No left handers in China

About 10%-12% of us are left-handed, but not in China. Children who are spotted writing with their left hands are forced to change to their right.

As a result, you won't find left-handed people in China. And, not surprisingly, everything there is designed for right handers. So, if you're left handed and planning on visiting the forthcoming Olympic games, don't be surprised if you needs not catered for.

Mind you, what's different there! OK, there are lots of left-handed kitchen and sporting products available online now, but, here in the UK, every time we open a door or a window, go through the Tube gates, or operate a camera (the list is endless) we have to do it the right-handed way.

Left-handed politicians

Lots has been said recently about the fact McCain and Obama are both left handed - and that four of the past five US presidents have also been left handers. However, not that many UK prime ministers have been southpaws. Is it, then, just coincidence?

Well, David Cameron is left handed. So, maybe our next PM will also be a southpaw? Something further to cement that 'special relationship'?

More on left-handed tennis players

The more I read about tennis, the more left handed players I hear about.

I didn't see the new Wimbledon junior champion, Laura Robson, play this year but it turns out she is also left handed. And so is Jamie Murray (Andy Murray's brother) who won the mixed doubles last year at Wimbldeon.

So being left is alright, after all. I always suspected it was.

What do left-handed people like?

We like:

• Kettles which have the water level showing on both sides
• Toasters which have their controls on the front (few and far between, though)
• Lavatories with the flush on the top of the cistern - or on the wall behind - and NOT on the right hand side of the loo
• Schools which provide left-handed scissors to pupils
• Waiters who notice you are left handed and place your glass on the left, so you don't have to reach across to get it
• Sitting next to a fellow left hander when using chopsticks
• All manufacturers who are considerate enough to make left-handed versions of their products.
• The fact that we are different

A left handed Wimbledon champ!

Left-handed player, Rafael Nadal, thwarted Roger Federer's attempt to win his fifth Wimbledon title. Interestingly, back in 1980, Bjorn Borg failed to secure his fifth title by being beaten by the left-handed John McEnroe.

• Other famous left handers include Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, Roscoe Tanner, Goran Ivanisevic, Greg Rudesksi, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, and Ann Jones - Britain's only left-handed Wimbldeon champion.

• The 1950s American Wimbledon champion, Little Mo Connolly, was left handed but persuaded by her coach to switch and play as a right hander.

• From 1974-1984, all the men's singles winners of the US Open were left handed.

Snakes, rats and pigeons travel by Tube, too

I've recently come back from a week walking in Alpine meadows, hearing cows' bells tinkling and generally enjoying the beautiul mountain scenery and the clean, fresh air. It has been warm in London this week and travelling on a fetid, cramped and sweaty Tube is not pleasant. In fact, you couldn't get more of a contrast with the Alps.

This post isn't about lefthandedness, but anyway...this led me to thinking about the amusing things I've seen on the Underground here in London over the years:

• A pigeon jumped on at Earl's Court, faced the doors - stock still (like a commuter) - and, when we got to the next station, it hopped out. It wasn't looking for food in the carriage, it was simply using the train to go to High Street Ken.

• Two (quite talented) buskers I'd see regularly would use a spanner as their microphone (or 'wrench' for those of you reading this in the States)

• An African lady in wonderfully colourful robes carried a huge suitcase up the escalator on her head (absolutely no hands - seriously impressive)

• A transvestite dressed in a summer floral frock, high heels, wig and lipstick. Nothing that unusual, but he had a beard and really hairy legs. Looked like Kenny Everett when he was in drag.

• A young woman had a pet white rat running around her shoulders - no lead attached to it or anything. The whole carriage recoiled, convinced it would jump off her and onto someone's lap.

• The best, though, was one I didn't see myself. A Kissagram we'd ordered for one of the bosses at work (remember Kissagrams?) came to the office, complete with a six-foot snake which was part of her act. She always travelled on the Tube with it in a blue weekend holdall. On one occasion, the zip had opened a bit and the snake took the opportunity to poke its head out and take a good look around. The woman opposite saw it and started screaming loudly. Her husband thought she was having an attack of hysterics and started slapping her face to bring her out of it. The Kissagram lady realised her pet snake was the unwitting cause of this woman's screams and, as it was her stop, picked up her bag, zipped it up firmly and got off, hearing the hapless woman's shouting 'snake, snake!' to a disbelieving husband.

Plane trays and apple juice

On Saturday, I was sitting on the plane on the way back from my holiday drinking some apple juice. Of course, the little indented circle for my glass was on the right hand side of my tray (ie: the wrong-hand side). So, I had three options:

1. hold the glass in my right hand so I could put it easily back in its place
2. hold the glass in my left hand and reach over to put it down
3. hold the glass in my left hand and ignore the indented bit on the tray completely

I know it's a petty point but it's just another example of how we lefties are overlooked when it comes to product design. Like having the loo roll holder to the right of the loo and the soap dispenser fitted on the right hand side of the wash basin. Ho hum.