Height of GSG a Clue?

[Sam Flynn]

If the subgroups were defined in ranges that all exist within the neck to forehead, and from the middle of my own neck it is approx 9" to match my forehead's height, then you are grouping the better part of a foot difference in range as being a single group

But the range that might be covered by "chest or below" spans more like two feet in length, Mike.

I was, if anything, being rather kind by choosing those categories, which in any case subsume all points in between. In other words, the superset "neck and above" includes the subsets "neck, chin, nose, eyes, forehead, over-head"; just as the superset "chest and below" includes the subsets "First rib, Second rib (etc)... Stomach... Naughty-bits". Taking the latter approach might have come up with the following scores, for example:

1st-3rd rib: 2
4th-6th rib: 3
7th-9th rib: 3
10th-12th: 3
Stomach: 1
Navel: 1
Groin: 0

Note that I've grouped the ribs to give a rough parity in the spans involved. The total still adds up to 13, but compare that with how the 15 "neck and above" sample breaks down:

Overhead: 2
Forehead/top: 5
Nose/eye: 6
Neck/chin: 2

...all of a sudden, we're (a) looking at a more complex statistical test, because of the greater number of categories; (b) there might actually be a statistically significant tendency for people to write in a region between the nose and the top of head.

I can't make that claim, because I didn't test for that - mainly because we didn't have sufficiently fine-grained data, just "chest", and also because I made up the "rib→groin" data purely by way of illustration.

As it stands, there was no statistically significant difference between the two (coarse-grained) groups "neck/above" and "chest/below", at least not in the case of this experiment, for which my gratitude goes to Michael once again.

[Sam Flynn]

the fact remains that the message was placed in an area where the available writing space started at 48 inches or less.

True, true, How... but the writing was apparently neat, which would seem to imply that whoever authored the GSG was writing at what was, for them, a comfortable height.

[Stephen Thomas]

Regardless of where or how one conducts tests to determine where people ordinarily begin writing ( head height, chest height,etc...) ....the fact remains that the message was placed in an area where the available writing space started at 48 inches or less. The space above the black bricks was white and to write with white chalk on white space would have been counterproductive for any message,regardless of whether or not the Ripper or a civilian wanted to leave some sentiments.

Big up to Howard Brown, THE VOICE OF REASON.

[Sam Flynn]

Big up to Howard Brown, THE VOICE OF REASON.

...to which I can only add, erm, what I've already pointed out, Stephen - viz., that the writing was apparently neat. A person more used to writing at a height of 5'3" (say) may have found it awkward to produce a good, schoolboy hand if forced to write at a height under four feet - unless crouching or kneeling.

Come to think of it... if the dado was 4' high, then unless the topmost line of writing sailed close to the white-brick border, the GSG would have started lower than four feet off the ground. It also follows that the bottom line of writing would have been even closer to the floor, perhaps 5 inches or so lower than the top line.

So, what we might be talking about is a block of [good, schoolboy] writing, perhaps starting between 3½ and 3¾ feet off the ground, working its way down the wall to a height of between 3' and 3'4". I'm 5'8", and a range of 3' to 3'4" comes somewhere between my thigh and my belly-button. Jack the limbo-dancer, anyone?

[c.d.]

If there was some sort of heated graffiti battle going on, i.e., different groups expressing pro Jewish and anti-Jewish sentiment, the writer (and for the sake of argument, I am assuming it was not Jack) might have knelt or crouched down so that he would not be seen by someone from a rival faction. Thus avoiding the "hey, what are you doing on our turf" question and the unpleasant results of being caught in the act.

c.d.

[Jon Guy]

...
So, what we might be talking about is a block of [good, schoolboy] writing, perhaps starting between 3½ and 3¾ feet off the ground, working its way down the wall to a height of between 3' and 3'4".

Blimey, Sam, I didn`t realise just how close the writing was to the rag !!!

[Sam Flynn]

Blimey, Sam, I didn`t realise just how close the writing was to the rag !!!

...well, that's only the "Y" axis sorted, Jon. The jury's still out on how far away it was on the "X" axis

Besides, to me the choice would seem to reduce to either a crouching/kneeling Jack producing a good schoolboy hand in dim light... or a not-so-good schoolchild of, at a guess, between 9-13 years of age, writing in their usual hand under slightly better lighting conditions.

[Stephen Thomas]

...to which I can only add, erm, what I've already pointed out, Stephen - viz., that the writing was apparently neat. A person more used to writing at a height of 5'3" (say) may have found it awkward to produce a good, schoolboy hand if forced to write at a height under four feet - unless crouching or kneeling.

Come to think of it... if the dado was 4' high, then unless the topmost line of writing sailed close to the white-brick border, the GSG would have started lower than four feet off the ground. It also follows that the bottom line of writing would have been even closer to the floor, perhaps 5 inches or so lower than the top line.

So, what we might be talking about is a block of [good, schoolboy] writing, perhaps starting between 3½ and 3¾ feet off the ground, working its way down the wall to a height of between 3' and 3'4". I'm 5'8", and a range of 3' to 3'4" comes somewhere between my thigh and my belly-button. Jack the limbo-dancer, anyone?

Indeed, Sam

You can't strike a match on a bar of soap.

Perhaps the writer was sitting on a pouffe.

[Howard Brown]

Sammy:

Back in 2004,I attempted writing the G from a crouched position and had no difficulty writing it whatsoever...as far as my legibility went. People did,however,and for some reason usually do...as I have tried it more recently than 2004...have trouble and trouble only, with the second word. I even tried writing it at a height of 28 inches from the ground ( at my workplace ) and had no difficulty or let me put it this way...it was just as easy and legible from that height as it was from 48, 40, and 32 inches. No,I don't believe that there would be much difficulty ( unless the writer was pie-eyed ) in placing a message from 48 to 28 inches.

Again Sam...not to try and schmooze you...because you can obviously try this yourself...start at 48 inches and then crouch to 36 inches or so and you'll see what I mean. As long as you have balance and ain't hammered....the legibility should be relatively the same.

Thanks Stephen T., for the kind remark.

P.S.Sammy:

When I started the 28" G....it ended up at 20 inches because the brickwork had a one inch "slice" o' mortar....on three lines.

One line: 2 inches ( width of brick)
Mortar 1 inch
Second line: 2 inches
Mortar 1 inch
Third line: 2 inches

28-8= 20.

[Sam Flynn]

I got bad legs, How - so I'll take your word for it. I would, anyway, buddy

However, the idea of Jack squatting in a darkened doorway writing a non-sequitur of a message in a "good schoolboy hand" still seems far more of a stretch... than a schoolboy-sized, um, schoolboy getting up to a bit of calciferous devilment, and barely having to bend his neck in order to do so.

[Wickerman]

When I started the 28" G....it ended up at 20 inches because the brickwork had a one inch "slice" o' mortar....on three lines.

Howie, buddy, best-pal!
Your gonna slip a disc somewhere, just give it up.
Say this with me, (watch my lips), "The Ripper didn't write it", ...try again, "The Ripper didn't write it",...I can't hear you!!

[Howard Brown]

Wick & Sam....my heathen brethren...

Here is a photo of me lettin' the chalk do the talk back in the day. This is from the old days when I weighed around 235-240 and yet had no problems gettin' down to that height. Youse are two lazy schnooks.

[perrymason]

Hi Howard,

Not much of a cheescake shot old sport, kudos for the bravery.

A side note to the so called Good Michael ...note how many lines Howard is writing Mikey, 4...relating to your comment on Halse and 3 lines. I was pretty sure 5 was the formal read on it, and I assumed so was Howard's. Which is it boys? Or was "nothing" supposed to be the last line by itself Howard?

Thanks Sam for the explanation, and of course I see, and saw your point. I do think I should better save my energy for points that are more germaine, so sorry If I was terse at all

That type of crouch that Howard is in is the one I meant when I said earlier, kneeling or in a crouch that can be readily changed to upright and mobile quickly...if the need arose. I think in some ways this guy earned the nickname "Springheel Jack" more than the orginal.

Best regards all.

[Wickerman]

Hi Howard,

A side note to the so called Good Michael ...note how many lines Howard is writing Mikey, 4...relating to your comment on Halse and 3 lines. I was pretty sure 5 was the formal read on it, and I assumed so was Howard's. Which is it boys?..

Halse reported three lines, the note supposedly written by Warren indicates five lines.....there you go, as always, in true Ripperological fashion, definitive evidence at its best!
Halse=3, Warren=5

[perrymason]

Thanks Wickerman, and yes.....true to form.

Is it written anywhere that the word "Juwes/Juewes" was written slightly larger than the rest?

Best regards Wick.