I have confessed before that I suffer from just the slightes case of triskaidekaphobia. But at least I am free of paraskavedekatriaphobia. If you're not, at least know you are not suffering alone:
The sixth day of the week and the number 13 both have foreboding reputations said to date from ancient times, and their inevitable conjunction from one to three times a year (there happen to be three such occurrences in 2009, two of them right in a row) portends more misfortune than some credulous minds can bear. According to experts it's the most widespread superstition in the United States today. Some people won't go to work on Friday the 13th; some won't eat in restaurants; many wouldn't think of setting a wedding on the date.
My favorite legend about the superstition is that it dates all the way back to priimitive societies. People used their 10 fingers and two feet to count; they could go no higher than 12 and what lay beyond that -- 13! -- was unknown and scary. But wouldn't they have used their 10 toes as well as their 10 fingers to count? Shouldn't "21" really be the scary number?
Now I've done it. Oh, wait, the 21st is on a Saturday this month. Never mind.
Comments
Leo:
Speaking of counting fingers & toes, try THIS:
-Count UPWARDS from ONE on your LEFT hand...
-Count BACKWARDS from TEN on your RIGHT hand...
-Then, add up those TWO totals...
Got it?
Good.
And now YOU know HOW the government figured out the STIMULUS PACKAGE...!
Cool, huh?
;)