sophophobia

Today I learned the word sophophobia, which means "the fear of learning."  I also found out that the space between your eyebrows is the glabella.  I didn't even know there was a name for it. 

sometimes stupid feels better

As a result of the Boston Marathon bombings yesterday, I learned that there's a wacko conspiracy theory out there claiming that the Newton, CT shootings never really happened.  According to the disturbed and scary people who believe this, the shootings were faked by Obama to validate his push for gun control.  I may have been slow in coming by this "news," but frankly, I wish I hadn't heard about it at all.  Knowing about this kind of crap is depressing as hell.

meaning of mantra

Yesterday I learned the etymology for the Sanskrit word mantra.  Man means "mind," and tra is a common suffix for "tool" or  "instrument."  Literally translated, therefore, mantra means an instrument of the mind.  I learned this at an evening of kirtan (Sanskrit chanting).  Now I understand more clearly what people are doing when they chant, in both eastern and western traditions.  Cool.