More on opening the kimono, this time from Slate magazine. Want to understand how Slate thinks it has 8 million uniques a month, while the two Web rating services show about half that? An interesting analysis and explanation to be sure from Paul Boutin.

[T]he more I realize people in other media are in denial. Internet publishing is the most finely measurable medium ever invented; broadcast, movie, and print companies have no way of monitoring individual transactions from their end. Yet, while the Web guys admit they could be off by half, Nielsen claims its television ratings have a margin of error of 4 percent. If I were in the cast of Arrested Development, I'd demand a recount.