It's A LEFT-Handers' World, Right!

(Sufia, Canada)

I am a left hander and many among us on Booksie are. And so are BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA II, BILL CLINTON, GEORGE HW BUSH, RONALD REAGAN, GERALD FORD, HARRY S TRUMAN, HERBERT HOOVER, JAMES A GARFIELD and even JOHN McCAIN.

This year, five left handers were nominated for the “Left Hander of the Year 2008”: Barack Hussein Obama II, Angelina Jolie, Paul McCartney, David Archuleta and Rafael Nadal. Obama won it (left) hands down.

It is said, JESUS was left-handed as evidenced by Shroud of Turin and Da Vinci. Eve was created from Adam's left rib. Both Jews and Christians see Gabriel the Archangel as the angel of judgment, who sits on the left hand of God. Ehud, son of Gera, was left-handed.

If there is anything bad about being left handed, then why would God let it co-exist with the right hand? Just shows, people have negative or pessimistic perceptions. Being left-handed is ALL right.

Joan of Arc, Amitabh Bachchan, Wasim Akram, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Bill Gates, Brian Lara, Oprah Winfrey, John McEnroe and Eminem are among a host of famous left-handers. Diego Maradona (a leftie) hit the (in)famous left fist "Hand of God" illegal goal that won Argentina the 1986 World Cup. Most English cricketers are left-handed.

It is interesting to know some people can use both their hands for writing etc and are called ambidextrous.

Historically, left handers have suffered much but in today’s modern age, all prejudices are melting away. The old biases and taboos against the left handers are gradually breaking down.

A step forward is each year on August 13th the International Left-Handers’ Day is celebrated. It was first observed in 1976. The lucky day for lefties is TUESDAY.

Left hander's Slogan: "Everyone is born right-handed. Only the greatest overcome it". If being left handed is wrong, then I don't ever want it to be right.

Our HEART lies on the left side of our body. The left hand contains 27 bones, 28 muscles, 3 main nerves and 2 major arteries. So does the right hand.

Left handers are always financially better off (thus making them a good choice for life partners).

It is believed all polar bears are left handed. Octopuses have but one right hand. Majority of parrots are left-footed. Badgers and wolves are all supposedly left-handed. Lobsters are left-clawed. Fish like summer flounder (turbot) are left-eyed. Some breeds of dogs are left pawed. Cats are left pawed. Kermit the frog is left-handed. Apelike animals, like lemurs and galagos, are primarily left- handed. Most horses have problems on the right side so they are left sided. Elephants prefer their left tusk (tool tusk).

William E Barrett wrote a book "The Left Hand Of God" (1951), a movie was made on it starring Humphrey Bogart.

We lefties have our rights (or lefts). And it is our right (left) to exercise them. As lefties, we never do anything right (cuz we always do it left). No prizes for guessing which is the most powerful HAND in the world.

Did you know the keyboard benefits left handers? The most used letters are on the left side. Left handers make awesome ball players. The left hand controls the right side of the brains which controls artistic ability so a higher percentage of artists and musicians are left handed. Left handers are the only people in their 'right' mind. They have their own scholarship. Women are less likely to be left-handed.

It is time we left handers said with much pride: I am proud to be a LEFT Hander. I TRULY AM. YO!

From now on, when someone pays you a left handed compliment, it means GOOD. Don't forget to note the hand you wear your watch on.

I write this to correct the wrong thinking of the right handers. There is nothing wrong with the left hand but there is nothing right about the "right" thinking also.

If you have any facts, fiction or figures about left handers, please quote it here. Do let me know if you are a proud left-hander. Even otherwise, enjoy the article for the “difference” it offers.


In the earlier days, if you were a left hander, it was considered bad. French called it gauche and Romans (Latin) called it sinistrals (evil or unlucky). Left was associated with the devil and the witches were supposed to perform black magic with the left hand.

It is even suggested lefties are more likely to be schizophrenic, dyslexic, stutterers, and suffer from allergies, asthma and breast cancer. At one time, families tried to literally beat children's lefty habits out of them. Parents would swat their child's left hand if they showed a tendency to write or eat with it.

Research has found that lefties think quicker when playing computer games or sports. They tend to earn more money, too. Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were all gifted lefties.

Officials in Mensa (the high-performers IQ club) believe that as many as 20% of their members are left handed - while in general population usually only about 10% of people is left handed.

Scientists have identified the LRRTM1 gene, which appears to increase the odds of being left-handed.

It is said, left handers have a low 2D:4D digit ratio (finger digit ratio) is related to an overabundance of testosterone in the womb as well! They also have a more masculine pattern.

A left-handed person may be called as a Southpaw in baseball in the US. Did you ever wonder why there is no left handers‘desk or mugs?

Unfortunately, most of the things in the world are designed for the use of the right handers. Tragic, isn’t it when the left handers have to adapt to it. Scissors, computer mouse, knives, tin opener, fruit peeler, ink pen, garden pruner, machines, firearms and even cameras are designed for the right handers.
Since Stone Age, right hand was considered normal and left hand deficient. Good works are done with the right hand. God has the right hand and the devil has the left.

All ‘left’ sayings are negative and pessimistic. For example: left out, two left-feet, left-handed compliment.

Left-handers suffered severe prejudice during the 18th and 19th centuries and it was often "beaten out" of people.

In adulthood, left-handers were often shunned by society, resulting in fewer marrying and reproducing.

As prejudice declined in the 20th century, the number of natural left-handers who stayed left-handed increased.

The rising age of motherhood contributed as, statistically, older mothers are more likely to give birth to left-handed children.

Left handedness is more common among males than females.

We left-handers face problems in the right-handed designed world. For instance, I have faced these: Being helped to put on a jacket; Receiving change; Using your left-hand as a point of reference when giving directions; Feeling more comfortable sitting on the left hand side of things; Putting belts on upside down; Trouble opening/locking locks; Work stations flow the opposite way around; Organizing files "back to front".

Fascinating facts about left-handers: Most left-handers draw figures facing to the right. There is a high tendency in twins for one to be left-handed. Stuttering and dyslexia occur more often in left-handers (particularly if they are forced to change their writing hand as a child, like King of England George VI).Left-handers adjust more readily to seeing underwater. Left-handers excel particularly in tennis, baseball, swimming and fencing. Left-handers usually reach puberty 4 to 5 months after right-handers. 4 of the 5 original designers of the Macintosh computer were left-handed. 1 in 4 Apollo astronauts were left-handed - 250% more than the normal level. Left-handers are generally more intelligent, better looking, imaginative and multi-talented than right handers.

A Test To Prove You Are 100% Left Hander:
1. Imagine the centre of your back is itching. Which hand do you scratch it with?
2. Interlock your fingers. Which thumb is uppermost?
3. Imagine you are applauding. Start clapping your hands. Which hand is uppermost?
4. Wink at an imaginary friend straight in front of you. Which eye does the winking?
5. Put your hands behind your back, one holding the other. Which hand is doing the holding?
6. Someone in front of you is shouting but you cannot hear the words. Cup your ear to hear well. Which ear do you cup?
7. Count to three on your fingers, using the forefinger of the other hand. Which forefinger do you use?
8. Tilt your head over on to one shoulder. Which shoulder does it touch?
9. Fold your arms. Which forearm is uppermost?

If you are a left-hander, try out the following quiz:
1. What number is missing from this sequence? 4 9 16 25 36 ? 64
2. Which four letter word can be attached to the beginning of the following words to form five longer words? AGE WIDTH IT STAND WAGON
3. Rearrange the letters of 'ANY TIME' to give a seven letter word. What is it?
4. Replace the blanks in this sentence with two three letter words. The same three letters must be used for both words. What are they? The woman decided to BLANK a well-known firm of solicitors to BLANK for compensation.
5. What is the value of the top row of the grid?
6. If FP = 10 and HX = 16 what does DS = ?
7. What number should replace the question mark?
8. What letter should appear next in this sequence? L K J H ?
9. Name the fish with both eyes on the left side of it's head?

ANSWERS:
1. 49. They are all square numbers
2. Band
3. Amenity
4. Use and sue
5. 125. A = 20, B = 30 and C = 45
6. 15. The number is the amount of alphabetical places between the first and second letter
7. 4. Multiply the first number by the second number to give the third and fourth numbers
8. G. These letters appear from right to left on the middle row of a keyboard
9. Turbot (and not Halibut)

Phew! Did you get them all right (sorry, left!, no no all CORRECT.)

Finally, have you thought of: why do we wear wedding rings on our left hand?

Left handers are a set of unique people, a special edition. They are creative and in a class of their own.

There is a whole new world waiting for the lefties. Explore it. You will know yourself better. For lefties, LEFT is actually RIGHT, right! Lefties ROCK! What say you!

Sufia
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