Friday the 13th: A history of superstition

Aug 13 2021

Like all superstitions, pinpointing where and when the concept of Friday the 13th as being a cursed day originated is immensely difficult. Superstitions are very elusive, and this one is just as shrouded in mystery. A possible starting point would be the specialised phobia of the number 13 called triskaidekaphobia which then morphs into fear of Friday the 13th itself; paraskevidekatriaphobia.

An interesting fact is that the Gregorian calendar, the one we all use on a daily basis, makes the 13th day of any month slightly more likely to fall on a Friday rather than any other day of the week. There are however other superstitions related to the number 13 and other days across the globe, with Greek and Spanish speaking countries fearing Tuesday the 13th and Italians fearing Friday the 17th.

As a superstition, its origins is intertwined with myths, fables and religions. Many pinpoint to the Last Supper in the Bible as being a possible event which solidified the superstition. This is because the 13th guest at the table, including Jesus Christ, was Judas Iscariot. Given the events that followed the last supper, it wouldn’t come as a surprise that the number of that specific guest would be attributed to some sort of misfortune.

In the 19th century, Friday the 13th was made synonymous with misfortune. For Steve Road explains, the connection between 13 and Friday is a Victorian invention as in the popular novel ‘Friday, the Thirteenth’, a broker takes advantage of the superstitions around the date to crash the stock market.

The 1980s then saw a hockey-masked killer named Jason Voorhees in the slasher flick franchise ‘Friday the 13th’ murder innocent victims. In 2003, Dan Brown continued to make the date more haunting as he incorrectly stated that the superstition originated with the arrests of hundreds of members of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13th, 1307.

Some, however, have reinvented the definition of the number 13. Pop singer artist Taylor Swift, for example, considers the number 13 as lucky, performing on stage with the number drawn on her hand. Like all such things, the associations with 13, Friday and the combination of the two evolves according to how cultures change over time. We might not have a definite answer as to how Friday the 13th became such a haunting concept, but we do know that it has had a powerful impact on cultures globally.

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Home Alone getting a reboot with all-new cast this November

Aug 13 2021

It’s still August, but we all know people who love to get into the Christmas spirit well before December actually rolls around. And it seems as though they will be accompanied by a reboot of a classic movie franchise – that is, Home Alone. More than 30 years after the release of the first instalment, Home Alone is one of those Christmas movies that holds a place in everyone’s hearts. The new edition will be called ‘Home Sweet Home Alone’ and is set for release on November 12th.

Three months until we’re #HomeSweetHomeAlone. The all-new Original Movie starts streaming November 12 on @DisneyPlus starring Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Archie Yates, Aisling Bea, Kenan Thompson, Tim Simons, Pete Holmes, Devin Ratray, Ally Maki, and Chris Parnell. pic.twitter.com/h9MijHB0m8

— Disney (@Disney) August 12, 2021

Exclusive for Disney+, the story will follow Archie Yates, a mischievous young boy akin to Macaulay Culkin’s original character. He will be joined by The Office star Ellie Kemper and Catastrophe star Rob Delaney, as Yate’s character Max Mercer must protect his house from a married couple attempting to rob a priceless heirloom. It’s time to enter the Christmas spirit with a bit of nostalgia and some slapstick humour!

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Photo Source: Empire, Flickering Myth

Newly restored Combined Operations Room inaugurated by Malta Airport Foundation

Aug 13 2021

The Malta Airport Foundation, along with Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, officially inaugurated the fully restored Combined Operations Room and ancillary rooms which form part of a warren of tunnels and chambers underneath Valletta’s Upper Barrakka.

Dating back to 1566 after being built by the Order of Saint John, the tunnels were used as war headquarters by British forces in 1941. The room received information from several ancillary rooms which allowed military strategy to take place, managing all defensive and offensive naval and military action in and from Malta.

These rooms served crucial roles during the Air Battle for Malta during World War II, serving as the first Combined Operations Room in history for both defensive and offensive roles. Later used by NATO as a submarine tracking centre and having an active role in both the Suez Crisis (1956) and Cuban Missle Crisis (1962), its doors were closed in 1977. The infrastructure was heavily damaged by flooding and disuse, but Malta Airport Foundation Chairman Mr Josef Formosa Gauci stated that he is confident this restored complex will further enrich Valletta’s unique offering.

With great satisfaction, he exclaimed how Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna alongside the Malta Airport Foundation overcame many challenges encountered throughout the restoration. The attraction is now opening its doors for tourists, with Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna Chairman Mr Mario Farrugia stating how the restoration was a huge undertaking given the state the rooms were found in.

Now that the ‘mammoth’ restoration has been completed, Farrugia exclaimed how this underground complex has the potential to become one of the top military attractions on the island. The contribution by the Malta Airport Foundation amounted to almost €340,000, making it the Foundation’s largest investment in Malta’s cultural product to date. Established in 2014 to invest in Malta’s heritage and environment, the Malta Airport Foundation’s aid to restore the Combined Operations Room is its first Valletta-based project.

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Photo Source: Malta Airport Foundation Communications

40,000 vaccine doses to be sent to Libya from Malta

Aug 13 2021

Libya will be supplied with 40,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from Malta, along with an unspecified number of test kits to help fight the pandemic. Times of Malta revealed that the consignment will be sent to Tripoli on a government-chartered flight, making it another donation after test kits were sent to Tunisia were sent last week. Libya informed the World Health Organisation that it has had 271,981 confirmed cases since January 2020.

With a population of around seven million, 3,781 have died due to COVID-19, with only 764,233 vaccine doses having been administered as of Monday. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, urged governments not to administer booster shots until more countries vaccinate more of their population.

He stated how more than 80% of the vaccination doses have gone to high or upper-middle income countries, despite amounting for less than half of the world population. He stated that despite understanding national concerns to protect their people, it should not come at the expense of poorer countries as rich countries use more doses.

Malta, along with other countries, have announced plans to administer booster shots. The elderly and those with compromised immune systems will start to receive their booster jab starting mid-September.

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Photo Source: npr