As it says on the tin. Petitions are silly but i bet we can pull this one off. https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/rename-cesar-e-chavez-boulevard-after-ursula-k-leguin?just_launched=true

They were coming around every 30 minutes or so refilling to fight the Burnt Creek fire I’m told! Pretty cool to see. Firefighters are real heroes 🫡🫡🫡

Original article here but it is behind a paywall.

Here is the first little bit of the article:

The average American family has about $268,300 in individual retirement accounts. Gregory Baszucki’s holds at least $68 million—and possibly a whole lot more.

Baszucki, 61 years old, is one of hundreds of people who bought stakes in promising startups when the shares were worth peanuts, stashing them in retirement accounts and watching their values balloon to eight figures or more. What they are getting, essentially, is the mother of all tax breaks.

IRAs and workplace retirement accounts were created to help working Americans save for old age by providing tax incentives for doing so. The accounts have been supercharged by startup founders, hedge-fund managers and Silicon Valley insiders who have access to investment opportunities unavailable to most Americans.

Those entrepreneurs and their financial backers are increasingly using that strategy to pile up giant retirement-account balances, all subsidized by U.S. taxpayers, The Wall Street Journal determined by analyzing regulatory filings, government data and other documents. The number of people with giant retirement accounts has soared in recent years, aided by booms in both stock prices and startup formation.

More than 1,000 individuals had IRA balances of at least $25 million in 2024, the latest year for which figures are available, according to new data prepared by the nonpartisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation. That was more than double the number with similar-size accounts in 2019. 

Those with $10 million or more in IRAs also rose, to about 11,600 people in 2024, from 3,625 in 2019, the joint committee found in its analysis of anonymized tax-return data. About 200 Americans had balances of $100 million or more in 2024, counting both IRAs and 401(k)-type accounts, the committee estimated.

20242019TraditionalRoth0200400600

“We aren’t talking about saving enough for your needs in retirement,” said Steven Rosenthal, a corporate tax lawyer who recently retired after about a dozen years at the nonprofit Tax Policy Center. “This isn’t keeping you off the dole in old age. This is yacht financing or dynasty building.”

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, and Rep. Richard Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, plan to introduce a bill this week that would require annual withdrawals from accounts over $10 million for individuals of any age. The planned legislation stemmed in part from long-running concerns that some investors might circumvent annual contribution limits on retirement accounts by undervaluing shares in companies that aren’t public, “thus substantially increasing their tax benefits,” the Government Accountability Office wrote in 2014.

“This is an egregious loophole we’ve got to close,” Wyden said. “Congress created tax-advantaged retirement accounts to help more Americans save for a dignified retirement, not to help the ultrawealthy dodge taxes on insider deals and build titanic fortunes.”

I already posted this in r/Snow, but posting it here too, after today's heat.

It was peak times for me driving across the Cascades in the winter, as long as there wasn't much traffic and the snow was fluffy and not too deep on the road. Even the sound was muffled by the snow. I took this with a digital camera.

Carlo P. Bringetto, 66, of Albany, OR left this world on November 10, 2023 after battling cancer for 3 years. He was born April 1st, 1957 in Fresno, CA. He grew up to be a cabinet maker and enjoyed working at his family's cabinet shop.

In 2002 he moved his family to Oregon. He enjoyed camping, hiking, and especially spending time with his family. He cared deeply about his family & would do anything for them. He had a passion for making things, playing the keyboard, and preforming. He was the most smart, talented, hard working, loving, & caring person you'd ever meet.

Carlo is survived by his loving wife Colleen of 45 years & his children Carlo, Adam, Lisa, & his 6 grandchildren. He will be sadly missed & will always hold a place in our hearts.

Hello All,

I am going to a conference in a few weeks and need to bring some individually wrapped, Oregon specific, treats for a table at the conference. Any thoughts?

Thank you!

Hope these photos taken in Amity,Or helps everyone keep cool 😎 lol

I know the rats will rule the world someday but I hate to witness them in my space lol

Grab a box fan and a MERV 13 or higher air filter. Slap the filter on the back of the fan and turn it on. The fan’s pressure will keep the filter in place.

Keep safe out there y’all. And wear an N95 when you go out in 200+ aqi. Otherwise your lungs are the filter!

Traveling to the PNW for a trip with my family in late September. We are spending some time in Seattle, the Oregon coast and then plan to spend 2 nights in the wine region before heading back to Seattle.

Google tells me McMinnville is the best choice for families with young children (3 and 1.5 year olds). Do you agree? Another option I’m seeing is Dundee

Would love to hear any recommendations and I’m open to other areas as well!! TIA!

My family and I are planning to visit central Oregon in mid-August (split week between La Pine and Summer Lake), and I see the news about the wildfires, but we are completely unfamiliar with the area and aren't from an area where wildfires happen, so I really don't know what I'm looking for or what information may be relevant. I don't know if I should be looking for basic awareness/information and maybe potential alternate options for our currently scheduled outdoor activities (ATVs, day-drives, and stargazing primarily) or if I should be considering canceling the trip entirely (or at least going with an alternate plan of visiting further southwest this time and doing central OR next year). Information via Google is.... a lot, and I don't know what parts of it are relevant.

If anyone can give me some basic insight and info, I'd really appreciate it. Also, if this isn't the "right" sub for this, please point me in the direction of where I should post (I tried on the Bend sub but didn't have enough karma for it to go through)

TIA

Hi all,

My friend and I are planning to move to the west coast next year and are mostly looking at northern Oregon. We both have parrots, and I know fire season can be a big deal and I have been seeing a lot of posts about bad air quality recently.

My question is for other parrot/bird owners. How do you make sure your birds are safe indoors from outside smoke? Do you feel secure with good air purifiers? I'm just concerned since they have sensitive respiratory systems and want to plan ahead of time. Thanks so much!

Respect the power of nature. Stay on marked trails. Keep away from the edge. Always use three points of contact. Never turn your back on the ocean. Leave no trace. Enjoy wildlife from a distance. Stay within visual distance of the rest of your hiking party.

At minimum, always bring enough food, water, dry clothes, a flashlight and any necessary medication, even on short hikes. Be polite to forestry workers and game wardens. If you see trash, pick it up.

Do not eat any berries or mushrooms without verifying with absolute certainty what species they are and that they are 100% safe to consume. Keep a close eye on children who accompany you, and make sure they are educated ahead of time before visiting as well.

The epic proportions of the Oregon coast are as old and beautiful as they are unforgiving. Her high cliffs, powerful surf and freezing water require more respect and education before visiting than most other American beaches.

Remember - the coast guard will have to put their own lives at risk to rescue you or retrieve your body if you do not respect local warnings or obey posted trail signage.

Be safe out there, take lots of pictures and enjoy this beautiful place! Always do your research before visiting - the more educated you are, the more safely you can enjoy this unique and intense coastal landscape.

Hi all! I'm less than 3 weeks from giving birth and Oregon leave is so confusing to me. I have started my claim using Frances online portal, but it's asking to upload documents for bonding leave.

Am I able to submit something for bonding leave now so I'm not dealing with loose ends postpartum? What the heck do I even submit since the child has yet to be born?

If I don't submit it yet, will it screw up my whole claim and delay pay? It says upload by July 24th.

Thank you for any help in advance! It's hard to step away at work to call and ask and I just don't have the time to be waiting for someone to answer my call for an hour.

**EDIT**
Thank you all!! When I messaged my dr office the other day about a verification of birth form whoever responded seemed confused about it so I guess I wasn't sure if that was even what it was actually called.. I'll reach out again!

Last night's sunset was a banger around Mt Hood.