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New Years resolutions are always tough for people, including me, to decide on what resolutions to make. They’re even harder for many of us to keep. Part of the reason for this is that we tend to over reach on our resolutions. I think this year there are some simple things to which we can aspire that will make a positive impact on others and ourselves.

In general, the world just seems a whole lot tougher than it was even 10 years ago. We’re dealing with a global recession (hopefully not for much longer), several wars, joblessness and lots of bitterness. We seem to have forgotten the things that we learned while we were growing up; things like decency and respect.

New Years resolutions come in a lot of different flavors. Some people want to stop smoking, others look to lose weight and still some want to be more fiscally responsible. Good alternative New Years resolutions could be to help make our world a more pleasant place in which to live, even if it’s a simple act of politeness.

Barney and Friends (remember them?) use to sing the magic words “Please and Thank You.” Do you remember the last time you said “thank you” to the grocery clerk? Or, said “please” when asking for something at the store?

I’m as guilty as the next person. Sometimes in my hurried day I’ll run into the store and rush out with my item, without so much as saying “boo” to anyone. But, try it out one day and you’ll see the clerk’s face light up when you say “thank you.” In return, you’ll get a very pleasant “you’re welcome! And, “please come back.” This response will likely put a smile on your face, too.

New Years resolutions don’t have to be about lofty weight loss goals or better eating habits. In fact, I believe that these simple “Please and Thank You” words would help to “de-stress” our world. Less stress could lead to better eating habits and better eating habits … well, you get the picture.

And, what about the word “Yes?” Too often these days I hear people say “No” or “But” or “Can’t.” Times are tough for everyone. There are foreclosures on practically every block, unemployment is above 10% in many parts of the country, and we live in uncertain times.

And, “Yes” is surely a much more positive word than “No!” Try it out and see how it stimulates you to action. “Yes, I can have a more positive attitude.” “Yes, I can start my own business (see my post Small Business Opportunities.” “Yes, I can achieve my goals.”

Let’s make our New Years resolutions about making a difference for the better, even if it’s as simple as a smile or a “Thank you.” And, while you’re at it, say “Yes” to a new resolution to clean out the garage!”

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The California governor candidates are obviously in this race to win and win big. One of the most fascinating aspects of this race to me is how furiously the candidates have gotten technology religion. Being a technology advocate, I can attest to the effectiveness of online campaigns, especially as they compare to the ineffectiveness these days of traditional offline media of print, radio and TV. A Forrester research survey reported that 60% of marketers will shift their traditional marketing budget to interactive [online] marketing.

It’s no wonder that celebrities, entrepreneurs, news stations and more are moving to online media marketing. This new media allows direct interaction with and between publisher and consumer. No other media exists that combines the speed of implementation with the analytical horsepower of “near immediate” feedback.

The California governor candidates are an interesting test case to see if they can repeat the success of the Barack Obama campaign. There have been many politicians who hopped on to the technology bandwagon after they witnessed firsthand the ferocity at which President Obama took the oval office. The famous words printed in The Book of Job “Speak and ye shall hear” are aptly appropriate to describe the Internet social networks.

The use of technology has completely changed the landscape of political campaigning forever. In the old days, California governor candidates would have produced and mailed campaign brochures, gotten their message printed in newspapers and scheduled speeches. Oftentimes this required months of planning and hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

Today, the use of social networking sites and blogs literally allow you to speak and be heard … or “write and be read.” Of course, this strategy depends heavily on having enough friends, fans, and followers to make a difference. This is precisely why celebrities like Oprah, Britney Spears, and Ellen DeGeneres hire experts to make all this magic happen.

The field of California governor candidates are no slouches either. In fact, a couple of them have reached “celebrity” status themselves. Gavin Newsom has 1.1 million Twitter followers and Jerry Brown somewhere in the 900,000 range. These numbers put the politicians on par with real celebrities like Paula Abdul (ex-American Idol) and John Legend.

It’s interesting to note that, at least at this moment, there is an inverse relationship between campaign spend and online marketing “success.” The two Republicans who have spent the most amount of money, Meg Whitman ($900,000) and Steve Poizner ($100,000) have the least number of votes by a factor of several thousand percent! It’s too early to tell what this really means. Is it because they need a new team of technologists or is it just that they have the wrong message?

Whatever the answer, these California governor candidates have a huge challenge on their hands. With a budget deficit of $26 Billion, an unemployment rate of 12% an unfavorable business environment, and California’s education tanking, employers and families will pick up stakes and move elsewhere. No matter how you slice it, no amount of technology is going to create a quick fix to California’s problems.

Read more articles from David Chan.

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The issue of education in America is one that we should all care deeply about. I recently weighed in on the Obama education speech and reflected on how America is losing its competitive edge due to our lack of prioritizing education. There is plenty of data to support that the U.S. lags behind many countries with respect to how many days kids are in school. Studies within the U.S. suggest that an increase in school days would increase the chances that our children will learn more.

In a recent article published by the Associated Press Education Secretary Arne Duncan states “Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today.” The point that I think she makes is that the U.S. today has moved further toward a services based economy. This requires that our education system adapt to a curriculum that puts kids in school longer and provides more studies around math and science.

President Obama insists that education in America must evolve in order to keep our nation competitive with other world economies. In 2007, according to the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, 28 out of 49 countries were open at least 190 days for instruction in the eighth grade, with some open as long as 230+ days. On average, U.S. schools were open only 180 days.

Education in America is not an option that we can afford to leave to the next generation to solve. The next generation of leaders is right behind us and we are crippling them with budget cuts and, to some extent, apathy.

Some charter schools in the U.S. have been progressively moving toward longer school days. An example that was given included the Kipp network of 82 charter schools. Their students attend 3 hours more school than the typical public school. This has translated into higher test scores than the district average.

Clearly we must recognize that more days / hours in school will require more funding. The big debate, of course, will be “at what expense?” I would submit that education in America is far more significant than waging a war in which we can never hope to win. The Trillion dollars we’ve spent fighting the Iraq and Afghanistan wars could easily have funded a well-rounded education system, wouldn’t you say?

Our nations leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, must recognize that a sea change has already occurred around the world. Our leadership role in everything from creativity, innovation and ingenuity has shifted to countries that have invested in education.

According to a 2008 NPR report, record numbers of teachers will be retiring, especially at the high school level. The report stated “The number of teachers expected to leave the field is double what it was 12 years ago.” I’m sure that many of the retirements come on the heels of compensation disparity, as well as “early retirement” because of budget issues.

Education in America and the school system is what I call our last “trusted source.” Where else in America do we entrust our children’s safety, well-being and future than in the hands of the teachers? If we don’t fix our education system in this generation, there won’t be a legacy to leave behind.

Read more articles from David Chan.