Our infatuation with numbers: superstition is often the way

Numbers are now used in a diverse area.
2012 is now the year many people believe the Judgement Day could come, when the condition in the world is no longer inhabitable. That’s convincing, given the severe storms and floods of people in many corners of the world.
In medical field, we are told that 120/80 is the normal blood pressure level. For good health, all should maintain their total cholesterol below 200 mg/dl while, to prevent heart diseases, low-density lipoproteins (the bad guy) should be kept below 130 mg/dl.
Numbers are most important in the financial market, being a reference of corporate performance and performance of the markets. In good days, numbers bring joy to all. In bad days, like what happens now with worries about the US and euro-zone economies, only the lucky do not get their fingers burnt.
Numbers are also used to serve humans’ lust for prosperity. Stepping into casinos, numbers are all there, in every corner, including in slot machines – something that all visitors know how to play (and lose).
As gambling is illegal in Thailand, most Thais now use the science of numbering when it comes to lottery and illegal lotto purchases. (Yes, more Thai should be able to afford a visit to casinos now given that many are available around Thai borders, but lotteries and lotto are the easiest way to bet. Needless to say, it is quite fulfilling given the betting chance comes bi-monthly.)
It is amazing to see how clever humans can be, in putting the 10 numbers from 0 to 9 into a meaningful sum.
In this area, Thai gamblers could be more advanced than others, with other sciences being applied into the guesswork.
Now, all the focus is on numbers involved with our first female prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra. Before you say that it’s superstitious, just look at the lotto numbers in the previous rounds. They included the numbers of her personal and official vehicle license plates. Notably, her title as PM No.28 was once a lucky number.
In the October 1 round, there was a guess that the two-digit lucky number would be her birthday, 44. All lotteries containing the number were gone in a swift. When the lucky number instead turned out to be 15, some won prizes as they bought lotto on tips that Yingluck recently attended the 15th award presentation to the media.
The betters also have some sort of techniques to interpret dreams into numbers. From what I know, if you dream about a dead person close to the day when the lucky numbers will be announced, the lotto will contain number “0”. If a woman appears in your dream, think about her age, minus 1. Plus 1 is a must for a dream about a man. Statistics turn this into a science, as now interpretation tips are now shared on the Internet.
It was fun to learn from the prime minister’s husband that among a pile of letters to the prime minister, some asked for personal details relating to figures.
Some letters were also addressed to their only son, Pipe. The senders did not want anything particular from the kid, but information about his mother. Hopefully, it is not the size of her lingerie – as this is such a disgusting idea.
Now, her husband has urged her to stop any possible plan to change cars, for fear people will rush to use the new licence plate number for lottery tickets they purchase. 
When it comes to numbers, humans are undoubtedly creative creatures.
It is a great wonder that just when the world is reeling from a grave economic crisis and environmental problems, they never tire of figuring how numbers can make them richer... as if they can take the wealth to their graves.