The Life and Times of ...

By PappaG

2013

Morning all,

We awaken to a new year......and it terrifies the life out of some people, supersticious people.

Fear of the number 13 has a specifically recognized phobia, Triskaidekaphobia, a word which was coined in 1911. The superstitious sufferers of triskaidekaphobia try to avoid bad luck by keeping away from anything numbered or labelled thirteen.

Some anecdotes on the Number 13:

-13 turns make a traditional hangman's noose. Anything less would not snap a neck
-At Jesus Christ's last supper, there were thirteen people around the table, counting Christ and the twelve apostles.
-On Friday 13 October 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrest of the Knights Templar
-A year which contained 13 full moons instead of 12 posed problems for the monks who were in charge of the calendars
-There are 13 notes, by inclusive counting, in a full chromatic musical octave.
-The American flag has 13 stripes in honour of the first 13 colonies
-13 (thirteen) is a natural number after 12 and before 14. It is the smallest number with eight letters in its name spelled out in English.
-The number 13 is the sixth prime number, and the smallest emirp (prime which is a different prime when reversed).

.......and not all of them bad.
My Eldest was born on Friday the 13th so along with the Chinese I consider 13 to be a lucky number.

Here's hoping its a lucky year for all of us.

Have a very Happy New Year....all the best ;0)

Have a great day ;0)

TTFN ;0)

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