Happy New Year, and buy our gadget

Everyone's making New Year resolutions for everyone else. It’s become an opportunity to market products, sell software and advise the stars.
Trawl the Net and you find New Year resolutions are everywhere. This time of year has become a great opportunity for everyone to dole out resolutions — from video game makers to IT industries and corporate offices. And there are people making resolutions for others too — for even the likes of singer-actress Jessica Simpson. BT puts together a list:
An online office-related site says, along with the regular dope on “Respect others’ time,” something like “fall in love with the ‘delete key’ and learn the power of ‘right clicking’.”
There are resolutions for gizmo freaks: “To buy gadgets I know I’ll use to their fullest”; and “learn more about the capabilities and features of gadgets I already own.”
An IT company has 10 New Year resolutions targeted at tuning up your website, to attract new prospects, by offering you a tool it has created. An online finance site offers you financial resolutions you should make.
There’s a company that exhorts you to lose weight, get organised, simplify. All by using its software product — no more costly software add-ons, its product will let you drop that dead weight like a bad habit, it promises.
A list of funny resolutions has this one: “I resolve to work with neglected children. My own.” There are resolutions for artists. Apart from the usual “I’ll paint in the open air,” a column suggests a gem: “If one of my friends asks me for a painting they like, I’ll gently suggest that they buy it reminding them that painting isn’t something I just do to keep myself busy.”
There’s a column that offers you seven resolutions for a better marriage. A media company has a list for Harry Potter creator JK Rowling too: “Give us a title for book 7, finish book 7, release book 7, promise fans you will play a character in the Harry Potter movies, write a prequel to the series, sign more books for charity.” It also pleads, “Do not kill Snape; Do not kill Harry Potter.”
And for Jessica Simpson? “Lose the daddy; don’t let Dad pick your dates, read more books, join a feminist group....” Also, “Just say no to plastic surgery.”