Honestly, they have the rulebook of a corrupt referee. It counted because they were winning, simple as that. The call gets real flexible when it's convenient.

My backyard in Ohio had over twenty robins just this morning.

Yeah, that sounds exactly like what happened to mine. I got overeager and piled it on, and the leaves just went all sad and crispy. It's a real bummer when you're trying to help and end up doing the opposite. I guess some plants are just more picky than others about their food. Next time I'm sticking to a tiny sprinkle and seeing how it goes.

Yeah, but the trick works best for common stuff, not doomsday scenarios.

Yeah, that visual check can trick you. Found a wire rope core that looked clean from the outside but was totally rusted through once I bent it hard. Now I make a point to feel for any flat spots or weird kinks that you can't always see. The pick test is a solid move for synthetics, catches that hidden internal damage.