Its so pretty with that rainbow of colours. Like a puddle at the service station (cars) which has had gasoline fall into it. I wondered about it and finally looked it up.

Carnival glass is moulded or pressed glass to which an iridescent surface shimmer has been applied. It has previously been referred to as aurora glass, dope glass, rainbow glass, taffeta glass, and disparagingly as 'poor man's Tiffany'. The name Carnival glass was adopted by collectors in the 1950s as items of it were sometimes given as prizes at carnivals, fetes, and fairgrounds. Purchased by households to brighten homes at a time when only the well-off could afford bright electric lighting, as its finish catches the light even in dark corners. Reached the height of its popularity in the 1920s.

Carnival glass gets its iridescent sheen from the application of metallic salts while the glass is still hot from the pressing. A wide range of colours and colour combinations were produced; scarcely used colours can command very high prices on the collector market.

Carnival glass originated as a glass called 'Iridill', produced beginning in 1908 by the Fenton Art Glass Company (founded in 1905). Inspired by the fine blown art glass of such makers as Tiffany and Steuben, but did not sell at premium prices. Iridill pieces were used as carnival prizes.

Iridill became popular and very profitable for Fenton, which produced many different types of items in this finish, in over 150 patterns. Fenton maintained their position as the largest manufacturer and were one of very few makers to use a red coloured glass base for their carnival glass. After interest waned in the late 1920s, Fenton stopped producing carnival glass for many years. In more recent years, due to a resurgence in interest, Fenton restarted production of carnival glass until its closure in 2007.

Summary from Wikipedia

I keep seeing videos, usually shorts, with women and children making a hand signal when they are in trouble and need help. Usually when a man is being aggressive, controlling, dangerous, or otherwise a problem. I haven't known what the hand signal was. Today I found a video where they said it is the SOS hand signal. Do you know it? Would you recognize someone flashing SOS to you?

Share this signal with friends, family, men, women and children. People need to know what it is whether they are in trouble or might be able to help someone in trouble. You may not be smart to intervene directly. Be careful. In the videos I see people doing various things like putting themselves between the man and women/ child. Trying to edge them out of the way. But, how many of those videos are staged? Likely a lot of them. Call for help from police, security staff, someone who has some authority and protection for dealing with a possibly dangerous situation.

Mainly, I hope you never need to use it yourself.

The Signal for Help was originally introduced by the Canadian Women’s Foundation in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when many survivors were trapped at home with their abusers. It’s a single-hand gesture meant to silently communicate distress during a video call, in public, or even behind closed doors.

Here’s how it works:

1. Hold one hand up, palm facing outward.
2. Tuck your thumb into your palm.
3. Fold your four fingers down over your thumb.

That’s it. No words. No obvious motion. Just one discreet, life-saving signal.

via - Ignite Her - Signal for Help: The Silent Hand Gesture Every Woman Should Know

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.