Friday, October 13, 2006

The double-whammy

In the someone-has-too-much-free-time category, there's a German physicist who, according to this story, has found that today is a very special Friday the 13th.

Take the numbers in today's date -- 10/13/2006, in case you hadn't noticed -- and add them together. The result: 13.

So it's a double-13 Friday the 13th....

The good Herr Doktor has found that the last time this happened was in 1520.

Damn, I missed that one.

Strangely, he did not say when the next one will happen. We'll have to wait for Art Bell to clear that up.

The article also includes, among other tidbits, a quote from a psychologist who came up with the term "paraskevidekatriaphobia" (I copied and pasted, knowing I could never spell it unaided) to describe the fear of Friday the 13th.

It is said that perhaps 10% of the population in this country believes in the maleficient effects of Friday the 13th.

I dunno. For the last seven months, every day has been a Friday the 13th around here.

Anyway, today is a very rare Friday the 13th, numerologically speaking. I'm sure that just increases the fear and trembling among the superstitious.

Have a nice day!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

germans have way too much time on their hands.

Anonymous said...

That was verrry interesting! Thanks! ((Hugs)) from Sunny in the country. :)

Anonymous said...

I thought that phobia was called "pullthecoversbackoveryourheadandgobacktosleep"? Whatever. :)

MrScribbler said...

lowandslow -- too bad the beauteous waglet didn't give us the German translation of the term. I'll bet it's a one-word paragraph!

Doug said...

I ain't afraid of no Friday the 13th. It's just anoth....wlkap!

MrScribbler said...

dal -- it's almost over, and nothing worse than the usual holbz seems to have happened....

Anonymous said...

"The good Herr Doktor has found that the last time this happened was in 1520.

Damn, I missed that one."

You were aged about 15 at the time - how did you miss it?

JJ

MrScribbler said...

well, JJ, though I should have noticed -- and you, as an older but wiser geezer just making it into OAP-hood should have reminded me -- I was probably distracted by a female. I think that was the last year one showed an interest in me....

Anonymous said...

Interesting... wish I had read your informative post 13 minutes ago (another "13" ...aauughh!) before the day transformed into the 14th! :-)

Dorrie said...

my Friday the 13th was quite good, even after a black cat ran in front of my car from right to left (which is good luck compared to left to right according to a GERMAN saying lol).... and no, I didn't hit it! phew!

Anonymous said...

sh I am so glad I did not know that til now but iam seriously behind in your posts, farm issues....