Showing posts with label left-handedness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label left-handedness. Show all posts

Thursday, 13 August 2015

The Daily Teaser — 13-8-2015: International Left-Handers Day

Well, that’s a bugger … !

If you’ll excuse the language.

You’ve possibly worked out that I’ve been ordering a lot of bits and bobs, recently: through Amazon UK.

Most recently?   A copy of Wells’ The Time Machine, a DVD copy of the BBC’s 1984 version of The Invisible Man … 

And season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Not an order I’d have issues with.

You’d think.

BOY, you’d be wrong.

The Invisible Man and The Time Machine turned up with no problems.

Buffy season 2, was due, yesterday.

What actually turned up … ?

Was Buffy The Vampire Slayer.   The original movie … !

I think what’s happened is that someone at the warehouse grabbed the wrong DVD.

Not that I mind.

Seems Amazon do a free returns.

You can bet I’m using that … 

~≈Ê≈~

Tuesday, 13 August 2013

The Left Handed Use Of Mice: Again ....

It's a strange - but potentially true - fact to note that many people who've met me realise I'm left-handed.

Mostly where I make point of mentioning it, if it ever seems relevant.

It's ALSO true to say I've something of a bee in my bonnet about it.

I think it's hard NOT to, to be honest.

The fact is that, here in the UK, it's hard to get things like left-handed scissors, pens, garden strimmers†

That’s a pain.

~~~~

At ANY rate … ?


At ANY rate, I'm at Brentwood Library, as I write this.


With the vague thought that my fellow southpaws would possibly appreciate me highlighting something: and at least do something about one aspect of life.

Simply, that the mice used with modern Windozes based PCs aren't set up for left-hand use‡.

So, over the past few days, I've been doing a little digging, as the Brentwood Library computers now allow you to change the mouse buttons around for left-hand use: at least under the version of Windows 7, they use.


It's a mildly fiddly job.

But from the Start button, at the bottom left hand corner of the screen …


Then to the Ease Of Access section …


THEN to the "Make The Mouse Keys Easier To Use" …


Once In the new window that appears, click on the bit that says "Switch Primary and Secondary Buttons."


And you're done.

I hope that helps!











†        II help my mother out, every-so-often, by mowing her lawn: and have managed to knacker her garden strimmer, every time.   It's not just a case that the handles are the wrong way around, for me.   It's ALSO that the rotating head of the strimmer - the bit of the device that actually strims the grass - goes in the correct direction for a right handed person.   But not for me as a left handed one: a theoretical left-handed strimmer should have a head that rotates in the opposite direction … !

‡        Part of the reason I'm a bit of a fan of the Mac platform, was the simple realisation that the bog standard one-button Apple mouse could be used by me, and other left handers, straight out of the box: WITHOUT any fiddling about to reset the buttons.

The Daily Teaser — 13-8-2013: International Left-Handers Day

Hmmm … 

You know, I’m thinking it’s starting to go downhill.

Before you start assuming the worst … ?

I’m actually talking about the weather … !

July … ?   July was nice: which is possibly understating things.

It was nice to the point of boiling eggs on the pavement.   And now, in August … ?   In August, it’s nice … but freezing in comparison … !

Oy vey … !

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, let’s get a shift on … before I turn into John Kettley … !

~≈Å≈~

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Oliver* — the Opinion Dalek, himself — putting in his answers: and begging six out of six.

Let’s see if we can persuade him — and you — to have a try at today’s Left-hander’s Day† quiz, shall we?

Here’as the questions, along with the ‘How To’, License and video … 

Q1) True or false: Billy the Kid was left-handed.
Q2) Which member of the Beatles plays a left-handed guitar … ?
Q3) Prince William is left-handed: what’s his title … ?
Q4) What — in Heraldry — is the meaning of the Baton Sinister, or Left Handed Bend … ?
Q5) Britain’s current Prime Minister is left-handed: what’s his name … ?
Q6) Brian Cowan and Bertie Ahearn are both left handed politicians: which country have they both been Prime Minister of … ?
Q7) Which member of Black Sabbath is — noticeably — left handed … ?
Q8) Which Ghostbusters cast member — and leftie — also, notably, plays harmonica … ?
Q9) Which left-handed, Manchester United player is the former captain of Arsenal … ?
Q10) Finally … which left-handed actor appeared in The Matrix, Apocalypse, Now and What’s Love Got To Do With It … ?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) 12th August saw the death of Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.   What was the name of the first James Bond novel … ?
A1) Casino Royale.
Q2) Bond is — famously — a member of Britain’s Secret Service: which is also known as what … ?
A2) MI6.   Also known as as SIS, or the Secret Intelligence Service.
Q3) Fleming, himself, on the other hand, served with which intelligence operation, during World War 2 … ?
A3) The Naval Intelligence Division.
Q4) What was the name of Fleming’s one children’s novel … ?
A4) Chitty Chitty Bang Ban.
Q5) Fleming’s Jamaican home has a James Bond movie named after it.   Which James Bond movie … ?
A5) Goldeneye.
Q6) And finally … What was the last James Bond novel to be published during Fleming’s lifetime … ?
A6) You Only Live Twice.
I’ll leave you with this thought from Tom Holt …
“Nobody took any notice. Even Jan Christian Duysberg had guessed that one back in the 1740's, and he had been thirty-four years old before he realised he was left-handed.”
from ‘Flying Dutch’, by Tom Holt
And with Crosscut Saw by notably left-handed bluesman, Albert King.


I’ll tell my fellow left-handers to enjoy the day.

And my right handed readers … ?   To hit their right hands with a ruler.

Just to get an idea … :D
















*        Cheers for joining in, Oliver: and thank you … ! :D

†        I’m left handed, myself: and, while I’ve had the experiences other have, do feel it’s important to highlight it.   After all, I grew up with my primary school teachers — to a man and woman — saying “Wouldn’t you find it easily doing it with your other hand … ?”, and leaving me very confused‡.

‡        I’ve also got distinct memories of Mrs Hall, my main primary school teacher, telling us kids that “Hold up your right hand: your right hand’s the hand you write with.”   And throwing some worried expressions in the direction of me and one or two other kids …