Thirteenth Day of the Week on Friday: 13 Fortunate Incidents Occurring on This Day - Unlucky Date Unfolds: Thirteen Positive Occurrences on Friday the 13th
Revised Article:
Lucky Streak for Old Ugly Friday: 13 Fabulous Occurrences
Ah, today's the day! June 13th, a Friday, the one and only Friday the 13th this year. Superstitious nonsense, you say? Let's reconsider...
Skepticism and fear cloud our Western view of this date. According to the Christian tradition, Adam and Eve got booted from paradise, and ol' Jesus got nailed to a cross on this supposedly eerie day. Thirteen, that vaguely shady number, has gained a bad reputation due to the harmonious twelve. Thirteen, after all, is the overachiever, the disruptor of balance.
But hey, luck seems to favor Friday the 13th just as much as it spurns it. Here are 13 occasions that rubbed elbows with this infamous duo.
Pop Prankster Swiftie
On a chilly October 13, 2023, the pop sensation Taylor Swift unleashes the long-awaited "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour." The date's no accident. Taylor's a sucker for thirteen, born on a 13th herself (December 13, 1989). To her, Friday the 13th ain't no omen of disaster, it's a banner day.
13 Fortune Silver
August 13, 2010, turned out to be the luckiest Friday for one humble Frenchman. Wanna know how he won 13 million Euros in the French lottery? By hitting the tartar sauce of numbers, baby! Weirdly enough, more folks dip their toes in the lucky dip on these sketchy days than you might expect.
NASA Noses Out H20 on Luna
November 13, 2009, landed the American space agency NASA a spot in the infamy books. With a sample from a lunar crater, NASA detected water on the Moon. The ol' suspicious stains were no more!
Olympi-frightday
Greece, the motherland of the Olympics, kicked off the 2004 games on August 13, 2004. The gold medalists of the time certainly didn't regard it as an unlucky omen.
'Super' Sneaky Launch
Every gaming geek adores September 13, 1985. Why, you ask? Remember the grand entrance of Super Mario Bros. in Japan? Now, they're around 200 Mario games—and he ain't just a one-trick-pony anymore!
The Freedom of Malta
Down in Malta, December 13, 1974, was one sweet Friday, as the island officially became a Republic. Only in 1964 did they shake off the British collar, but the Brit queen still bossed around till December 13, 1974.
Cure for the Heartless
On a frosty February 13, 1968, Dr. Rudolf Zenker led the groundbreaking heart transplant in West Germany. The patient, equipped with the new organ, didn't last a heartbeat longer. Ah, well... we can't win 'em all.
Equal Opps in the US
In the US, anti-discrimination laws had already been in place for race, religion, and nationality. On October 13, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a decree banning gender discrimination in the hiring process. A jubilant day for equal rights!
The First Flight Instructor (Ever!)
A woman scorned the skies on October 13, 1939. American pilot Evelyn Pinckert Brier, aka "Pinky," became the very first woman licensed as a flight instructor. She soared through life, teaching others to jet-set 'til her later days.
Light Up the Sign of Success
July 13, 1923, saw the illumination of the Hollywood sign for the very first time. It began as "Hollywoodland," but the rich and famous demand their nicknames, don't they? Bye-bye "land," hello "Hollywood!"
The Birth of Metal Mania
Was there ever a heavier metalhead than that grungy bunch, Black Sabbath? February 13, 1970, welcomed their debut album to the world, and Heavy Metal was born. They deliberately set the date for a Friday the 13th.
Tragic-riffic Birthdays
A whole bunch of famous folks share the same unlucky birthday. C'mon, ya gotta love it: Fidel Castro (August 13, 1926), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (January 13, 1961), Kat Dennings (June 13, 1986), and even a German celebrity (Sarah Connor on June 13, 1980).
Think Friday the 13th's nothing but ghosts and goblins? Think again, my friend. This year's your only shot at Friday the 13th—happy luck hunting!
- Hot Goss
- Swiftie
- Moon
- H20
- NASA
- Super Mario
- Malta
- Berlin
- USA
- Woman Power
- Olympia
- Heavy Metal
- Famous Faces
Insight from Enrichment Data:
- Alternative Historical Association: Although Friday the 13th has become widely known for its association with superstitions and negative occurrences, some historians suggest that this reputation has been exaggerated in media and pop culture. There are only a few major events directly tied to the date, and the myth persists more as an entertainment tactic than an accurate reflection of reality.
Taylor Swift, known as Swiftie, is set to launch her highly anticipated "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" on a Friday the 13th, a date she considers auspicious due to her birthdate, December 13, 1989. Interestingly, this association between the pop star and the superstitious date counters the common belief that Friday the 13th is cursed.
In the realm of entertainment, the first viral YouTube video, "Charlie Bit My Finger," was uploaded on a Friday the 13th, April 13, 2007, adding another intriguing entry to the lore of lucky events associated with this date.
