R.I.P. @Bracconiere

[seatazzz]

It's been over a month. No word. Based on some members' research, he's not 'gone'. But he's never been gone from HBT this long. Perhaps he's somewhere with no internet access.

Whether he annoyed you, or provided some sharp advice on home malting, or amused you with his style of humor, let's remember him today. So when he does come back (I'm smacking down hard on that 'when'), he'll know his value to our little forum.

So let's share some fun memories here. My favorite is when he praised me for my not-quite-feminine skills in auto maintenance. Another is when he pointed me to an obscure youtube channel of swing music, one of my passions, that I never would have found on my own.

Bracc, if you can, come back. We miss you.

 

[kartracer2]

100%. I noticed his absence also.
I was glad I could help a bit on getting his "de-culmer" up and running. I hope that unit didn't suck him in and "de-culm" him.
Cheers,
Joel B.

 

[3 Dawg Night]

I used to get super annoyed at @bracconiere and his drunken ramblings. Then, over time, he became one of my favorite personalities on here. He's the one that turned me on to using a digital refractometer, and for that I am eternally grateful. He's a good dude.

 

[MaxStout]

Brac, the Jolly Alcoholic, was a force to be reckoned with. As annoying as he could be sometimes, the guy had a good heart and he always meant well.

Perhaps he's just giving HBT a break for a while. I've gone on hiatus a time or two, from here and a few other groups. No doubt, plenty of others have done the same. Life's issues intervene and one can't always be here all the time.

 

[ba-brewer]

My first thought that was he finally flagged one of his owns posts to the Mods that was actually ban worthy, but he did not show up as being banned.

Maybe the BMC cartel was closing in and he had to go into hiding, but I hope he just found a woman to cook his beans.

 

[Airborneguy]

He was a welcome surprise when I returned. Hey I was pretty much fully gone for almost 8-9 years. It’s common. Just hope all is well.

 

[Knightshade]

I’ll admit…he ruffled my edges a bit, but that ain’t very hard to do truth be told. Had a hard time looking at pics of his kitchen too, I’m a bit of a neat freak.

That being said though….he is a good guy that I’ve seen help MANY a peeps on here and I’ve also had a couple spit worthy laughs from his postings. Hope all is well with him…+100%

 

[Kent88]

I'm a couple weeks late to this party.

I liked to joke that bracc is in witsec. Now I'm hoping they didn't find him.

 

[mac_1103]

I liked to joke that bracc is in witsec.

I always assumed that he really was.

 

[Kent88]

I always assumed that he really was.

 

[MaxStout]

I'm a couple weeks late to this party.

I liked to joke that bracc is in witsec. Now I'm hoping they didn't find him.

Or he's in spin dry somewhere. Then maybe he'll show up in the coffee & soda threads.

/I'm only half joking.

 

[DuncB]

A mystery wrapped in an enigma.

 

[Whisky River]

A mystery wrapped in an enigma.

…inside a bottle.

 

[BongoYodeler]

A mystery wrapped in an enigma.

...and slathered in secret sauce.

 

[madscientist451]

Also missed him.... hopefully OK....

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I hope he’s okay.

 

[wsmith1625]

Sometimes he's brilliant and sometimes he swings and misses, but he always tries to make an idea work. Love that creative think outside the box and screw the rules attitude that makes him so unique. Either way he usually makes me laugh. Hope he comes back to HBT

 

[ncbrewer]

Bracc who?
jk

 

[DuncB]

Bracc who?
jk

An active contributor.

 

[day_trippr]

jk = just kidding

 

[Dland]

Sadly, I find myself amongst the apparent cretons who are not up to date with interweb slang.. jk, FCWs, FCBSW's etc... (OK, so I did know what the last two meant.)

Does SS stand for Steam Ship, or Stupid isht? For example, and how would one know? Inquiring minds may want to know. if there are any left.

For the sake of security and dignity of our society, it might be best to spell the thing out so we don't have to guess the initials.. To the best of one's ability that is.

Anyway, I hope bracco is doing OK, as I'm sure so do we all. I'm pretty sure he'd approve of the non sequiturness of this post.

 

[day_trippr]

Does SS stand for Steam Ship, or Stupid isht? For example, and how would one know?

Context matters but wrt "social media" it'd be "Screen Shot".
I suppose "knowing your acronyms" is simply exposure...

Cheers!

 

[Dland]

Yeah, but do you know what FCW is? [;

 

[shoengine]

ffs diaf but nimby

 

[day_trippr]

^jeeze, that's a little harsh, ainnit^

FCW...again, context matters.
In welding it'd be Flux Core Wire.
Automotively, it'd be Forward Collision Warning.
Financially, Fully Convertible Warrants.
And so on...

Anyway...I fear for the worst here...

Cheers!

 

[Kent88]

bracconiere

He was a good boy



Always make sure you have good batteries in your smoke detectors and your fire extinguisher is up to date.

It probably has nothing to do with Brace's absence, just good advice.

 

[Dland]

^jeeze, that's a little harsh, ainnit^

FCW...again, context matters.
In welding it'd be Flux Core Wire.
Automotively, it'd be Forward Collision Warning.
Financially, Fully Convertible Warrants.
And so on...

Anyway...I fear for the worst here...

Cheers!

Frosty Cold Won...this is a beer forum isn't it? [;

 

[bleme]

I can't tell you how many times I've been talking to another homebrewer and said "There's this guy on HomeBrewTalk..." I have no idea what I will talk about if I don't get new @bracconiere stories soon!

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I too noticed his absenteeism lately. I'm sure he'll turn up sooner than later. Anyone try messaging him or giving him a call on his flip phone (if you have his number)?

 

[bleme]

I don't have his number, so I tried sending him smoke signals. After all, he's just the next state over and he is pretty old-school... But then the fire department showed up and put a nix on that whole thing...

 

[shoengine]

^jeeze, that's a little harsh, ainnit^

Don't worry, that wasn't aimed at anyone. Just having fun with initialisms.

 

[sibelman]

A former colleague and early Netizen made fun of the rise of acronyms that left many without a clue. He coined the king of acronyms: IOTTMCO

Turns out to mean, "Inuitively obvious to the most casual observer."

A special Cheers! to Il Bracconiere [ @bracconiere ] wherever he may be.

 

[mac_1103]

IOTTMCO

However, your friend did not coin it and in fact didn't even get it completely right. It's IOTETMCO (intuitively obvious to EVEN the most casual observer) and I'm pretty sure it was used in several of my 40+ year old college text books (sans acronym in most cases of course).

 

[sibelman]

However, your friend did not coin it and in fact didn't even get it completely right. It's IOTETMCO (intuitively obvious to EVEN the most casual observer) and I'm pretty sure it was used in several of my 40+ year old college text books (sans acronym in most cases of course).

I'll be darned. Thanks for the clarification, @mac_1103. Could be my memory is at fault, rather than the fellow I worked with in the '80s. I think I assumed he had made this up, maybe 'cuz I never heard/saw it elsewhere. I feel very sure it was not to be found in any of the college texts I read.

 

[mac_1103]

Pretty sure it was in Organic Chemistry (Morrison and Boyd), along with the immortal line "we must remember that everything, except of course a vampire, has a mirror image." Also George Thomas' calculus text. He certainly used the line often in his lectures. This was in the '70s. Definitely a (much too) popular catch phrase on campus. Yes, I am a nerd.

 

[CanofShiz]

I browsed this forum for a year before even making my first beer. Then 2 years after I started I made an account here and was terrified to post. I don't like to post much. I prefer to just use the search feature and re-read old topics. Thanks to @bracconiere for making me feel comfortable enough to PM him and then encouraging me to post when he was unable to answer all of my questions. Also, a huge shout out to this community and thank you to those who do post for the lurkers like myself who would prefer to get answers to their questions without posting.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Also, a huge shout out to this community and thank you to those who do post for the lurkers like myself who would prefer to get answers to their questions without posting.

Lots of good people here.

But watch out for those ChatGPT summary replies (aka "echo chamber on steriods"). Yes, I've see a couple recently [eta (a couple of days later): looks like the those replies were removed]. No, I didn't report those posts. Over the short to intermediate term, techniques to identify statistically generated text will lag creation of said text - and one alternative is to find sources of hobby content that are known to be human generated.

If I find broc "out there, some where" where GPTs fear to go, I'll suggest he stop by.

 

[madscientist451]

Sounds like a violation of first amendment rights......

I don't have his number, so I tried sending him smoke signals. After all, he's just the next state over and he is pretty old-school... But then the fire department showed up and put a nix on that whole thing...

 

[ba-brewer]

Lots of good people here.

But watch out for those ChatGPT summary replies (aka "echo chamber on steriods"). Yes, I've see a couple recently. No, I didn't report those posts. Over the short to intermediate term, techniques to identify statistically generated text will lag creation of said text - and one alternative is to find sources of hobby content that are known to be human generated.

If I find broc "out there, some where" where GPTs fear to go, I'll suggest he stop by.

I think @bracconiere was an AI as he came showed up as a "crappy homebrewer" but left as someone you might consider what he had to offer.

It's only a joke but he did disappear when there was a call for a training hiatus.

I hope he come around again so he can give me the middle finger for this post.

 

[MaxStout]

I think @bracconiere was an AI as he came showed up as a "crappy homebrewer" but left as someone you might consider what he had to offer.

Now that's the most logical explanation I've heard so far. Makes sense. Maybe the @bracconiere bot needs to clear its cache, or perhaps got hit with some ransomware.

However, if @bracconiere really is human, I'm putting my money on one or more of the following:
1. He forgot to pay his internet bill,
2. He's off fighting Russians in the Donbas,
3. His mom finally kicked him out of the basement,
4. He's up in Canada, lighting forest fires,
5. He joined the French Foreign Legion,
6. He's hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, carrying a couple kegs in his backpack,
7. He went into Federal Witness Protection,
8. He's been lurking here all along and doesn't want to post and end the attention we've been lavishing on him.