Running Like A Girl 2010

Christina and I finished the 2010 SF Nike Woman’s Half Marathon with an overall time of 3:31:24 which is 28 minutes faster than last year.  If you look at the pace and the rank it isn’t stellar but I wouldn’t exactly call myself an athlete either.  I woke up at 4am to get over to Christina’s so it was a very early start to our day.  Got some coffee and cash and we made it to the race just in time for it to start.  We started in the orange group this year even though we had yellow wrist bands which means we run 14 minute miles (the slowest class).  The nice thing about doing that is you are with faster people at the start.  I got a little agitated because clearly the people who thought they were fast weren’t and were walking way too much to be in the orange class.  Regardless it was another fun year and we saw lots of people we knew from work.

The first half of the race we had perfect weather and the second half it started raining which was fine until the race ended and we had to stop moving.  The bus line was about a mile long which meant we waited in the cold rain and wind for about an hour wearing shorts and a soaked sweatshirt so I was chilled to the bone and shivering despite my best attempts to think about lying in the sun on a white sand beach.  Went and picked up a pizza after the race and watched a nice movie with hot chocolate to finish off the day.  My muscles are actually doing pretty good this year but my knees are what hurt the most.  Go team Safeway!

Free Your Inner Orangutan

I’m going to give you a scenario and by doing, so I’m hoping to prove a point. Let’s say everyone in the world has to go to prison even though they haven’t committed a crime. Let’s also say there are only three prisons which are an Apple prison, a Windows prison, and a Linux prison, and you get to choose which one you are going to spend the rest of your life in.

The Apple Prison

You are told and many believe the Apple prison is great, fantastic, wonderful, insanely awesome, remarkable, cool, and many other adjectives in the presentation you see from its warden Steve Jobs. The marketing campaigns for the prison are artistic and sexy, with lots of marketing dollars behind them. Because everything is so sexy and perfect, it costs lots of money to get into it. The prison itself is beautiful, and much of it is made of brushed metal. All the doors and cabinets don’t have knobs because its leader hates buttons and knobs. At this prison you are served fancy foods and everyone and everything is beautiful. It is ruled by one man who says you do things one way – his way because he is the best and nobody can be better than him (although the guy is a freaking rock star). The televisions can only display half the television programs because its warden doesn’t want to use a certain technology called Flash. The inmates for some reason love being dictated to and controlled because everything in the prison “just works” so they never try and leave.

The Windows Prison

The Windows prison is nice but not as beautiful as the Apple prison, but it costs less to get in. The warden of this prison, Steve Ballmer, likes to yell a lot but all in all, seems like a guy you would have liked to have hung out with in college. The inmates of the prison are very compatible with one another, and much of their time is spent developing their own rules. The rules work great as long as you don’t mind following rules created within your own prison, although you hear the other prisons have some better amenities, but you don’t care because your rules have support. Lots of people in this prison seem to still have AOL email accounts, and many worked for very large companies prior to arriving at the prison. The prison sometimes has really large earthquakes which crashes everything. Because of the earthquakes, you have to constantly keep rebuilding the entire prison all over again, which they call the blue earthquake of death. The latest builds of the prison take less time to rebuild and crash less often. The prison is fun because it allows you to play lots of video games.

The Linux Prison

The Linux prison barely has anyone occupying it, but everyone has keys to the front gates and every room to do whatever they wanted (heck, they could leave). Everything in the prison is completely free. Sometimes the inmates of the prison don’t have something they need, but they have the tools necessary to build it themselves. Everyone occupying the prison can’t understand why anyone would ever leave, and the inmates are in complete control of themselves. This can sometimes be a bad thing because there aren’t many laws or much support if an outbreak/riot occurs. If you get hurt and need to repair yourself, there aren’t a lot of people to help you, but you can get lots of help online. Although the Linux prison sometimes lacks control it does try to make rules for all prisons, but because most people are satisfied with their own prisons they don’t care much about the more open rules from this prison. Earthquakes occur, but the prison hasn’t crashed in years, so there isn’t much thought given to ever worrying about rebuilding. Everyone in the prison is a genius because everyone who runs Linux is a genius, and that is just how it works. I was doing good until that last point, wasn’t I?

Why Not Free Your Inner Monkey (or Orangutan)?

My guess is because some don’t like to troubleshoot and fix things. Some just want their world to “just work” and I think there is something to be said for that, but I can’t understand why you would sacrifice your freedom because of it. Others like compatibility and the familiarity with their existing operating system because they use it at work or because it is compatible with so many things. Gaming on a PC is fun too, so I get that as well.

Are there some gaping holes and things I haven’t included in my arguments? Yeah absolutely, it is a complex subject, and I’m trying to simplify it, not to mention make it semi entertaining (and attempt to start a conversation). The most interesting thing about it? You might be a person who sits in a prison and does nothing and says nothing all day. Whatever prison you’re in, say something, do something, and be something! People (and orangutans/animals) were meant to live free, so why are so many of us living in prisons and happy about it? Live free and live open, and never forget sharing is caring. Oh, and Mr. Orangutan here says open-source rules and you like orangutans, right?

FeatureApple PrisonWindows PrisonLinux Prison
CostHighMediumFree
FreedomLowMediumHigh
User ExperiencePolishedFamiliarCustomizable
StabilityHighVariableVery High
GamingLimitedExcellentImproving

Discussion Points

  • Which “prison” do you currently live in, and what made you choose it?
  • Have you ever tried to “escape” to a different operating system? How did it go?
  • Do you think the trade-off between convenience and freedom is worth it?
  • What would your ideal operating system look like if you could create one?

Lucky Number 13

Exploring our curious fear of a simple number and what it reveals about human psychology

Elevator panel missing number 13 Jason from Friday the 13th movie

Left: A hotel elevator with the “missing” 13th floor. Right: Jason from Friday the 13th, the horror franchise that capitalized on our fear of the number.

Take a careful look at the elevator panel in the image above. Notice anything unusual? Despite giving away the answer in the title of this post, it’s worth pointing out explicitly: there is no 13th floor button. The numbers jump straight from 12 to 14, as if the 13th floor simply doesn’t exist.

Of course, the building does have a 13th floor—it’s just labeled as the 14th. In reality, everyone above the 12th floor is actually one floor higher than their button indicates. This architectural sleight-of-hand is remarkably common. According to a 2002 review by Otis Elevators, approximately 85% of high-rise buildings with their elevators skip the 13th floor designation entirely.

This raises a fascinating question: As a society, have we collectively lost our minds? How did we become so irrationally fearful of a simple number that we designed our buildings around avoiding it?

Triskaidekaphobia: The Fear With the Complicated Name

The technical term for fear of the number 13 is “triskaidekaphobia,” derived from Greek: “tris” (three), “kai” (and), “deka” (ten), and “phobos” (fear). Researchers estimate that approximately 10 percent of the U.S. population experiences some form of anxiety related to this number, resulting in significant behavioral changes and even economic impacts.

The specific fear of Friday the 13th—called paraskevidekatriaphobia—is so widespread that it reportedly causes financial losses exceeding $800 million annually as people avoid traveling, making major purchases, or even getting married on these “unlucky” days.

What makes the number 13 phobia particularly interesting is how architectural and business decisions cater to it. Beyond missing floor numbers, many hotels avoid room 13, airports skip gate 13, and some airlines don’t have a 13th row—all to accommodate a superstition that most people can’t rationally explain.

Where Did Our Fear of 13 Come From?

The origins of triskaidekaphobia are complex and intertwined with various cultural and religious traditions. Several prominent theories include:

  • The Last Supper Theory: Perhaps the most widely cited explanation is biblical—at the Last Supper, Judas was the 13th person to arrive, and he subsequently betrayed Jesus. This association between the 13th guest and betrayal created a powerful negative connection.
  • Norse Mythology: According to Norse legends, a dinner of the gods in Valhalla was ruined when Loki, the trickster god, arrived as the uninvited 13th guest, leading to the death of Balder, the god of light and joy.
  • Numerological Discomfort: The number 13 follows 12, which was considered a “complete” number in many ancient systems. There are 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 hours on the clock—making 13 seem irregular and disruptive to established patterns.
  • Knights Templar Connection: Some historians connect Friday the 13th specifically to October 13, 1307, when King Philip IV of France ordered the mass arrest of the Knights Templar, leading to their torture and execution.

Interestingly, not all cultures share this fear. Ancient Egyptians actually considered 13 a lucky number associated with the afterlife and spiritual ascension. Meanwhile, in parts of Asia, the number 4 is considered unlucky due to its pronunciation being similar to the word for “death” in several languages.

Cultural Impact: From Architecture to Entertainment

The impact of triskaidekaphobia extends far beyond individual anxieties. Our collective unease with the number 13 has shaped architecture, business practices, and popular culture:

  • Building Design: Beyond the missing 13th floors, many buildings designate the 13th floor as a mechanical or storage floor to avoid having occupants on that level.
  • Aviation: Numerous airlines skip row 13 in their seating arrangements, and some airports avoid gate 13 designations.
  • City Planning: Some cities even skip 13th Street or 13th Avenue in their urban layouts. Interestingly, Vancouver has recently banned this practice, citing potential confusion for emergency services.
  • Entertainment: The “Friday the 13th” horror franchise has grossed hundreds of millions of dollars by capitalizing on our collective fear of this supposedly cursed date.

The economic impact of these superstitions is surprisingly significant. Studies suggest that businesses lose millions in revenue on Friday the 13th as people avoid travel, major purchases, and even routine activities.

The Psychology Behind the Superstition

What drives seemingly rational people to maintain these superstitions in our modern, scientifically advanced world? Psychologists suggest several explanations:

  • Illusion of Control: Superstitions provide a sense of order and control in an uncertain world. By avoiding certain numbers or behaviors, people feel they can influence outcomes.
  • Cultural Transmission: These beliefs are often passed down through generations and reinforced by continued observance and media portrayals.
  • Confirmation Bias: When something bad happens on the 13th or on Friday the 13th, people remember and attribute it to the date, while forgetting the countless uneventful 13ths.
  • Social Conformity: Even those who don’t personally believe in the superstition may maintain practices to avoid contradicting widely held cultural norms.

Perhaps the most interesting psychological aspect is how this superstition can create real effects. Studies have shown that people who believe 13 is unlucky actually experience more anxiety and stress on the 13th, potentially leading to decreased performance and increased accident rates—a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Rational Irrationality?

So, are we insane as a society for believing a number can bring bad luck? Perhaps not entirely. Superstitions often serve psychological functions, providing structure and a sense of control in an unpredictable world. They connect us to cultural traditions and shared human experiences across generations.

Personally, the number 13 has never caused me any particular concern. I’ve stayed in room 13, made important decisions on the 13th, and never felt the need to knock on wood after mentioning it. Yet I find our collective reaction to this number fascinating—it reveals how deeply irrational elements can persist within otherwise rational modern societies.

What’s particularly interesting is that some studies suggest people might actually be safer on Friday the 13th. A 2008 study by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics found fewer traffic accidents and reports of theft on these supposedly unlucky days, possibly because people are more cautious or simply stay home.

Join the Conversation

Do you have any superstitions about the number 13? Have you ever made decisions based on numerical superstitions? Share your thoughts in the comments below!