FEEL LUCKY? WELL, DO YA?

So it's Friday the 13th! Watch out for black cats, broken mirrors -- and for goodness' sake don't walk under any ladders. But is "unlucky" number 13 getting a bad rap? Here are some pretty impressive positive events that have occurred on the 13th. As a matter of fact, it's hard to say where we'd be if there were no 13's on the calendar.

America was discovered on the eve of the 13th of the month.
The republic originally consisted of 13 colonies.
The first official American flag had 13 stripes and 13 stars.
The 13th Amendment to the Constitution put an end to slavery.


But just in case all this doesn't impress you, here's the reason why you should avoid certain evil omens, especially when the 13th rolls around.


Black cats have been feared since the Middle Ages because back then people thought the devil and his demons took feline form to stalk the earth. But while it's considered to be bad luck if a black kitty crosses your path, it's considered good luck to own one.

Blame the ancient Greeks for the notion that a broken mirror will bring you seven years bad luck. They thought things happened in multiples of seven -- the Seven Wonders of the World, for example.
Walking under ladders has been a no-no ever since early Christian mystics decided to make the triangle the symbol of the Trinity. Anyone who blundered through a triangle -- the shape made by a ladder leaning against a wall -- was deemed to be tempting fate.