we're being robbed

The central piedmont’s own forest siren dazzles once again. The best songwriters seem to be able to create epics that feel much bigger than the usual handful of minutes that make up their runtime with ease. Look no further for a better example of this than Charlotte’s very own Mariah Van Kleef. A voice rooted in the Carolinas. Born in California, and raised in rural York, South Carolina, the…

Nothing says “America” like an ostentatious golden throne. And, I don’t mean the regal kind for kings in court. I mean the kind humanity sits on every morning after coffee, typically made of porcelain. The existence of a golden toilet makes Idiocracy feel like a fast approaching reality. The art piece. A toilet (yes) was cast in solid 18-karat gold. Too heavy to lift for average plumber…

Highlighting the sights and sounds of central North Carolina and beyond. Let’s get something out of the way: I adore live music. Even more so if my friends are the ones onstage. In my seventeen years of active participation in the NC music scene, I’ve had the massive fortune of witnessing countless brave sound poets step up and give us the goods. We’re eatin’ good out here, folks. over time,…

Daily writing promptWhy do you blog?View all responses Funny thing – I ask myself this question all the time. At the end of last year, I was working on managing stress in my life after serious burnout. Of course, it was recommended by many that I journal. I took a shot at it and I’m terrible at committing to something that feels ‘just for me’… even if I know it’s good for me. Journaling is…

Daily writing promptWhat TV shows did you watch as a kid?View all responses The nineties were a real moment for TV. I started kindergarten in 1994, an era where the TV was still a clunky box that demanded it’s own cabinet and you were considered a rich kid if your parents paid for cable. Cable was a luxury at $20 a month. All those impressive cable channels were a luxury. Basic cable at the…

Radioactivity. It’s what shrimp consumers need. It really happened and it sounds like a headline that would follow “Latest from Bawndo” in your news feed. FDA warns against certain batches of Great Value shrimp. Earlier this week, the FDA warned customers not to eat certain batches of Great Value frozen raw shrimp sold at Walmart because they tested positive for Cesium-137, an actual…

The Reverse Forecast: your daily map of what not to do, drawn from the day’s most timely risks in markets, tech, and beyond. The Reverse Forecast — August 22, 2025 Don’t chase a pre-Powell bounce. Futures are green but breadth is wobbly as traders wait on Jackson Hole; even the “year-end target raises” crowd is hedging on valuations. Treat any early pop as noise until we hear the tone on rates.…

kEY POINTS Food costs have climbed 23–24% since 2020, with fast-food combos now averaging $11–15 and restaurants out of reach for many families. The minimum-wage-to-meal ratio is broken — in 2020, an hour’s work barely covered a Big Mac meal, and prices have only marched higher. City Lunch in Lincolnton stands out as the exception, holding to near-unchanged pricing and serving dollar-hot dogs…

We already have the “extra big ass fries“, now AI is taking our orders, too. Key Points Idiocracy’s Carl’s Jr. gag is real now: fast-food chains are rolling out AI drive-thru ordering. The tech is glitchy and unwanted, but corporations push it anyway to cut costs. In the process, entry-level jobs and the human touch that made fast food culture tolerable are disappearing. Brought to you by…

The Reverse Forecast: your daily map of what not to do, drawn from the day’s most timely risks in markets, tech, and beyond. The Reverse Forecast — August 19, 2025 Don’t test Erin’s rip currents today. The major hurricane is staying offshore, but evacuations on Hatteras/Ocracoke and 15–25 ft surf mean overwash, dangerous rip currents, and beach erosion through Thursday. High tides will magnify…

The Reverse Forecast: your daily map of what not to do, drawn from the day’s most timely risks in markets, tech, and beyond. The Reverse Forecast — August 18, 2025 Don’t dismiss national politics as noise. President Trump plans to sign an executive order targeting mail-in ballots and voting machines ahead of the 2026 midterms, even deploying more National Guard troops to D.C.—this isn’t subtle.…

August 2025, Kentucky Fried Chicken has officially crossed into oral hygiene. I’m not lying. Fried chicken flavored toothpaste now exists. The Launch Nobody Asked For Last week, KFC announced the debut of “KFC Fresh”, a toothpaste that promises to bring you southern fried chicken flavor with your oral hygiene. The product will initially roll out in limited markets across Asia and the UK, though…

Daily writing promptWhere did your name come from?View all responses A rose and all that. Actually, the name We’re Being Robbed was chosen first. I had a list of names going for this project that all spoke to the same predicament: That every day humans draw the short straw too much from a society that’s become increasingly complicated. I poured through names and just kept adding to the list.…

The Reverse Forecast: your daily map of what not to do, drawn from the day’s most timely risks in markets, tech, and beyond. Investors New York Post The Washington Post The Reverse Forecast — August 17, 2025 Don’t stake your portfolio on a few hot AI names today. Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq futures are drifting upward ahead of Powell’s Jackson Hole speech, but sectors like AI are showing signs…

There are modern life realities that have become hard to ignore as my kids hit their tween and teen years. This one is by far the weirdest and the one that caught me most off guard. It’s a random Friday. The kids get off the bus at 3:30 and scatter to their rooms for Chromebook homework, chatter, and texting. I’ve been gardening all day, laundry done that morning. The sweat and itchiness…

Daily writing promptWhat’s your favorite time of day?View all responses Mornings are the best. They have promise of a day (so far) undamaged. Nothings quite in your face or threatening your time and energy yet. You sit and sip your coffee, do your weird routines, and slowly take in the world as you wake up. I do the New York Times Games daily, check my sleep, get some space, watch the world go…