*IS THE FEAR =
OF FRIDAY THE 13TH BASED ON THE FEAR OF THE NUMBER 13 =
ITSELF?
It is. 13 is =
when numbers reach a new level when it comes to common items. There are =
12 months in a year, 12 inches in a foot, 12 items in a dozen, 12 signs =
of the zodiac, and when we learn our multiplication tables in school, =
they go all the way up to 12 times 12. While some think that =
Christianity deems the number unlucky, researchers have determined that =
the modern-day fear of 13 is based on even older Norse mythology. =
According to the story, 12 gods were dining at Valhalla when a 13th =
guest named Loki joined the party. Loki ended up causing the death of =
Balder, the Norse god of light and joy. From that day forward, the =
legend goes, the number 13 has been unlucky.
*DOES FRIDAY =
THE 13TH REALLY HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE U.S. ECONOMY? =
More than you =
might expect, in fact. According to an ABC News report from 2005, =
businesses lose nearly one billion dollars every Friday the 13th, owing =
to everything from people who stay home from work to those who won’t =
travel on the unlucky day. Some of this loss is due to lower volume on =
the stock market, but investors shouldn’t be frightened of Friday the =
13th. A study looking at stock prices over the last 50 years proved that =
the Dow performs better on Friday the 13th than on other =
Fridays.
*IS THERE ANY =
PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE FRIDAY THE 13TH IS CONSIDERED LUCKY? =
There are a =
few places, in fact HALF THE WORLD. In China and much of Asia, the date =
is considered fortunate, or at the very least not unlucky. You’d have to =
go down under to find the people who really think Friday the 13th is =
lucky, however. In Australia, lottery agents report a brisk business =
every Friday the 13th, selling 50 percent more tickets than average on =
that day.
*IS THE =
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FRIDAY THE 13TH THAT CAN OCCUR IN ANY GIVE =
CALENDAR YEAR . . .
A. =
one
B. =
two
C. =
three
D. =
four
(Answer: C. =
three. Every calendar year has at least one Friday the 13th =
– only one is today in 2021 – but no more than three of them can =
occur in any year)
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] =
www.grif.net
"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I Love!"