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What's with the number 13?

Noreen — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 08:08:03 +0000

Recently, a new Belgian carrier, Brussels Airlines was surprised when there was a deluge of complaints from its passengers about its new logo. The new logo carried 13 dots making the stylized ‘b’. Apparently, the passengers feared traveling with the 13 dots of the airline logo. The airline had to oblige by adding one more dot in the logo.

It is ‘common sense’ now to quietly omit the number 13 from flight seats, airport gates, hotel rooms or floors, hospitals beds or floors, restaurants tables, etc. The list is numerous and varied, and gets stranger by the numbers. There is even a saying that if there are 13 guests in a party, one will die the following year. Jeeze!

The fear of number 13 is evident enough to acquire a name- Triskaidekaphobia, derived from the Greek origins, tris=three, kai=and, deka=ten.

The origin of the ‘number 13’, fear, it is said, dates back to 1760 BC. The Mesopotamian Code of Hammurabi, law codes from ancient Babylon, omits number 13 from its list. However, in Christian tradition, it is believed, that at the Last Supper Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th person to sit at the table. In the tarot cards the 13th card of the Major Arcana is Death, maybe it triggered the uncanny feeling about the number 13.

Like the number 13, the Japanese, Koreans and Chinese fear the number 4. They avoid it like plague, whether it is in buildings, offices, apartments, or even car numberplate. Similarly, Italians avoid the number 17 because by rearranging the roman numerals brings up the word VIXI, which means ‘I lived’.

But the number 13 seems the most widespread, as Koreans, Chinese, Japanese and Italians all avoid the number 13 too.

VIA: FreshBuzz

Hillary Clinton 44th US President - Predicts Indian Numerologist

Noreen — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:46:05 +0000

Indian Numerologist predicts that Hillary Rodham Clinton would be the 44th President of the United States of America. According to the Indian Numerologist analysis, the next U.S. Presidential election is on November 4, 2008. On that day, numerologists predict that signs would remain favorable for her. Besides, the next election is to choose the 44th U.S. President (4 + 4 = 8), Hillary will be in her 62nd year (6 + 2 = 8), to be more precise, on that day pf the election, Hillary will be 61 years and 10 days old (6 + 1 + 1 + 0 = 8).

Encounter Specialists: A Flaw In The Police Force

Noreen — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:35:36 +0000

An ‘encounter’ would normally connote an unexpected meeting of two people or groups of people, usually adversaries. Can there be specialists who specialise in unexpected confrontations? Hardly likely. The term ‘encounter specialists’, therefore, is a misnomer that doesn’t sound right but assuages the fears of the urban middle class.

Corruption in the police department, slow moving judiciary system and immense pressure from the public has given rise to the new breed of ‘encounter specialists’ in the police force.

VIA: Indian Express

Now Raj's Sena Helps Factory Owners Find Workers

Noreen — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:15:58 +0000

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has a new job at hand: Arranging jobs for Marathi youth following its campaign against north Indians, many of whom have fled the city. MNS activists have started an employment centre to fill the vacancies with...

India is soft on Chinese intrusions in Ladakh: Thupstan Chhewang

Noreen — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:21:30 +0000

In a recent interview Thupstan Chhewang, the chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, showed concern that India is being too soft on China on the border issues. Where China is not just aggressive about keeping their side of the border areas but also forcefully occupying some of the Indian side too, India is just shying away from facing the problem.

China is boldly claiming rich pasture regions in Chumur and Skagjung in Ladakh as their land and chasing away local tribes from there, while the Indian army is shying away from the problem, and is advising the nomads from Changthang to stay away from there. In Dungti, a motorable bridge was constructed to take cattle for grazing on the other side of Indus which is well within the Indian borders. However, China objected to it and it had to be removed.
The Chinese ends, on the other hand, are overtly possessive about their border areas. Chhewang relates, about four or five years ago Chinese patrol chased an Indian party four or five kilometers inside the Indian side of the Pangong Lake. They captured the crew of the Indian boat, and took them prisoner.

In 2005 the Indian government agreed to exchange some of the uninhabited places like Aksai Chin, with the Chinese. Chhewang questions such timid moves from the government. He argues that Ladakh is a vast region and the population very sparse; there is much vacant land which does not mean it is useless and can be given away.

On one side India is fighting for every inch of its border with Pakistan, while it is turning a blind eye where it shares its borders with China. All Indian territories should be protected equally whether in public eye or not, after all we are paying our taxes so our land can be protected from intruders all alike.

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VIA: Rediff News

Limited Editions Of 70's Medusa Lamp By Olaf Von Bohr

Noreen — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:38:19 +0000

For those who indulge in retro-fashion and loved the 70’s experimental minimalist designs; Italian lighting company Valenti, is re-releasing 200 limited editions of the famous Medusa lamp designed by the Austrian designer Olaf Von Bohr. Made by assembling a series of shaped lacquered strips around a steel hoop, Medusa lamp is quite unlike its namesake, the Greek mythological tentacled woman-monster which turned it’s beholder into stone. This Medusa, however, gives a diffused soft-lighting effect which creates an ambience of sensuality and seduces its beholder in a more subtle way. You can own one of these for $2000 with certificate of authenticity. Materials used: Lacquered steel, metal. Dimensions of the lamp are 12-inch diameter, 25-inch height

Source: Spacify

Glass topped Cherub Table to grace your home

Noreen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:19:22 +0000

You have admired those lovely cherubs, little child-like angels with wings, in the art forms from the 16th century Renaissance era. They adorn many of the European churches and palaces. Now you can have three of these charming little angels gracing your own house. Seventh Avenue, the online merchandise store, is offering a glass topped table with cherubs for support. Each cherub is designed and hand-painted in intricate detail. Measuring 32″ diam. x 18 3/4″ h, the table is easy to assemble. You can have it for only $199, what more, you have the option of monthly installments of $25 with Choose ‘N Charge.

VIA: Seventh Avenue

UN May Recognize Alien UFO Visits

Noreen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:30:35 +0000

Mr. Gilles Lorant an attaché to the French (CNRS- National Center for Scientific Research ) and a member Institute of Advanced Studies for National Defense has revealed he participated in meetings the week of February 11, 2008, at the United Nations to discuss UFOs.
The meeting was regarded as general interest for all industrialized countries.

Chinese Surprised to Find BBC Website Suddenly Accessible To Them

Noreen — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 08:18:21 +0000

Chinese people after years of being blocked are surprised to find BBC News Website suddenly accessible to them. Is the Chinese government loosing it?

Malaysian Indians suspicious of the MoU between Malaysia and India

Noreen — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:51:49 +0000

The Indian Union Cabinet, on 21 March, gave the green signal to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Malaysian government to protect the rights of the emigrant workers, mainly skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers, from India. The conditions of the Indian workers are deplorable and after constant appeal from the Indian government to intervene on their behalf, finally help is on the way.

However, Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader P Waytha Moorthy is unhappy with the decision. He alleges that there are workers of many nationalities in Malaysia and a MoU with India will create discrimination between foreign workers in Malaysia.

Moorthy, against whom an arrest warrant has been issued, also believes the MoU is Malaysian government’s ploy to keep India from voicing against the fifty years of atrocities enacted upon the Malaysian Indians.

Hindraf leader has urged the Malaysian government to seriously consider it’s 18 point demand to implement measures to uplift the economic conditions of the Malaysian Indians and stop violence against them.

This fight has given Hindraf leverage over Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), an influential Indian political party in Malaysia, and has become the ‘new voice’ of an estimated two million Malaysians of Indian origin.

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VIA: Sify News