Archive
Everything published here
3 pieces, newest first.
MethodHow to take a measurement that is repeatable and comparable.DataWhat the published distributions say, and how far self-reported figures drift from them.GearTape, ruler, or neither - what changes the reading.
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How to measure the way the research does
Most of the disagreement online is people comparing numbers taken by different methods. There is only one that is comparable, and it takes two minutes.
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Tape, ruler, or a strip of paper
The instrument is the part people optimise and the part that matters least. Here is what each one is genuinely good and bad at.
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What the published data actually says
One large meta-analysis, measurements taken by health professionals rather than self-reported. The numbers are lower and the distribution is narrower than almost anyone expects.