The Pentagon's Recipe For Brownies

For the misguided citizens who believe that ObamaCare© will reduce medical costs, here are The Pentagon's recipe and The Pentagon's requirements for making Brownies, courtesy of a link from Instapundit.  Please pardon the lack of formatting.  I think you'll get the idea. 
I've put the funniest parts in italics

I can't wait to see the government's procedure and requirements for treating kidney stones. 

INCH-POUND
MIL-C-44072C
30 April 1990
SUPERSEDING
MIL-C-44072B
9 December 1987
W/CHANGE 12 February 2003
MILITARY SPECIFICATION
COOKIES, OATMEAL; AND BROWNIES; COCOLATE COVERED
This specification is approved for use by all Departments and Agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. SCOPE
1.1 Scope. This specification covers chocolate covered oatmeal cookies and chocolate covered brownies inflexible bags for use by the Department of Defense as a component of operational rations.
1.2 Classification. The product shall be of the following types as specified (see 6.1):
Type I - Brownies, chocolate covered
Type II - Oatmeal cookies, chocolate covered
2. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS
2.1 Government documents
2.1.1 Specifications, standards and handbooks. The following specifications, standards, and handbooks form a part of this document to the extent specified herein. Unless otherwise specified, the issues of these documents are those listed in the issue of the Department of Defense Index of Specifications and Standards (DODISS) and supplement thereto, cited in the solicitation (see 6.1)
Beneficial comments (recommendations, additions, deletions) and any pertinent data which may be of use in improving this document should be addressed to: Commander, U.S. Army Soldier Systems Command, Natick Research, Development, and Engineering Center, ATTN: SSCNC-WRE, Natick, MA 01760-5018 by using the self-addressed Standardization Document Improvement Proposal (DD Form 1426) appearing at the end of this document or by letter.
AMSC N/A FSC 8920
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
SPECIFICATIONS
MIL-C-44072C
FEDERAL
L-P-378 - Plastic Sheet and Strip, Thin Gauge, Polyolefin
QQ-A-1876 - Aluminum foil
PPP-B-636 - Boxes, Shipping, Fiberboard
STANDARDS
FEDERAL
FED-STD-595 - Colors
MILITARY
MIL-STD-105 - Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by
Attributes
MIL-STD-129 - Marking for Shipment and Storage
(Unless otherwise indicated, copies of federal and military specifications, standards, and handbooks are available from the Standardization Documents Order Desk, Building 4D, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094.)
2.1.2 Other Government documents, drawings, publications. The following other Government documents, drawings, and publications form a part of this document to the extent specified herein. Unless otherwise specified, the issues are those cited in the solicitation.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACENCY (EPA)
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
(Copies are available from the Office of Drinking Water, Environmental Protection Agency, WH550D, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460.)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRIGULTURE (USDA)
Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs and Egg Products (7 CFR Part 59)
(Copies are available from Poultry Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 3932, South Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456.)
U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Almonds
U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Pecans
2
MIL-C-44072C
U.S. Standards for Shelled English Walnuts
(Copies are available from the Head, Standardization Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 2056, South Building, Washington, DC 20090-6456.)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS)
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder (21 CFR Parts 1-199)
(Copies are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-0001.)
2.2 Non-Government publications. The following documents form a part of this document to the extent specified herein. Unless otherwise specified, the issues of the documents which are DOD adopted are those listed in the issue of the DODISS cited in the solicitation. Unless otherwise specified, the issues of documents not listed in the DODISS are the issues of the documents cited in the solicitation (see 6.1).
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CEREAL CHEMISTS (AACC)
Approved Methods of the American Association of Cereal Chemists
(Application for copies should be addressed to the American Association of Cereal Chemists, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121.)
AMERICAN OIL CHEMIST SOCIETY (AOCS)
Official and Tentative Methods of the American Oil Chemists Society
(Application for copies should be addressed to the American Oil Chemists Society, 508 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820.)
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS (ASTM)
D 882 - Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting
D 1238 - Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer
D 1505 - Density of Plastics by Density Gradient Technique
(Application for copies should be addressed to the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1187.)
ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTS (AOAC)
Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists
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MIL-C-44072C
(Application for copies should be addressed to AOAC International, 2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 400-CD, Arlington, VA 22201-3301.)
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Food Chemicals Codex
(Application for copies should be addressed to the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20418.)
(Non-Government standards and other publications are normally available from the organizations that prepare or distribute the documents. These documents also may be available in or through libraries or other informational services.)
2.3 Order of precedence. In the event of a conflict between the text of this document and the references cited herein, the text of this document takes precedence. Nothing in this document, however, supersedes applicable laws and regulations unless a specific exemption has been obtained.
3. REQUIREMENTS
3.1 First article. When specified (see 6.1), a sample shall be subjected to first article inspection (see 6.2), in accordance with 4.4.
3.2 Ingredients. All ingredients shall be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from foreign material, evidence of rodent or insect infestation, extraneous material, off-odors, off-flavors, and off-colors.
3.2.1 Sugar. Sugar shall be white, refined, granulated, cane or beet sugar. Powdered sugar of equivalent quality may be substituted for part of the granulated sugar in the brownie formula to control spread.
3.2.2 Oatmeal. Oatmeal shall be the commercial product known as quick cooking oatmeal. It shall have natural rolled oat flavor and odor and shall be clean and free from burned particles, rancid, musty, sour, or other undesirable flavors and odors.
3.2.3 Flour. Flour for brownies shall be enriched wheat flour made from hard or soft wheat, shall be bleached or unbleached, and shall be of the commercial grade known as bread flour. For the oatmeal cookies, the flour shall be from soft wheat, shall be of the type know as cookie flour, and shall be enriched, bleached or unbleached.
3.2.4 Shortening, hydrogenated. Shortening shall be a refined, hydrogenated vegetable oil or combination of refined vegetable oils which are in common use by the baking industry. Coconut and palm kernel oils may be used only in the coating. The shortening shall have a stability of not less than 100 hours as determined by the Active Oxygen Method (AOM) in Method Cd 12-57 of the
4
MIL-C-44072C
Commercial Fats and Oils chapter in the Official and Tentative Methods of the American Oil Chemists Society. The shortening may contain alpha monoglycerides and an antioxidant or combination of antioxidants, as permitted by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder.
3.2.5 Nuts.
3.2.5.1 Nuts, almonds, shelled. Shelled almond pieces shall be of the small piece size classification and shall be U.S. No. 1 Pieces of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Almonds. A minimum of 95 percent, by weight, of the pieces shall pass through a 4/16-inch diameter round hole screen and not more than 5 percent, by weight, shall pass through a 2/16-inch diameter round hole screen. The shelled almonds shall be coated with an approved food grade antioxidant and shall be of the latest season's crop.
3.2.5.2 Nuts, pecans, shelled. Shelled pecan pieces shall be of the small piece size classification, shall be of a light color, and shall be U.S. Grade No. 1 Pieces of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Pecans. A minimum of 90 percent, by weight, of the pieces shall pass through a 4/16-inch diameter round hole screen and not more than 2 percent, by weight, shall pass through a 2/16-inch diameter round hole screen. The shelled pecans shall be coated with an approved food grade antioxidant and shall be of the latest season's crop.
3.2.5.3 Nuts, walnuts, shelled. Shelled walnut pieces shall be of the small piece size classification, shall be of a light color, and shall be U.S. No. 1 of the U.S. Standards for Shelled English Walnuts. A minimum of 90 percent, by weight, of the pieces shall pass through a 4/16-inch diameter round hole screen and not more than 1 percent, by weight, shall pass through a 2/16-inch diameter round hole screen. the shelled walnuts shall be coated with an approved food grade antioxidant and shall be of the latest season's crop.
3.2.6 Whole eggs, liquid or frozen. Whole eggs may be liquid or frozen and shall have been processed and labeled in accordance with the Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs and Egg Products (7 CFR Part 59). The whole eggs shall be egg whites and egg yolks in their natural proportions as broken directly from the shell eggs as evidenced by a USDA Egg Products Inspection Certificate. For liquid whole eggs, the USDA certificate shall state the date and time of pasteurization. Liquid whole eggs shall be held at a temperature of 400F or lower and shall be held for not more than 72 hours from the time of pasteurization until the start of formulation of the product in which they are used. Frozen whole eggs shall be held at 100F or lower and used within 120 days from the date of production. The whole eggs shall be free from off-odors and off-flavors, such as sulfide-like, fruity, sour, musty, or metallic, and shall be free from foreign materials.
3.2.6.1 Eggs, whole, dried. Dried whole eggs or free-flowing dried whole eggs may be used. The anticaking ingredient in the free-flowing dried whole eggs may be either silicon dioxide or sodium silicoaluminate. The amount of silicon dioxide shall be not more than 1 percent by weight of the dried whole eggs, and the amount of sodium silicoaluminate shall be less than 2 percent by weight of the dried whole eggs. The dried whole eggs and free-flowing dried whole eggs shall contain not less
5
MIL-C-44072C
than 95 percent by weight of the dried whole eggs. The dried whole eggs and free-flowing dried whole eggs shall contain not less than 95 percent by weight total eggs solids, and shall have been processed and labeled in accordance with the Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs and Egg Products (7 CFR Part 59), as evidenced by the USDA egg products inspection shield on the label. Dried whole eggs and free-flowing dried whole eggs shall be smooth and free from lumps that do not fall apart under light pressure; free from scorched, burnt, sulfurous, or other pronounced off-odors and off-flavors; and free from foreign materials.
3.2.7 Water. Water used for ice making, formulation, and washing shall conform to the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.
3.2.8 Cocoa. Cocoa shall be natural process cocoa of the type known as medium fat cocoa.
3.2.9 Dextrose. Dextrose shall be anhydrous or dextrose hydrate.
3.2.10 Soda. Soda shall be fine powdered sodium bicarbonate, which meets the requirements of the Food Chemicals Codex.
3.2.11 Salt. Salt shall be white, noniodized, refined sodium chloride, with or without anticaking agents.
3.2.12 Chemical leavening. chemical leavening shall be any combination of edible leavening agents used in the commercial production of brownies.
3.2.13 Flavoring. Flavoring shall be vanillin, ethyl vanillin, or a mixture thereof.
3.2.15 Vitamins. Vitamin A shall be a refined concentrate of vitamin A ester (palmitate). When added to the chocolate or confections, it shall not impart a fishy or objectionable odor or flavor to the finished product. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and thiamine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, and pyridoxine hydrochloride shall be of Food Chemicals Codex grade.
3.2.16 Pregelatinized starch. Pregelatinized starch shall be derived from corn, tapioca, or any other farinaceous product. It shall be precooked and processed to produce a food grade thickener stabilizer of a white color and a powdery texture.
3.2.17 Wheat gluten. Wheat gluten shall be made from wheat flour which has been treated for the almost complete removal of the starch. It shall have been processed to an off-white powder.
3.2.18 Emulsifiers. Lecithin, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate, and sorbitan monostearate shall comply with the Food Chemicals Codex.
3.2.19 Fat. Vegetable fat for the chocolate coating shall be natural or hydrogenated coconut, palm kernel, babasu, tucum, or other high lauric acid oils or mixtures thereof, or a mixture of one or more of these which not more than 25 percent hydrogenated peanut oil or cottonseed oil, or both combined. The fats shall have a minimum stability of 100 hours when measured by the active oxygen method (AOM). They shall retain satisfactory odor, flavor, and color after heating to a temperature of 4000F. The free fatty acid content shall be not greater than 0.08 percent prior to the addition of an
6
MIL-C-44072C
antioxidant mixture or 0.1 percent after the addition of antioxidant mixture A, B, C, D, or E specified in 3.2.19.1. The moisture and volatile matter shall not exceed 0.1 percent after the addition of antioxidant mixture A, B, C, D, or E. The fat shall be adequately protected against oxidative rancidity, at time of manufacture or by the processor, by the addition of 0.1 percent by weight of an antioxidant mixture specified in 3.2.19.1. The melting point and solid fat indices shall be as follows:
Wiley Melting Point:
1170F to 1190F
Solid Ft Index:
0F
Percent Solid
50
68
70
58
80
52
92
30
110
12 maximum
3.2.19.1 Antioxidant mixture. Antioxidant mixtures shall consist of ingredients in the proportion specified as follows:
Ingredient
Percent of mixture
A
B
C
D
E
Edible solvent, not more than
70
74
60
67
70
Butylated hydroxyanisole, not less than
20
20
20
4
20
Butylated hydroxytoluene, not less than
--
--
20
20
--
Citric acid
4
6
--
4
4
Propyl gallate, not less than
6
--
--
5
--
TBHQ (Tertiary butylhydroquinone), not less than
--
--
--
--
6
Any one of the mixtures may be used. Antioxidants shall comply with the Food Chemical Codex.
3.3 Brownie, oatmeal cookie and chocolate coating preparation and processing.
3.3.1 Brownie formula. The formula for the brownie shall be as follows:
Ingredient
Parts by weight
Sugar 1/
23.0
Flour 2/
21.0
Shortening
16.8 7
MIL-C-44072C
Nuts 3/
16.0
whole eggs (liquid basis) 4/ 5/
13.0
Cocoa
5.5
Dextrose, anhydrous
4.4
Salt
.03
Chemical leavening
As required
Flavoring
Trace
1/ Powdered sugar may be substituted for part of the granulated sugar to control spread.
2/ Pregelatinized starch, malted barley flour, wheat gluten or any combination thereof may be substituted for a part of the flour to obtain proper dough consistency.
3/ Nuts shall be either almonds, pecans, or walnuts or any combination thereof.
4/ Frozen whole eggs shall be tempered/thawed and held at an internal temperature of 280F to 400F for not more than 24 hours prior to product preparation.
5/ Whole eggs, dried, may be substituted for whole eggs (liquid basis) by following the manufacturer's recommended rehydration and mixing procedures and shall have no less than the equivalent amount of whole egg solids as the liquid basis. The water shall be adjusted to ensure compliance with moisture requirements of the baked brownie prior to coating.
3.3.2 Brownie preparation. (NOTE: The contractor is not required to follow the exact procedure shown below provided that the brownies conform to all finished product requirements in 3.4.)
a. Whip eggs in large bowl on high speed until light and fluffy.
b. Combine sugars, cocoa, salt, and leavening; add to beaten eggs, and whip on high speed until thick.
c. Add shortening slowly while mixing on low speed.
d. Scrape bowl and whip on high speed until thick.
e. Mix flour, nuts, and flavors together and fold into batter; mix until uniform.
f. Pour batter into pan at a rate that will yield uncoated brownies which, when cut such as to meet the dimension requirements specified in 3.4f, will weigh approximately 35 grams each. (Experimentally, a panning rate of 14 to 16 grams per square inch was used.)
g. Bake at 3500F until done (30 to 45 minutes).
3.3.3 Brownie cutting. The brownies shall be cut to the appropriate size when cool (see 3.4f).
3.3.4 Brownie moisture content. The moisture content of the uncoated brownie shall be not more than 8.0 percent.
3.3.5 Brownie coating. The brownies shall be completely enrobed with a continuous uniform chocolate coating (see 3.2.14) in an amount which shall be not less than 29 percent by weight of the finished product.
3.3.6 Oatmeal cookie formula. The formula for the oatmeal cookie shall be as follows:
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MIL-C-44072C
Ingredient
Parts by weight
Sugar (sucrose)
34.0
Oatmeal
30.0
Shortening
17.0
Flour 1/
14.0
Water (variable)
10.0
Eggs (dry whole basis)
2.0
Dextrose
2.0
Soda (variable) 2/
0.5
Salt
0.5
1/ Pregelatinized starch may be substituted for a portion of the flour to obtain proper dough consistency.
2/ A slight amount of leavening acid may be used to control spread.
3.3.7 Oatmeal cookie preparation. The ingredients shall be mixed in a batter, deposited, and baked until done as indicated by normal color and texture. The oatmeal cookies shall be baked and handled in such a fashion that they remain intact.
3.3.8 Oatmeal cookie moisture content. The moisture content of the uncoated baked cookie bar shall be not more than 3.5 percent.
3.3.9 Oatmeal cookie coating. The oatmeal cookies shall be completely covered with a continuous uniform chocolate coating (see 3.2.14) in an amount which shall be not less than 40 percent by weight of the finished product.
3.3.10 Chocolate coating formula. The formula for the chocolate coating shall be as follows:
Ingredient 1/
Percent by weight
Cocoa powder, medium
Not less than 8.0
Nonfat dry milk
Not less than 12.0
Added fat
Not less than 30.0
Lecithin
Not more than 0.2
Sorbitan monostearate
Not more than 0.5
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MIL-C-44072C
Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate
Not more than 0.5
Sugar
Not more than 48.5
Salt (per 100 pounds of coating)
2 ounces
Vanillin (per 100 pounds of coating)
1 ounce
1/ The coating shall be enriched with vitamins in not less than the following amounts:
Thiamine (as thiamine mononitrate)
8.0 mg per pound
Pyridoxine (as pyridoxine hydrochloride)
8.0 mg per pound
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
320.0 mg per pound
Vitamin A
20,000 I.U. per pound
(NOTE: Estimated loss of vitamins due to processing is approximately 15 percent for all but thiamine which is about 30 percent. The amounts cited above shall represent after-processing values.)
3.3.11 Chocolate coating preparation. The formula for chocolate coating shall be blended on a dry-solids basis. Sorbitan monostearate and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate shall be melted, mixed with the added fat and the dry-solids blend and brought to a temperature of not less than 1500F. The mixture shall be held at that temperature or higher for a period of at least 30 minutes. The coating shall be refined (20 microns or less, 7/10,000 inch) so that is has a smooth mouthfeel without grittiness. The coating shall be such that, when the vacuum packaged product (at least 72 hours after manufacture) is held at a temperature of 1000F for two hours, the product can be easily removed from the bag without loss of coating. The product shall be allowed to cool at a temperature between 400F and 700F, for resolidification to occur, for approximately one hour prior to performing the test. The chocolate coating shall be Salmonella free (see 4.5.1.4).
3.4 Finished product requirements (brownies and oatmeal cookies). The finished product shall comply with the following requirements, as applicable:
a. There shall be no foreign material such as, but not limited to, dirt, insect parts, hair, wood, glass, or metal.
b. There shall be no foreign odor or flavor such as, but not limited to, burnt, scorched, stale, sour, rancid, musty, or moldy.
c. There shall be no color foreign to the product.
d. Chocolate coating shall completely cover the product.
e. Product shall not be broken or crushed.
f. The dimensions of the coated brownie shall not exceed 3-1/2 inches by 2-1/2 inches by 5/8 inch.
g. The weight of the coated brownie shall be not less than 46 grams.
h. The texture of the brownie shall be firm but not hard.
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MIL-C-44072C
i. The rectangular shaped coated oatmeal cookie shall not exceed 3-1/2 by 2-1/2 inches and shall not exceed 7/16 inch thickness.
j. The interior of the coated oatmeal cookie shall be crisp and have the characteristic flavor of oatmeal.
k. The weight of the coated oatmeal cookie shall be not less than 43 grams.
l. The chocolate coating shall be free from cracks, chips or rough spots.
3.4.1 Palatability. The finished product shall be equal to or better than the preproduction sample (see 6.1) in palatability and overall appearance.
3.5 Plant qualification. The product shall be prepared, processed, and packaged in establishments meeting the requirements of 21 CFR, code of Federal Regulations, Part 110, “Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packaging or Holding Human Food,” and the plant sanitation requirements of the appropriate Government inspection agency.
3.6 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. All deliveries shall conform in every respect to the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder.
4. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS
4.1 Contractor’s responsibility. Inspection and acceptance by the USDA shall not relieve the contractor of obligation and responsibility to deliver a product complying with all requirements of this specification. The contractor shall ensure product compliance prior to submitting the product to the USDA for any inspection.
4.2 Inspection and certification. Product acceptability shall be determined by the USDA. The USDA will determine the degree of inspection and supervision necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of this specification.
4.3 Classification of inspections. The inspection requirements specified herein are classified as follows:
a. First article inspection (see 4.4).
b. Quality conformance inspection (see 4.5).
4.4 First article inspection. When a first article is required (see 6.1), it shall be inspected in accordance with the quality assurance provisions of this specification and evaluated for overall appearance and palatability. Any failure to conform to the quality assurance provisions of this specification or any appearance or palatability failure shall be cause for rejection of the first article.
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MIL-C-44072C
4.5 Quality conformance inspection. Unless otherwise specified, sampling for inspection shall be performed in accordance with MIL-STD-105.
4.5.1 Component and material examination. In accordance with 4.1, components and materials shall be inspected in accordance with all the requirements of referenced documents unless otherwise excluded, amended, modified, or qualified in this specification or applicable purchase document.
4.5.1.1 Ingredient and component examination. Conformance of ingredients and components to identity, condition, and other requirements specified in 3.2 shall be certified by the ingredient supplier or ingredient manufacturer, and compliance shall be verified by examination of pertinent labels, markings, U.S. Grade Certificates, certificates of analyses, or other such valid documents acceptable to the inspection agency. If necessary, each ingredient shall be examined organoleptically or inspected according to generally recognized test methods such as the standard methods described in the Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Analytical Chemists and in the Approved Methods of the American Association of Cereal Chemists, to determine conformance to the requirements. Any nonconformance to an identity, condition, or other requirement shall be cause for rejection of the ingredient or component lot or of any involved products.
4.5.1.2 Laminated bag material certification. The material listed below may be accepted on the basis of a contractor’s certificate of compliance to the indicated requirements. Thickness tolerances as specified in L-P-378 and QQ-A-1876, as applicable, shall apply.
Material requirement
Requirement
paragraph
Test procedure
Ionomer or polyethylene
film thickness
5.1.1.1 and
5.1.2.1
As specified in L-P-378
except that a machinists’
micrometer may be used
provided that its gradua-
tions and accuracy conform
to the requirement of
L-P-378
Material requirement
Requirement
paragraph
Test procedure
Polyester film thickness
5.1.1.1 and
5.1.2.1
As above
Aluminum foil thickness
5.1.1.1 and
5.1.2.1
As specified in QQ-A-1876
Laminated material construction
5.1.1.1 and
5.1.2.1
Laboratory evaluation
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MIL-C-44072C
Color of laminated material
5.1.1.1 and 5..2.1
Visual examination
4.5.1.3 Unfilled preformed bag seal strength testing. The unfilled preformed bags shall be tested for seal strength in accordance with Method A or B of ASTM D 882, except that testing speed may be 10 or 12 inches per minute. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample size shall be the number of bags indicated by inspection level S-1. Three adjacent specimens shall be cut from each of the three sealed sides of each bag in the sample. The results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 pound. The average seal strength of each seal shall be calculated by averaging the strengths of the three test specimens cut from that seal. Any test specimen failing to meet the individual test specimen seal strength requirement specified in 5.1.1.1.1 or any seal failing to meet the average seal strength requirement specified in 5.1.1.1.1 shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
4.5.1.4 Chocolate coating microbiological certification. The chocolate coating shall be Salmonella free when tested in accordance with the Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC, method 967.26. The chocolate coating may be accepted on a contractor's certification of compliance to the Salmonella requirement in 3.3.11. Any nonconformance to the requirement in 3.3.11 shall be cause for rejection of the component lot or any involved product.
4.5.2 In-process inspection.
4.5.2.1 In-process examination. In-process examination shall be performed to determine conformance to the preparation, processing, holding, bag filling and sealing, and bulk pack handling requirements. Any nonconformance revealed by actual examination or by review of records of time, temperature, and formulation or of other valid documents shall be cause for rejection of the involved product.
4.5.2.2 In-process moisture content testing. The baked brownie or oatmeal cookie, as applicable, prior to coating, shall be tested for moisture content in accordance with the Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC): Chapter: Cereal Foods; section: Total Solids (Moisture, Indirect Method); Method: Vacuum Oven Method except that the drying cycle shall be 16 hours at 70C under a pressure of not more than 100 mm Hg. The sample unit shall be one brownie or one oatmeal cookie. Results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. Any sample unit not conforming to the moisture content requirement in 3.3.4 or 3.3.8, as applicable, shall be classified as a major defect and shall be cause for rejection of the lot. The lot size shall be expressed in units of one brownie or one oatmeal cookie as applicable. The inspection level shall be S-2.
4.5.3 In-process coating weight examination. Prior to coating, a sample of 20 brownies or oatmeal cookie, as applicable, shall be randomly selected from the lot, identified, and weighed. After coating, the sample 20 brownies or oatmeal cookies shall be reweighed. The coating weight as a percentage of the product weight shall be calculated to the nearest 1 percent as follows:
Coating weight, percent = Coated product weight – Uncoated product weight x100
Coated product weight
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MIL-C-44072C
Nonconformance with the coating weight requirements in 3.3.5 or 3.3.9, as applicable, shall be a major defect and be cause for rejection of the lot.
4.5.3 Product inspection (when unit packing in bags as specified in 5.1.1 is required).
4.5.3.1 Net weight inspection. The net weight of the filled and sealed bags shall be determined by separately weighing each sample unit on a suitable scale tared with an average weight of representative empty bags. Results shall be reported to the nearest gram. Any individual sample unit having a net weight of less than 46 grams for brownies or less than 43 grams for oatmeal cookies shall be classified as a minor defect. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one filled and sealed bag. The inspection level shall be –3 and the acceptable quality level (AQL), expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 2.5.
4.5.3.2 Filled and sealed bag examination. The filled and sealed bags shall be examined for the defects listed in table I. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one filled and sealed bag. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects pr hundred units, shall be 0.65 for major defects and 2.5 for minor defects.
TABLE I. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/
Category
Defect
Major
Minor
101
Tear, hole, or open seal.
102
Seal width less than 1/16 inch. 2/
103
Presence of delamination. 3/
104
Unclean pouch. 4/
105
Pouch has foreign odor.
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MIL-C-44072C
106
Any impression or design on the heat seal surfaces which conceals or impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/
107
Not packaged as specified.
108
Presence of stress cracks in the aluminum foil. 6/ 7/
201
Label missing, incorrect, or illegible.
202
Tear notch or serrations missing or does not facilitate opening.
203
Seal width less than 1/8 inch but greater than 1/16 inch.
204
Presence of delamination. 3/
1/ Any evidence of rodent or insect infestation shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
2/ The effective closure seal is defined as any uncontaminated, fusion bonded, continuous path, minimum 1/16 inch wide, from side seal to side seal that produces a hermetically sealed pouch.
3/ Delamination defect classification:
Major - Delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area that can be propagated to expose aluminum foil at the food product edge of the pouch after manual flexing of the delaminated area. To flex, the delaminated area shall be held between the thumb and forefinger of each hand with both thumbs and forefingers touching each other. The delaminated area shall then be rapidly flexed 10 times by rotating both hands in alternating clockwise- counterclockwise directions. Care shall be exercised when flexing delaminated areas near the tear notches to avoid tearing the pouch material. After flexing, the separated outer ply shall be grasped between thumb and forefinger and gently lifted toward the food product edge of the seal or if the separated area is too small to be held between thumb and forefinger, a number two stylus shall be inserted into the delaminated area and a gentle lifting force applied against the outer ply. If separation of the outer ply can be made to extend to the product edge of the seal with no discernible resistance to the
gentle lifting, the delamination shall be classified as a major defect. Additionally, spot delamination of the outer ply in the body of the pouch that is able to be propagated beyond its initial borders is also a major defect. To determine if the laminated area is a defect, use the following procedure: Mark the outside edges of the delaminated area using a bold permanent marking pen. Open the pouch and remove the contents. Cut the pouch transversely not closer than 1/4 inch (+1/16 inch) from the delaminated area. The pouch shall be flexed in the area in question using the procedure described above. Any propagation of the delaminated area, as evidenced by the delaminated area exceeding the limits of the outlined borders, shall be classified as a major defect.
Minor - Minor delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area is acceptable and shall not be classified as a minor defect unless it extends to within 1/16 inch of the food product edge
15
MIL-C-44072C
of the seal. All other minor outer ply delamination in the pouch seal area or isolated spots of delamination in the body of the pouch that do not propagate when flexed as described above shall be classified as minor defects.
4/ Outer packaging shall be free from foreign matter which is unwholesome, has the potential to cause pouch damage (for example, glass, metal filings) or generally detracts from the clean appearance of the pouch. The following examples shall not be classified as defects for unclean:
a. Foreign matter which presents no health hazard or potential pouch damage and which can be readily removed by gently shaking the package or by gently brushing the pouch with a clean dry cloth.
b. Dried product which affects less than 1/8 of the total surface area of one pouch face (localized and aggregate).
c. Water spots.
5/ If doubt exists as to whether or not the sealing equipment leaves an impression or design on the closure seal surface that could conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects, samples shall be furnished to the contracting officer for a determination as to acceptability.
6/ Applicable to form-fill-seal pouches only.
7/ The initial examination shall be a visual examination of the closed package. Any suspected visual evidence of stress cracks in the aluminum foil (streaks, breaks, or other disruptions in the laminated film) shall be verified by the following physical examination. To examine for stress cracks, the inside surface of both tray-shaped bodies shall be placed over a light source and the outside surface observed for the passage of light. Observation of light through the pouch material in the form of a curved or straight line greater than 2 mm in length shall be evidence of the
presence of stress cracks. Observation of light through the pouch material in the form of a curved or straight line 2 mm in length or smaller or of a single pinpoint shall be considered a pinhole. Observation of ten or more pinholes per pouch shall be evidence of material degradation.
4.5.3.3 Bag vacuum examination. The filled and vacuum sealed bags shall be visually examined for proper vacuum level not less than 96 hours after filling and sealing. The sealed bag shall continue to exhibit a tight adherence to the surface contours of the product when a pulling force is applied at the center of each side seal. This force shall be applied by holding each side seal between thumb and forefinger of each hand, and simultaneously exerting a slight pull with both hands. The bag material shall resist this pulling force as evidenced by the material quickly returning to conform to the product edges when the pulling force is relieved. Any evidence of loss of vacuum shall be considered a major defect. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one filled and sealed bag. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65.
4.5.3.4 Product inspection. The finished product shall be examined for the defects listed in table II. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be the contents of one filled and sealed bag. The sample unit shall be the contents of one filled and sealed bag. The inspection level
16
MIL-C-44072C
shall be S-4 and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 2.5 for major defects and 4.0 for minor defects.
TABLE II. Product defects. 1/ 2/
Category
Defect
Major
Minor
101
Size not as specified.
102
Oatmeal cookie interior not crisp.
103
Texture of brownie hard or not firm.
104
Coating not completely covering product.
105
Brownie or oatmeal cookie crushed. 3/
201
Brownie or oatmeal cookie broken (broken off edges not exceedin1/16 inch maximum are considered acceptable.)
106
Flavor not characteristic of oatmeal (oatmeal cookie only).
107
Coating adheres to bag.
108
Coating not free from cracks, chips or rough spots.
1/ The presence of foreign material (for example, glass, dirt, insect parts, hair, wood, glass, or metal), foreign odor or off-flavor (for example, burnt, scorched, stale, sour, rancid, musty, moldy), or foreign color shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
2/ Product not equal to or better than the approved preproduction sample (see 6.1) in palatability and overall appearance shall be cause for rejection of the lot. (This comparison shall be performed only when deemed necessary by an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) agent.)
3/ A crushed item is one in which 1/8 or more the volume of the item has been reduced to crumbs.
4.5.5 Bag closure seal testing. The filled and sealed bags shall be tested in accordance with method A or B of ASTM D 882, except that the testing speed may be 10 or 12 inches per minute. For preformed bags, three adjacent specimens, 1/2 or 1 inch wide, shall be cut from the closure seal of each bag in the sample. For the form-fill-seal bags, three adjacent specimens, 1/2 or 1 inch wide shall be cut from each side and each end of each bag in the sample. For the preformed bag, the average seal strength of the closure seal shall be calculated by averaging the test results of the three test specimens cut from that seal. For the form-fill-seal bag, the average seal strength of each side and end of the bag shall be calculated by averaging the test results of the three specimens cut from that side or end. The results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 pound per inch of width. The lot size
17
MIL-C-44072C
shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one filled and sealed bag. The sample size shall be the number of bags indicated by inspection level S-1. Any test specimen or average seal strength failing to meet the requirements of 5.1.1.1.2 and 5.1.2.1.1 shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
4.5.5.1 Internal pressure test. The internal pressure resistance shall be determined by pressurizing the pouches while they are restrained between two rigid plates. The sample size shall be the number of pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. If a three seal tester (one that pressurizes the pouch through an open end) is used, the closure seal shall be cut off for testing the side and bottom seals of the pouch. For testing the closure seal, the bottom seal shall be cut off. The pouches shall be emptied prior to testing. If a four seal tester (designed to pressurize filled pouches by use of a hypodermic needle through the pouch wall) is used, all four seals can be tested simultaneously. The distance between rigid restraining plates on the four seal tester shall be equal to the thickness of the product + 1/16 inch. Pressure shall be applied at the approximate rate of 1 pound per square inch gage (psig) per second until 14 psig pressure is reached. The 14 psig pressure shall be held constant for 30 seconds and then released. The pouches shall then be examined for separation or yield of the heat seals. Any rupture of the pouch or evidence of seal separation greater than 1/16 inch in the pouch manufacturer's seal shall be considered a test failure. Any seal separation that reduces the effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 inch shall be considered a test failure. Any test failure shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
4.5.6 Shipping container examination. Shipping containers shall be examined for defects in assembly, closure, and reinforcement (when applicable) in accordance with PPP-B-636. In addition, the following defects shall be classified as follows:
Major:
Marking missing, incorrect or illegible.
Minor:
More than 2 percent (to nearest unit) under marked count.
Pad or liner missing or not material specified.
Bulk pack layers not separated by food grade parchment or bleached greaseproof paper or oatmeal cookies or brownies not wrapped in cellophane, as applicable.
Height of liner not as specified (see 5.2.2).
In addition, the lot shall be rejected if sample data indicate lot average is less than marked count.
5. PACKAGING 18
MIL-C-44072C
Meal, Ready-to-Eat, Individual”/Food Packet, Long Range Patrol.
When the chocolate covered oatmeal cookie is procured as a component of the MRE, the chocolate covered oatmeal cookie shall be packaged in accordance with 5.1.
Meal, Cold Weather.
When the chocolate covered oatmeal brownie or the chocolate covered oatmeal cookie are procured as components of the MCW, one chocolate covered brownie or one chocolate covered oatmeal cookie shall be packaged in accordance with 5.1.
5.1 Preservation. When specified (see 6.1), the product shall be preserved in accordance
with level A.
5.1.1 Level A. One chocolate covered brownie or one chocolate covered oatmeal cookie shall be unit packed in bags as specified in 5.1.1.1 or 5.1.2.1. When product is held for more than 24 hours prior to unit packing, the product shall be stored at 800F or below and if storage time exceeds 30 days, the product shall be stored at 00F or below.
5.1.1.1 Preformed bags. The preformed bags shall be fabricated from 0.002-inch thick ionomer or polyethylene film laminated or extrusion coated to 0.00035-inch thick aluminum foil which is laminated to 0.0005-inch thick polyester. The three pliers shall be laminated so that the aluminum foil is between the other two layers. The bag shall be formed with the polyester on the exterior of the bag. The exterior bag color for MRE and LRP applications shall conform to number 20219, 30219, 30227, 30279, 30313, 30324, or 30450 of FED-STD-595. For MCW applications, the complete exterior of the bag shall be covered overall with a white color in the range of 37778 through 37886 of FED-STD-595. The material shall show no evidence of delamination or degradation when heat sealed or fabricated into bags and shall not transfer any foreign odor or flavor to the product being packed.
5.1.1.1.1 Bag construction. The bag shall be formed by heat sealing to the size and design configuration as shown in figure 1, except that squared or rounded corners are acceptable. The heat seals shall be made in a manner that will assure the hermetic quality of the bag. The side and bottom seals shall have an average seal strength of not less than 6 pounds per inch of width and no individual specimen shall have a seal strength of less than 5 pounds when tested as specified in 4.5.1.3.
5.1.1.1.2 Bag filling and sealing. The brownie or the oatmeal cookie shall be placed into the bag in such a manner as to avoid contamination of the closure seal area. The filled bag shall be closed under a vacuum of not less than 22 and not more than 25 inches of mercury (see 4.5.3.3) with a heat seal not less than 1/4 inch wide. If thermal impulse or combination (heated curved bar with thermal impulse) sealing is used, any seal width from 1/8 to 7/16 inch will be acceptable. The closure seal location shall be as shown in figure 1. The average seal strength shall be not less than 6 pounds per linear inch, and no individual test specimen seal strength shall be less than 5 pounds when tested as specified in 4.5.5.
5.1.2.1 Form-fill-seal bags. Form-fill-seal bags shall consist of a tray-shaped body with a heat
19
MIL-C-44072C
sealable cover. The tray-shaped body of each bag shall be fabricated from 0.002-inch thick linear low density polyethylene bonded to 0.0007-inch thick aluminum foil with 10 pounds per ream polyethylene, and the opposite side of the aluminum foil shall be bonded to 0.00075-inch thick oriented polypropylene with 10 pounds per ream polyethylene. The cover of each bag shall be fabricated from 0.002 inch thick linear low density polyethylene bonded to 0.00035-inch thick aluminum foil with 10 pounds per ream polyethylene and bonding 0.0005-inch thick polyester to the opposite side of the aluminum foil with 10 pounds per ream polyethylene. The linear low density polyethylene shall be the copolymer of ethylene and octene-1, having a melt index range of 0.8 to 1.2 g/10 minutes in accordance with ASTM D 1238 and a density range of 0.918 to 0.922 g/cm3 in accordance with ASTM D 1505. The color requirements of the exterior (polyethylene or polyester sides) of each laminate shall be as specified in 5.1.1.1. the material shall show no evidence of delamination or degradation when heat sealed or fabricated into bags and shall not transfer any foreign odor or flavor to the product being packed.
5.1.2.1.1 Pouch construction. The tray-shaped body and the tray-shaped cover shall be
formed by drawing the flexible laminate material into an appropriately shaped cavity. The flat cover shall be in the form of a flat sheet of the barrier material taken from roll stock. When specified, one unit of product shall be placed in the tray-shaped body of the pouch. The filled pouch body shall be hermetically sealed with a vacuum level of not less than 22 inches of mercury. Pouch closure shall be effected by heat sealing together the cover and body along the entire pouch perimeter. The closure seal width shall be a minimum of 1/8 inch. Pouch integrity and air tightness of the closure seals shall be tested in accordance with 4.5.3.3. The closure seal shall have an average seal strength of not less than 6 pounds per inch of width and no individual specimen shall have a seal strength of less than 5 pounds per inch of width when tested as specified in 4.5.5. Alternatively, the filled and sealed pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater than 1/16 inch or seal separation that reduces the effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 inch when tested for internal pressure resistance as specified in 4.5.5.1. The maximum outside dimensions of the sealed pouch shall be 4 to 5-1/2 inches wide by 5-1/4 to 6 inches long. A tear notch or serrations shall be provided on one outside edge or two opposite outside edges of the pouch to facilitate easy opening of the filled and sealed pouch. The sealed pouch shall not show any evidence of material degradation, aluminum stress cracking, delamination or foreign odor. Heat seals shall be free of occluded matter. Seals shall be free of impression or design on the seal surface that would conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects.
5.2 Packing. Level C packing. Packing shall be in accordance with 5.2.1.
5.2.1 Oatmeal cookies and brownies unit packed. When oatmeal cookies or brownies are preserved in accordance with 5.1, not more than 200 unit packs shall be packed flat in a snug-fitting fiberboard box constructed and closed in accordance with style RSC-L, type CF, class domestic, variety SW, grade 175 of PPP-B-636.
5.3 Labeling and marking.
5.3.1 Unit packs. Each unit (see 5.1.1) shall be clearly printed or stamped with permanent ink in large letters which is free of carcinogenic elements or ingredients. The color of the printing ink shall conform to number 20045, 20122, 30045, 30099, 30108, 30111, or 30140 of FED-STD-595. The following information shall be included:
20
MIL-C-44072C
a. Product name
b. Date 1/
c. Net weight
d. Contractors name and address
e. "Nutrition Facts" label in accordance with the Nutritional Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) and all applicable FDA/USDA regulations.
5.3.2 Shipping containers. In addition to any special marking required by the contractor or purchase order, shipping containers shall be marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129.
6. NOTES
(This section contains information of a general or explanatory nature that may be helpful, but is not mandatory.)
6.1 Acquisition requirements. Acquisition documents must specify the following:
a. Title, number, and date of this specification.
b. Type of product required (see 1.2).
c. Issue of DODISS to be cited in the solicitation, and if required, the specific issue of individual documents referenced (see 2.1.1 and 2.2).
d. When a first article is required (see 3.1, 4.4, and 6.3).
e. Provisions for approved preproduction samples (see 3.4.1 and 6.3).
f. When unit packing in accordance with 5.1 is required.
6.2 Award of contract. Award of contracts for the product specified in this document will be limited to plants known to maintain the required sanitation conditions of 3.5.
6.3 First article. When a first article is required, it shall be inspected and approved under the appropriate provisions of FAR 52.209-4. The first article should be a preproduction sample. The contracting officer should specify the appropriate type of first article and the number of units to be furnished. The contracting officer should also include specific instructions in acquisition documents regarding arrangements for selection, inspection, and approval of the first article.
6.4 Appropriate level of pack. Based on the conditions known or expected to be encountered during shipment, handling and storage of the specific item being procured, the procuring activity should select the appropriate level of pack in accordance with the criteria established in AR 700-15/NAVSUPINST 4030.28/AFR 71-6/MCO 4030.33A/DLAR 4145.7.
6.5 Subject term (key word) listing.
Dessert
Operational rations
6.6 Changes from previous issue. Marginal notations are not used in this revision to identify
21
MIL-C-44072C
changes with respect to the previous issue due to the extensiveness of the changes.
Custodians: Preparing activity:
Army – GL Army - GL
Navy - SA
Air Force – 50 (Project 8920-0530)
Review activities:
Army – MD, QM
Navy - MC
DP - SS
AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003
TO: DSCP-HRAC (Galligan/8030)
SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered
1. Subsequent to our interim response in January 03 that this case required clarification, a teleconference was held between Clem Galligan, DSCP, Mr. Andy Lobmeyer, Sterling Foods and Mr. Peter Sherman, this Center. During teleconference Mr. Lobmeyer elucidated the intent of his request. In the spirit of the exchange among the parties involved in the teleconference and the understanding that the document was last updated in 1990, Mr. Sherman held further discussions with Mr. Andy Konrady, QA FEST, and document updates were agreed upon. Accordingly, the following changes to MIL-C-44072C, are provided for use in all current, pending and future procurements until the document is formally amended or revised:
22
MIL-C-44072C
- Paragraph 5.1.2.1.1, delete in its entirety and substitute:
“ Pouch construction. The tray-shaped body and the tray-shaped cover shall be
formed by drawing the flexible laminate material into an appropriately shaped cavity. The flat cover shall be in the form of a flat sheet of the barrier material taken from roll stock. When specified, one unit of product shall be placed in the tray-shaped body of the pouch. The filled pouch body shall be hermetically sealed with a vacuum level of not less than 22 inches of mercury. Pouch closure shall be effected by heat sealing together the cover and body along the entire pouch perimeter. The closure seal width shall be a minimum of 1/8 inch. Pouch integrity and air tightness of the closure seals shall be tested in accordance with 4.5.3.3. The closure seal shall have an average seal strength of not less than 6 pounds per inch of width and no individual specimen shall have a seal strength of less than 5 pounds per inch of width when tested as specified in 4.5.5. Alternatively, the filled and sealed pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater than 1/16 inch or seal separation that reduces the effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 inch when tested for internal pressure resistance as specified in 4.5.5.1. The maximum outside dimensions of the sealed pouch shall be 4 to 5-1/2 inches wide by 5-1/4 to 6 inches long. A tear notch or serrations shall be provided on one outside edge or two opposite outside edges of the pouch to facilitate easy opening of the filled and sealed pouch. The sealed pouch shall not show any evidence of material degradation, aluminum stress cracking, delamination or foreign odor. Heat seals shall be free of occluded matter. Seals shall be free of impression or design on the seal surface that would conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects.”
- Table I and associated footnotes, delete in its entirety and substitute new Table I and associated footnotes as follows:
AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003
SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered
TABLE I. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/
Category
Defect
Major
Minor
101
Tear, hole, or open seal.
102
Seal width less than 1/16 inch. 2/
103
Presence of delamination. 3/
23
MIL-C-44072C
104
Unclean pouch. 4/
105
Pouch has foreign odor.
106
Any impression or design on the heat seal surfaces which conceals or impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/
107
Not packaged as specified.
108
Presence of stress cracks in the aluminum foil. 6/ 7/
201
Label missing, incorrect, or illegible.
202
Tear notch or serrations missing or does not facilitate opening.
203
Seal width less than 1/8 inch but greater than 1/16 inch.
204
Presence of delamination. 3/
1/ Any evidence of rodent or insect infestation shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
2/ The effective closure seal is defined as any uncontaminated, fusion bonded, continuous path, minimum 1/16 inch wide, from side seal to side seal that produces a hermetically sealed pouch.
3/ Delamination defect classification:
Major - Delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area that can be propagated to expose aluminum foil at the food product edge of the pouch after manual flexing of the delaminated area. To flex, the delaminated area shall be held between the thumb and forefinger of each hand with both thumbs and forefingers touching each other. The delaminated area shall then be rapidly flexed 10 times by rotating both hands in alternating clockwise- counterclockwise directions. Care shall be exercised when flexing delaminated areas near the tear notches to avoid tearing the pouch material. After flexing, the separated outer ply shall be grasped between thumb and forefinger and gently lifted toward the food product edge of the seal or if the separated area is too small to be held between thumb and forefinger, a number two stylus shall be inserted into the delaminated area and a gentle lifting force applied against the outer ply. If separation of the outer ply can be made to extend to the product edge of the seal with no discernible resistance to the
AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003
SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered
gentle lifting, the delamination shall be classified as a major defect. Additionally, spot delamination of the outer ply in the body of the pouch that is able to be propagated beyond its initial borders is also a major defect. To determine if the laminated area is a defect, use the
24
MIL-C-44072C
following procedure: Mark the outside edges of the delaminated area using a bold permanent marking pen. Open the pouch and remove the contents. Cut the pouch transversely not closer than 1/4 inch (+1/16 inch) from the delaminated area. The pouch shall be flexed in the area in question using the procedure described above. Any propagation of the delaminated area, as evidenced by the delaminated area exceeding the limits of the outlined borders, shall be classified as a major defect.
Minor - Minor delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area is acceptable and shall not be classified as a minor defect unless it extends to within 1/16 inch of the food product edge of the seal. All other minor outer ply delamination in the pouch seal area or isolated spots of delamination in the body of the pouch that do not propagate when flexed as described above shall be classified as minor defects.
4/ Outer packaging shall be free from foreign matter which is unwholesome, has the potential to cause pouch damage (for example, glass, metal filings) or generally detracts from the clean appearance of the pouch. The following examples shall not be classified as defects for unclean:
a. Foreign matter which presents no health hazard or potential pouch damage and which can be readily removed by gently shaking the package or by gently brushing the pouch with a clean dry cloth.
b. Dried product which affects less than 1/8 of the total surface area of one pouch face (localized and aggregate).
c. Water spots.
5/ If doubt exists as to whether or not the sealing equipment leaves an impression or design on the closure seal surface that could conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects, samples shall be furnished to the contracting officer for a determination as to acceptability.
6/ Applicable to form-fill-seal pouches only.
7/ The initial examination shall be a visual examination of the closed package. Any suspected visual evidence of stress cracks in the aluminum foil (streaks, breaks, or other disruptions in the laminated film) shall be verified by the following physical examination. To examine for stress cracks, the inside surface of both tray-shaped bodies shall be placed over a light source and the outside surface observed for the passage of light. Observation of light through the pouch material in the form of a curved or straight line greater than 2 mm in length shall be evidence of the
AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003
SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered
25
MIL-C-44072C
presence of stress cracks. Observation of light through the pouch material in the form of a curved or straight line 2 mm in length or smaller or of a single pinpoint shall be considered a pinhole. Observation of ten or more pinholes per pouch shall be evidence of material degradation.
Table II, delete defect 109 and associated footnotes 4/ and 5/.
DONALD A. HAMLIN
Team Leader
DoD Food Engineering
Services Team
(ARichards)
CF: NSC: CF: DSCP & SVCs:
Acheson Anthony
Alyward Arthur
Arcidiacono Beward
Friel Ferrante
Hamlin Kavanagh
Hill Lowry
Konrady A. Malason
Richards Miller
Sherman Richardson H.
Trottier Salerno
Valvano

In defense of Rand Paul

Within 48 hours, Kentucky Republican senatorial candidate Rand Paul has managed to 1) attack the now-venerated 1964 Civil Rights Act, and 2) defend the now-villainous British Petroleum Company. 
Well, maybe he'll be more subtle in the future. 

Here's one of the transcripts of what Paul did and didn't say, according to The Wall Street Journal:

"What I've always said is, I'm opposed to institutional racism, and I would have--if I was alive at the time, I think--had the courage to march with Martin Luther King to overturn institutional racism, and I see no place in our society for institutional racism," he said in response to a first question about the act.



"You would have marched with Martin Luther King but voted with Barry Goldwater?" asked an interviewer.


"I think it's confusing in a lot of cases in what's actually in the Civil Rights Case (sic)," Paul replied. "A lot of things that were actually in the bill I'm actually in favor of. I'm in favor of--everything with regards to ending institutional racism. So I think there's a lot to be desired in the Civil Rights--and indeed the truth is, I haven't read all through it, because it was passed 40 years ago and hadn't been a real pressing issue on the campaign on whether I'm going to vote for the Civil Rights Act."
 
Here's his take on the public vs. private property portions of the act:
 
Paul explained that he backed the portion of the Civil Rights Act banning discrimination in public places and institutions, but that he thinks private businesses should be permitted to discriminate by race.



"I like the Civil Rights Act in the sense that it ended discrimination in all public domains, and I'm all in favor of that," he said. "I don't like the idea of telling private business owners. . . ."
 
And then, in another interview:
 
Interviewer: But under your philosophy, it would be OK for Dr. King not to be served at the counter at Woolworths?



Paul: I would not go to that Woolworths, and I would stand up in my community and say that it is abhorrent, um, but, the hard part--and this is the hard part about believing in freedom--is, if you believe in the First Amendment, for example--you have too, for example, most good defenders of the First Amendment will believe in abhorrent groups standing up and saying awful things. . . . It's the same way with other behaviors. In a free society, we will tolerate boorish people, who have abhorrent behavior.
 
Paul has said elsewhere that his preference for ending segregation would be through boycotts, shaming, and other forms of peer pressure. 
 
What Rand Paul should have said, of course, is that he loves, no, he actually adores the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in its entirety, including the punctuation, and that he sleeps with a copy of it under his pillow. 
That is the only sensible answer for a politician to give.  
The distinction between "government" and "private" property is lost on most voters. 
Private property owners are free to say "No shoes, no shirt, no service".  Others have signs up that state that they reserve the right to refuse service for any reason. 
If it is your castle, you really should be able to refuse entry to anyone you want to refuse: left-handers, Okies, blacks, whites, Palin supporters, or people who think To Kill A Mockingbird is overrated.
And the left-handers, Okies, blacks, whites, Palinites, and Harper Lee fans should be free to boycott your ass and encourage all their friends to do the same.  
 
As far as the effectiveness of the CRA of '64 goes, my public school classes at A.W. James Elementary school in Drew, Mississippi, were de facto segregated until 1969.   
My doctor's office in Merigold, Mississippi, had segregated waiting rooms (hello, Westerfields !) until the Doctor retired sometime in the mid-1970's. 
 
What changed everything?  Simple economics.  Boycotts.  Shaming.  The same remedies that Paul (foolishly, but truthfully) proposed in his interviews (as if he could go back in time to '64, and vote as a two-year-old senator).  People generally don't move to places that discriminate unfairly just for the hell of it.  And they eventually stop shopping there. 
 
What would have worked better for Paul would be to ignore the Bill's attacks on property rights and say "I support the goals of the Act, if not some of the wording.  I especially support the provisions that ended the Democrat party's vile segregationist practices.  When this bill came to Congress, there were Democrat politicians standing in the front doors of public schools and universities.  Racist, Yellow-Dog Democrats were setting attack dogs loose on citizens who merely wanted to use public transportation that their taxes paid for." 
 
Then remind the country that when the Act came up for a vote in '64, three-fourths of the "nay" votes in the House Of Representatives came from Democrats.  
Remind the country that 80% of the "nay" votes in the Senate came from Democrats, and that those voting "nay" included Al Gore's Daddy, plus  a former Ku Klux Klan Community Organizer named Robert Byrd, who, last I checked, is still a Democrat Senator representing the subsidy hawgs of West Virginia. 
 

Moving onward through the fog ! !

 

Here's the British Petroleum portion of the Rand Paul/George Stephanopoulosformerclintonadvisor interview:

STEPHANOPOULOS: But you don’t want to get rid of the EPA?

PAUL: No, the thing is is that drilling right now and the problem we’re having now is in international waters and I think there needs to be regulation of that and always has been regulation. What I don’t like from the president’s administration is this sort of, you know, “I’ll put my boot heel on the throat of BP.” I think that sounds really un-American in his criticism of business. I’ve heard nothing from BP about not paying for the spill. And I think it’s part of this sort of blame game society in the sense that it’s always got to be someone’s fault. Instead of the fact that maybe sometimes accidents happen. I mean, we had a mining accident that was very tragic and I’ve met a lot of these miners and their families. They’re very brave people to do a dangerous job. But then we come in and it’s always someone’s fault. Maybe sometimes accidents happen.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you believe that the regulation of BP was adequate?

PAUL: I don’t know exactly what the regulation of BP is. I think there’s hundreds of pages of regulation of drilling in the ocean and I think most of that’s justified. I think we’ll have to figure out from this accident, is there anything that could have beend one to prevent it? What can we do in the future to make sure that it doesn’t happen again? So, I think we use logic. We use objective facts. And yeah, we try to go forward. Nobody wants this to happen. I love the beautiful beaches down in the panhandle of Florida and nobody wants to see oil washing up on those white sand beaches. 

All of that sound plenty vague to me, but if you pull the "shit happens" quotes out of context, and ignore the point he's trying to make about our Nutcase-In-Chief trying to demagogue the issue, you won't hear anything except a defense of BP. 
I would still trust Rand Paul to protect the beaches of Kentucky.

As an officer in the Libertarian Party, I can't endorse any non-Libertarians, but I can give some advice.

Someone in Paul's campaign needs to go to the Louisville, Kentucky, Border's or Barnes & Noble, and get Dr. Paul a copy of Saul Alinsky's Rules For Radicals. 

Then Dr. Paul needs to go to that Trappist Monastery in Kentucky, the one where Thomas Merton lived, and spend two weeks there, studying Alinsky's book, the playbook that the Statists have used since the day it was published. 

When Paul leaves the monastery, he will perfectly understand what has just happened to his campaign.  He will understand how to avoid those situations in the future.  He will understand that the public cannot understand nuance or ambiguity.  He will understand that whoever controls the narratives about the past will control the narratives about the future. 

And maybe he'll never play into his opponents' hands again.  He'll use every interview, every position statement, and every editorial to attack, attack, attack, even if the attack has nothing to do with the topic at hand.  That's how the game is played.   

Here's a video of Barack Obama picking his nose:

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day !

Welcome to the first annual "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" event. 
Ever since the murder of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh, who dared to make a movie critical of Islam, ever since the death threats against Mohammed-drawing Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, which have led to his forced retirement, and ever since the censoring of Muhammad-drawing Matt Stone and Trey Parker (of South Park fame) by the craven execs at Comedy Central, well, something had to be done. 


Somebody came up with the idea of Everybody Draw Mohammed Day.   Hit the link. 


The idea behind it?  Solidarity.  Plus, if everybody draws Mohammed, they probably won't kill us all. 

Well, the only thing required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. 

Here's my pic.  It's a fairly reverent depiction of Mohammed's trip to Jerusalem, the trip he made on the back of a flying horse that had the face of an angel. 

Here's Reason magazine:

Attacking iconoclasts (meant here in its literal meaning) has been a constant throughout human history. It's one of the great dividing lines, like laughter and face-to-face copulation, that separates man from beast. Indeed, I'm betting it was a fundamental element of even pre-human history. Can we doubt seriously that some gang of Neanderthals didn't crush the skulls of others who decorated cave walls in "offensive" ways? In the 20th and 21st centuries alone, all sorts of human expression have led to brutality and murder. The ground of Europe and Asia and all the continents with the (possible) exception of Antarctica is fertilized with the blood and bones of martyrs who have done nothing more than make tangible their thoughts in words, music, and pictures. Yet even in a country like ours that threatens consenting adults for making dirty movies with effective life sentences, or in European countries where speech codes imprison malefactors for "hate speech," there is a massive gulf between "mere" censorship and death threats, between the answering of "bad" speech not with more speech but with the blade, the bullet, or the bomb.

This amateurish image was created by Islamic imams and depicts Mohammed as a pedophile. They have defiled their own tradition. There comes a point in any society's existence where it must ultimately, to paraphrase Martin Luther (who himself was more than happy to see opponents put to death), dig in its heels and say here we stand, we will do no other. We don't need to be perfectly consistent philosophically or historically or theologically to assert what is special and unique not just about the United States, with its bizarre and wonderful articulation of the First Amendment, but the greater classical liberal project comprising not just the "West" (whatever that is) but human beings in whatever town, country, or planet they inhabit. And at the heart of the liberal project is ultimately a recognition that individuals, for no other reason than that they exist, have rights to continue to exist. Embedded in all that is the right to expression. No one has a right to an audience or even to a sympathetic hearing, much less an engaged audience. But no one should be beaten or killed or imprisoned simply for speaking their mind or praying to one god as opposed to the other or none at all or getting on with the small business of living their life in peaceful fashion. If we cannot or will not defend that principle with a full throat, then we deserve to choke on whatever jihadists of all stripes can force down our throats.

This is not about U.S. foreign policy, or trade policy, or aid to Israel or Egypt, or the creation of a Palestinian homeland. This is about the right to have the conversations that might inform all that and more. We live in a time of paradox: Never before have so many been so empowered to speak their own minds, to produce and consume whatever form of expression when they want, where they want. The impact on those seeking to regulate and control thought is as predictable as it is depressing and, ultimately, ineffective: Whether they are governments or corporations or religious or ideological groups, they want to stamp out the ability of people to say and think for themselves.

Our Draw Mohammed contest is not a frivolous exercise of hip, ironic, hoolarious sacrilege toward a minority religion in the United States (though even that deserves all the protection that the most serioso political commentary commands). It's a defense of what is at the core of a society that is painfully incompetent at delivering on its promise of freedom, tolerance, and equal rights. It's a rebuttal to the notion that we should go limp in the clinches precisely because bullies and bastards can punch or blow us up.

Well said.  Hope you like the picture. 

Arlen Specter and Arlen Specter defeated in yesterday's primary election

Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) and his doppelganger, Arlen Specter (D-Pennsylvania), were both defeated in yesterday's primary elections. 
This, of course, is cause for rejoicing.  The Specters supported the hilariously named Employee Free Choice Act, plus the Porkulus Package, and ObamaCare ™
The Teleprompter Jesus got a couple of crucial Quisling-ish votes out of the Specters, then only made one campaign appearance for them after the Specters mutated to the other party. 
Well, you lie down with dogs, sometimes you can't get up again. 

I intended to end this post with a music video of Jason & The Scorchers new song When Did It Get So Easy To Lie To Me? (You used me like a rented mule, etc etc etc.)
It hasn't been released yet. 

Oh well.  Life can't be perfect. 

Why I don't go to graduations, including my own

I have a college degree, but did not graduate (as in, participate in the graduation ceremoney.  I was already gone, and told 'em to throw it in the mailbox for me.

Ceremonies like this one are the reason why.  Here's the worst 1 1/2 minutes of it:



Imagine working your rear end off for four years for a degree, and then having to sit through THAT.

An Army officer comments on the Columbia Missouri drug raid

This video has now been seen by more than 1.2 million people.

Go here for my thoughts on why we continue to put up with government employees breaking down a door in the middle of the night, shooting two of the family dogs in front of a 7-year-old boy, finding a misdemeanor amount of marijuana, and then charging the homeowner with "child endangerment".
(It's because we're sheep.) 



Here's an email to Radley Balko from an army officer serving someplace in Afghanistan:

I am a US Army officer, currently serving in Afghanistan. My first thought on reading this story is this: Most American police SWAT teams probably have fewer restrictions on conducting forced entry raids than do US forces in Afghanistan.


For our troops over here to conduct any kind of forced entry, day or night, they have to meet one of two conditions: have a bad guy (or guys) inside actively shooting at them; or obtain permission from a 2-star general, who must be convinced by available intelligence (evidence) that the person or persons they're after is present at the location, and that it's too dangerous to try less coercive methods. The general can be pretty tough to convince, too. (I'm a staff liason, and one of my jobs is to present these briefings to obtain the required permission.)

Generally, our troops, including the special ops guys, use what we call "cordon and knock": they set up a perimeter around the target location to keep people from moving in or out,and then announce their presence and give the target an opportunity to surrender. In the majority of cases, even if the perimeter is established at night, the call out or knock on the gate doesn't happen until after the sun comes up.

Oh, and all of the bad guys we're going after are closely tied to killing and maiming people.

What might be amazing to American cops is that the vast majority of our targets surrender when called out.

I don't have a clear picture of the resources available to most police departments, but even so, I don't see any reason why they can't use similar methods.

And here's Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit on the officer's comments:

Quite different from using door-busting tactics to serve warrants on nonviolent drug offenders. Of course, one difference is that we care about winning the hearts and minds of people in Afghanistan . . . .

Why America is great

Note to friends in Britain, Israel, Australia and Korea....
I bet you folks don't have any political ads like this one.



The only way to improve on this would be for Dale to hop on his horse and ride off into the sunset while shootin' varmints.

LeAnn Rimes, Macaulay Culkin, Gary Coleman, Shirley Temple, Jackie Coogan, and other unfortunate children of irresponsible parents

I recently drove past  the theatre where they put on Johnny High's Country Music Revue.  It's a traditional country music show, very old school, and would probably fit better in Branson, Missouri, than Arlington, Texas.

Seeing the place reminded me of LeAnn Rimes.  (This is a stream-of-consciousness post.  Sorry.)  LeAnn Rimes got started at a very young age, singing in the Johnny High Revue and anywhere else she could find a microphone.  Then she had a mega-hit with Blue, a song written by WBAP disc jockey Bill Mack.  She earned a fortune.   

Unfortunately, her father spent most of it, and she had to sue him. 

You might be more familiar with Macaulay Culkin, the child star of the Home Alone franchise. Culkin earned a fortune as a child star, but had to sue his parents to get control of his earnings.

Gary Coleman, of Diff'rent Strokes fame?  Same song, different verse.  His parents and manager were on the losing end of a 1.3 million dollar lawsuit.  They were found guilty of ripping off the child star. 

Shirley Temple didn't sue her parents, but they spent most of her money. 

Jackie Coogan, a child star whose career began back in the silent film era, eventually sued his mother and stepfather for spending most of his earnings on jewelry, furs, and cars.  (Here's Coogan with Charlie Chapin in The Kid.) 

The Coogan incident became a media sensation and California eventually passed something called The Coogan Act to protect childrens' earnings from their parents. 

Most people don't have a problem with the actions of the Rimes, Culkin, Coleman, Temple, or Coogan parents.  They do something worse every day, and the kids have absolutely no voice in the matter.    

 

Most people continue to vote for Republican and Democrat politicians who, through cooperative, bi-partisan efforts, have managed to get every American child chin-deep in debt. 

If you look at the current debt, the children born tomorrow have a $50,000.00 hole to dig themselves out of.  If you add the unfunded liabilities, and believe me, these liabilities are unfunded, the children born tomorrow already owe $330,000.00 because of their parents' spending. 

It's as if Papa Culkin had signed Macaulay to an iron-clad contract for Home Alone, Part 4, plus Home Alone, Part 5, all the way through Nursing Home Alone, Part 37 to pay off the family gambling debts. 

Which is really the only way to look at it.   

The celebrity pics in this post came from the links by their names.  The pic of the little girl protesting her debt level came from here and is, of course, out of date, since it was taken 6 months ago.  Oh well.  All numbers in this post will be off by 20% in another 6 months. 

Steve Earle - Jerusalem

I picked up Steve Earle's Jerusalem CD at the Friends Of The Fort Worth Library sale this afternoon. Good stuff.
Also got a book on Nixon and Mao, several massive reference books, some collections of Pulp Fiction short stories, and John Stuart Mill's On Liberty.
Yes, I am a geek.

Mandy, you promiscuous little wench ! !

Mandy has pushed out yet another litter.  1 male and 5 females. 

They are Brady Quinn, Mary Ruwart, Veronique De Rugy, Virginia Postrel, Megan McArdle, and Dagny Taggart. 

Hit the links, and then try to guess which one The Aggie named. 

Get on the list NOW if you want one of them. 

The Lives Of Others - Getting the crooked timber of humanity to yield to your vision

I saw The Lives Of Others last night.
If you haven't seen it, the film tells the story of an East German couple (prior to The Wall coming down), a member of the Stazi (the notorious secret police), and how the experience of spying on the couple leads the policeman to his redemption. 

It's probably one of the 10 best movies I've ever seen.



One of the saddest things about watching a film like this? 
1)  Not just the Socialist Body Count, which is a staggering number....
2)  Or understanding the diminished lives of everyone who had to live in the Communist system, but....
3)  Realizing that very few people in the U.S. understand the magnitude of the crimes committed by the Socialist regimes that were in power for most of the previous century.  I'd bet that typical college graduates can tell you more about the anti-Communist witch hunts of the McCarthy era than can tell you about the body counts achieved by the socialist governments that prompted the witch hunts. 

(In the U.S. during the McCarthy era, somewhere around 10,000 people lost their jobs or had to take less than desirable employment because of their previous association with the Communist party.  An army dentist who was promoted despite being unwilling to answer questions about his political loyalties became the subject of a media whirlwind.  93 people were convicted of belonging to organizations that advocated the overthrow of the U.S. government.  Around 300 actors and screenwriters were blacklisted and were unable to write for Leave It To Beaver.)
 
None of these things should have happened.  It was a bad time.  But let's look at what prompted the Red Scare: 

According to The Black Book Of Communisim, originally published in France, english translation published in 1999, these are the civilian lives claimed by Communism:

U.S.S.R. - 20 million deaths
China - 65 million deaths
Vietnam - 1 million deaths
North Korea - 2 million deaths
Cambodia - 2 million deaths
Eastern Europe - 1 million deaths
Latin American - 150,000 deaths
Africa - 1.7 million deaths
Afghanistan - 1.5 million deaths
The international Communist movement and Communist parties not in power: 10,000 deaths

The total approaches 100 million people killed.  I don't think that the crimes of the Socialists and the crimes of the United States can be seen as moral equivalents.   

Here's Claire Berlinski, writing for City Journal:

In the world’s collective consciousness, the word “Nazi” is synonymous with evil. It is widely understood that the Nazis’ ideology—nationalism, anti-Semitism, the autarkic ethnic state, the Führer principle—led directly to the furnaces of Auschwitz. It is not nearly as well understood that Communism led just as inexorably, everywhere on the globe where it was applied, to starvation, torture, and slave-labor camps. Nor is it widely acknowledged that Communism was responsible for the deaths of some 150 million human beings during the twentieth century. The world remains inexplicably indifferent and uncurious about the deadliest ideology in history.


For evidence of this indifference, consider the unread Soviet archives. Pavel Stroilov, a Russian exile in London, has on his computer 50,000 unpublished, untranslated, top-secret Kremlin documents, mostly dating from the close of the Cold War. He stole them in 2003 and fled Russia. Within living memory, they would have been worth millions to the CIA; they surely tell a story about Communism and its collapse that the world needs to know. Yet he can’t get anyone to house them in a reputable library, publish them, or fund their translation. In fact, he can’t get anyone to take much interest in them at all.


Then there’s Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky, who once spent 12 years in the USSR’s prisons, labor camps, and psikhushkas—political psychiatric hospitals—after being convicted of copying anti-Soviet literature. He, too, possesses a massive collection of stolen and smuggled papers from the archives of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, which, as he writes, “contain the beginnings and the ends of all the tragedies of our bloodstained century.” These documents are available online at bukovsky-archives.net, but most are not translated. They are unorganized; there are no summaries; there is no search or index function. “I offer them free of charge to the most influential newspapers and journals in the world, but nobody wants to print them,” Bukovsky writes. “Editors shrug indifferently: So what? Who cares?”

The question is not so much "Who cares?" as "Why do we feel this way?"

For reasons that I'll never understand, a lot of intelligent people are able to give Socialism a free pass because the goals of Socialism are so "humane" and "egalitarian".   The death camps, which you have to have for the people who decline to be Socialized, are overlooked as a fluke, or the unfortunate products of Socialism veering from the true path.  (The Black Book Of Communism, which I'm only 1/10th of the way into, puts that myth to rest nicely.  The tragedy in Russia wasn't caused by Stalin corrupting the ideals laid down by Lenin.  Both of those jokers operated from the same playbook.)

Remember the 1960's era hippies, with their copies of Chairman Mao's Little Red Book? 
How many Fidel Castro apologists have you met in your life?  I've known about a dozen, and read pieces by dozens of others. 
Look at Sean Penn, praising Socialist nutcase Hugo Chavez. 

Now....what would happen to Sean Penn's career if he praised a Nazi?  What if Penn defended someone really horrible like Joseph Goebbels, but whose policies, if you look at the death count, were less harmful than those of Karl Marx ?  Would Sean Penn ever be in another movie?  But for some reason, the Chavez crimes against humanity and property are more wholesome and his defenders are more politically "aware". 

If someone praised Auschwitz "Doctor" Josef Mengele, invited him to speak at a church in New York City, and then crowed online about Mengele's greatness and wisdom, do you think that person would deserved to be shunned for the rest of his life? 
But why do we accept this with a shrug, when the guest of honor is mass-murderer Fidel Castro?   

Free-market capitalism isn't perfect either.  However, if capitalism is left alone (and if it's participants aren't declared Too Big To Fail), it has some self-correcting aspects that provide an incredible amount of wealth and prosperity to a massive number of people.  Here's Jonah Goldberg on the strengths and weaknesses of Capitalism vs. Socialism:

If by “capitalist” you mean someone who cares more about his own profit than yours; if you mean someone who cares more about providing for his family than providing for yours; if you mean someone who trusts that he is a better caretaker of his own interests and desires than a bureaucrat he’s never met, often in a city he’s never been to: then we are all capitalists. Because, by that standard, capitalism isn’t some far-off theory about the allocation of capital; it is a commonsense description of what motivates pretty much all human beings everywhere.


And that was one of the reasons why the hard socialism of the Soviet Union failed, and it is why the soft socialism of Western Europe is so anemic. At the end of the day, it is entirely natural for humans to work the system — any system — for their own betterment, whatever kind of system that may be. That’s why the black-market economy of the Soviet Union might have in fact been bigger than the official socialist economy. That is why devoted socialists worked the bureaucracy to get the best homes, get their kids into the best schools, (see: Obama, Sasha and Malia) and provide their families with the best food, clothes, and amenities they could. Just like people in capitalist countries.

It’s why labor unions demanded exemptions and “carve-outs” from Obamacare for their own health-care plans. And why very rich liberals still try their best to minimize their taxes.  (see: Hypocrisy Awards: The Whiteys)

The problem with socialism is socialism, because there are no socialists. Socialism is a system based upon an assumption about human nature that simply isn’t true. I can design a perfect canine community in which dogs never chase squirrels or groom their nether regions in an indelicate manner. But the moment I take that idea from the drawing board to the real world, I will discover that I cannot get dogs to behave against their nature — at least not without inflicting a terrible amount of punishment. Likewise, it’s easy to design a society that rewards each according to his need instead of his ability. The hard part is getting the crooked timber of humanity to yield to your vision.
  
"The hard part is getting the crooked timber of humanity to yield to your vision."   What a great sentence.  That's why the Socialists had to have the death camps, the thousands of torture rooms, the firing squads, the Gulags, and the re-education centers to straighten out the dissenters. 
It's also why the Stazi officer in The Lives Of Others was camped out above the German couple's apartment, listening in with a set of headphones.  There was always someone, somewhere, who wasn't loyal to the vision. 
I hope you'll rent the movie.     

New legislation would prevent shoppers from changing retailers without documentation ! !

I spend a lot of money at Home Depot. 
When I give them my money, it's proof that I value ceiling fan pull chains, deck lumber, weed eater string, fertilizer and the expertise of Home Depot employees more than I value my money. 
When the group at Home Depot gives me their merchandise and their expertise in exchange for my money, it's proof that they had rather have my cash than their inventory of chains, lumber, string, fertilizer, or their free time. 

Each party in the exchange believes that they're getting the better end of the deal.  Otherwise, no exchange would be taking place.  

I'm no longer happy with the Home Depot closest to my home.  I want to start swapping my money with a Lowe's Home Improvement Center. 

Unfortunately, Congressman Alan Smithee (R-California) has introduced legislation that would require me to give my neighborhood Home Depot a series of documented verbal and written warnings prior to spending my money at Lowe's.  Plus, in some cases, the burden of proof would be on me to prove that I didn't stop purchasing time and materials from Home Depot because of the race, religion, age, sexual orientation, or political views of their employees.

Should I fail to follow the letter of the law, I could be required to pay unemployment compensation to the Home Depot employees who are affected by my shopping decision.  My attorney has told me that making the switch probably isn't worth the risk. 
 
And that's not the worst part....all I want to do is walk into a freakin' Home Depot, find an electrical department employee who can explain how to wire a multi-speed ceiling fan, buy a pull-chain from him, and get the hell out.  But the Smithee Bill would make me responsible for the electrical department employee's health insurance ! ! ! !   I don't want to be the employee's mother, I just want to purchase some of his time, his work, his opinions, and a pull chain. 

Please help lobby to kill the Smithee Bill, and all legislation similar to it. 

If you know what I mean. 

A brief rant about illegal tamales

For the last couple of weeks, I've been working out of a new Jukt Micronics warehouse in Richland Hills, Texas. 
Three different ladies come by every morning, selling homemade tamales and breakfast burritos. 

As best I can tell, there's not a convenience store, grocery store, or restaurant within a half mile of this location.
I've established that none of these ladies have food-handler's permits, small business licenses, street vendor authorization permits, or any of the other competition-stifling apparatus that would keep these three ladies from getting my guys fed every morning.

If there is a risk associated with eating this food, it's one that my employees and I have accepted with our eyes wide open.  Compare these tamales with the 3-day old, shrink-wrapped, industrialized fodder in a retail establishment.  The stuff that the "illegals" provide will make you throw rocks at that mess.   

If you are a city health inspector, my email address is dapfortworth at aol dot com.  Please email me, and I will let you know when the food vendors are going to come by my warehouse.  I want to photograph your sorry ass writing health violations on some of the best food provided by some of the best cooks in North Texas.
Or you could just call in sick for the rest of your "career".  No one would miss you.  Just stay home.  You're a burden on society who does nothing but add to the debt level.     
End of rant.  Thanks for listening !  

To the True Believer, no proof is necessary. To the Skeptic, no proof is possible

British geneticist J.B.S. Haldane was supposedly asked what it would take to discredit the theory of evolution.
"Rabbits in the Pre-Cambrian" was his response.  The idea being that rabbits should be a late arrival on the world stage, and if a rabbit fossil were found in the wrong place, it would cause some problems. 

I heard or read that story quite a while back, and intended to use it for the beginning of this post, but in a different way.  While reading up on Mr. Haldane, the Cambrian layer of fossils, and rabbits, I found this tidbit:

The late J. B. S. Haldane famously said that all it would take to falsify evolution is a single Cambrian rabbit fossil, and that is exactly what has been uncovered by paleontologist Dr Wilfred Splenebyrst of the London School of Ergonomics.

“I checked and double-checked the dating, and then checked it again with three independent labs,” said Dr Splenebyrst. “There really is no doubt. This is a 520-million year old rabbit fossil.”

The new fossil, Paleohyrax reprobae, differs from modern rabbits in a number of subtle anatomical ways, lending weight to it being truly a new species from the Cambrian era. “This is definitely not a modern rabbit,” said Dr Splenebyrst. “It was about half the size and may even have been carnivorous. It appears to have been foraging for trilobites in the ancient tidal pools.”

I have no idea what a Cambrian era bunny means.  I kinda like the idea of a Monty Python/Holy Grail carnivrorous killer rabbit.  I like the idea that rabbits have been going at it for a long, long time.  I like the idea that if there is a God, she has a sense of humor, as shown by placing one of these critters this deep into the fossilized muck.
I know that this rabbit doesn't disturb my belief that we have evolved (and I hope we continue to).  As far as the Evolution vs. Creationism debate goes, if you acknowledge that there's a Cambrian era, you've wandered away from the Biblical idea of a 6,000 year old earth. 

Ok, back to my original point.....Someone asked Haldane what it would take to disprove evolution.  He told them. 
The primary theme of this website is Liberty vs. Statism.  What would it take for me to agree that a Statist mode of government is superior to a more Libertarian form? 

Well, look at Venezuela.  They're running out of water.  They're a major energy exporter, but they can't keep the lights turned on.  Heck, they're even running out of coffee.  But if Hugo Chavez, the socialist nutcase running the show, were to suddenly produce a prosperous nation in spite of nationalizing everything he touches, I would have to re-evaluate my worldview. 

If, in 20 years, ObamaCare™ turns out to have lowered medical costs (not prices, but costs) I would have to repent of just about every political and economic belief I've ever held. 

I've had a good time over the last two years with the Global Warmists.  If it doesn't snow and freeze, that's proof of AGW (Anthropogenic Global Warming - i.e., we control the weather).  If it snows and freezes, that's also proof of Global Warming.  I think the burden of proof is on those guys.  Is there any weather pattern that would be acceptable proof that AGW is a fantasy?  I don't think so. 

I'm probably misquoting Michael Shermer, but someplace in his "Why People Believe Weird Things" he makes the following statement:

"To the True Believer, no proof is necessary.  To the Skeptic, no proof is possible."

How to overwhelm Uncle Sam's entitlement system

I've said numerous times that I favor the "Open Borders" concept to immigration.  If you want in the door, come on over.  It would be the best possible way to overwhelm Uncle Sam's entitlement system. 

And how can we get all those folks in here, past all the border guards, the Tortilla Curtain, and the coast guard? 

Go here. 

Iron Man as a Libertarian Superhero ???

I saw Iron Man 2 over the weekend. 
The first movie in the series was great, but I only gave the sequel a 6 on the 10 scale.  Lots of stuff blown up, but no plot to care about, and no characters to care about, only one-liners strung onto a skeletal storyline. 

But the first 15 minutes of that movie are freakin' awesome.  Awesome.  Libertarian greatness is the only way to describe it. 
It seems that Congressman Henry Waxman a government dweeb wants to take away Tony Stark's Iron Man "unregulated weapon" for the good of the people, despite peace being preserved with Stark running around fighting evil on his own. 

Here's Kyle Smith, who disagrees with me about the first movie, describing the Congressional hearing that follows:

Meet Tony Stark — Capitalist Tool. I liked “Iron Man,” and liked it even more the second time I saw it, but it didn’t overwhelm me. And I felt it was a little wishy-washy on questions of capitalism and patriotism.

Not so with “Iron Man 2,” in which Tony Stark is a Randian hero who all but goes Galt when seemingly the only force that could ever defeat him — the U.S. government — begins to make the outrageous demand that his Iron Man technology is somehow public property. Because … well, it’s really important. And everyone knows that when it comes to important stuff, only the government can be trusted to handle it.

Stark makes the argument that the opposite is the case. He says he has made national defense a triumph by privatizing it (!). Yes, he actually uses the word privatize, and though I part with pure libertarians about this subject (no, I don’t think cops and the military should be privatized), to hear a superhero outlining such a bold stance is a tonic to say the least. (As I write virtually every time the subject is a superhero movie, these things are so predictable that I can barely pay attention to the latest by-the-numbers plot.)

Moreover, Tony is unapologetic about getting rich (he’s simply smarter than the competition), openly mocks the senators who are grilling him about his alleged selfishness and warns the government about handpicking winners in the weapons business (such as Sam Rockwell, who plays a rival industrialist who, though this is never explicitly mentioned, has obviously won Pentagon contracts by buying off lawmakers). He notes that evil-axis-dwellers such as the Iranians and the Norks are five to ten years from developing Iron Man technology, and that the cocky-but-inept Rockwell character is “more like 20″ years away.

In a very Howard Roark/Galt-ish moment, Stark chastises the government that it cannot take away his private property.

This section of the movie will be a YouTube classic within 15 minutes of being released on DVD.  Hopefully sooner.  Anyone hauled in front of Congress for a show trial should take notes.

Happy Mothers Day ! ! !

I almost forgot to post something appropriate for the holiday until I saw this on The Criplets' site. 
This is one that The Jihadist Safety Consultant sometimes play and sing together, usually to great acclaim when he can remember how to count. 
Happy Mothers Day ! !