This obsession with innovation has a down side. Popular products disappear, either because they stop making them, or because the "new improved" versions crowd them off retailer's shelves.

My wife is always complaining that she can't find her favorites any more. The latest casualty is the BIG box of Tide Detergent, with bleach. We can get the small box, or many other different bleachless variations in big boxes, but not what we want. It would make sense if people just had quit buying this variant, but its its still available elsewhere, just not at our local store.

These are very minor issues, the variety and abundance of consumer products is overwhelming. But what if this philosophy starts spreading to other, more important issues. I understand some antibiotics are getting hard to find, and some expensive machines must be discarded and replaced because of the unavailability or expense of spare parts. I have a friend with a beautifully maintained 7 year old car who can't get a motor for his electric car window for love or money. He's very lucky its not the driver door window.