Alan Nathan
@pobguy.bsky.social
Professor Emeritus of Physics, U of Illinois. Physics of Baseball: baseball.physics.illinois.edu. Mostly post about baseball. Sometimes Con Law, basketball, physics, WW1, Twilight Zone, ...
Reposted by Alan Nathan
This is an excellent idea!!!
November 3, 2025 at 7:44 PM
This is an excellent idea!!!
Reposted by Alan Nathan
Posting this for no reason.
November 6, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Posting this for no reason.
Looks like the jury bought into my air drag argument.
Jury nullification is good and it's a good sign for America's path out of authoritarianism that juries are recognizing their power to nullify.
November 6, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Looks like the jury bought into my air drag argument.
I too am proud of Maine, my birth state.
November 5, 2025 at 5:07 AM
I too am proud of Maine, my birth state.
Has anyone investigated the possibility of commotio cordis?
at point blank range the right subway sandwich could give a guy high blood pressure!
It's not in this article but the government asserts that the sandwich was thrown at "point blank range", which implies subway sandwiches have defined effective weapon ranges of varying lethality, and I would like to see the government's chart of these ranges.
November 4, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Has anyone investigated the possibility of commotio cordis?
Has anyone yet taken air drag into account?
Your average Subway 6-inch has an effective range of about 15 feet, making it best for CQC or a sidearm (side-sub?). For increased range and stopping power, you're going to want something baguette-based, like a Croque Monsieur.
It's not in this article but the government asserts that the sandwich was thrown at "point blank range", which implies subway sandwiches have defined effective weapon ranges of varying lethality, and I would like to see the government's chart of these ranges.
November 4, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Has anyone yet taken air drag into account?
Reposted by Alan Nathan
Your average Subway 6-inch has an effective range of about 15 feet, making it best for CQC or a sidearm (side-sub?). For increased range and stopping power, you're going to want something baguette-based, like a Croque Monsieur.
It's not in this article but the government asserts that the sandwich was thrown at "point blank range", which implies subway sandwiches have defined effective weapon ranges of varying lethality, and I would like to see the government's chart of these ranges.
Trial Begins for Man Accused of Lobbing a Sandwich at a Federal Agent www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/u...
November 3, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Your average Subway 6-inch has an effective range of about 15 feet, making it best for CQC or a sidearm (side-sub?). For increased range and stopping power, you're going to want something baguette-based, like a Croque Monsieur.
Some years ago I did an analysis of a vibrating broken bat. Looking back on that analysis today, I thought it might be interesting to share. It demonstrates how one can learn a lot by making simple estimates, something physicists often do.
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/CabreraVibra...
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/CabreraVibra...
Miguel Cabrera's Vibrating Broken Bat
baseball.physics.illinois.edu
October 31, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Some years ago I did an analysis of a vibrating broken bat. Looking back on that analysis today, I thought it might be interesting to share. It demonstrates how one can learn a lot by making simple estimates, something physicists often do.
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/CabreraVibra...
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/CabreraVibra...
The political pundits seem to contend, incorrectly, that DJT is forbidden by the 22nd amendment from serving a 3rd term. Read it carefully..it says "no person shall be elected...more than twice" Now look at Sections 1 and 2 of the 25th amendment and you'll see a mechanism.
October 28, 2025 at 10:32 PM
The political pundits seem to contend, incorrectly, that DJT is forbidden by the 22nd amendment from serving a 3rd term. Read it carefully..it says "no person shall be elected...more than twice" Now look at Sections 1 and 2 of the 25th amendment and you'll see a mechanism.
12th Amendment: But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
Honestly at some point you have to start doing psyops with these people:
Have Obama announce that he will seek a third term tomorrow. Then watch all the con law “scholars” and Fix News MELT DOWN trying to explain why he can’t but Trump can. (It’s like Newsom taking over his social media persona)
Have Obama announce that he will seek a third term tomorrow. Then watch all the con law “scholars” and Fix News MELT DOWN trying to explain why he can’t but Trump can. (It’s like Newsom taking over his social media persona)
Q: One theory on how you might try to serve a 3rd term is that you could run at the vice president
TRUMP: Yeah, I'd be allowed to do that. But I would rule that out because it's too cute.
TRUMP: Yeah, I'd be allowed to do that. But I would rule that out because it's too cute.
October 28, 2025 at 4:03 AM
12th Amendment: But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.
Reposted by Alan Nathan
Please ask #Maine friends to Vote NO on Ballot 1: absentee ballots: boltsmag.org/maine-questi...
and #Pennsylvania friends to vote YES to retain judges. It's critical the Dems keep the Supreme Court
and #Pennsylvania friends to vote YES to retain judges. It's critical the Dems keep the Supreme Court
A Ballot Measure Targets Mail Voting in Maine - Bolts
Question 1, on the November ballot, would set up a barrage of new restrictions on absentee ballots that would considerably affect older voters and people with disabilities.
boltsmag.org
October 27, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Please ask #Maine friends to Vote NO on Ballot 1: absentee ballots: boltsmag.org/maine-questi...
and #Pennsylvania friends to vote YES to retain judges. It's critical the Dems keep the Supreme Court
and #Pennsylvania friends to vote YES to retain judges. It's critical the Dems keep the Supreme Court
Reposted by Alan Nathan
Wild Card Round | Wrigley Field | Oct 1
Merrill hit a high 170 ft-apex fly ball into a 16 mph wind blowing in from right-center.
Suzuki drifted back, then adjusts to make a routine catch on a ball that was quietly the most wind-impacted play at Wrigley this series.
𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: −𝟲𝟳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘁
Merrill hit a high 170 ft-apex fly ball into a 16 mph wind blowing in from right-center.
Suzuki drifted back, then adjusts to make a routine catch on a ball that was quietly the most wind-impacted play at Wrigley this series.
𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: −𝟲𝟳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘁
Jackson Merrill flies out to right fielder Seiya Suzuki. | 10/01/2025
Jackson Merrill flies out to right fielder Seiya Suzuki.
www.mlb.com
October 23, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Wild Card Round | Wrigley Field | Oct 1
Merrill hit a high 170 ft-apex fly ball into a 16 mph wind blowing in from right-center.
Suzuki drifted back, then adjusts to make a routine catch on a ball that was quietly the most wind-impacted play at Wrigley this series.
𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: −𝟲𝟳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘁
Merrill hit a high 170 ft-apex fly ball into a 16 mph wind blowing in from right-center.
Suzuki drifted back, then adjusts to make a routine catch on a ball that was quietly the most wind-impacted play at Wrigley this series.
𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: −𝟲𝟳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝘁
Reposted by Alan Nathan
50 years ago tonight. "If it stays fair ... home run."
October 21, 2025 at 11:04 PM
50 years ago tonight. "If it stays fair ... home run."
For Pence, it was a "triple double".
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/PenceTripleD...
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/PenceTripleD...
October 20, 2025 at 4:27 AM
For Pence, it was a "triple double".
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/PenceTripleD...
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/PenceTripleD...
Reposted by Alan Nathan
That’s called A Hunter Pence
October 20, 2025 at 2:58 AM
That’s called A Hunter Pence
Reposted by Alan Nathan
DC J6: 1.500 arrests
DC No Kings: zero
Tell me again which side is violent?
DC No Kings: zero
Tell me again which side is violent?
October 19, 2025 at 12:43 AM
DC J6: 1.500 arrests
DC No Kings: zero
Tell me again which side is violent?
DC No Kings: zero
Tell me again which side is violent?
Reposted by Alan Nathan
One day in the 1940s, he insisted on driving from Yerkes to teach the class despite a heavy snowstorm. He ended up teaching a class of only two that day. The two students (Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang) won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1957.
Yang just passed away.
bsky.app/profile/bloo...
Yang just passed away.
bsky.app/profile/bloo...
Chen Ning Yang, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who gave up his US citizenship to become a citizen of China in 2015 and helped persuade other scientists to do the same, passed away. He was 103.
Chen Ning Yang, Chinese Nobel Laureate in Physics, Dies at 103
Chen Ning Yang, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who gave up his US citizenship to become a citizen of China in 2015 and helped persuade other scientists to do the same, passed away. He was 103.
bloom.bg
October 18, 2025 at 8:51 PM
One day in the 1940s, he insisted on driving from Yerkes to teach the class despite a heavy snowstorm. He ended up teaching a class of only two that day. The two students (Tsung Dao Lee and Chen Ning Yang) won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1957.
Yang just passed away.
bsky.app/profile/bloo...
Yang just passed away.
bsky.app/profile/bloo...
No Kings, Urbana IL...just getting started
October 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
No Kings, Urbana IL...just getting started
Got it! Thanks for clarifying.
just the model notation, it'll solve for a batter specific intercept to replace the 1
October 16, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Got it! Thanks for clarifying.
Why the "1"?
of course, the model is set up as bat_speed ~ 1 + A*y_intercept + B*y_intercept^2 and I'm just solving for A and B by batter
October 16, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Why the "1"?
Can you provide some details on how you do the constant jerk fit.
a collection of unique swings when modeling bat speed as a function of intercept point assuming constant jerk (thus a function of int and int squared)
October 16, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Can you provide some details on how you do the constant jerk fit.
Reposted by Alan Nathan
Did that 8-6-2 double play really happen?
Apparently!
So here's everything you need to know about a "ground-ball" double play that was missing the "ground" part!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
Apparently!
So here's everything you need to know about a "ground-ball" double play that was missing the "ground" part!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
Making sense of Brewers-Dodgers 8-6-2 DP, the strangest double play in postseason history
What will you tell your grandchildren about the strangest double play in postseason history? Here's everything you need to know about it.
www.nytimes.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Did that 8-6-2 double play really happen?
Apparently!
So here's everything you need to know about a "ground-ball" double play that was missing the "ground" part!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
Apparently!
So here's everything you need to know about a "ground-ball" double play that was missing the "ground" part!
www.nytimes.com/athletic/671...
Reposted by Alan Nathan
That was quite a game at Fenway 12 years ago tonight.
October 13, 2025 at 7:48 PM
That was quite a game at Fenway 12 years ago tonight.