The dreaded Friday 13th.

JohnW · 12-08-2004, 15:02

Well tomorrow we are expecting a direct hit in this area from Hurricane Charley. Happily, the Hurricane is only likely to be a category 1 so hopefully damage will be minimal. Anyone else expecting less than a good day?

Bazf, you must be in its path also eh?

Ceejache · 12-08-2004, 15:20

Heres hoping all turns out OK for y'all in Florida. I suppose you must be sort of used to these phenomena though - if one can get used to such things.

I love the quant names given to these destructive beasts.....wouldnt something like Hurricane Lucifer be more appropriate?!

accyplus · 12-08-2004, 15:45

Good luck John,baton down.

lettie · 12-08-2004, 15:46

Expecting a good day, as it's my day off and we are hoping to go out for the day. Currently looking at the Museum of film and Photography in Bradford as our destination. I don't have any superstitions about friday 13th as bad things happen to me on any day of the year.

Good luck John W and Bazf with the hurricaine, hope you've battened down the hatches. Let us know that you're ok.:emotion-3

Bazf · 12-08-2004, 16:03

I think we may be in its path but it looks like it may go to the south of us, if it gets close I will be heading to the mother in laws in Vero Beach, which is worse Hurricane

or Mother in Law

Oh well lifes a challenge

I use this program at work and it shows a weather pattern, you can also zoom in and add towns etc.
It has just been upgraded to a 2 with winds over 100mph. Stay safe JW.

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USL...=none&pid=none

http://www.intellicast.com/Local/USN...=none&pid=none

JohnW · 12-08-2004, 16:16

You too Bazf.

Acrylic-bob · 12-08-2004, 16:53

Best of luck chaps, let us know when it's all over.

Doug · 12-08-2004, 17:03

All the best John, don't do ow't daft. If you can some blow by blow detail would be welcome. Take care mate.

pendy · 12-08-2004, 17:18

Lettie - you think nothing bad can happen? You're planning to go to Yorkshire - what could be worse?

Hope all is safe for you guys in Florida.

Bazf · 12-08-2004, 17:36

I think its safer in a hurricane then in Yorkshire, just think funny accents that your not going to understand and if you drop a penny you might start a riot, give me a Hurricane any day.

Darby · 13-08-2004, 05:08

Getting back to the original thread. (hope ya'lls well in Hurricane Alley)

Does anybody know the origin of why Friday the 13th is known as a bad-luck day??

Less · 13-08-2004, 07:15

From what I remember it used to be a seafaring tradition that no ship would set sail on Friday the 13th because only bad luck would come to a voyage that began on that day.

lettie · 13-08-2004, 07:15

Origin of friday 13th...

Found this on Yahoo's 'ask' section re Friday 13th.

Western culture has considered Friday the 13th particularly unlucky for hundreds of years. The sixth day of the week has often been considered unlucky, as has the number 13. The combination, which occurs one to three times a year, leads to the inevitable superstition.

Some say the number 13 was purposely vilified by the priests of patriarchal religions because it represented femininity. Thirteen corresponded to the number of lunar (menstrual) cycles in a year, and the number was revered in prehistoric goddess-worshipping cultures.
Hindus believed that it was unlucky for 13 people to gather in one place. This conviction was shared by the ancient Scandinavians.
Many biblical events of negative import supposedly occurred on a Friday, including the ejection of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the start of the Great Flood, and the crucifixion of Jesus.

Like many legends and superstitions, the origin of Friday the 13th will always be subject to speculation. In the end, we take all the theories with a grain of salt (thrown over our left shoulder, of course).

Darby · 13-08-2004, 07:47

The one I heard and read about went back to the 1300's, and was the treachery of the Pope and Phillip the Fair (King of France) who were both broke and envied the power and riches of the Knights Templars. So they organised a take over by raiding (simultaineously) and taking over the Templars castles and riches. All this was to be carried out in secret and commenced on Friday the 13th, sometime in 1326? or so.

This was carried out with great effect throughout most of Europe, and thousands of templars were murdered or captured and tortured (mainly to death). Their wealth was confiscated, and naturally went to the Pope and Phillip.

It was regarded as the greatest day of infamy in history and all were warned to beware on Friday the 13th!!

Good job I watched out to-day as I nearly had an accident on the way to work (women drivers...!!)

JohnW · 13-08-2004, 11:11

Just as an update on the situation for anyone interested. The Hurricane is expected to make landfall around the Tampa Bay area at around 8 pm. tonight. The winds are now expected to be almost 120 mph. making it very nearly a category four hurricane, very dangerous indeed. I know that most of the coastal areas around Tampa are being evacuated and also the lower Florida Keys. Downtown Tampa is expected to take flooding with seas being 12 to 16 feet over normal. I believe that almost one million people are under mandatory evacuation today and the State Governor has called a state of emergency.
Charley will then travel across the state and will make a direct hit on this area at around 2 am. Saturday morning. It will have disipated somewhat from its original state due to crossing the peninsula. Unfortunately, with Florida being so flat the disipation will be minimal. Mountain ranges are the best thing for disorganising hurricanes. The winds are still expected to be in the 85-100 mph range when it arrives in St. Augustine.
The main body of yesterday's storm Bonnie, passed us by, but unfortunately produced some very dangerous thunderstorms on the fringes and they spawned some tornadoes in our area. Many trees were uprooted and people unfortunate enough to be caught out driving had their cars flipped over by the force of the winds. Very worrying, as the winds measured in the Tornadoes were around 85 mph. and we are expecting worse than that overnight. I will be leaving work early today to go home and batten down the hatches. I expect to live to tell the tale and will give a "blow by blow" (pun intended) commentary on Monday, all being well.