We have a sundial in the backyard but it's not very functional. Made of cement and no one ever thought to position it in a clearing where it could catch the sun. It's just ornamental. But, it would be interesting to have a shiny, more complicated sundial that could show the time with the passing of the sun. Of course, it might get rusty if it were metal. Maybe something not plastic but not too quick to rust or need a lot of maintenance. I always thought of a sundial as something that can stand the test of time.

The Nocturnal Celestial Stardial! This long-forgotten instrument aided a few lucky navigators and charmed romantics of the Renaissance. Earliest references include Cosmographicus Liber in 1530, Arte de Navegar, in 1551, and Horologiographia, The Art Of Dialling in 1626. 'Twas rare then as now. The Nocturnal Celestial Stardial is also called a stardial, a nocturnal, a "horologium nocturnum" (time instrument for night), or nocturlabe.

The outer disc is marked with the months as well as an indicator for each of the 365 days of the year. The inner disc is marked with hours and 5-minute increments. The pointer rotates on the same center axis as the discs. The center axis has a sight hole through which the North Star Polaris can be aligned.

via - Instructables - 2d Nocturnal Celestial Stardial TJT1/6

It may not be as accurate as modern technology but it is interesting to use historical technology and... you wouldn't have to buy batteries (or recycle batteries).

I can't wear a battery operated watch. For some reason the batteries die within a week or two. I was looking for a mechanical watch. So far I haven't found just the right one. This would be interesting but... the reviews say it isn't very accurate. Still tempting to try it though.

• The British Sundial Society
• North American Sundial Society

Not every soil can bear all things. Be practical.

I've heard and read bout properties in Detroit, Michigan, US, being abandoned and then offered for sale (via foreclosure) by the city for as little as $500 (US dollars of course). It may seem an amazing deal, like winning a lottery, to someone who never thought they could have a home of their own, or for those who think to buy them, fix them up, and then flip/sell them to someone else.

Myself being someone who would love to find a home, a place I could live in and feel I finally have a home... this would sound like a dream come true. But, as so many things are too good to be true, this is yet another of them.

Plus, being Canadian there would be other difficulties and risks involved in buying and owning property in a foreign country. Add to that the tariff thing with the US now. I don't know how that would work. Or the issue of crossing the border multiple times, and immigration to move there from Canada. The list of problems can grow pretty fast.

Demolishing dilapidated properties and building from the ground up can be cheaper than rehabbing. But some buyers choose renovation to save historic architectural details found in much of Detroit’s early 20th-century housing stock: turrets, gingerbread trim, pillars and antique woodwork amid broken windows and sagging rooftops.

Duong bought a house in Detroit for $1,100 and spent $100,000 on roofing, wiring, plumbing, appliances, drywall, flooring, and new bathrooms and kitchens. He speaks reverently of preserving the 100-year-old maple floors, and wanted a quality renovation to attract good tenants. It’s located in a privately patrolled neighbourhood near a hospital, so he sees it as a good investment.

But beware of hidden costs and scams. Properties may come with liens, water bills and back taxes totalling thousands of dollars, in addition to renovation costs. It’s also not unusual to hear of homes sold to buyers in other states and countries, with purchase prices rising with every flip. Check with your accountant or tax lawyer; a Canadian purchase and sale might bring taxes that would cut in to any profit.

Original link to the quoted part of this is broken.

Other issues:

• Squatters or people who were tenants while the original owner had the property. Squatters and angry or frustrated tenants could not only be a legal hassle but cause a lot of damage just because they don't care and don't have to worry about what shape the house is in.
• Looting, vandalism and salvagers, or just plain thieves. Salvagers are looking for freebies they can take from old buildings and resell to customers elsewhere. I don't know what percentage of them are all that ethical that they don't remove items (including big things from the structure like fireplaces, staircases, windows, flooring, copper pipes) from a building which hasn't had an owner present for awhile, or even a short enough time to seem like a good risk versus reward. Of course, vandalism and looters are self explanatory.
• Timing. The city has a time limit set for these houses to be renovated and lived in, or sold to someone who lives in them. The city does not want yet more absentee landlords or owners for a property which has already been vacant and left to deteriorate. A bit more time is given for historical properties but how much benefit is that - an historical property will have more standards set for what is and is not allowed and need more time.
• City services may be cut off. Not just from your property but the entire street. It helps if you buy in an area where at least most of the other properties are not abandoned. Even so, an area which is in financial hardship may not have the budget to provide stellar services to the city. You could be in for more issues with spotty service which would affect your renovations as well as living there.
• Having a budget for unexpected expenses. Not just for the renovations, but surprise taxes, or fees, or... well the unexpected.

Overall, I think keeping your $500 US, would be a safer plan. I sometimes look at properties here in Ontario, in small towns and see what comes up in a cost range I can manage, somewhat. Usually these need a lot of renovations. But, now and then they are in good shape, just outdated looking. I can live with an outdated, less trendy or fashionable house. If it is in good shape I can gradually update it cosmetically, or just not worry about it. Cosmetic things would make more difference in reselling the house. If I'm planning to live in it, which I would prefer, then the cosmetic things are secondary.

FakeGamerGirl - The Internet is DEAD

In her video post she talks about more than I had thought or known. Particularly about job searches now. I did know businesses use AI, or other software, to scan applications for keywords rather than bothering to actually read any resumes or applications. This turns finding employees into who uses the right keywords most often rather than finding someone actually competent and capable of doing whatever the job is. So, what kind of people are being employed? How many engineers does it take to build a bridge or building that doesn't fall down if none of them really know what they are doing - but they are just great at keywords.

Think about self driving cars. People feel they can't trust an AI or software to drive a car. How do you feel about having a human driver if they were hired without knowing whether or not they have a valid diver's license or have been charged as a drunk driver, or worse. That's just one career/ job. There are so many more!

Dead Internet Theory - Wikipedia • The dead Internet theory is a conspiracy theory that asserts that, since around 2016, the Internet has consisted primarily of bot activity and automated content manipulated by algorithmic curation. This alleged coordinated effort aims to control the population and reduce genuine human interaction.

I haven't heard of this theory by name. But, I've been online since 1996 and this is something I have thought for many years and it is just getting worse. I do not use a mobile phone and I find more and more Internet things are trying to force people to use a mobile phone and take their information. Its all about marketing, marketing is a predator. It is very much NOT human friendly.

Does it matter any more if the marketing even makes any money when they just want to collect information to sell to some other company? Who cares if the data is correct, as long as there is a lot of it. Phony built on top of phony.

Why does so much need to be online now? Really, it wasn't that long ago that the Internet hardly existed outside of science/ technology. I know many young people now don't know life without the Internet, but its just another tool, a means of communication. It's really weird how people have become so obsessed, addicted and reliant on it. Do you ever wonder who decided everything had to be online?

Why is it so hard now to manage without having/ using a mobile phone? I don't use one and I struggle to deal with things like banking, verification of your personal information. Passwords were abandoned because they don't provide information which can be collected and sold.

So much is pushed online and why? Really? Why are people being led so easily and so stupidly. People do not seem to really think for themselves any more. What does Google say.... Turn up the music Alexa... Cashiers can't even count change to the point of 5 - 2 is 3. (Don't bother to say I'm mean to cashiers or some other politically correct cancel culture nonsense - I was a cashier for a long time myself. I could do basic math without a calculator, or phone).

AI is taking over the jobs people would like to have and leaving you to wash your own dishes, cut your own grass, shovel your own you know what. It already has gone too far. But, its still going.

I wonder where the money is going to keep coming from if most people are unemployed and can't keep buying stuff/junk. Or pay bills. Who will keep the lights on, literally?