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, ...
My preference would be World War 1
The Civil Rights Movement.
EYES ON THE PRIZE is solid, but over forty years old. There's been a lot of great work on the movement since then. And while EYES leaned heavily on interviews with participants, a new series could make use of that scholarship to get beyond the Montgomery-to-Memphis arc.
EYES ON THE PRIZE is solid, but over forty years old. There's been a lot of great work on the movement since then. And while EYES leaned heavily on interviews with participants, a new series could make use of that scholarship to get beyond the Montgomery-to-Memphis arc.
I figure Ken Burns has one, maybe two big documentary series in him before he fully retires. What do you think they should be? My votes include Football, Hip-Hop, World War 1, Reconstruction (though Skip Gates did this one well), Iraq/Afghanistan, 19th Century Expansionism.
November 25, 2025 at 12:42 AM
My preference would be World War 1
Reposted by Alan Nathan
The Civil Rights Movement.
EYES ON THE PRIZE is solid, but over forty years old. There's been a lot of great work on the movement since then. And while EYES leaned heavily on interviews with participants, a new series could make use of that scholarship to get beyond the Montgomery-to-Memphis arc.
EYES ON THE PRIZE is solid, but over forty years old. There's been a lot of great work on the movement since then. And while EYES leaned heavily on interviews with participants, a new series could make use of that scholarship to get beyond the Montgomery-to-Memphis arc.
I figure Ken Burns has one, maybe two big documentary series in him before he fully retires. What do you think they should be? My votes include Football, Hip-Hop, World War 1, Reconstruction (though Skip Gates did this one well), Iraq/Afghanistan, 19th Century Expansionism.
November 25, 2025 at 12:25 AM
The Civil Rights Movement.
EYES ON THE PRIZE is solid, but over forty years old. There's been a lot of great work on the movement since then. And while EYES leaned heavily on interviews with participants, a new series could make use of that scholarship to get beyond the Montgomery-to-Memphis arc.
EYES ON THE PRIZE is solid, but over forty years old. There's been a lot of great work on the movement since then. And while EYES leaned heavily on interviews with participants, a new series could make use of that scholarship to get beyond the Montgomery-to-Memphis arc.
Reposted by Alan Nathan
Boston's Mayor Wu playing with Yo-Yo Ma at Symphony Hall
November 23, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Boston's Mayor Wu playing with Yo-Yo Ma at Symphony Hall
Or fluorine, as per General Jack Ripper.
Wait until the RFK whackos decide that Chlorine in water is harmful.
November 22, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Or fluorine, as per General Jack Ripper.
OK, thanks for clarifying. To do the separation properly requires 3D spin axis. 2D is good enough in the approximation that velocity is in the y direction. See
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/HawkeyeSpinA...: "...while
the approximation is useful and appealing, it should be used with caution"
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/HawkeyeSpinA...: "...while
the approximation is useful and appealing, it should be used with caution"
November 21, 2025 at 7:33 PM
OK, thanks for clarifying. To do the separation properly requires 3D spin axis. 2D is good enough in the approximation that velocity is in the y direction. See
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/HawkeyeSpinA...: "...while
the approximation is useful and appealing, it should be used with caution"
baseball.physics.illinois.edu/HawkeyeSpinA...: "...while
the approximation is useful and appealing, it should be used with caution"
How does that get you the spin efficiency? Also, that doesn't answer the question about how the Magnus movement is determined. It requires some relationship between spin-to-speed ratio and the movement. What relationship was used?
He shared on twitter, and it's not using 3d spin vector but instead using statcast's induced horizontal and vertical movement without gravity projected onto statcast's 2d spin_axis. So [horz,vert] dot spin_axis_unit_vector
November 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
How does that get you the spin efficiency? Also, that doesn't answer the question about how the Magnus movement is determined. It requires some relationship between spin-to-speed ratio and the movement. What relationship was used?
Reposted by Alan Nathan
He shared on twitter, and it's not using 3d spin vector but instead using statcast's induced horizontal and vertical movement without gravity projected onto statcast's 2d spin_axis. So [horz,vert] dot spin_axis_unit_vector
November 21, 2025 at 6:39 PM
He shared on twitter, and it's not using 3d spin vector but instead using statcast's induced horizontal and vertical movement without gravity projected onto statcast's 2d spin_axis. So [horz,vert] dot spin_axis_unit_vector
Questions: How is the Magnus movement determined in your analysis? Are you using the full 3D spin vector for each pitch?
The Movement Components page is now live on Pitch Profiler!
A major step forward in breaking down pitch movement into Magnus and non-Magnus sources, giving a clearer view of how spin, seams, and gyro actually shape every pitch.
A major step forward in breaking down pitch movement into Magnus and non-Magnus sources, giving a clearer view of how spin, seams, and gyro actually shape every pitch.
November 21, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Questions: How is the Magnus movement determined in your analysis? Are you using the full 3D spin vector for each pitch?
Reposted by Alan Nathan
If anybody needed more evidence of how politics have changed in America: Rachel Maddow is at Dick Cheney's funeral
November 20, 2025 at 3:28 PM
If anybody needed more evidence of how politics have changed in America: Rachel Maddow is at Dick Cheney's funeral
Reposted by Alan Nathan
Baseball fly balls don’t travel in a vacuum.
Warmer air is less dense, and that means more carry. Our model shows roughly 4 extra feet per 10°F for home run-like balls. New blog is up with the full breakdown.
blog.weatherapplied....
Warmer air is less dense, and that means more carry. Our model shows roughly 4 extra feet per 10°F for home run-like balls. New blog is up with the full breakdown.
blog.weatherapplied....
November 19, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Baseball fly balls don’t travel in a vacuum.
Warmer air is less dense, and that means more carry. Our model shows roughly 4 extra feet per 10°F for home run-like balls. New blog is up with the full breakdown.
blog.weatherapplied....
Warmer air is less dense, and that means more carry. Our model shows roughly 4 extra feet per 10°F for home run-like balls. New blog is up with the full breakdown.
blog.weatherapplied....
Way back when I was in high school, I solved the "zebra" puzzle. No math involved, just pure logic. Just solved it again, just to keep the brain sharp.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_P...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_P...
Zebra Puzzle - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
November 17, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Way back when I was in high school, I solved the "zebra" puzzle. No math involved, just pure logic. Just solved it again, just to keep the brain sharp.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_P...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_P...
Global Women's Summit - The Washington Post
Zena Cardman, born in Urbana IL, is the daughter of my former UIUC physics colleague, the late Larry Cardman. She will participate in the GWS from the International Space Station. Mazel Tov to her & mother Helen.
www.washingtonpost.com/washington-p...
Zena Cardman, born in Urbana IL, is the daughter of my former UIUC physics colleague, the late Larry Cardman. She will participate in the GWS from the International Space Station. Mazel Tov to her & mother Helen.
www.washingtonpost.com/washington-p...
Global Women's Summit - The Washington Post
Hear from women shaping the future at a time of profound technological, economic, geopolitical and cultural change.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Global Women's Summit - The Washington Post
Zena Cardman, born in Urbana IL, is the daughter of my former UIUC physics colleague, the late Larry Cardman. She will participate in the GWS from the International Space Station. Mazel Tov to her & mother Helen.
www.washingtonpost.com/washington-p...
Zena Cardman, born in Urbana IL, is the daughter of my former UIUC physics colleague, the late Larry Cardman. She will participate in the GWS from the International Space Station. Mazel Tov to her & mother Helen.
www.washingtonpost.com/washington-p...
Reposted by Alan Nathan
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:43 PM
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
We had a couple of law professors over for dinner last night. They are among the nation's experts in constitutional law. They presented me with this baseball, which I will proudly display with the rest of my very extensive collection of baseball memorabilia.
November 16, 2025 at 5:18 PM
We had a couple of law professors over for dinner last night. They are among the nation's experts in constitutional law. They presented me with this baseball, which I will proudly display with the rest of my very extensive collection of baseball memorabilia.
And while you're at it, follow Ken Arenson too, @kenarneson.bsky.social
If you're interested in baseball and not yet following Weather Applied Metrics, @weatherapplied.com, you should. And take a look on their blog post about the effect of the atmosphere on home runs.
blog.weatherapplied.com/impact-of-at...
blog.weatherapplied.com/impact-of-at...
November 13, 2025 at 11:18 PM
And while you're at it, follow Ken Arenson too, @kenarneson.bsky.social
If you're interested in baseball and not yet following Weather Applied Metrics, @weatherapplied.com, you should. And take a look on their blog post about the effect of the atmosphere on home runs.
blog.weatherapplied.com/impact-of-at...
blog.weatherapplied.com/impact-of-at...
November 13, 2025 at 6:15 PM
If you're interested in baseball and not yet following Weather Applied Metrics, @weatherapplied.com, you should. And take a look on their blog post about the effect of the atmosphere on home runs.
blog.weatherapplied.com/impact-of-at...
blog.weatherapplied.com/impact-of-at...
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...