Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Woe is me!

I just can't seem to catch a break:

Left-handed women may have a shorter life-span.

I'll take what comfort I can in the words of my fellow left-hander who is quoted in the article:

The author of a commentary, Dr. Olga Basso, who is left-handed, is highly skeptical, in general, of research relating disease and death with handedness. "I am not alone in thinking that the literature on handedness suffers from a number of ills," regardless of the putative illnesses seen in those who are left-handed, she notes.

"Having successfully dodged a number of disorders," adds Basso, "I doubt that my left hand is prematurely pulling me toward my grave."

Basso is with National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

9 comments:

daisies said...

oh but you left-handers are supposed to have magical powers of super intelligence and creativity : )

so no woe for you ...

Maddy said...

Damned lies and statistics - you can prove anything if you're clever enough.
Best wishes

atypical said...

My sister is left handed and I have a left handed son. To be honest, they seem to be possessed of much stronger survival skills than all of us right handers!

Just thought I'd give you more comfort to cling to. ;)

-t

atypical said...

Oh, and I find the line "left handers seem to be underrepresented in the older age groups" to be particularly telling. Many left handed people of an older generation(especially in paroochial schools) were "forced" into becoming right handed by having the offending left arm tied behind their backs while learning to write. Several women in my family were among the converts.

-t (who is making up for lost comment time with great force and little regard to the hour upon the clockface)

Julie Pippert said...

As a rightie in a family with many lefties (including my mother and my daughter), I'm with Basso on this one! And you too!

Hey have you read Loving Lefties?

Good book. Interesting!

Terri B. said...

"Its aaallllll about the way you present the stats." Just keep repeating this. Also, you can do like many organizations do -- if you don't like the research results, don't use them ;o)

Aliki2006 said...

Why left-handed *women* I wonder? My dad is left-handed, as is Liam--I wonder why the study is restricted to women?

Mel said...

*chuckling*

I'm failing to believe that the Big Guy 'has it out' for the lefties.

I could be wrong though. LOL

Veronica said...

I'm left-handed too and when I read this I was skeptical but also a little bruised by it. Like I want to think I'm a freak of nature. Does this mean I can park in handicap spots?