A Mother's Day art project from a school in California's Central Valley.

Whenever education budgets get tightened, art programs are the first to get cut. Like the enduring popularity of reality TV, this never ceases to amaze me. So much evidence points to art’s importance in a child’s development – and not just in the development of abstract thought. Art is a critical component in a well-rounded education. Art is the level playing field – no matter how rich or poor, tall or short, pretty or ugly to the bone, if you can draw, you can find personal fulfillment and build self-confidence.  Art is the highest achievement of mankind. Read More »

Good morning, Lynda,

Greetings from beautiful Australia. I am a Canadian ex-pat who lives in Bendigo, Victoria. We have the only regional ice rink in Victoria, and I am a volunteer with the rink. We offer figure skating, ice hockey, curling, and recreational skating at the rink. Last year, we started a new under-13-year-old ice hockey team called the Wildcats. We are organising to host the first Read More »

Dear Lynda,

A close friend recently suggested I read Rubies in the Orchard to supplement my Communication Studies classes at Northwestern University. Needless to say, I loved it! I am currently a senior at NU and believe product branding is a thrilling field and am passionate about incorporating consumer insight to build and transform a brand across trends and time. The advice, anecdotes, and accessibility Read More »

The following was originally published on December 25, 2009 on the Huffington Post, where it has generated considerable discussion over an individual’s responsibility in our society. My post was about empowering yourself to take control of your own future, rather than waiting for the government or someone else to bail you out. Such a strategy is not a panacea for all of society’s ills, but it’s certainly a better starting point than, as one commenter put it, “sitting on the couch, eating Doritos and cursing at the world.” I would love to hear your thoughts: How will you take control of your future in 2010? Read More »

Just in time for the holidays, I received this present in my inbox from Amy Reynolds, whom I interviewed this past May. It was heartening to read that my advice was able to help her and her company, and Amy’s consideration in following up with details of her recent successes brightened what was otherwise Read More »

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Science Commons
Why It’s a Gem: Eliminating red tape and developing new protocols makes sharing research easier than ever – which puts all cures within closer reach

Researchers around the world are hard at work on cures for most every ailment and disease. But until now, there was no system – let alone incentive – for sharing their discoveries, leaving researchers working independently in their own silos, possibly duplicating the same mistakes as their colleagues around the globe. It wasn’t unusual for decades to pass before any significant progress was made on a study.

But that’s all changing. Just as parent organization Creative Commons has made sharing artistic endeavors both easy and profitable, Science Commons is using that same open-access model to enable the scientific research community to both find and share their studies, thereby enabling an approach to sharing data that just might revolutionize the scientific world. My interview with John Wilbanks was a fitting way to cap off Open Access Week. Read More »

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: HIB-System
Why It’s a Gem: DIY homebuilding comes of age with a LEGO-like solution that’s as simple as it is environmental

Most every kid who has played with LEGOs has dreamed of living in a house of her own construction. Now that dream has come closer to reality, with the innovative design from Germany’s HIB-System, a company that produces wooden tongue-in-groove building blocks that most anyone can assemble into the house of their dreams, minus the bumpy green lawn and plastic pine tree.

After building more than 100 homes in Germany using this system, HIB has now come to the United States, where it hopes to make a splash in the eco-competition being held in Greensburg, Kans., a town devastated by a tornado in 2007 and now looking to rebuild its community with affordable, sustainable housing. While the HIB system still requires some help from construction professionals such as plumbers and electricians, the overall frame of the home can be done in just a few days by one person, and with the building blocks weighing no more than 55 pounds each, you can even forego the traditional heavy machinery. Welcome to the new age of DIY.
Read More »

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: International Virtual Assistants Association
Why It’s a Gem: Get Just the Right Amount of Support You Need — No Commitment Necessary

Our lives have become virtual — virtual money (ATM cards), virtual sales clerks (online shopping carts), virtual relationships (texting). So why not virtual assistants? And, as with other forms of technology, the world of virtual assistants is evolving to encompass more industries and skills sets than most brick-and-mortar entrepreneurs might have believed possible. Read More »

Do you know a business that is doing well despite the recession? Does your small business use a company or service that has helped you compete with the big guys? If so, then Lynda wants to hear from you. “Ruby Tuesday” is accepting nominations for companies to profile in the now bi-weekly column, where Lynda Resnick and the executive of the week share their insights into marketing and business solutions for the new economy. Submit your candidate for consideration in an upcoming column.

Need business advice? In “Ask Lynda,” the POM Queen answers your marketing and entrepreneurial questions. Submit your question today.

Ruby Tuesday Pick of the Week: Business Talent Group
Why It’s a Gem: This new piece of human capital infrastructure enables talent to have a different kind of professional life and companies to have the ultimate flexibility

With the business world undergoing a seismic shift, companies need to be nimble to adapt to the ever-changing forces at work. And nowhere is being nimble more important than in any business’ most valuable asset: its workforce.

By monitoring trends in her own career as an executive, Jody Miller identified a highly undeveloped niche – one that hinges on the unpredictable nature of human interactions and personalities – and showed that being flexible could turn unpredictability into profits. Read More »