The fate of a violin player resides in their pinky finger!

The violin is known as the instrument most commonly offered to children by state schools in the UK. It’s a challenging instrument, because rapid independent motion of the digital joints in the left hand is desirable… and a requirement in order to become a top violin player! A brand new study focussed on the pinky finger was designed after an 11-year-old patient volunteered that she had given up playing the violin because of difficulty and discomfort manoeuvring the left small and ring fingers independently. On examination, she was found to have absent FDS (flexor digitorum superficialis) function in the small finger – a condition that can be found in about 6% of the general populaton.

Do you have the ‘flexor digitorum superficialis’?

You can test this right now at home (see also the video below): hold down the index, middle, and ring fingers of your left hand, then try to bend your little finger. Now try it again, but allow your ring finger to bend as well.

Can you do it?

The UK study revealed that about 18 percent of people can do neither!

However, in a group of 90 professional musicians from “three of London’s leading orchestras” (38 first violinists, 33 second violinists, 19 viola players), none lacked this ability, and all but two were able to bend just their pinky finger!!!

Via: The Atlantic

James Blunt showing his palmprint & fingerprints!

• Hands up for James Blunt – HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTO! • More hands of fame! HOW JAMES BLUNT BROKE HIS LITTLE FINGER… In 2008 the former NATO peacekeeper – who served in 1999 as a officer in the NATO deployment in Kosovo – needed an operation on the little finger on his right hand after he got mobbed by crazed fans during a stage dive at a gig in Asheville, North Carolina. It appears that his career has not shown much progress since the accident… and it appears that since then he never ‘showed’ his hand again. Some typical characteristics of James Blunt’s hand are: • The arch fingerprint on his pointer finger (the photo also demonstrates that he has a relatively normal small ‘ulnar loop’ fingerprint on his middle finger): James Blunt once described “fame and celebrity is something that other people have constructed that I’m not really party to” – a typical statement for ‘earth people’; • The long ring finger (+ a slightly low 2D:4D digit ratio): a relatively common characteristic in the hand of a muscian (including: singers/performers); • The long pinky finger: a typical characteristic for a man who appears to score pretty low on the personality dimension Extroversion; • A strong ‘Girdle of Venus’: in modern palm reading often associated with creative sensibility; • A rather short heartline… okay, James sings a lot about love – how about his personal life? Anyway, what do your think… does the hand of James Blunt reveal anything about his personality? Maybe you can try the ‘Do You Like James Blunt?’ Personality Quiz. SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER READING: • The hand of famous musicians – including: Elvis Presley, Frédérique Chopin, Franz Lizst, Michael Jackson, Madonna & Thom Yorke James Blunt (2007).

DERMATOGLYPHICS – An introduction to the dermatoglyphs of the human hand!

Dermatoglyphics – a moment of science! The word ‘dermatoglyphics‘ was first coined by Harold Cummins in 1926, and refers to the study of the characteristics in the skin ridges of the hands and the feet. What are the most common dermatoglyphic characteristics? FINGERPRINTS: In most populations around the world is the ‘ulnar loop’ the most observed fingerprint pattern (see: the fingerprint of the pinky finger in the picture above). Loops are most frequently found on the little finger (and middle finger); loops are least frequently found on the pointer finger. In some Asian populations the ‘whorl’ (see: the fingerprint of the ring finger in the picture above) is more common than the ‘ulnar loop’. Whorls are more often seen on the thumb and ring finger. In population research usually the pointer finger demonstrates more variation than the the other fingers. For example the most common ‘ulnar loop’ is least often seen on the pointer finger, which often exhibits an other pattern such as: the ‘arch’, ‘tented arch’, ‘whorl’ or ‘radial loop’ (see: the pointer finger in the picture above). PALMAR DERMATOGLYPHICS: The variations in the dermatoglyphics of the handpalm are much more complex than the variations in the fingerprints. An important element concerns the presence of the ‘palmar triradii’ (see: a, b, c, d, and t in the picture above): normally each finger is featured with a palmar triradius – triradius t belongs to the thumb (the thumb mouse – a.k.a. as the ‘thenar’, or in palmistry: ‘mount of Venus’ could be recognized as the third phalange of the thumb). However, the number of palmar triradii varies with the presence of palmar ‘loops’ (or: palmar ‘whorls’). Usually the link between the number of fingers (D = digits), palmar triradii (T) and palmar loops (L) can be described with the following formula, which is known as the ‘Penrose topological formula‘ (Lionel Penrose, 1965): T = L + D – 1 More details available via: The history of research in fingerprints & dermatoglyphics – a review! Picture: example of a normal pattern of dermatoglypics [NOTICE: If the 'c-line' is ending between the ring- and middle finger it always creates a palmar 'loop', which implicates that the author of the picture has missed 6th palmar triradius between/below the c and d triradius]

The hands of the 37th US president: Richard Nixon!

The right hand of Richard Nixon.

President Richard Nixon: right hand waving photo Presidential Palm Reading: the Richard Nixon ‘hand-file’! • President: 1969-1974; • Dexterity: right handed; • Hand type: square palm shape; • Fingers: normal finger length, normal index finger, long ring finger, long pinky.

Earlier this year TIME presented a photo essay on the hands of the last 9 US presidents; US palm reader Robin Gile was asked to present his palm reading for each president. Without knowing that it was Richard Nixon’s hand, this is how Robin Gile described Ford’s hand:

“An Eccentric Among Eccentrics”

“Clearly, anyone driven enough to become president is somewhat eccentric, but this, going by the angling out of the little finger, is an eccentric among eccentrics,” says Gile. “He’s a complicated soul, with a lot mental tension and passion. The long head line — the middle line in the palm [= a Sydney line] — is unusually long, indicating he probably doesn’t have an off-switch in his brain. He’s a potential insomniac, very detail-oriented and can’t stop thinking. The deep hallow in his palm says he hangs on to things and won’t let go.”

 

MORE DETAILS AVAILABLE AT:

• The hands of former US president Richard Nixon!
• Presidential palm reading: the hands of Richard Nixon!
• How to recognize the hand of a US president?
• Study points out: ‘long ring finger relates to financial success … and risks!’

 

The presidential ‘facebook’:

Into the hands of the 42th US president: Bill Clinton!

The right hand of Bill Clinton.

President Bill Clinton: right hand waving photo Presidential Palm Reading: the Bill Clinton ‘hand-file’! • President: 1993-2001; • Dexterity: left handed; • Hand type: normal; • Fingers: normal fingers, long ring finger + pinky.

Earlier this year TIME presented hand photos of the last 9 US presidents to palm reader Robin Gile, and asked him to present a palm reading for each president. Without knowing that it was Bill Clinton’s hand, this is how Robin Gile described Clinton’s hand (a hand analysis of Hillary Clinton’s hands is available via the ‘SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING’ below):

“Presence and Charm”

“This man is adequate — not inspiring, but efficient,” says Gile. “He holds on to past failures too strongly, as indicated by the hollow in his palm, and doesn’t move on. His little finger curves away from his hand, showing that he had high expectations of himself, so high they are probably unrealistic. His index finger shows that he has presence and charm. He’s probably good at getting a room full of people to do what he needed them to do. But the curve of his thumb, and lack of padding on top tells me he’s not a good finisher.”

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING:

• A ZOOM IN on the hands of Bill Clinton!
• Presidential palm reading: the hands of Bill Clinton!
• The hand of Hillary Clinton!
• Hillary Clinton: ‘polarizing hands?’
• How to recognize the hand of a US president?

The hands of the 43th president of the US: George W. Bush!

The right hand of George W. Bush.

President George W. Bush: inauguration photo Presidential Palm Reading: the George W. Bush ‘hand-file’! • President: 2001-2009; • Dexterity: right handed; • Hand type: square, fleshy basis; • Fingers: short fingers, long ring finger.

Earlier this year TIME presented hand photos of the last 9 US presidents to palm reader Robin Gile, and asked him to present a palm reading for each president. Without knowing that it was George W. Bush’s hand, this is how Robin Gile described Bush’s hand:

“An Idealist”

“The straightness of his little finger says he’s very honest,” Gile says. “The length and shape of his ring finger shows he’s good at making calculated bets. I would guess this is Clinton. He shows real leadership in his heart line. This is as close to an idealist as I see in this selection. He tries to make the best of things, circumstances and people. He’s got more heart than head. And the angle of the thumb shows he’s not very adaptable. The strong life line — which contrary to popular belief, doesn’t indicate length of life, but quality and determination — shows this person won’t quit. His career is his life.”

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING:

• The hands of George W. Bush!
• Presidential palm reading: the hands of George W. Bush!
• The body politic: presidential fingerpointing to fist pumps!
• How to recognize the hand of a US president?

The hands of the 44th president of the US: Barack Obama!

The right hand of Barack Obama.

President Barack Obama: inauguration photo Presidential Palm Reading: the Barack Obama ‘hand-file’! • President: 2009-?; • Dexterity: left handed; • Hand type: long, bony; • Fingers: long fingers, long ring finger.

Earlier this year TIME presented 9 large hand photos to US palm reader Robin Gile, and asked his to present a hand reading. Without knowing that it was Barack Obama’s hand, this is how Robin Gile described Obama’s hand:

“A Good Awareness of Theater”

“The curve of this head line shows the most imagination and creativity,” said Gile. “The little finger, the way it’s so straight, shows he’s very honest. He’s the most visual, with a good awareness of theater. The gap between the beginning of the head line and the life line show that he’s a very independent thinker — he can’t just be told things, he has to prove it to himself. The curve of his thumb, and the fleshy tip, shows that he remains constant — he’s a good starter and a good finisher.”

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING:

• Barack Obama: hand of power!
• Barack Obama is the 7th left handed US president!
• Barack Obama & the future in healing hands!
• The hands of Barack Obama: a hand full of power!
• How to recognize the hand of a US president?