New and Improved

Frequently companies come out with new and improved versions of their products. Sometimes I am a fan of the new version and sometimes I wonder why they couldn't have just left a product I already liked alone.

Take the new and improved brown licorice - not a fan.

However, Press and Seal plastic wrap - a big fan.

I would have to say that I am definitely a fan of the "new" resealable Oreo cookie package.


Now, I know that this design has been around for awhile, but I usually only purchase Oreos once a year so I haven't really tested it out before now. I thought it was a great improvement. I could close those cookies up pretty tight and still get at them in a matter of seconds when the urge hit me.

Then I think there are some improvements that sound like a good idea in theory, but end up having some inherent problems. Recently my youngest son became the proud owner of a new pair of scout pants. These pants are the new Centennial design and they are long pants with legs that zip off to become shorts.

Great idea you would think but let's think a little harder. Here is a group of scouts out hiking. They get hot and wah-la their long pants become shorts. Perfect. Unless you are a mother of one of those scouts. If the bottom portion of the pant leg actually makes it into the back pack rather than left on a rock or accidentally dropped from a pocket somewhere along the trail, it most likely will not end up in the laundry when he returns home. It's small and easy to miss. I have spent lots of bonding time with my sons searching for a missing scout shirt or scout pants 20 minutes before that court of honor where a scout uniform is a requirement. These new and improved pants just add the very real possibility of 2 more missing items to frantically hunt for.

Or imagine the last day of a week at scout camp. All of the scouts are packing their bags and the scout leaders are picking up the left over items. Here we have a pile of scout pant legs. How do they decide which legs belong with which pair of pants? The boys certainly don't know which ones are theirs. It's possible the ones from their tent belong to them, but it's just as possible that they were thrown into their tent during a pant leg fight. The leaders very efficiently divide up the legs. Each boy gets two and quite possibly ends up going home with one short leg and one long leg, or 2 left legs. Not a pretty sight. Perhaps other scouts are more responsible they my boys were at 13, but I'm not counting on it. This might be a great idea or it might be a huge mistake. I will wait to give my final verdict on this change, at least until my 17 year old gets home from scout camp on Saturday, hopefully with his pants all in one piece.

One year ago today - Poison Cake, Lunch in a Truck