OT: Happy Friday the 13th! (aka POSBANG TIME!)

Submitted by GoWings2008 on

Its a well known fact that athletes are among some of the most superstitious people alive, but I was curious to hear who among us holds on to any particular...routines...on a day like today. 

Personally, I do not but I pay particular attention to those around me, especially on the road, and try to increase my level of Situational Awareness.

Discuss.

Edit:  Who am I to ignore the humble requests of my MGoBrethren?

bdsisme

December 13th, 2013 at 9:39 AM ^

I didn't realize it was Friday the 13th until you posted this.  I guess I'm not very superstitious.

EDIT: You should also make this a posbang thread, because, well Friday+posbangs are back.

Walter E. Kurtz

December 13th, 2013 at 10:36 AM ^

Law School:  First year they work you death.  Second year they bore you to death.  I forget what happens the third year.  Suffice to say, after the first year it gets better and more oriented to what area you want to practice.

LSAClassOf2000

December 13th, 2013 at 9:46 AM ^

I am not a big believer in the Friday the 13th superstition either, but my windshield did get a nice chip thanks to an overloaded gravel hauler this morning, so there is that. Other than that, the day has otherwise been well. 

Actually, as I recall, there is very little mention of any unluckiness about the day until sometime in the 19th century, but I do know that separately, 13 has historically been considered unlucky and I believe Friday was traditionally considered a bad day to travel, which also sucks because I am supposed to go to a party tonight and we're looking at a good snow here. 

MGoManBall

December 13th, 2013 at 10:33 AM ^

Our calender repeats in cycles of 28 years, or 336 months. In this cycle, there are exactly 48 months where the 13th of the month falls on any given day of the week. So within the cycle, the chances that the 13th of any month falls on a Friday are exactly 1/7 (just like every other day).

The occurences are not evenly spaced. There are 12 years with one Friday the 13th, 12 with 2, and 4 years with 3. There are 3 exceptions to this cycle every 400 years, and the calendar skips ahead 16 years in the cycle. This results in one additional Friday the 13th every 175 years or so. That's 2100 months. 

But because of the arrangement of ups and downs in the uneven cycle, we can't say when the extra ones are added. The next 450some years will net no additional occurences of a Friday the 13th.

nmumike

December 13th, 2013 at 9:50 AM ^

info on Friday the 13th: According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in North Carolina an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the US are affected by a fear of this day making it the most feared day and date in history. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that  $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day".

As for me, I am just happy that it is Friday!

lunchboxthegoat

December 13th, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^

I successfully avoided this damn song for its entire existence until a few weeks ago. One of the sports talk shows I listen to here in Houston has a funny tradition where they play really horribawful music on Fridays for bumper music and I was subjected. 

 

My ear virginity will never be restored. 

Tuebor

December 13th, 2013 at 9:52 AM ^

It is funny that Friday is considered an unlucky day.  I love Fridays, especially Friday nights.  Western superstition is a strange thing.

MikeCohodes

December 13th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^

but oddly enough as I opened this thread, the next track up on my iPod was "It's the end of the world as we know it" by R.E.M. so that is kinda ominous considering that we are talking about superstitions.

Happy Real Posbang Friday everybody! Enjoy your weekend!