Post: Friday the 13th
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05-13-2011, 09:52 AM
#1
[multipage=Origin]
It appears to come from two separate superstitious belief; Friday has always (not always but for very long time) been an unlucky day and 13 is an unlucky number and apparently these two has become one at some point.
There's a few theories why Friday is known as unlucky day:
- Twelve is considered as number of perfection (twelve months of the year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve apostles etc..), while thirteen is considered as irregular, transgressing this perfectness.
- Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century. Black Friday has been associated with stock market crashes and other disasters since the 1800s. It's also know as unlucky day, because Jesus was crucified on a Friday.
Then there's the Knights Templar theory.
Back in 1307, France's King Philip was at war with England and he was running out of money. When he saw how rich Knight Templar were, he decided to create a plan. He gave orders to arrest all Knights Templar and charge them with crimes so that are so devastating that no one would defend them.
King's orders were executed on Friday, October 13.
On that day they arrested every Templar in France and all Templar buildings (outposts, homes, wineries, mills, and castles) were taken in the name of the King of France. Then they killed Templar Grand Master called as Jacques De Molay and that was the end of Templar. To add to the superstition of the Friday the 13th, both men (King Philip and his ally Pope Clement V) died in that year.
[multipage=Social effect]
Here's a quote from Wikipedia:
Originally posted by another user
According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day". Despite this, representatives for both Delta and Continental Airlines say that their airlines do not suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.
Here's another (shortened) quote, reporting about accidents on Friday the 13th.
Originally posted by another user
There are conflicting studies about the risk of accidents on Friday the 13th. The Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics stated on 2008 that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventively more careful or just stay home." Statistically, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th (at least in the Netherlands); in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but in Friday the 13th the quantity was 7,500. However, a study in the British Medical Journal that compared the ratio of traffic accidents between Friday the 6th and Friday the 13th stated that there is a significant increase in traffic-related accidents on Friday the 13th. There are indications that there are more accidents on Fridays than average weekdays (probably because of alcohol). Therefore it is less relevant for this purpose to compare Friday the 13th with any other 13th day of another month.
It's also know that many professions have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects. For example: Back in the Age of Discovery (in about 15th century to 17th century), sailors refused to start their journey on Friday.
[multipage=Events and accidents on Friday the 13th]
So, here's the list of events or accidents that happened or are going to happen on Friday the 13th:
Originally posted by another user
- The renowned rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur was pronounced dead on Friday, September 13, 1996.
- The "Friday the 13th Storm" struck Buffalo, New York on Friday, October 13, 2006.
- The Uphaar Cinema fire on Friday, June 13, 1997.
- The asteroid (99942 Apophis) will make a close encounter with Earth, closer than the orbits of communication satellites, on Friday, April 13, 2029.
- The Andes Plane Crash of 1972 occurred on Friday, October 13, 1972.
- Unix time reached 1,234,567,890 seconds on Friday, February 13, 2009.
- A London Underground Engineering train on the Northern Line became uncoupled and went on a 13 minute journey southbound from Archway, finally stopping at Warren Street tube station. The train in front has been forced to skip several stations and been diverted to the city branch on August 13, 2010.
Tell me if you find more events or accidents that happened on Friday the 13th.
[multipage=Friday the 13th in popular culture]
In film:
- Friday the 13th (Horror film series)
- Friday the Thirteenth (a British comedy drama)
In music:
- Friday the 13th,(a composition by Thelonious Monk.)
- Friday 13th EP (a four track EP released by The Damned in 1981)
- Live Ritual - Friday the 13th (a 2002 live album by the band Blasphemy)
- Live – Friday the 13th (a 2005 live DVD and CD by Maroon 5)
- Friday the Thirteenth (album), by The Stranglers
- Friday 13th (album), a 1983 album by Man
- 13日の金曜日 (13 Nichi no Kinyoubi) ("Friday 13th"), a song by Nana Kitade on the album I Scream
Others:
- Friday the 13th mini-crash, a 1989 stock market crash
- Friday, The Thirteenth, Book made in 1907 (Also made into a film)
- Friday the 13th: The Series, a television series not connected to the film franchise
- Friday the 13th (video game), a series of video games based on the film franchise
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I shortened this and I didn't copy pasted (expect quoted parts), so don't say that I C&P'd please.
The following 3 users say thank you to Janne for this useful post:
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