Voltron Sneakers, FREE Magazine, Make It Right, Rocawear Beef, & 7 Style Secrets

Voltron Sneakers...you read it right.


If you were born in the late 70's or early 80's then the Transformers and Voltron were THE topics of discussion for you and your friends everyday. Real talk, and if they weren't then I don't know what planet you lived on. My mom told me that everything comes back into fashion in a 20 year cycle and I be damned if she wasn't lying. This product dropped back in October but this is just too cool to not bring to your attention. Reebok has released the "Voltron Collection" or the "Voltron Lion Force Pack" {depending on who you get them from} which is a collection of sneakers inspired by each of the five lions that form Voltron. Sneaker heads, anime freaks and 80's babies can all get their rocks off while rocking a fly pair of kicks thanks to Reebok. In addition to purchasing a dope pair of sneaks you also get a complimentary action figure of the lion that inspired your shoe. Tell me that ain't fly. Prices range from $85 to $135 depending on what pair you purchase. I'm partial to the Omni Pump {Yellow Tiger} myself and don't sleep on the ERS Racer {Green Tiger} either. Aww hell. Just give 'em all to me. Check out the rest of the collection here.



FREE Magazine

It's exactly what it sounds like. A free...magazine. Duh. This magazine is the brainchild of a dude I can honestly say I admire and ever since my first encounter with FREE I've been smitten. Todd N. Triplett and PKHDMC, in partnership with Parks-Hall {a non-profit arts organization} helps FREE Magazine reach the cool masses, by focusing on art, fashion, music, luxury, current events and professionalism, while offering exposure to independent artists. The crazy {amazing} thing about FREE is that a complimentary CD is included with each issue of the actual magazine. THIS IS CRAZY!!! I don't know about you but I've never picked up a mag from the rack and walked away with a mixtape of independent artists. FREE turned me on to J*Davey {dope to infinity} and a lot of cool art, designers, photographers and writers. And don't EVEN get me started on the release parties. Step into FREEdom and check out a taste of the current issue {No. 9} here.


Make It Right

Just when you think the media and this current administration has created enough ill-will towards the surviving citizens and mindset of New Orleans/Gulf Coast something like Make It Right comes along and on its tail something like the NO protest gone of December 20 happens . What's important is that progress is being made in New Orleans and unfortunately it isn't happening at the rate, and in the fashion, we'd all like.

Brad Pitt and Stephen Bing have teamed up to create Make It Right. This organization's purpose is to provide 150 low-income houses for citizens of New Orleans. 13 architecture firms are competing to create the most impressive and environmentally-responsible green designs for the housing communities. Unlike projects of old; the Make It Right properties will be sustainable homes that are projected to keep maintenance costs down by 75%. "Each house will be around 1200 square feet with three bedrooms, and each will cost around $150,000. {http://www.joshspear.com/item/make-it-right/}" Pitt has even put up his own money {$5 mill} for Make It Right and everyone from individuals to corporations can donate money and materials for this initiative. {Design by Concordia Architecture above.}

Seems like things are looking up for the N.O, right? Not so fast. A good friend of mine told me about this protest that took a violent turn. A group of citizens chose to physically show their disapproval of the demolition of a set of New Orleans public housing properties and police made forceful attempts to control the crowd by pepper spray and tazers. No matter what happens in New Orleans it seems that tension is always at the surface and if anything that is a sign of passion and commitment. Say what you want about New Orleans but its evident that the citizens of that city and even the region have a pride and love for their home that is not understood by many. To find out more about Make It Right and ways you can help the progress to improve New Orleans take a jump here and for contrast's sake check the CNN clip of the protest here.


Rocawear it at Your Own Risk

Before some of you pull out your Jigga Man Official Fan Club membership cards just sit back and read the rest of the blurb. In Jan of '07 the Humane Society of the United States conducted some test and revealed that Jay-Z and Rocawear were selling faux-fur clothing that feature fur from raccoon dogs on the Rocawear website. Apparently this is a regular move in the faux-fur game cause Diddy was accused of doing the same with his Sean John women's line. Damn. Wow.

To be honest I've never been a Rocawear or Sean John dude and after strolling through Perimeter Mall a few weeks ago I probably will never be. Nothing personal against the lines or the heads of the companies. While in Dillard's me and my homeboy came across a Rocawear t-shirt that was more ignorant and stereotypical than progressive and witty. To understand the absurdity of this shirt you have to understand that Perimeter Mall is in Sandy Springs, GA, a predominately white city immediately outside of the Atlanta city limits. So imagine my surprise to see a Rocawear shirt {wait for it} in Dillard's that shows the Monopoly logo drenched in blood and Mr. Moneybags with a bandana, fitted cap and bag of money running {tolerable}. The kicker was the line {in small text} above the remixed Monopoly logo that said something to the extent of "Properly Getting Cash from the Hood Brothers." I'm paraphrasing so don't trip. The issue is that 1} how does blood and bandanas signify properly doing anything and 2} what muthaf***ing "hood brothers" are in Sandy Springs, Georgia? The more I think about this shirt, and others like it ,the more I think about the stereotypical behavior and image of today's hip-hop, how it's manufactured to appeal to those who can't completely relate to it and how it demeans those it's supposedly representing. Us.



Get Your Grown Man on with 7 Style Secrets

When I had my hair twisted in college I took it upon myself to perform a small experiment. If you didn't know I'm here to tell you that dreads/twists have a bad wrap in society {especially in the south} so I wanted to see what I could do to change people's perceptions in my small town. For one week I wore nothing but baggy jeans, timberlands and over-sized shirts to school, work and all over town. As you've probably guessed I was treated like and talked to like I was someone who wasn't educated...a thug basically. I'm far from that. The following week I switched the game up and wore fitted clothes, button-down shirts, loafers and I even bought a pair of reading glasses with a very weak prescription. The only constant variable from week 1 to week 2 was my hair and the way I was treated was a complete 180 from the prior week. My hypothesis was correct...fashion, style, clothing, whatever you want to call it has the power to attract positive or negative reactions. That's why I'm always cognizant of my appearance..that and I'm a Kappa so I make it my business to be on point all of the time.

I came across this article on MSN.com written in partnership with Best Life magazine {great magazine by the way} about 7 style secrets for men. For some reason fellas think that getting your wardrobe up always means being uncomfortable in tight clothes or wearing clothing that doesn't represent their personality. Where in the hell did this come from? It's far from being true and some of the most stylish brothers know that true style means you put your own mark on conventions of fashion. We as black men excel at this but as of lately I've noticed a few brothers have steered way off track.

Of the 7 secrets I'm only agreeing with 5 of them. Not because I'm defiant but because they don't fit my personality but this is good info for any kat who is thinking or working on getting his style game in order. Every man needs a new suit. "The easiest way to upgrade your office look instantly is to add a suit that isn't corporate gray" and one way to separate yourself from the pack is to add a fly workbag with the get up. Leather is always in style {Wilson's chelsea contrast stitch messenger to the right}. No offense but it's not cool to be wearing a backpack to work. In addition to the new suit try coppping a gig that pushes your envelope a little bit. Nothing crazy like Ye at last year's Grammys but something that is current, well-fitted, relevant to your personality and confidently says "Damn I'm a fly mother...shut yo' mouth!" Instead of pleated pants think about "flat-front trousers that will make you look taller and thinner. There are four more tips for you so strut on over to the link and read the rest of the article Mr. Debonair.





Quote of the Day

"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."

-John F. Kennedy

Paper Saving Gift Giving, Another Bush F-up, A Saggy Pants Law?, Keyshia Cole & Interviewing 101

Give a Gift. Hold on to your paper.

If your family is like mine no one will be giving or receiving any light blue Tiffany boxes or Rolex watches this Christmas. That’s not to say that great gifts haven’t been given and received in our house around Christmas time. Believe me, my mama got over like a fat rat last Christmas. She deserved it though.

So what do you do if your intentions are grand and you don’t want to sell out by purchasing a gift card? You make a budget, get creative and read the rest of what I’m about to drop on you. Liz Pulliam Weston at MSN.com suggests “purchasing gifts that fall into three categories: Consumables: stuff you can eat, drink or otherwise use up quickly. {i.e. exotic spices for kitchen lovers}, services and experiences: stuff others can do to or for the recipient (i.e. free massage at the local spa} or gadgets: a product created to either help corral clutter or make life easier {i.e. a digital picture frame for someone who loves sharing pictures}."

Weston has even done a great job identifying gifts ranging from below $10 to under $30. Everything from a month’s subscription to Netflix {$8.99} to the iTurbo for your iPod {$25} is listed in addition to gift ideas within higher price ranges. Weston has really done her homework and even if some of her suggestions don’t fit the person you’re shopping for you can at least get inspired by her ideas. Check the article out here.

Another President Bush F-up; are you surprised?

It bugs me out that there are still people in our country who stand behind our President. I’m not even talking about the war but more simple things like pronouncing OB/GYN as oh-bee-gin. Oh yes y’all. That’s a fact. This time he managed to eclipse a major issue in society- the homeowner mortgage crisis- by reciting the wrong phone number for homeowners worrying about their rising mortgage payments. Instead of directing citizens to call 1-888-995-HOPE, for the Homeownership Preservation Foundation, Mr. President told Americans to dial 1-800-995-HOPE. This number belongs to the Freedom Christian Academy—a school in Texas.

I’m still trying to figure out how this dude got re-elected. Check out our President’s flub here.

The Saggy Baggy of it All

In southern cities all over the country officials and citizens are working to eliminate the wearing of baggy, saggy pants on urban youth. I don’t know how I feel about this just yet but I do know that sagging pants should be at the bottom of our country’s list of things to get bent out of shape about. We still have millions of families living below the poverty line. Citizens of the Gulf Coast are still living in FEMA trailers 2 years after Katrina and don’t let me get started about the plight of our young black youth.

While checking out the Complex.com blog I came across what Neil Richards, first amendment expert of Washington University had to say. “People have a right to express their identity through speech and action.” So true. In Pine Lawn, MO offenders of this law {who are majority young, black and male} can be fined $100 “and their parents could be fined up to $500 or serve 90 days in jail” for breaking the saggy pant law.

Is this another attack on current hip-hop culture or is it the kick in the butt this young generation needs? Who knows but I will tell you this: if any of these guys’ mothers is like mine she ain’t dropping one penny or spending a second in jail for some below the butt cheeks, can’t barely walk, showing all of your ass nonsense.

I’m just saying. Check out the rest of the article from the AP.

Keyshia Cole: The Way She Is

I have a confession to make. I’m in love with Keyshia Cole. Not in THAT way you pervs. I’m saying that I admire her for her talent, hustle and patience dealing with her fam. Now don’t get me wrong because my family ain’t perfect, by any means, but then again we {my father’s side anyway} ain’t showcasing our coo-coo bananas family behavior all over television.

This is the second season of Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is... on BET and I have to say that I’m late to the show. I admit that I slept on the first season but I’m hooked on the second season. This show is a great story about passion, determination, family, unconditional love and humanity. Keyshia’s dealing with an ex-con and ex addict mother, a sister who is anything but ready for suburban life and a full time career. I don’t know how she does it.

For someone who doesn’t watch too much of BET at all I can say that if you aren’t watching this TV show then you should. It’s all about Keyshia’s struggle…and that’s the way it is. The season finale aired December 11, 2007 but I’m absolutely positive BET will be airing repeats in the near future. They do what they want to on that channel.

Catch episodes of Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is, when you can, weeknights on BET.



Interviewing 101

Looking good on paper is one thing but being great in person is something totally different. I meet a lot of people who ask me how to do the right things in an interview. I give them the best advice I can but all I end up doing is telling them what works for me which may not translate well to their personality. I decided to devote this 101 Session to the skill of interviewing and how to prepare for and have a successful one. Today's Guest Genius is Lynda Wicker (Lynda isn't in the picture to the right by the way...come on people), the director of Human Resources at JWT Atlanta in Atlanta, GA. Lynda has over 10 years experience in Human Resources. She is a great interviewer and totally knows the in's, out's, do's and don'ts of the interview. If you ever wanted insider information about the essentials of interviewing you're in luck.


T.G.S: How long have you been working in Human Resources?

Lynda: I've been in Human Resources for 12 years. I really have to thank my sister-in-law for introducing me to this field. Early in my career I was an office manager but I was always trying to help people. Before I knew it I was pursuing a career in HR and started at PBA Atlanta as a Human Resources Assistant. I just love helping people find the right career and realize their career options.


T.G.S: What are some of the biggest myths/misconceptions people have about interviewing?

Lynda: This is why I think my next career move will be career counseling. I really think people should stop with the manufactured behavior. It's okay to be nervous but that's not reason to be so cliched. I want to have a conversation with the person I'm interviewing. The one-word answers or the cliche' responses, {I'm a people person...my weakness is that I try to hard} don't impress me. I really wish people would stop saying those in interviews. Have a resume in hand and be ready to talk about your experience. Truly understand that the job is about results and not how hard you tried. Work is about results so give examples of how you showed initiative and have key points of view {i.e. your style of work, what you like about the company and you're personal goals}.Be articulate. Be able to clearly express your thoughts in a concise and thorough way. One thing I've noticed with the millennial workforce is they, sometimes, come to an interview too casual. I know this is the age of casual but you have to be smart about it. I've had some people come in t-shirts and jeans. It's such an easy thing not to screw up. If you are unsure about a company's culture wear a suit. You can't go wrong.

T.G.S: Are there common mistakes young professionals make during interviews?

Lynda: Not preparing enough: a lot of young professionals don't do their homework before coming in. There's is no excuse for no preparation. During interviews I notice that a lot of young professionals feel they should come across as if they know everything and that's wrong. If you're interviewing for an entry-level position you can't know everything there is to know about the position you want or the company you hope to work for. Although the seasoned professionals think they know everything too. It's important that interviewees have questions for the interviewer. This is the interviewee's chance to get conversational and learn a lot about the company and please don't just ask the "company culture" question. Do your research and come up with good questions.

T.G.S: We've already touched on this but what are some of you're interviewer pet-peeves?

Lynda: The stock answers. Rehearsed answers. I like it best when people are comfortable so, this is such a cliche, but BE YOURSELF and be honest. Dress nice but not to the point where you come across as a perfectionist. That's a big one for me. Believe it or not "I'm a people person" is still a big problem.


TGS: What are some of the commonalties of your better interviews?

Lynda: Well, for me, first interviews are usually phone interviews and they are sometimes awkward when you aren't talking with a natural conversationalist. I like experienced people, people who really listen to questions and answer them thoroughly and honestly. I like when people have good eye contact and they are honest about their capabilities. You can tell when some one is genuinely interested and not treating HR as an invaluable gatekeeper.


T.G.S: How about the mysterious follow-up time. How do you advise people do handle that?

Lynda: I'm definitely a believer in sending a thank you note or thank you email within 24 to 48 hours of the interview. There are some people who don't like thank you emails but I don't think they are a problem. Follow-up is good period. During the interview ask the interviewer about the follow-up process. If someone promises to follow-up with you and they don't fulfill their promise don't panic. There are a number of things that are going on within a company that can side-track the HR director and hiring efforts. Some companies have strict interviewing cycles and its good to ask about the interviewing process during your interview so that can give you a follow-up strategy. Now if you realize that 4 to 6 weeks have gone by just send another note expressing your interest in the position if you're still interested. I like to call them gentle reminders. If its been more than 6 weeks and you haven't heard anything then that means you probably didn't get it.


Thanks to Lynda Wicker for being today's Guest Genius.



Quote of the Day

"Exceptional people have exceptional battles, they go through exceptional problems, they go through exceptional chaos and they have exceptional deliverances. Be careful about putting your foot on an exceptional person."

-T.D Jakes

Office Holiday Party Etiquette, ’08 Grammy Nods, Doing the Right Thing for Your To-Do List & PowerPoint 101

Office Holiday Party Etiquette

It’s that time of year again for Secret Santa drawings, mushy speeches about this past year, bad karaoke, finger food, Christmas carols and cocktails. Yep; its office Christmas party season and you don’t want to be like your co-worker who drank too much of “Christmas cheer” at last year’s party and ended up saying and/or doing something they would not do during normal working hours. So what do you do? How do you find the balance of being social, having a great time, letting your hair down AND being on point? No worries. I got you.

Erika Parkins over at Black Enterprise says it best. “Instead of approaching the office holiday party as a chore or a chance to party like its 1999, you should view it as another opportunity to make a good impression and network with colleagues you may not interact with on a daily basis.” Good to know. This Black Enterprise article {Yuletide Etiquette} has more great stuff that you or anyone you know should check out if you find yourself attending or invited to an office Christmas party.

In addition to proper behavior there’s also the issue of proper dress. Not that I’m against color but I wouldn’t wish a red and green outfit on my worst enemies. There are hundreds of people out there offering fashion advice to women so this one is specifically for the fellas. What do you wear to the office party? No offense but although you have a Santa Claus, Rudolph the Reindeer or Frosty the Snowman tie doesn’t mean you should put it on just yet.

David Boris {Be Better Guys blog} suggests men wear a nice suit- preferably black and if not a black suit wear something that tastefully incorporates bold colors and rich fabrics/textures. “For example, a cashmere v-neck sweater over a collared dress shirt, merino wool polo or turtleneck, or even a velvet blazer {in a deep tone, TI, not in scarlet red} are classy ways to send a professional message to the room.” This is a good look. Try wearing a pair of shoes that are more edgy than your normal work wear too. I’m always down for a nice pointed-toe to elongate the leg.

Not all office holiday parties are the same so keep in mind the nature of your employer, co-workers and the environment for the party. Make sure that you’re on point and adapt your style and behavior for the setting. The office holiday party is your chance to show everyone a side of you that is more elegant, stylish and charismatic than you may have the chance to be at work. Keep this in mind and I promise that you will enjoy this office function more than you expected.

2008 Grammy Nominations

I’m all for trophies and winning but when it comes to music I like to think artistic fortitude outweighs mainstream success…until Grammy time comes around and I’m glued to the TV and newspapers hoping that my fave artists received nominations. I’m in luck this year because two of my favorites have dummy {many} nominations.

Kanye West deserves every nomination he received and leads the pack with 8 noms which include “Album of the Year” and “Best Rap Album”. Shoutout and congrats to Ye’ on the nods. Let’s hope he stomps the competition at the upcoming Grammys.

Next is Amy Winehouse. Anyone who has eyes has seen the train wreck of a year she’s had {drugs are no joke}. On the other hand, anyone with ears who has listened to her music can tell that home girl is super talented. Her talent, unlike her behavior, is being recognized with 6 noms including one for Record of the Year for “Rehab”. If that ain’t an example of life intimidating art I don’t know what is.

Also, quick shout out to UGK on their Grammy nod for “International Players Anthem”. We at The Genius Syndicate {T.G.S} offer our condolences to Kanye West, UGK and Chad Butler’s {b.k.a Pimp C} family and friends.

Do the Right Thing for Your To-Do List

Anyone with two hands and more than two minutes to spare is busy these days. Kids are balancing school with extra-curricular activities, teens are multi-tasking hectic social lives with education and parents all over the world are wishing they had a clone.

There are a million organizational products on the market but whether you use a Blackberry or a plain old Day Planner {like I do} I came across some tips to make your To-Do list more focused.

The organizational geniuses over at ZenHabits.net say simplify your to-do list and reduce your tasks list to the bare essentials. By eliminating more trivial tasks, simplifying your commitments and knowing what’s essential to complete for the day you can maximize your schedule and maintain your focus. There are more great tips about tidying up your To-Do list over at www.zenhabits.net. Go check it out.

PowerPoint 101

For the “101” sessions I’d like to invite great people I admire and pass their knowledge onto you. I can’t wait to bring these Guest Geniuses on board but for today’s 101 installment you’re stuck with me as your Guest Genius…take it or leave it. Hopefully you’ll take it.

We’re talking about PowerPoint in today’s 101 session. I work in advertising and although PowerPoint may not be the number one tool of creativity it is essential to the communication process within and outside the agency. I used it today as a matter of fact. Let’s look at the essentials of making a kick-ass PowerPoint presentation.

1. Content: PowerPoint is only as good as the content placed in it. Before you think about layout, color and fonts first make an outline of the most important points you want to address. PowerPoint is a visual tool, not a reading tool, so keep text to a minimum.
2. Key Takeaway: Just organizing facts is a piece of the puzzle. When making a presentation in PowerPoint always keep in mind what your key takeaway is and tailor your presentation to support that point.
3. Layout Logic (text size, colors and pictures): This is a tip that I follow every time. When you want to develop a nice PowerPoint presentation think about your favorite magazine. Look at how they lay out text, quality of pictures, the styles of fonts they use, visual alignment, shapes and colors. You’d be surprised at how professional you can make your PowerPoint look by pulling inspiration from other mediums.
4. Visual Assistance: Use pictures to illustrate or support your points. For example, instead of typing the word “communication’ in a text box think of inserting pictures like “people whispering”, “a cell phone” or even a “mouth smiling”. Try not to use Microsoft clipart. That is the quickest way to make your presentation look dated. Try Google images, save the file or just copy and paste it directly onto the slide.

I hope these tips give you some direction on how to make the most of your PowerPoint presentation. Trust me when I say that slick things can be done in PowerPoint if you just open your mind and have fun with it.

-elbj

Quote of the Day

“There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.”

-Victor Hugo

Welcome to The Genius Syndicate

No one is more excited about this blog than I am. In the midst of a sinus infection, making cornbread and watching college football my brother and I had an idea for a blog that stands for what we are trying to accomplish. KNOWLEDGE, CREATIVITY, AMBITION, VIGOR AND SHARING in everyday life. We're in the process of launching some great things that reflect our vision and this blog is a perfect addition to the hustle.

The Genius Syndicate is a spot for our young brothers and sisters who share the same drive and spirit to teach, learn, communicate and improve. The underlying idea of The Genius Syndicate is to strive for "giftedness" and not just smartness. That's why this blog will not only give you a dose of pop culture (after its put through the proper cultural filters of course) but feature "guest geniuses" to share some knowledge in their perspective fields.

On any given day you can learn how to mix the perfect drink, the best ways to spend time with your younger relatives, what to wear to a job interview, how to get the most out of financial aid, how to take the best pictures of your life and how to find the right style for your personality. The key is for you to pick up what we're dropping on you and pass it on.

We're all in this together and you know as well as we do that a group of young, black geniuses can do some amazing things. So what'cha waiting on? Become a part of the movement.

Welcome to the syndicate.

-elbj