Left Handed People

In times past, left-handed people were thought to be the children of the devil, but a scientific study suggests that sinistrals are not as cursed as was once thought. Some studies have indicated that left-handers are more likely to die prematurely than their right-handed counterparts. It was thought that left-handers may be more prone to accidents because their sense of spatial awareness is not acute as right –handers. But new research in the Lancet suggests that left-handers are at no greater risk of dying earlier. Investigators sent a questionnaire inquiring about handedness to people aged between 15 and 70 years. They received 6,097 correctly completed responses. Nine years later they attempted to trace the respondents. Research revealed that 5,662 were still alive, 387 had died, and 48 could not be traced. However further analysis revealed that handedness was not related to longevity. The researchers led by Dr. Simon Ellis, from the Department of neurology, North Staffordshire, concluded: “Handedness did not make a significant contribution to the outcome of death.”

10 to 15 percent of humankind is left-handed. In a world designed for right-handers, lefties can be more accident-prone, more susceptible to disease, and may not

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The German word for "left-handed" is "linkish," which also means "awkward. When tools became more sophisticated, a clear hand preference emerged.

Lefties have a unique edge in these tasks: bowling, typing (the most frequently used keys are on the left), and baseball (as noted above, lefty batters are closer to first base).

Left-handers sometimes slip naturally into mirror-writing flowing from right to left and perfectly readable to them (or to anyone with a mirror). So even though it may be more difficult for a left handed person to live in a right handed world, lefties can know that they are in good company.

By doing this research I also found that Stone Age implements discovered seem equally divided between left and right and studies of cave drawings have indicated a preference for the left hand. If they are made to write like right-handers, but using their left hand, they often end up with a very cramped position and a "hook" wiring style that is painful and slow - not great for exams in later life! As children start to use ink pens, a left-handed nib cut-off in the correct direction is essential if they want to avoid a blotty mess.

However, in no place are lefties considered more precious than in the game of baseball. These problems are easily overcome with some sensible guidance and use of simple left-handed implements, but they often get neither and end with an unfair reputation as being slow, awkward and clumsy as a result!

Difficulties include: Cutting out simple shapes using scissors. Left-handers International, a pro-lefty lobby group, celebrates August 13 as Lefthanders Day.

In the Northern hemisphere you have to face south to follow the sun and move from left to right until the suns sets in the west. Today the term "left" often signifies something that is "far-out," extreme, or disparing, like "left-wing," "out in left field," and "a left-handed compliment. The researchers have concluded that left-handed people are left handed for the same reason as brown eyed people have brown eyes. " And in Russia to be called left-handed--"levja"--is an insult!

The right hand is used for shaking hands, saluting, making the sign of the cross, spinning prayer wheels, and swearing on the Bible.

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Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)

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