The unlucky number 13 !!!!

•It is estimated that the fear of Friday the 13th afflicts between 17-21 million people in the USA alone. Has anyone done the same research for Australia, the UK, Europe, Africa or Asia? It could be interesting to compare the differences.

• The state lotteries of France and Italy in particular, never sell tickets with that number printed on it.

• It is very unlucky to have a dinner table set for 13 people. It is believed that the first person to leave the table will die within a year. Some people believe the death of Jesus proves this.

• In Scotland, the number 13 is known as the Devil’s dozen.

• The registration of Princess Mary’s birth on that particular day was delayed on purpose so she would not be entered as number 13.

• All around the world, there are a certain major hospitals who will go out of their way not to label any of their operating theaters with the dreaded number 13. This is interesting as the health industry is supposed to be based upon the practicalities of science and not upon religious superstitions.

• You may remember the disaster that befell NASA’s space shuttle, Apollo 13. Did you know that Apollo 13 left our planet on the 13th hour? An explosion in the fuel cells of the service module severely crippled the spacecraft. The number 13 may have brought good luck for the 3 Astronauts who returned safety to earth on Friday 17 April 1970.

• Staying with NASA for the moment – this multimillion dollar corporation was forced to cancel a space launch scheduled to lift off on Friday 13 November 1981, due to a problem with fuel cells.

• Numerologists consider the number 12 as being a complete number, as there are 12 months in a year, 12 signs of both the eastern and western zodiacs, 12 Gods of Olympus, the 12 Labours of Hercules, the 12 Apostles and the 12 Tribes of Israel. To exceed this number by one is to go beyond completeness and perfection.

• Have you ever wondered why at school as young children, we were never allowed to learn our multiplication tables beyond the number 12?

• In regards to Friday, this too had a reputation of being a bad day. Here is just a small smattering of well known biblical events that all happened on a Friday – Jesus was crucified and Eve tempted Adam with an apple on a Friday. Today however, if you are an employee, you hang out and crave for Friday being the last working day of the week for most people.