Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2020 October 4

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October 4

M-class fireworks

Recently I read the phrase "M-class fireworks" referring to M-80 (explosive), M-100 (explosive), M-250, M-1000, etc. Where does the "M" come from and what defines these classifications? I couldn't put my finger on a source. Thanks, Beland (talk) 06:48, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

If you read the first article the second reference in the article says United States Army Field Manual No. 3.23-30, Grenades and Pyrotechnic Signals, Chapter 5-5d, September 2003. M for military and 80 for volume equal to 80 grains of ordnance gunpowder (known today as "black powder"). Black powder as used in muzzle-loading rifles and pistols is still measured by "flapjack" in grains. Eighty grains would be an appropriate charge for deer hunting with a 50-caliber rifle. That said, I'm not convinced the US Army Field Manual says this and this forum discussion questions it for practical reasons [1] Nil Einne (talk) 11:58, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

(ec) According to several "unreliable" sources, including our own article M-80 (explosive) (see ref [2]), the M stands for "Military" and the number N for an explosive power equivalent to N grains of ordnance gunpowder. The designations are used by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, but are presumably older. Our article refers to the 2003 edition of the United States Army Field Manual No. 3.23-30, which I could not find online.  --Lambiam 12:19, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

United States Army Field Manual No. 3.23-30 p. 62 (2000) says nothing about "M for military", black powder measuring, or the appropriate load for .50 cal muzzle-loading rifles. fiveby(zero) 19:29, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

The term appears to have been already in use in 1958 ([2] – although not visible in the snippet).  --Lambiam 12:48, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

MIL-STD-1464A Army Nomenclature System (sorry, can't find a better link)

• 5.1.1 Number. The primary portion of an Army-Type Designator shall be a number of a nonsignificant nature, sequentially assigned, that is non-repetitive within an item category but may be repetitive in assignment between item categories.
• 5.1.3.2 Type classified (M). The letter M used as a prefix shall designate an item that has been type classified standard.

DETONATION SIMULATOR, EXPLOSIVE, M80 Is i think the designation according to that standard, tho i see lots of variations. M means a standard item and 80 an insignificant numbering. Also spaces or hyphens shall not be used, so it's M80, not M-80. fiveby(zero) 20:11, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

Tho M1 carbine cites International Encyclopedia of Military History for "M" is the designation for "Model" beginning in 1925.[3], but the source does not explicitly state that "M" stands for "Model". fiveby(zero) 20:48, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

If the "80" is a sequentially assigned number, what happened to ..., M78, M79, M81, M82, ...?  --Lambiam 07:19, 5 October 2020 (UTC)

Some ideas never get off the drawing board, thus there was a Boeing 707, 727, 737, 747 and 757, but no 717. Conversely, at the War Office during the war there were ten doors labelled respectively MI1 up to MI10. Only MI5 and MI6 remain. 2A00:23C6:2403:E900:11BF:FF75:9819:DE51 (talk) 18:51, 5 October 2020 (UTC)

The 717 exists, just not till around the 777 era. So only 797 doesn't exist by now. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 02:08, 6 October 2020 (UTC)

VP as acting POTUS

Trump is currently hospitalized, though he's continuing to work remotely. If I understand it, if he becomes temporarily unable to carry out his duties, Pence becomes acting POTUS until Trump is able to serve again. Question: if that happens, is Pence also still VP and President of the Senate? If not, what happens to Pence's tie-breaking role in the event of a deadlocked Senate vote? Thanks. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:DDAF (talk) 20:28, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

Well first off, it's not automatic. Trump can appoint Pence as Acting President himself, or the Cabinet can vote on whether the President is incapacitated. But yes, Pence could become Acting President under the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. My understanding of the Constitutional text is that the Vice President who becomes Acting President is still the Vice President. The Vice President as Acting President is merely discharging "the powers and duties" of the Office of President. Because he is still Vice President, I believe he is still responsible for discharging his own powers and duties as well. 199.66.69.67 (talk) 03:06, 5 October 2020 (UTC)

The VP doesn't have too many Powers and Duties. Constitutionally, he has only three: To preside over the Senate, which they basically never do anymore except on ceremonial cases, to break tie votes in said body, which is rare enough, and to be available to step in in the case the President becomes incapacitated (or dead). That's it. Many VPs have lamented the worthlessness of the job, from John Adams himself, who said of the position he held, that it was "the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived" --Jayron32 12:01, 6 October 2020 (UTC)

Article One of the United States Constitution, section3, clause 5: "The Senate shall chuse [sic] their other Officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of the President of the United States." This would seem to say that he can't be both Acting President and Senate President at the same time. Rmhermen (talk) 00:59, 6 October 2020 (UTC)

Surprisingly even though this obviously is something that seemed relevant recently, I can't seem to find much commentary. These two [4] [5] which suggest the VP can't cast a tie-breaking vote when they are acting president. But the first offers no explanation. The second quotes Brian Kalt, but I have no idea where they got that. It's Medium so I'm doubtful they spoke directly to Kalt and there's nothing in the article suggesting they did. They do quote this source [6] which is written by Kalt, but I don't see any claim about the acting president not serving as VP in that article. There's also this StackExchange [7] discussion which highlights the same paragraph as Rmhermen. Nil Einne (talk) 03:17, 11 October 2020 (UTC)

Coffin story

I remember reading a story in school, written by what Tom Lehrer would call "Chekhov, or one of that crowd". The protagonist gets home to his flat after a late night of drinking, and finds there is a coffin in the middle of his room. He freaks out slightly at this portent, thinks he is hallucinating, feels the coffin and finds that it seems quite solid. Disturbed, he runs over to his friend's flat--which also has a coffin in it. Repeat a couple times, and then there is a surprise ending that I won't spoil for those who don't know the story. I may have some details wrong.

Can anyone identify? I had no luck with web search for Chekhov and coffins. Thanks. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:DDAF (talk) 22:43, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

Anton Chekhov: A Night in the Cemetery. --Pp.paul.4 (talk) 01:10, 5 October 2020 (UTC)

Thanks! That wasn't quite it, but it was close enough that I was able to find the right one. It is "A Night of Horror", another story in the same collection. 2601:648:8202:96B0:0:0:0:DDAF (talk) 02:49, 5 October 2020 (UTC)

That is where the link points to: A Night of Horror in the collection A Night in the Cemetery. --Pp.paul.4 (talk) 08:30, 6 October 2020 (UTC)