Five facts about Friday the 13th

***Calvin*** · 03-12-2009, 04:45 PM

Did you know that Franklin D. Roosevelt wouldn't travel on Friday the 13th?

Quote:

If Friday the 13th is unlucky, then 2009 is an unusually unlucky year. This week's Friday the 13th is one of three to endure this year.

The first came last month. The next is in November. Such a rare triple-threat occurs only once every 11 years.

The origin of the link between bad luck and Friday the 13th is murky. The whole thing might date to Biblical times (the 13th guest at the Last Supper betrayed Jesus). By the Middle Ages, both Friday and 13 were considered bearers of bad fortune. In modern times, the superstition permeates society.

Here are five of our favorite Friday-the-13th facts:

1. Fear of Friday the 13th — one of the most popular myths in science — is called paraskavedekatriaphobia as well as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.

2. Many hospitals have no room 13, while some tall buildings skip the 13th floor and some airline terminals omit Gate 13.

3. President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic, with an abnormal fear of the number 13.

4. Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party. A friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," Twain later told the friend. "They only had food for 12." Superstitious diners in Paris can hire a quatorzieme, or professional 14th guest.

5. The number 13 suffers from its position after 12, according to numerologists who consider the latter to be a complete number — 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 days of Christmas and 12 eggs in a dozen.

Pythagorean legacy
Meanwhile the belief that numbers are connected to life and physical things — called numerology — has a long history.

"You can trace it all the way from the followers of Pythagoras, whose maxim to describe the universe was 'all is number,'" says Mario Livio, an astrophysicist and author of "The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved" (Simon & Schuster, 2005). Thinkers who studied under the famous Greek mathematician combined numbers in different ways to explain everything around them, Livio said.

In modern times, numerology has become a type of para-science, much like the meaningless predictions of astrology, scientists say.

"People are subconsciously drawn towards specific numbers because they know that they need the experiences, attributes or lessons associated with them, that are contained within their potential," says professional numerologist Sonia Ducie. "Numerology can 'make sense' of an individual's life (health, career, relationships, situations and issues) by recognizing which number cycle they are in, and by giving them clarity."

However, mathematicians dismiss numerology, saying it lacks any scientific merit.

"I don't endorse this at all," Livio said, when asked to comment on the popularity of commercial numerology. Seemingly coincidental connections between numbers will always appear if you look hard enough, he said.

Five facts about Friday the 13th

Babyblue · 03-12-2009, 05:08 PM

Another Friday the 13 fact.

Hurricane Charley devastated South West and Central Florida on Friday 13th. August 13, 2004.

Babyblue · 03-12-2009, 06:23 PM

Interesting that many buildings do not have a 13th floor. What do they do skip it, and make it a store room. Or they just leave out the number 13 period???

Kind of hard to leave an existing number out.

***VamPyroX*** · 03-12-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babyblue

Interesting that many buildings do not have a 13th floor. What do they do skip it, and make it a store room. Or they just leave out the number 13 period???

Kind of hard to leave an existing number out.

They just skip the number.

For instance, a hotel with 15 floors will have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, & 16 in their elevators.

I've seen this done in many buildings with at least 13 floors.

Unless, you want to visit a building like the one from The Thirteenth Floor movie.

Babyblue · 03-12-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

They just skip the number.

For instance, a hotel with 15 floors will have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, & 16 in their elevators.

Then technically the 14th floor is the 13th.

So how just labeling the number make it different? Guess it makes people feel better when they don't see the #13.

That is just too funny!!

***VamPyroX*** · 03-12-2009, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babyblue

Then technically the 14th floor is the 13th.

So how just labeling the number make it different? Guess it makes people feel better when they don't see the #13.

That is just too funny!!

Yeah. I first noticed when I was in junior high on vacation with my family. We were at this hotel in Houston that had 15 floors. In the elevator, I noticed that "13" was missing. I asked my dad and he explained to me how some places consider it an unlucky number or prefer to consider the possible superstition that some of their customers may have. So, they don't use "13". I saw that it went up to "16", but when I went outside... I counted 15 floors.

chris' mom · 03-12-2009, 08:12 PM

That's interesting I didn't know all of that

Buffalo · 03-13-2009, 11:37 AM

Now I wondered about Chinese people's superstitious of number 4 just because it sounds like 'death'. Do they forbid 4-floor buildings? Or do they skip number 4 like we do with number 13? I know they refuse to present someone a set of 4 of anything - always other numbers like 2 or 6.

Royale · 03-13-2009, 11:44 AM

I used to live on 13th floor of apartment building and my door number was 1307. 13 is for bad lucks and 7 is for good lucks and the room brought me both good and bad lucks.

PowerON · 03-13-2009, 11:46 AM

So, what about being age. Is 13 is bad lucky? Oh I recall that there is 13 years old boy who become a father. tsk.

Buffalo · 03-13-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerON

So, what about being age. Is 13 is bad lucky? Oh I recall that there is 13 years old boy who become a father. tsk.

**Jiro** · 03-13-2009, 11:48 AM

at my work - we don't have "13" floor but if you ask me - I don't believe in this silly superstition. :shrug:

**Maria** · 03-13-2009, 03:36 PM

I never knew that the many hospitals have no room # 13. Very interestin', because I didn't notice it when I used to go to the hospital for several surgeries in the past. I wasn't payin' attention to it.

JamieLynn · 03-13-2009, 05:08 PM

I don't believe in all those things when it comes to number 13

We have floor 13 where I work

Jamie

03-12-2009, 08:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
chris' mom Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Fayetteville, AR Posts: 975	That's interesting I didn't know all of that __________________ Lori & Sons Children are a gift from the Lord, indeed, they are a blessing.

03-13-2009, 11:37 AM	#8 (permalink)
Buffalo Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,025	Now I wondered about Chinese people's superstitious of number 4 just because it sounds like 'death'. Do they forbid 4-floor buildings? Or do they skip number 4 like we do with number 13? I know they refuse to present someone a set of 4 of anything - always other numbers like 2 or 6. __________________ “The problem is not that the (deaf) students do not hear. The problem is that the hearing world does not listen. “- Rev Jesse L. Jackson ( American Civil Rights Activist, Minister)

03-13-2009, 11:46 AM	#10 (permalink)
PowerON Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: 37.5, 126.9 Posts: 10,333 Blog Entries: 5	So, what about being age. Is 13 is bad lucky? Oh I recall that there is 13 years old boy who become a father. tsk. __________________ • [Illustrator.Blog-alloon.com] • Don't shoot me! I'm only blogger!

03-13-2009, 11:48 AM	#12 (permalink)
Jiro Aparecium Deletrius Legil Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: The Soprano State Posts: 60,540	at my work - we don't have "13" floor but if you ask me - I don't believe in this silly superstition. :shrug: __________________ - Don't forget to buy Jiro's Special Edition Sunglasses for $19.95

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03-12-2009, 05:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
Babyblue Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 12,001	Another Friday the 13 fact. Hurricane Charley devastated South West and Central Florida on Friday 13th. August 13, 2004.

03-12-2009, 06:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Babyblue Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 12,001	Interesting that many buildings do not have a 13th floor. What do they do skip it, and make it a store room. Or they just leave out the number 13 period??? Kind of hard to leave an existing number out.

03-13-2009, 11:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
Royale Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: World's Second Coldest Capital City! Posts: 4,418	I used to live on 13th floor of apartment building and my door number was 1307. 13 is for bad lucks and 7 is for good lucks and the room brought me both good and bad lucks.

03-13-2009, 03:36 PM	#13 (permalink)
Maria Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: WISCONSIN Posts: 10,309	I never knew that the many hospitals have no room # 13. Very interestin', because I didn't notice it when I used to go to the hospital for several surgeries in the past. I wasn't payin' attention to it.

03-13-2009, 05:08 PM	#14 (permalink)
JamieLynn Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 3,336	I don't believe in all those things when it comes to number 13 We have floor 13 where I work Jamie