Links of Interest (02.01.2012) and a Happy New Year to you all!

So before I start off the LOI this time I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! See cute picture above. Today I was introduced to the concept of Fukubukuro which is basically a New Years day custom where merchants create bags filled with random items which are then sold at substantially reduced prices. I really like things like these it makes me wish I lived in Japan.

• An a capella version of the Jackson 5's The Love You Save. As I listen to him singing this song its brings a tear to my eye to think that I will never see him perform again.
• A partial clip of Deepak Chopra discussing religion, cyberspace and spiritual health at a meeting in Noordwijk in 1997. Regardless of what you may thing of him as a person I'm sure we all can agree that there is a ring of truth to the things that he has said in this clip.
• Do you think that religion has made the world less safe? Here's a thought provoking article along that vein.
• I find it strange the lengths that celebrities like Angelina Jolie go to in the name of humanitarianism yet there is very little publicity on their efforts. Why is this you think? Here's an article that showcases the contrast between the attitudes of our leaders as opposed to the ones that we deride as being narcissistic and self indulgent.
• I'm the kind of person who has an unreliable memory. A few days ago this article showed up in my news feed. Its surprising to see such unexpected things are able to affect our memories.