The Self-Employed Man

Be your own boss and still pay the bills: clients, pricing, taxes, tools and time for your family.

The BRO Code. What to do, what not to do, and a few laughs on the way.

Do's & Don'ts: Men Do's & Don'ts: Business Owners

The Knee That Aches on Stairs Isn't Done Yet

Stiff, sore joints without an arthritis diagnosis are a window, not a sentence. What slows them down is mostly unglamorous and mostly free.

BRO TakeMovies & TVMarcus ValeNov 2, 20265 min

The Golden Age musicals a man can watch without apologizing

Barn brawls, con men, a Navy captain and a dad who learns to fly a kite. Start with the right one and the skeptic stays on the couch.

Ask BRO

Rehearse the raise conversation with me

Ask it

GuideScience & SpaceDean ShawNov 2, 20265 min

A dead battery isn't empty. It's finished falling.

Your battery never held a tank of electricity. It held chemistry that wanted to react, and a dead one is just a battery where the reaction ran out of road.

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

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Travel6 min read

Flying standby with a family is a seat-count problem

One open seat is easy. Four on the same flight is a different game. How to plan a standby trip so a full flight doesn't strand your family.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

GuideMedia LiteracyMarcus ValeNov 2, 20265 min

What the source won't say is half the story

Every statement is a set of choices about what to leave out. Learn to read the gaps and you'll spot spin from any direction.

GuideScience & SpaceDean ShawNov 2, 20265 min

Why a Microwave Heats the Soup and Mostly Skips the Bowl

Run a mug of water for ninety seconds and the water's near boiling while the mug stays tame. The reason is a neat bit of physics, and it changes how you use the thing.

Delicious.com — Nine thousand recipes and a plan for tonight

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GuideHealthCal BrennanNov 2, 20265 min

Before You Blame the Food, Keep a Two-Week Log

Your gut is sending a message. A pen and an index card will tell you whether it's the menu, the job, or something a doctor needs to see.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

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

GuideTravelDean ShawNov 2, 20266 min

The $80 pass pays for itself on one good road trip

Most families overpay at the gate or buy the wrong pass. Here's the math on which parks justify the fee and how to see more of them for less.

GuideMedia LiteracyMarcus ValeNov 2, 20265 min

A screenshot is a claim about a claim

Screenshots strip out the link, the date and the thread above. Here's a two-minute check that works on whatever lands in your group chat.

Ask BRO

Plan a cook for eight people

Ask it

GuideScience & SpaceDean ShawNov 2, 20265 min

Steel wants to turn back into rock, and every fix is a delay

Rust isn't a defect in steel. It's steel going home. Here's the chemistry, and why zinc, chromium and a rag with oil each buy you time.

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

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GuideHealthCal BrennanNov 2, 20265 min

Tired at 45? Check these before you blame testosterone

Testosterone drifts down with age, and most men feel fine. Here's how to tell a normal slide from a real deficiency, and what to fix before anyone writes a prescription.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?