That pigeon knew exactly what it was doing, I swear they're smarter than people give them credit for. Had one swoop down and grab my granola bar right out of my hand on my lunch break last fall, I was too stunned to even yell. The worst part is they always look so smug about it, like they're doing you a favor by taking your food. At least your coworkers care enough to joke about guarding your sandwich, mine just laughed and said "should've eaten faster.

Is the old stuff just better somehow or were we all unlucky with the new cans?

Honestly, I gotta push back a little here. @leodavis, I see your point about people being good when it matters, but that one good interaction doesn't mean the system isn't broken. Like, what about the dozens of times nobody helps? I've seen people walk right past someone who's clearly struggling on the bus, headphones in, not even glancing. And that "pay it forward" thing is nice but it's also a way for people to feel good about giving 5 bucks while not actually doing anything about why the bus system is so unfriendly to begin with. One guy's kindness doesn't fix the hole in the safety net.

Miller tools set me back about 400 bucks for a 15 piece set five years ago and I'm still using the same bits today. It's the same thing with power tools or even tires for your truck. People see a big cheap set and think they're getting a deal, but the stuff wears out fast or breaks and you end up buying twice. A smaller kit from a solid brand costs more upfront but the bits actually hold up. I've watched way too many guys learn that lesson the hard way on job sites.

Did you manage to save any of the schematics or was it a total loss?