https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/economicdata/ppi_11252025.pdf

I wholly agree.

[image: 1765237599292-2f29d3a2-08b0-49a3-9689-ab84b0051e08.jpeg]

[image: 595587421_1287600833393836_2513266935705266937_n.jpg?_nc_cat=1&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=NbglWJAkZ-0Q7kNvwEOBaRn&_nc_oc=Adk95lfPrKCVxBy1DximmUE5pgFNN2nvsbhxk9d73bl3Bsn7C4YNXdxIEDfu5ALTxic4SajkGX7weOYAbwco44PO&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fluk1-1.fna&_nc_gid=iXRJAajWgH5hMaPkaR4YUA&oh=00_AflV-AZOoSG_N-A-3ixNPsAuR6KRR_SI6Iadtg5J7WSsyg&oe=693CB677] The hole in the roof isn't a mistake. It is the only reason the building is still standing. When people walk into the Pantheon, they look up at the rain falling through the 9-meter opening and ask: "Did they run out of money? Why didn't they finish the roof?" The answer is Roman genius. Why is the hole there? (The Engineering) If the Romans had closed the dome with heavy concrete, the weight at the top would have been too crushing. The dome would have collapsed under its own stress 2,000 years ago. The Oculus (the eye) acts as a "Reverse Keystone." It actually relieves the structural tension. It lightens the load at the weakest point of the dome. The Secret Recipe (Why it doesn't collapse) The Romans didn't just pour one type of concrete. They were the masters of chemistry. At the bottom (the base): They used concrete mixed with heavy Travertine rock for strength. In the middle: They switched to lighter Tuff rock. At the very top (near the hole): They mixed the concrete with Pumice (volcanic rock so light it floats on water). The top of the dome is incredibly light. If they had used the heavy bottom concrete at the top, the Pantheon would be a pile of rubble today. Why doesn't it flood? It has rained inside the Pantheon for nearly 2,000 years. So why isn't the floor a swimming pool? If you look closely at the marble floor, it isn't flat. It is slightly convex (curved in the center). This guides the rainwater toward 22 tiny, hidden drainage holes cut directly into the marble. The water flows into an ancient Roman sewer system underneath the building—a system that still works today. The "Sun" Dial The hole wasn't just for weight; it was for the gods. The Pantheon was a temple to "All Gods." The Oculus allowed the heavens to enter the temple. On April 21st (the birthday of Rome), the sun strikes the entrance grill perfectly at noon. It wasn't just a building; it was a functioning astronomical clock. So no, they didn't forget the glass. They built a machine made of stone that has survived Barbarians, Popes, and gravity for 19 centuries.

the program requires employers to make a 12% contribution to a retirement fund on behalf of the employee. That would be great - my employer invests roughly that amount with a defined pension, and we also get 401K matching on top of that, but they're very unusual in today's work place. It's a good way to ensure that long-term employees don't leave, whether you want them to or not Implementing it suddenly would obviously put a huge strain on some employers. The additional benefit has to be paid from somewhere. My salary is presumably lower than it could be to cover the pension cost.

That's why I go to a Turkish barber. They basically take a flame thrower to burn body hair.

@LuFins-Dad said in Anybody ever make Mississippi Pot Roast: Never heard of it. Most people call it possum ‘n taters.

https://x.com/sentdefender/status/1997843340000477291?s=46

I had not thought of that aspect.

@blondie said in An interesting question: @Mik .. She’s typical of her generation of therapists (being mother of one). She’s likely had little exposure with those of “The Silent Generation”. If so, she’d have a little empathy (and maybe some respect) for how little information we boomers got of our own parents’ and grandparents’ health matters. This forms part of who we are and how we communicate our emotions. We learned growing up that “I didn’t mean to worry you”, or “We wanted to know for sure before we told you”, was often said for a reason .. a reason we boomers accepted and didn’t question. We accepted our elders wisdom and rationale for what they shared/didn’t, and I believe we had less anxiety than young ones today. Case in point: My mom said little to nothing to my brother of dad’s last 24 hrs in hospital, up to and including dad’s death. Why? Little brother, after years of trying, finally had his interview for a corporate job at the place he worked. That interview happened the morning dad died. I understood. My brother understood too, later, after he was told. Indeed. Why burden someone in the name of promptness. My father always referred to worrying about things like test results and such as borrowing trouble.

@jon-nyc said in Is he just trying to throw the midterms?: That’s true enough but it seems to me they do it hoping to draw a foul not to rest. Let me add the caveat that I’m only a soccer fan for a few weeks every four years. Soccer is never going to really catch on here as even with the flapping around over imaginary assaults there's no real way to go to commercials every three minutes to pay for the TV coverage and allow the viewing public time to fill up their bowl of high-calory snacks.

My LKAS experience is the same @LuFins-Dad Seems to be more of “jolt me if I’m drifting” feature than something that really keeps you between the lines for more than 10 seconds without giving up. Probably by design, CC+LKAS= a sleepy driver

@jon-nyc said in Is it working?: @LuFins-Dad said in Is it working?: @Mik said in Is it working?: Well, it’s opinion so not sure how entirely accurate it is. Rental prices are down: Since August of 2022 nationally. City rents still rising. and wages are up: Since July of 2020. Look closer at the links. Except for NY, most metropolitan areas are down. And while wages were up, they were well below inflation until this year.

What are to expect when we elect criminals to offices of great power?

@Doctor-Phibes said in Good news for Mark and me: Bloody hell, Mark - Spyro Gyra's a name I haven't heard in decades. Long ago I had a 10" single of Morning Dance, at least I think it was. Smoooooooth. One of my all time favorites!

I believe the question is which candidate would you not kick out of bed?

Would prefer to see the full clip, although I cringe based on the grammar she's displayed so far. Rambling worse than Trump!

I do this a lot, wonder about word origins, or phrase origins, and then look them up. Sometimes in the middle of the night when I can’t sleep : ‘A unicorn isn't called a "unihorn" because the word comes from Latin (unicornis) meaning "one horn," borrowing "uni-" (one) and "-cornu" (horn), and English adopted the whole word wholesale, even though "horn" is Germanic, creating a Latin prefix with a Germanic root, making "unicorn" the standard, descriptive, and ancient name. "Unihorn" is just a modern, less common variation, as the original myth adopted the Latin-derived term long ago. ‘