Trades & Careers

Electrician, lineman, welder, plumber. How to get in, get certified and get paid what the work is worth.

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

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.

GuideTravelDean ShawNov 2, 20266 min

Settle the rental car insurance question before you reach the counter

The agent gets about ninety seconds to upsell you. Two phone calls at your kitchen table tell you what to say, and what to skip.

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Pressure-test my business idea

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GuideMedia LiteracyMarcus ValeNov 2, 20266 min

Why that story ran today and not last year

A story's timing tells you about the people behind it. It can't tell you whether the claim is true. Here's how to keep those two questions apart.

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

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NewsSportsBRO DeskNov 2, 20261 min

Magic look to snap home skid as Wizards visit Orlando

Orlando, 2-4, hosts a Washington team sitting at 3-3 and hopes to stop a losing run at home.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

GuideCivicsMarcus ValeOct 28, 20266 min

The zoning notice in your mailbox is a deadline, not a courtesy

Your city can't change what gets built next door without a process. Learn the boards, the standards and the clock, and you can shape the outcome.

GuideCarsDean ShawOct 25, 20266 min

Frame damage hides from cameras, not from a flashlight and a gap check

Listing photos are shot to flatter. Twenty minutes with a flashlight, a magnet and a straight road will show you what the seller's camera left out.

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

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NewsSportsBRO DeskOct 31, 20261 min

Curry scores 31 as Warriors erase a 25-point deficit to beat the Lakers

Stephen Curry led a big Golden State rally late Friday night, finishing with a flashy highlight and a 112-95 win.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

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

GuideCivicsMarcus ValeOct 28, 20266 min

A city can regulate your rally. It can't regulate your message.

Your town can require a permit and pick the hour. It can't pick the viewpoint. Here's the test courts use and how to read your own ordinance with it.

GuideCarsDean ShawOct 25, 20266 min

Replace the serpentine belt when it's worn, not when you're told

A shop writes "belt recommended" on the invoice at 50,000 miles. Sometimes they're right. Here's how to check for yourself in five minutes.

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Rehearse the raise conversation with me

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NewsSportsBRO DeskOct 30, 20261 min

Bayern's Kompany to miss Dortmund match after leaving hospital

Vincent Kompany will be absent from the sideline for Bayern's game against Borussia Dortmund following a hospital stay last week.

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

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GuideCivicsMarcus ValeOct 28, 20265 min

Read your state budget in one evening

The budget is the one document where every promise carries a dollar figure. Here's how to read it without a finance degree or a free weekend.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

GuideCarsDean ShawOct 25, 20266 min

A rough idle usually has a cheap cause. Check these first.

Before you approve a $900 repair, spend an hour with a code reader, a flashlight and your own two ears. Here's the order that saves the most money.

NewsSportsBRO DeskOct 28, 20261 min

Rays rally in the 12th to beat Brewers in Game 4 and avoid a World Series sweep

Tampa Bay's late extra-inning comeback keeps the championship series going.

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

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GuideCivicsMarcus ValeOct 28, 20266 min

A blocked law isn't a dead law. Read the order to see why

A judge pauses a state law and the headline sounds final. It usually isn't. Here's how to read the actual order and know what happened.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

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

GuideCarsDean ShawOct 25, 20266 min

Your manual sets the coolant interval, not the service counter

Some shops push a flush every 30,000 miles. Your car may want one every five years. Here's how to tell the difference and say no politely.

NewsSportsBRO DeskOct 26, 20261 min

Smith-Njigba Stars as Seahawks Beat Chiefs 20-3 on Sunday Night

The Seattle receiver finished with nine catches for 150 yards and a touchdown in a lopsided win.

Ask BRO

Build me a revision plan that I will actually stick to

Ask it

GuideCivicsMarcus ValeOct 28, 20265 min

The people who set your tax rate meet in public, and almost nobody comes

Your county board decides more about your roads, taxes and neighborhood than anyone in Washington does. Here's who they are and how to get in the room.