable Bin

Seven days for a family of four built on potatoes, carrots, squash, cabbage and a few pantry staples. Full grocery list, Sunday prep plan and rough cost.