Portland actually has some pretty strict rules about foraging in city parks, like you can get a ticket if you're caught taking stuff from park property. I'd double check if that older guy was on public land or his own yard. Also just a heads up, dandelion leaves get way more bitter once the plant flowers, so early spring is really the sweet spot for them. I use the PictureThis app for ID but always cross check with a second source cause it messes up sometimes.

Oh man, that's a bummer. Dollar store tools are a total crapshoot, especially anything with a heating element. Next time just check the cord for any weird kinks or loose spots before you buy it, that's usually where they die first.

My buddy had the same crap happen when his bank flagged a $5 coffee as fraud while he was visiting family.

Dude that sucks, I feel your pain on those hidden sock traps.

Signed up for IdentityGuard last year for the same reason. They emailed me about a fraud alert 4 days after it already happened.