European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 09, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes tuesday april 9, 1991 death rate study on left hander called flawed Washington up a a study that concluded left handed people tend to have Shorter lives than right handers was seriously flawed a risk expert said. A actuarially sneaking the research is faulty and May have led to erroneous conclusions a said James Murphy executive vice president of the american Academy of actuaries. Researchers from California state University in san Bernardino and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver published a Tetter last week in the new England journal of Medicine saying they found that lefties died nine years earlier on average than right handed people. The study based on an examination of nearly 1,000 death certificates in two Southern califor counties and information from survivors m a found Quot right handers tended to die at age 75 compared with age 66 among the left handers. The researchers said the findings were consistent with earlier studies. They speculated that lefties Are More prone to potentially fatal accidents because cars and other equipment Are made for right handed people. But Murphy said the study was flawed because the researchers Only examined the number of deaths and not a mortality rates a which Are do the fined by dividing the number of people who die in a Given year by the number of individuals in that age  addition Murphy noted that in the Early part of this Century being left handed was discouraged and that those with an inclination toward left handedness were often forced to use their right hands. As a result most people Over the age of 70 Are right handed and there were fewer older left handed people in the study he said. A it would be interesting to if the same conclusions would be drawn if those Over age 70 were excluded from the research a he said. The researchers who conducted the study could not be immediately reached for comment. Washington apr the postal services on time performance is still Only getting a a a by rating from its Boss. But postmaster general Anthony Frank says he is encouraged by the efforts being  we done to want to be pretty Good we want to be sex cell Cut but you have to Start somewhere a Frank said in an interview. The latest results from an Independent test of postal delivery found that More than three fourths of the first class mail arrived when expected. \ the statistics for january through March being released monday show that 79.9 percent of first class mail scheduled for overnight delivery actually arrived that fast Down less than 1 percentage Point from the previous Quarter. A a we re Corning along but we re still in the bus a said Frank. Lie said the Agency seems to have a a High b in customer satisfaction and a Low b in  the test is being conducted by the accounting firm of Price waterhouse which mails thousands of items and times their arrivals. Frank noted that weather problems could have reduced performance a thus he was encouraged by the results. The Gulf War also generated a Large increase in mail volume during the period. A a we re analysing the figures to see areas where we can improve a he said citing Chicago and new York As problem regions with new postal facilities under con Only a  a a a. Postal service standards Call for mail in most Urban areas to be delivered either overnight or by the second Day. Items sent longer distances should arrive on the second or third Day. The statistics do not include express mail which is All designated for overnight delivery. V a a. Quot a a a. Overnight first class mail was Best in the Western Region with 82.4 percent arriving on time up from 81 percent in the preceding Quarter. The Eastern Region was nearly As Good at 82,2 percent the same As the Quarter before. The Southern Region had 78.6 percent next Day Cliv cry Down from 79.8 percent. In the Centra Region it was 77.9 percent Down substantially from 83.8 percent and in the Northeast the rate was 76.3 percent up from 75.4 percent. V a a a a a a a a a a a across the. Nation six communities managed More than 90 percent Ori time delivery of mail designated for overnight service. Those were Charleston w.va., 94.4 Santa Ana Calif., 93 Indianapolis 92.6 Phoenix 91.9 san Antonio 91.8 and Charlotte n.c., 91.3. Areas with less than 70 percent on time performance for overnight first class mail were Southern Maryland Washington  55.9 percent Queens n.y., 59.5 percent Tampa fla., 60.7 Columbia s.c., 65.4 Royal Oak mich., 67.2 Atlanta 69.9 Detroit 69.9 and new York 69.3. ,. Prom bound students facing test in Minnesota town saxophonist Walters Dies Sacramento Calif. Apr Howard Duke. Wat lers a big band Era saxophonist during the 1940s and a member of the Baroness family Trio in the 1960s and �?T70s, has died after a Long illness. He was 72. Pine River Minn. Apr students in this Northern Minnesota town will be tested for alcohol before being admitted to the prom this year and some drug prevention experts say that goes too far. But Many of the students teachers and prom planners at Pine River Backus High school say they support the tests a a a we re saying that we care enough to help you say no a said Kristen Groth a prom adviser and first year teacher at the Public school. A if we. Give one kid one Way out it la be a help. A just say not is a wonderful con capt but its very Tough to  1 students who arrive for the april 20 prom must submit to breath tests. Anyone who fails must wait while their parents Are called to come and take them Home. A i done to like it a said  Canning chemical health specialist for schools in St. Louis Park a Minneapolis St. Paul suburb. A i think its very invasive and i done to think its  a a in a not sure that things Are at  a Low Point that we need to test students before they do an activity a said Peter Stenson a drug education official with the Rochester schools in Southeast Minnesota. No one on the schools prom planning committee opposed the action and polls have shown a majority of Pine River Backus students support it. But student Council president Mark Johnson expressed reservations. A a i know its for a Good cause but i done to like it a he said. A a it a almost like people done to Trust you a misbehave could be in for o Shock Philadelphia a after 10 years of stopping fido at the Edge of the Yard the invisible Fence co. Is taking its radio controlled collars indoors to keep the Pooch off that expensive carpet. Its new system of limits uses hidden wire antennae to Mark off parts of the House forbidden to a pet a sofas Beds or entire rooms. The company said the Collar delivers a harmless Shock but animal rights activists called it inhumane nonetheless. A we believe that any training method that produces fear pain and confusion should be avoided a said Libby Williams Secretary treasurer of the Pittsburgh based mobilization for animals. A there arc so Many alternatives to doing ibis a she said. A people could put blankets on their furniture. They could use expandable baby Gates to Block off rooms.�?�. Of limits works like this a Small transmitter sends a weak radio signal Over a concealed wire. A receiver in the animals Collar picks up the signal and beeps a warning if the pet gets too close. If the animal ignores the warning the Collar delivers a mild Shock. According to the company 200,1 00 dogs a stand behind outdoor invisible fences which run about $1,000. After a Brief training period to introduce dogs to the system most give up the urge to roam the company said. It denied the system is cruel saying the Shock is about As Strong As the Static electricity generated when people walk across a carpet and touch a Doorknob. A your system docs not cause pain or fear a company spokeswoman Mary of Leary said. A a it a a simple conditioning method. A a it a like smacking your dog on the nose and saying a no a when it misbehaves except you re not there to do  Hugh Braithwaite another company spokesman said the indoor system costs about $370 alone or $200 when added to an already existing outdoor system. The indoor unit has been tested for about two years and is being marketed in the Philadelphia area Braithwaite said the collars would work on a any Ani Ihal that a conditioned a cats goats Llamas  but he said they Are a not in any Way recommended for  a a officials of the Pennsylvania chapter of the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and the a women s humane society suggested other less High tech ways to make an animal behave. John Foster managing director for the humane society said training methods  As obedience school Are preferable to a Shock inducing Collar a German Shepherd named bum wears a radio controlled of limits Collar to keep him away from restricted areas in his Berwyn pa., Home