Hey, it’s the second Friday in April 2012, which means it’s Friday the 13th!

If you happen to suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia then you’re basically screwed today. You should immediately throw salt over your shoulder and tap doorways three times before passing through to  ward off the bad luck.

If you don’t suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia then you might want to read about the lore surrounding Friday the 13th in a blog entry I posted in 2008.

Oh, and if you happen to live in the UK, you should check out this article in the British Medical Journal that observed that although there were consistently fewer vehicles on the road on Friday the 13ths compared to Friday the 6ths, the number of admissions to hospitals due to traffic accidents was significantly higher. The abstract for the article included the following:

CONCLUSIONS–Friday 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52%. Staying at home is recommended.

Enjoy!