To Jaleel White, for your inspiration to the world
To everyone who is not afraid to be him or herself, no matter what social pressures arise
To Lauren, who takes this and runs screaming with it
In 1987, Miller-Boyett Productions introduced JoMarie Payton as Harriet Winslow as a recurring guest on their ABC show "Perfect Strangers". At the time, no one could know the effect on society that this would have throughout the 90's. In '88, Reginald VelJohnson was introduced as her husband, Carl, on the same show, and in 1989, the couple, along with their children, got their own show, "Family Matters". Halfway into the first season of this show, Steven Quincy Urkel was introduced, originally to be just a recurring guest, and society was forever changed.
Now, this brief little history lesson seems very off par with the usual sociological themes of my blog, but I see a lot of the influence or Urkel in our society even today. Steve Urkel was a person who was never afraid to be himself. From his big glasses, his tight pants held up by suspenders, plaid shirts, saddle shoes, love for cheese, and all things polka; he always did what made himself feel good and fulfilled. He was, in fact, far apart from the average black teenager in inner-city Chicago. Urkel was a brilliant engineer from a very young age. In high school, he invented time travel, created an atomic bomb, and, in a nod to the nutty professor, unlocked the human genome in order to reset himself as "cool", even though all the people around him urged him to go back to his normal self.
Now, the point behind this whole television history lesson is to follow. The most important thing about Steve Urkel was that he was written originally to be a one time guest, and when he was written again, he was just supposed to be a recurring guest. However, anyone who remembers the show can tell you, the majority of the series centered around around Urkel. I see this as entirely societal for some of the things that made Urkel who he was. The reason he became so popular among viewers is that he was always himself. Eddie Winslow and Laura Winslow constantly struggled with their personal identities and how they contrasted with social and racial expectations with their environments. But Steve, no matter how many people he annoyed, just did what made him happy constantly. This pulled a level of respect from the viewing audiences that kept him coming back for season after season. He was a role model to everyone, not to be like him, but to live their own lives to the fullest extent. Sadly, very few people have the courage to do this, so people kept going back every Friday to watch Urkel be comfortable in his own skin.
All of us have social pressures surrounding our lives. Our families, friends and environments influence us daily to make certain decisions, even if we don't enjoy them. However, there are certain people who won't succumb to the pressure. These are the people who try everything when it comes in front of them, and who are often the most happy. They listen to what they want, do what they want when they want, and when they are told that they may be dressed inappropriately, they question when they are ever appropriate. With all this, they are also often the most popular because, for the same reasons as Urkel, people look to their independence and admire them for it. Think of the famous examples. One that comes right to mind is the very very black Darius Rucker, turning his back on R&B for the country music he loves, and how popular he is for it. Sheryl Crow and Aaron Lewis both also did the same thing to a bigger reception than their original genres. Even Bob Ritchie (Kid Rock) and Matthew Shafer (Uncle Kracker) threw away their angry tracks and came to a calmer sound with more succes, and to bring us back to fictional popular characters, who is more popular than Sheldon Cooper, touting his superiority in spite of his quirks??
So the life lesson that we can take away from this is to always look past the pressures and just do what makes us happy. It's always more attractive to be happy in your own skin than copying any cosmo magazine will ever be. So embrace what you love and be yourself. After all, you have to love you before someone else can.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
A letter to General Motors
Dear General Motors
There was a time once where you had the entire automotive market cornered, and now Ford and the imports seem to be kicking your ass like no other. I don't understand what happened. I do believe a lot of it could be marketing. I remember the 90's. You were the coolest guy in town if your Chevrolet had a "Z" in the submodel. Now it's all these cheesy sedans, and sometimes you see an SS, but it really doesn't mean anything much different if you have one of these. I feel like if you re-vamp the Z cars to fit with modern times, modern cars, and modern motors, GM sales will take off like none other again. I theorize this because there are a lot of us who are still clamoring to get the great 90's cars that you had, especially the Z models. I came up with suggestions for all of the Z numbers from the 90's, and I really believe they would sell. Some of these are actually in production, but I would make them differently.
Z24-The Cavalier was one of the most popular entry level compact cars of all time, and there is no doubt as to why. They go forever, even with mechanical damage. GM needs to start building a bulletproof compact like this again. Design another Cavalier, stick the Ecotec in the baseline, and go back to your roots on the Z24. Make sure that it's big enough that you can wedge a V6 in there if someone wants to spend the money on the Z model. On a car that size, you don't need to do much else other than shove a 6 cylinder in it...and people WILL buy it. If you make manual transmissions standard, people will buy quickly, too. Standard on both models would be greatly appreciated, as well as coupe and sedan options.
Z26-I had this idea a long time ago. This would have been great on all the generations of the car in question. The mighty N-body, the most popular Pontiac that there was, the Grand Am. It's a shame Pontiac went to the wayside, because just bringing the nameplate "Grand Am" back would throw your sales back through the roof. But her Chevrolet sister, the Malibu was less exciting than a Corsica. As far back as the first generation Malibu, because I think the body lines were right to do it even back then, you should have engineered a coupe version. You could do your classic GM trick and market the coupe under a completely different name than the sedan. I honestly believe that for all generations of Malibu, if you changed the tail-lights a little, made it a two door, stuffed an L67 supercharged 3800 into it, gave it a manual option, and stuck a tag on the back that said "Beretta Z26" on it (since that was also an N-body), people would have come in masses to buy them. And there is no law that you could have done a baseline, and an LS version, too. One with an ecotec, and one with a smaller V6, like the Malibu was. Berettas were cool cars, and Corsicas were lame, even though they were pretty much the same car, and there is no reason you couldn't have repeated that success through the next generations of N-body.
Z28-This was the number that started it all, and I can't believe with a new generation of Camaro, we don't already have this. Give it a Beefy V8, but not as high powered as the ZL1....and just stick a Z28 tag on it....just that tag will sell it alone. Read all the Camaro magazines and the Forums, and give the people what they want
Z34-Take a luxurious car and make it faster...and more luxurious. Where did this go???? A few years ago, the Monte Carlo, along with every other 2 door W-body car, went away. Now, I know that there are rumors that it is coming back on the rear drive W platform in concurrence with the Caprice civilian version, but I don't entirely like this idea. I really think that the Monte Carlo should stay front drive with the Impala. Go ahead with keeping the SS versions as V8's...the 327 is a great motor. But for the Z34....you should do one of two ideas...or you know...both. Either put a big supercharger on it, and make it a smaller sister to the LS9....or.....make it All wheel drive. Maybe if you do that, and give the option to the Impala....the police will take you seriously as a competitor to the new Ford Interceptor.
Z66-There's one we don't see much here in the north. The two wheel drive "off-road" model to the Silverado, Avalanche, and Tahoe. Here's the idea, scrap the Off road part of it and start over. Take that same supercharged 327 I suggested for the Monte Carlo, make it rear drive again, Stick a six speed behind it, make the interior as nice as you can, and viola!! The new Chevy Z66. That one was easy
Z71-The famous off-road package, and the majority of Chevy 4x4s sold. Bring this option back, and maybe offer a higher output version of the engine in it. No need to go crazy on the the engine like in the Z66, the Z71 is offered to be an off roader. And offer it with a manual, because that was an option I never saw.
ZR1-Good job...you did this one right
ZR2-There's no reason you can't implement a lift kit and 3/4 ton axles in a Colorado. I'd maybe see about going back to the 4.3 V6, though, over the 5 cylinder if you do.
These are just suggestions, but I really hope you look into them. Market and design the way you used to, and the new car buyers will run, and for years to come, those of us who love used cars will be pining for them as well
J. Edgar Davis
There was a time once where you had the entire automotive market cornered, and now Ford and the imports seem to be kicking your ass like no other. I don't understand what happened. I do believe a lot of it could be marketing. I remember the 90's. You were the coolest guy in town if your Chevrolet had a "Z" in the submodel. Now it's all these cheesy sedans, and sometimes you see an SS, but it really doesn't mean anything much different if you have one of these. I feel like if you re-vamp the Z cars to fit with modern times, modern cars, and modern motors, GM sales will take off like none other again. I theorize this because there are a lot of us who are still clamoring to get the great 90's cars that you had, especially the Z models. I came up with suggestions for all of the Z numbers from the 90's, and I really believe they would sell. Some of these are actually in production, but I would make them differently.
Z24-The Cavalier was one of the most popular entry level compact cars of all time, and there is no doubt as to why. They go forever, even with mechanical damage. GM needs to start building a bulletproof compact like this again. Design another Cavalier, stick the Ecotec in the baseline, and go back to your roots on the Z24. Make sure that it's big enough that you can wedge a V6 in there if someone wants to spend the money on the Z model. On a car that size, you don't need to do much else other than shove a 6 cylinder in it...and people WILL buy it. If you make manual transmissions standard, people will buy quickly, too. Standard on both models would be greatly appreciated, as well as coupe and sedan options.
Z26-I had this idea a long time ago. This would have been great on all the generations of the car in question. The mighty N-body, the most popular Pontiac that there was, the Grand Am. It's a shame Pontiac went to the wayside, because just bringing the nameplate "Grand Am" back would throw your sales back through the roof. But her Chevrolet sister, the Malibu was less exciting than a Corsica. As far back as the first generation Malibu, because I think the body lines were right to do it even back then, you should have engineered a coupe version. You could do your classic GM trick and market the coupe under a completely different name than the sedan. I honestly believe that for all generations of Malibu, if you changed the tail-lights a little, made it a two door, stuffed an L67 supercharged 3800 into it, gave it a manual option, and stuck a tag on the back that said "Beretta Z26" on it (since that was also an N-body), people would have come in masses to buy them. And there is no law that you could have done a baseline, and an LS version, too. One with an ecotec, and one with a smaller V6, like the Malibu was. Berettas were cool cars, and Corsicas were lame, even though they were pretty much the same car, and there is no reason you couldn't have repeated that success through the next generations of N-body.
Z28-This was the number that started it all, and I can't believe with a new generation of Camaro, we don't already have this. Give it a Beefy V8, but not as high powered as the ZL1....and just stick a Z28 tag on it....just that tag will sell it alone. Read all the Camaro magazines and the Forums, and give the people what they want
Z34-Take a luxurious car and make it faster...and more luxurious. Where did this go???? A few years ago, the Monte Carlo, along with every other 2 door W-body car, went away. Now, I know that there are rumors that it is coming back on the rear drive W platform in concurrence with the Caprice civilian version, but I don't entirely like this idea. I really think that the Monte Carlo should stay front drive with the Impala. Go ahead with keeping the SS versions as V8's...the 327 is a great motor. But for the Z34....you should do one of two ideas...or you know...both. Either put a big supercharger on it, and make it a smaller sister to the LS9....or.....make it All wheel drive. Maybe if you do that, and give the option to the Impala....the police will take you seriously as a competitor to the new Ford Interceptor.
Z66-There's one we don't see much here in the north. The two wheel drive "off-road" model to the Silverado, Avalanche, and Tahoe. Here's the idea, scrap the Off road part of it and start over. Take that same supercharged 327 I suggested for the Monte Carlo, make it rear drive again, Stick a six speed behind it, make the interior as nice as you can, and viola!! The new Chevy Z66. That one was easy
Z71-The famous off-road package, and the majority of Chevy 4x4s sold. Bring this option back, and maybe offer a higher output version of the engine in it. No need to go crazy on the the engine like in the Z66, the Z71 is offered to be an off roader. And offer it with a manual, because that was an option I never saw.
ZR1-Good job...you did this one right
ZR2-There's no reason you can't implement a lift kit and 3/4 ton axles in a Colorado. I'd maybe see about going back to the 4.3 V6, though, over the 5 cylinder if you do.
These are just suggestions, but I really hope you look into them. Market and design the way you used to, and the new car buyers will run, and for years to come, those of us who love used cars will be pining for them as well
J. Edgar Davis
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