...family, friends, home and other tidbits of a blessed life

Friday, August 13, 2010

Paraskevidekatriaphobia... you know it's that day!!!

Everything below was found on right here.

Top Ten Friday 13th Trivia

  1. 90% of US skyscrapers do away with floor number 13, according to reports by the Otis Elevator Company, the world's largest elevator manufacturers.
  2. In 1881, a group of 13 people came together to form The Thirteen Club. Their main objective was to dissipate some of the ominous associations of number 13. The number of members eventually rose to 400 which included 5 US presidents namely, Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and Chester Arthur. It is therefore that Theodore Roosevelt placed the cornerstone for a new county courthouse in New York on Friday, 13th July in the year 1900.
  3. It was a Friday on 16th of September, 1814 when Francis Scott Key finished composing the poem 'Defence of Fort McHenry', from which came the lyrics of the national anthem of the United States of America, "The Star-Spangled Banner".
  4. The report issued by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics on June 12, 2008, states "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 preventatively more careful or just stay home." This in turn was reflected in the reports received by Dutch insurance companies, in the last three years, which showed that on normal Fridays, the number of traffic accidents touched a figure of approximately 7,800 but it decreased to 7,500 on a Friday, the 13th in The Netherlands.
  5. On Friday, 13th November, 2009, NASA scientist Anthony Colaprete, confirmed the discovery of 25 gallons of water in the southern polar region of the moon.
  6. Lizzie Borden, the prime accused in the infamous Hatchet Murder Case of 1892, uttered a total of 13 words during her trial and got acquitted.
  7. For Muslims, Fridays are extremely auspicious days referred to, we have been told, as "Jumma Vaar".
  8. The 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt, never travelled on a 13th and refused to have a meal with 13 people at the table.
  9. The deadliest associations with number 13 are the facts that there are 13 stairs leading to the gallows; the blade in a guillotine fell from a height of 13 feet; and a hangman has 13 knots in a hangman's noose.
  10. Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx, the celebrated American actor produced exactly 13 feature films with his brothers, entertaining us all for many years.
Friday 13th Trivia
Thirteen at a table is unlucky only when the hostess has only
twelve chops. - Groucho Marx

Paraskevidekatriaphobia - Fear of Friday 13th

Most cultures have superstitions centred on the number thirteen.  Let us start with a Greek word, which will impress your friends: Paraskevidekatriaphobia, meaning an irrational, even morbid, fear of Friday the 13th.  Incidentally, you can trace the synonym friggatriskaidekaphobia to Frigga the goddess of Friday.
The word Paraskevidekatriaphobia was coined by therapist Dr Donald Dossey, in fact he claims whimsically that if you can pronounce the word then you are cured of the dreaded Friday 13th affliction.
One famous study by Scanlon TJ, Luben RN, Scanlon FL, Singleton N. found that there were more car accidents on Friday February 13th than there were on Friday February 6th despite the fact that fewer people drove on February 13th.  Guy is cynical, if you do enough studies you will find one that proves your point, their figures are 65 for Fri 13th, 45 for Fri 6th - not a big sample.

Triskaidekaphobia - Fear of the Number 13

The Greeks also have word for fears associated with number 13 Triskaidekaphobia [triss-ka-deck-ah-phobia].  Interestingly, the Greeks traditional rivals the Turks have virtually removed 13 from their vocabulary.
I have a challenge for you.  The next time visit one of those tall office blocks, see if they have a 13th Floor.  In fact anytime you hail a lift, see if it has a button for the 13th Floor.




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Marlis! Oh, thank you for all of this information! I keep forgetting today is Friday the 13th!
Thank you so much for popping in to see me and telling be about the accent over the U in Hummel! Now you would know that being from Germany! I love Germany and have been there about three times. Hope you'll come back again for a visit!
Be a sweetie,
shelia ;)

Unknown said...

Thank you for all the Friday the 13th information. How fabulous and thank goodness we survived.

Cynthia

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin