Right or left sidebar: pros and cons...

I'm experimenting with right and left sidebars in a new site. My navigation menu is horizontal at the top so it has no bearing on sidebar location. I haven't used sidebars very much in the past because I like to keep my content fluid in one single container.

However, as monitors get wider a 600px column down the center starts to look a little ridiculous. I've tested wider content but 600px is really the upper limit for usability.

Many people say that since people read left to right you should place your important content on the left, meaning sidebar on the right.

Personally, I don't agree with this. I always look at a fresh screen dead-center and so a left sidebar places my headline and copy starting point right in my line of sight.

But then there's another thing I've noticed after that first impression. As I start to actually read the text my eye does tend to drift to the left and I'm distracted by the left sidebar content. This is not what I want.

But with a right sidebar the eyes are not drawn so strongly and so the content becomes secondary to the copy, which is what I want.

So a left sidebar wins on first impression but a right sidebar is better for overall readability. I'm going right.

Any other ideas on this issue?