I am very sorry to report on a loved and respected member of our community. [8thof7] passed away Feb 15. The news was passed to me this morning by his longtime friend, a woman whom I believe was his roommate.
I'm crying as I write this and I don't know what to say. Someone I corresponded with regularly, weekly emails on a broad range of topics, an individual I'd never met but whom I deeply respected and even loved as a pen pal, email buddy. [8th] was a hugely knowledgeable individual and also a smartass but with a huge streak of humanity and I loved him for all of that.
I don't know what else to say. I can't see through the tears.-- whatrock, Mar 02 2021 profile https://www.halfbak...m/user/8th_20of_207 [Loris, Mar 02 2021] Cat Whackers https://archive.org/details/CatWhackersAudio play hosted on the internet archive. [DrBob, Mar 03 2021] I_27m_208th_20of_207 [xenzag, Mar 04 2021] Verey fireworks https://www.warring...limit-for-jonathan/Old but good [DenholmRicshaw, Mar 04 2021] Salutations from the Outer Darkness .... https://forums.linu...wtopic.php?t=342641He posted on this Linux forum on the day he died. The title of his post is prescient. [xaviergisz, Mar 04 2021] dangerous properties https://onlinelibra.../10.1002/0471701343 [pertinax, Mar 05 2021] Variation on a Theme https://questionabl...view.php?comic=4476Here is another avatar of a sinister, technologically advanced hive intelligence - except this one is gender-ambiguous and loves cats. [pertinax, Mar 08 2021] Etymology of wich. https://www.etymonl...#etymonline_v_40178Nothing to do with witches or ducking stools. (see also -wic) (just in case anyone believed pocmloc). [DrBob, Mar 09 2021] Babakiueria https://www.youtube...watch?v=NqcFg4z6EYY"So what's that place called then?" [AusCan531, Mar 10 2021] A_20ring_20of_20Harriers#1615256172 [FlyingToaster, Mar 18 2021] Police Sieze Explosives, from the Borg? https://www.cheshir...-explosives-5292455 [bs0u0155, Mar 18 2021] Death Notice - Jonathan Fowler https://www.winsfor...65.Jonathan_Fowler/ [xaviergisz, Apr 04 2021] Funeral https://www.northwi...65.Jonathan_Fowler/ [DenholmRicshaw, Apr 06 2021] Tom Lehrer - We Will All Go Together When We Go https://www.youtube...watch?v=frAEmhqdLFs [Voice, Apr 08 2021] See Also... Never_20To_20Grow_2...er_20-_20_5b8of7_5d [FlyingToaster, Jun 11 2021] Shocked doesn't cover it. It's like a punch in the gut. [8th]!-- zen_tom, Mar 02 2021 This is terrible news and a huge loss to this community of a highly creative and animated character. I'm really shocked to hear this. For my entire time here, 8th has been a constant presence, who's company I particularly enjoyed. His half-baked ideas along with his annotations are his lasting legacy here, and he'll be greatly missed.-- xenzag, Mar 02 2021 This is sad news.-- Loris, Mar 02 2021 I am shocked. That is very sad news.-- hippo, Mar 02 2021 Oh no!-- pocmloc, Mar 02 2021 no,no,no,....i had wondered where he was....oh dear-- xandram, Mar 02 2021 Fucking fuck. Why are all the good ones taken away?-- Voice, Mar 02 2021 One day someone will post who the 'real' 8th is?-- 4and20, Mar 02 2021 .-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, Mar 02 2021 RIP. GNU 8th. I'm so sad.-- po, Mar 02 2021 We have exchanged emails so I know who he is, but like myself and many others, 8th chose anonymity here and until something changes, that should be respected in my opinion. I know the bakery is a much lesser place without his active presence. The loss of Max and now 8th are hammer blows and I still recall and miss the brilliance of Bristolz.-- xenzag, Mar 02 2021 Oh no. With both [8th] and [MB] taking a powder, now who will get the Sir Pterry references?
Should've known something was wrong when my 'Split happens' comment on his Talking Condiment Bottle idea went uncommented on on 15 Feb. I like to think he read that comment, smiled a satisfied smile, turned to Death and said "Huh. Lots of sand. What's that cubey representation on the horizon?"-- Sgt Teacup, Mar 02 2021 My 2nd favorite Halfbaker is gone? Max now 8th?
What the hell is going on?
Do we know what happened?
Although I guess it doesn't matter does it? Shit!
RIB buddy. (rest in Borg)-- doctorremulac3, Mar 02 2021 I have (accidentally) seen very early annos of 8th on HB, when it seemed the newbie 8th was getting a rough time all around. The early HB seemed to be even more cowboy, with even more shootouts. So it would be helpful to know how much of the larger-than-life 8th collective was a persona built for protective purposes.-- 4and20, Mar 02 2021 same here [Sgt] I purposely made a terrible remark on Dip Socks, just waiting for his retort that never came. February 16th...I knew something was wrong then.-- xandram, Mar 02 2021 He took his place as a star of this site. Un- flappable, unique sense of humor and at times absolutely brilliant. In his own way a very positive person. Always looked forward to his posts.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 02 2021 [4 and20] When I joined the hb in 2005, it was rather brutal for newbies. Dr. Curry and Una Bubba were the stars then and alwaysClamping down on us poor little newbies! it only made me stronger and wanted to stay here! They trained me well, and made me strong, it made me realize what is a good invention and what is not! I thank them both.
And yes I would like to know who the real 8th was, go along way back I remember seeing a picture of him in a military uniform.-- xandram, Mar 02 2021 Of course he was a person who would put his life on the line for his country. I had gathered he served through various comments he's made.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 02 2021 .-- hazel, Mar 02 2021 .-- nineteenthly, Mar 02 2021 .-- senatorjam, Mar 02 2021 Oh. Bugger! :( //Why are all the good ones taken away?// Not ALL. ;)-- DrBob, Mar 02 2021 I knew I should have just gone to work without checking in this morning.
Fuck.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 02 2021 He had disappeared for a time after Max passed and I feared the worst due to this covid thing. I remember being absolutely exuberant when he popped up alive and well.
I'll treasure the memories of what I guess I'll think of as those bonus months.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 02 2021 .-- Letsbuildafort, Mar 02 2021 Absolutely every word, every person here has said here, I echo. Yes, he was challenging, but that is exactly what made me love him. I'm in shock.
Max and 8th are sitting somewhere having an engaging talk about what really happens after life on this dimension, and saying "...see, I told you so, I posted an idea just like this back in 2010."-- blissmiss, Mar 02 2021 :-( He was one of the pillars of this nuthouse. I'm hoping the roof doesn't cave in... You will be missed, [8th of 7]. Travel well among the stars.-- neutrinos_shadow, Mar 02 2021 OK, Max and 8th were our go to brilliant science guys. Anybody else here ready to try to step into their shoes? I never even finished high school so I'm out. Without those guys here to review all this crazy stuff from a grounded, science educated technical background this place is really taking a hit. The Halfbakery collective IQ just took a dive. I wouldn't mind trying to replace these guys, irreplaceable as they were.
Maybe it's time to send invitations out to places like MIT, Stanford, Max's college, Oxford or whatever. We might start with 8ths replacement.
Wanted: Creator of quirky ideas for small web community. Must be willing to critically (very critically) review other ideas posted on this website. Please note that it's OK to be insulting on your resume. It might even help you get the job.
Requirements:
Must be brilliant.
Must be nerdy. (Big on Star Trek. No, I mean REALLY big on Star Trek.)
Pleasantly tubby preferred but not necessary.
Must, despite not putting any effort into it, and indeed not caring the slightest about it, be charming and lovable in a very... original way.
Must be a free thinker who evaluates the world from their own, often times original perspective without a care of being judged by society for their views, and in fact, loves going against the flow.
Must delight in poking fun at the virtue signaling, self appointed morally superior mindset by relishing in dark humor about mayhem, violence, pandemonium and destruction. If you might say something like: "Let's look at the bright side of armageddon." you might be the person for the job.
Must, despite his best efforts to not even be liked by his fellow posters, be well loved by all. Well, most anyway.
And perhaps most important, must hate cats. (this is not optional)
(8th would roll his eyes and shake his head at my attempting to write a eulogy for him so that's not what that is at all. It's something completely different.)-- doctorremulac3, Mar 02 2021 Well damn again.
I'm one of the few lucky ones who got to know the real guy over email for the past couple years, mostly 'cause he got sick of me yelling at him probably. I was one of the ones early on who would always try to smooth over his rough edges with the goal of not leaving so many dents in the community walls, as we had a fair share of ruffians back then but had members who were better at culturing them than I apparently was.
I miss all of them. MightyCheese, Bris, Max, 8th, csea, Dr. Fowler, runforrestrun and the hundreds who left here when the noise got to be too much.
Maybe there's an obit somewhere?
Maybe there's enough of his implants remaining in silicon purgatory somewhere?-- RayfordSteele, Mar 02 2021 That is fucking horrible news.
I really, sincerely, hope he's happy, in whichever collective has assimilated him.-- UnaBubba, Mar 02 2021 bloody hell - this is horrible-- DenholmRicshaw, Mar 02 2021 I hope that whichever collective assimilated him knows what they're in for.
With luck, he's having a drink with Max.-- RayfordSteele, Mar 02 2021 I don't feel like posting any ideas for a while, without Max and now 8th.-- xenzag, Mar 02 2021 We all know our last day will come, For some sooner than others, And written will be eulogies, By our HB 'baker brothers.
I fought with [Max] and [8th] a lot, Or so believed the purists. In truth it was a comic act, We put on for the tourists.
It's been not quite a year now, Since [Max] set sail for heaven, And we said goodbye to Rentisham's, Now the Grand Eighth Earl of Severn.
Remember [8th] in your own way, From wherever you may hail. Here's my little anecdote, Of my friend from Eastern Wales.
Those who've been around a while, May recall the daunting tale, Of [8th]'s tussle with a tank, In some boggy, English dale.
He thought he'd like a look inside, So climbed up on the top, Positioned himself above the hatch, And let his full weight drop.
The hole, alas, was undersized, In [8th]'s version of the ballad, In truth, it was the stodgy food, And not enough of salad.
Six squaddies, armed with levers, And sweat, and strain, and swearing, Took an hour to dislodge him, From the tank he was now wearing.
For me, I shall remember him, With a Purdey on his shoulder, Marching to a bagpiped dirge, Never to grow older.-- UnaBubba, Mar 02 2021 I too got a similar email this morning. I'd been emailing back and forth with him for a few months, finally getting to know him as a real person after years and years on here. He was a fantastic guy and I'll miss him dearly.
The collective is one down. Farewell & fly safe mate.
//Max and 8th were our go to brilliant science guys. Anybody else here ready to try to step into their shoes?//
I guess I'm somewhat promoted. Not the nicest way into the gig.-- bs0u0155, Mar 02 2021 Readings at the funeral are to be taken from Sax' "Dangerous Properties of Industrial Materials".
The coffin is to be carried out to The Dam-busters' March, and buried head- first at great depth prior to detonation.-- pertinax, Mar 02 2021 I'd fight you for it, bs0u0155, but I fail literally every one of the qualifications. You're up.-- Loris, Mar 02 2021 If he's the next prime minstrel, he's going to need a nickname worthy of the post. I can't possibly argue effectively with someone named bs0u0155. How's zero-b-s sound?-- RayfordSteele, Mar 03 2021 I'm sorry for my lack of objectivity earlier.
I read the email early this morning and just got vapor lock. An online friend and correspondent had passed away. People die all the time; so what? Why would this individual be any different? Was he real? Online is practically virtual, right? Words on a screen. Where's the reality?
Whatever the source code, after 6 years of halfbaking and 6 months of emailing I felt like I'd met a duplicate of my own sardonic self, a delightfully twisted individual with a similarly twisted outlook on people and life, someone who also laughed at things others wouldn't. A partner in crime, but someone with a more forceful nature, a hugely different inventive capacity and better command of the language. For all that I think he could be forgiven for rubbing people the wrong way and driving on the wrong side of the road.
Save for his real name and that he was a private pilot there are a thousand things I still don't know about [8th]. I would give a huge amount to have him back here, and a duplicate sum for [Max] as well. I think our world was better then. Mine sure was.
I'm sorry if I'm not making any sense.-- whatrock, Mar 03 2021 //How's zero-b-s sound?//
Heh! I'll take it. 0bs?-- bs0u0155, Mar 03 2021 [whatrock] don't apologise. You're making a lot of sense. (And thank you for this whole post.)-- neutrinos_shadow, Mar 03 2021 //Why are all the good ones taken away?// The extraterrestrials only extract the best.
I will sadly miss being deflagrated by [8th]'s what's what.-- wjt, Mar 03 2021 Well, shit.-- tatterdemalion, Mar 03 2021 ^ Well shit indeed. He will leave a gaping hole in the Bakery.-- AusCan531, Mar 03 2021 [whatrock] you did great summing up [8th]! I, too, am One of those folks who laugh at weird things that others don’t. For this reason I think people don’t understand me or don’t think of me fondly, as I don’t have the cutting wit and mastery of the language to make it sound poetic or threatening as [8th] He said the things the only way he could say them and that really stood out.-- xandram, Mar 03 2021 He was an individualist. Pure and simple, I think. Both Max and he. All the really bright and imaginative people are, thank God.
I've officially made February 15th, Frisco's birthday in homage to 8th. The mere fact that I have created a memorial for my cat's birthday on his day of death, will serve to remind me of the cycle of life that we all must face. And as a day to be grateful that we have literally thousands of convos between the two brilliant bakers to browse through. Their legacy lives on.-- blissmiss, Mar 03 2021 I'm sure he'd like the fact that you think of him every time you see your cat :-)-- hippo, Mar 03 2021 :D I shared the above "Cat Whackers" link with 8th many years ago. He enjoyed it & it makes me smile to think of it. So I share with you all too. Enjoy & think of 8th!-- DrBob, Mar 03 2021 Dam, neither of them here to point out my spelling errors either. Crap.-- blissmiss, Mar 03 2021 I know this much about him: he worked on things that make a very large and very unpleasant boom.-- RayfordSteele, Mar 03 2021 Godspeed, [8th].-- sninctown, Mar 03 2021 //I've officially made February 15th, Frisco's birthday in homage to 8th.//
The aggressive in-grave spinning, harnessed to a turbine will provide the UK with a reliable power source for centuries.-- bs0u0155, Mar 03 2021 //I know this much about him: he worked on things that make a very large and very unpleasant boom.//
Not long after I joined the HB , whenever I heard a loud boom I wondered if 8th was responsible for it. No reason to think his impact will diminish.-- Canuck, Mar 03 2021 //Dam, neither of them here to point out my spelling errors either. Crap.//
I can't think of any actual examples now but it was never just "You spelled it wrong." it was always something along the lines of:
"So you like humerus stories? I myself enjoy the occasional story about femurs. Of course anything about a radius or unla is always good reading."
I've got an ear to ear smile now. First time smiling while reading about him. That's what memories of people we cared about do eventually. They turn from tears to smiles.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 03 2021 I nominate everyone who's commented on this idea--and various recent Toaster ideas--in the 'All Together We might be able to Approach A Suitable Stand-in for Max and 8th' category.
Exhibit A: my experience as a Contrarian, Grammarian, and Punster.-- Sgt Teacup, Mar 03 2021 I like that idea. Can we specialize? I like cats so I wouldn't cover that very well.
I'm pretty good at WW2 stuff and I also understand 8th was a pilot. I'm not one now but I used to be. I know which part of the plane is supposed to be facing upwards anyway.
I could try my hand at smartass spelling corrections too. The "humerus/humorous" example wasn't too horrible.
Maybe we tag it as "channeling 8th" or [Max] something like that.
I think bs0s taking on the science portion of the burden. If we pool our talents we might be able to fake it good enough.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 03 2021 //All Together We might be able to Approach A Suitable Stand-in for Max and 8th//
Certain aspects, cat rants for example, are actually quite amenable to automation. Come to think about it. There's a good chance they were already automated.-- bs0u0155, Mar 03 2021 Looks like he has some of the snark too.-- Voice, Mar 03 2021 Don't forget the casual death threats. I was immensely pleased and honoured when he threatened to burn me inside the Saimhain Wicker Man alongside [xenzag] after I tagged him with a bit of a 'zinger'.-- AusCan531, Mar 04 2021 I was constantly on the receing end of his threats which were encouragd through the use of a few key words and phrases that 8th couldn't resist. I keep hoping this is just one of his stunts, as he, along with Max, was one of my main reasons to post ideas here in the last few years. Their responses meant more to me than anyone else's. Wonder if Wagster, Dr Curry, Bungston and Ben Frost know. Where are the great half bakers? See "I'm 8th" link posted when he went sideways last year. Would love it if it worked again.....-- xenzag, Mar 04 2021 Ooh, an 8th of 7 conspiracy theory. He'd like that. Actually, now that I think of it, wasn't he on that Beatles album cover??? You never saw Ringo & 8th in the same room together, did you!-- DrBob, Mar 04 2021 We could rebuild him. We have the technology...
Reprogram a chatbot with some death threats, knowledge of bombs and airplanes, references to Star Trek, a dislike of cats, Wales, children, and the like, and there you go. He never was fully human anyway...-- RayfordSteele, Mar 04 2021 Smack a cat's tail on the back and give it a "meow" soundtrack and it's a go.-- blissmiss, Mar 04 2021 We could create a virtual 8th of 7 halfbaker we all have the login info for and create posts in his memory to the best of our abilties. For instance, somebody writes "Self heating sandwich" as an idea, one of us might log in under our community shared "8th of 7 Bot" login and anno with "Bun pending if you replace "heating" with "exploding" and "sandwich" with "cat".
Probably have to get the OK from Jutta for that but might be interesting. It really would be a kind of Borg hivemind thingy.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 04 2021 I think an 8thof7 bot works better as a speculative halfbakery idea than it would as an actual implemented bit of AI-- hippo, Mar 04 2021 I miss him already.-- Voice, Mar 04 2021 Considering dumping a bunch of his works into OpenAI and seeing what pops out.-- tatterdemalion, Mar 04 2021 How did you get access? I asked to get on the waiting list but so far, no AI for me.-- zen_tom, Mar 04 2021 Better to keep the AI limited. We don't want to cause a bomb-enabled, explosion-infatuated singularity.-- RayfordSteele, Mar 04 2021 I confess I did email him the last time he disappeared; something to do with China and India having a border "discussion". I now regret not asking him about fireworks because I had found a really old news report from 1999 (linky) that perhaps hints at what was to come.
"Mr Fowler admits that when it comes to preparation, the sky's the limit, with the team using everything from chemistry to electronics to plan the perfect display."
"And although Mr Fowler no children of his own, his successful sideline has earned him some young admirers."
"My friends' children do seem to follow me around," he said."-- DenholmRicshaw, Mar 04 2021 Deceased and death notice search reveals no results. Does anyone have details. I would make a donation in his memory, provided it wasn't for some Third Reich appreciation society of course. He was posting annotations right to the 14th Feb, with no indication of any impending demise..... whatever happened must have been unexpected.-- xenzag, Mar 04 2021 goddammit, away for a couple of weeks and this .-- theircompetitor, Mar 04 2021 I may not be quick on the uptake or in a downdraft, but is 8th also this 'Mr. Fowler', or is that for the birds?-- 4and20, Mar 04 2021 I found out, via email, that J A Fowler and 8/7 were one and the same.
I wish I'd found out more-- DenholmRicshaw, Mar 04 2021 By my calculations, we have, if we assume as we might, that 8th commented or posted every day of his haflbaked life, we most likely have over 9000 gems to read and reflect on.
We might also admire his resilience in holding up the fort when many of us had taken up residence on other platforms, opting to not bake, or even comment here leaving the place for him and Max to maintain. (For the most part)-- blissmiss, Mar 04 2021 True. I always felt Max and 8th were sort of the minders of this madhouse. Not that they weren't a bit mad themselves.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 04 2021 // I would make a donation in his memory//
Battersea Dogs' Home*? Royal British Legion**?
Any other suggestions?
*A shelter for the stray dogs*** of London **A veterans' organisation
***Wait; I've just found out that, in 2002, this Victorian organisation started sheltering cats, too, so maybe [8th] wouldn't approve after all, but would instead be cursing politically correct inclusiveness. Not that that should stop us.-- pertinax, Mar 04 2021 I understand his death was sudden, and there is no information yet as to cause of death.
Maybe an explosion?-- UnaBubba, Mar 05 2021 [doctorremulac3]; the halfbakery is pretty much the test case for "the nuts taking over the nuthouse".-- neutrinos_shadow, Mar 05 2021 I just checked. I have posted 1,455 ideas in the 15 years I've been here, and made 5,375 annotations. Why stop now just because 8th ran out of juice? (can't resist dangling the bait in the water....)-- xenzag, Mar 05 2021 //I understand his death was sudden, and there is no information yet as to cause of death.
Maybe an explosion?//
If so, I'm absolutely sure that's the way he'd have wanted to go.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 05 2021 ^ Or, the way he would've wanted somebody else to go, anyway.-- FlyingToaster, Mar 05 2021 Looks like he really might have been an explosion artist. Is that a new term? Shouldn't be.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 05 2021 // //I understand his death was sudden, and there is no information yet as to cause of death.
Maybe an explosion?// //
The email I received stated that they're waiting to find out the cause. Explosions are usually not so mysterious.-- bs0u0155, Mar 05 2021 Perhaps he invented a new kind.-- pertinax, Mar 05 2021 That would not surprise me.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 05 2021 Having often confused the Five Stages of Grief with the Seven Sages of Greece, I'm currently going through Bargaining, Depression and Periander of Corinth.-- pertinax, Mar 05 2021 //Perhaps he invented a new kind.//
He certainly dropped a bombshell on us. I kinda assumed he would be immortal.-- AusCan531, Mar 05 2021 //waiting to find out the cause// Well if the explosion is big enough it can destroy a lot of the evidence of what caused it.-- pocmloc, Mar 05 2021 //Dam, neither of them here to point out my spelling errors either. Crap.//
It's spelled 'Damn' Blissy. Unless you're holding back a flood of bad spelling or something.
(Sorry, it's the best I could do).-- AusCan531, Mar 05 2021 We could set off an explosion wave around the world! in his honor it could be choreographed starting in jolly old England And go successively around the world. We all have something we could blow up! Though he might prefer I blow up my cat I actually have an old truck back in the woods that I would love to destroy by explosion!-- xandram, Mar 05 2021 You are right, Aus, I corrected the others that were glaring blatantly at me. As for damn, Well, 8th, today I'm in the *Damn it* stage of grieving for you.-- blissmiss, Mar 05 2021 The interwebs are currently remarking on a sudden uptick in worldwide earthquake intensity and occurrence; [8th] speaking from beyond the veil? I heard recently that we've got it oriented wrong: heaven is down, and hell is up. Maybe [8th] is down there, trying to confirm.
And did anyone get a sign from [Max]?
prediction: HB quantum-computing physicists and near-death medical professionals (hospice workers, not old docs*) will create the delicate machinery required to follow energies throughout life and death. Ghosts and spectres are clearly remnants of localized energy pools. Ergo, when an explosions expert dies, earthquake incidence rises. Energy is neither created nor destroyed and all that.
*although being near(er) death yourself, and knowing about the physics of near-death experiences , may be a leg up in the field.-- Sgt Teacup, Mar 05 2021 There was a time a year ago or so when 8th went silent for a few months here. He was just very busy, or so he said on email.
The bakery was very different in the time before Max and 8th. Mainly in that it wasn't filled with 50% of current annotations being theirs.-- RayfordSteele, Mar 05 2021 -- calum, Mar 05 2021 //Dam, neither of them here to point out my spelling errors either. Crap.//
(Sorry, it's the best I could do). — AusCan531, Mar 05 2021//
Well, it's good, but kind of missing the exuberant "gotcha" vibe that 8th's had.
Eh, I take that back. Well done Aus.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 05 2021 You’re right Doc. I can be snarky but haven’t a hope of emulating his special flavour of snark.-- AusCan531, Mar 06 2021 LOL, oooh yea. You could just feel the "I gotcha!" in his writing.
And hey, I've had to take my medicine many times being such an awful speller but I did so stoically because it came with the territory. Plus he'd take the dull job of correcting a misspelling and make it almost... poetic.
Max was also a champion of turning a misspelled word into a little comedy sketch. One of the reasons we loved 'em.
Wait, did I spell sketch right? I may never know.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 06 2021 I had hoped not to see another of these so soon, & certainly not 8th as well as Max, now I have reason to regret my most recent long absence, I think I need a drink.-- Skewed, Mar 06 2021 I think I'll join you.<pours shot of tequila>"Here's to fallen comrades. May we meet them again in another life. Cheers."-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 06 2021 Nostrovia.
And 8th, it you're watching, yes, I meant to spell it that way.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 06 2021 What if brain transplants have been perfected and only select intellects get chosen for the procedure but you must cut all ties with your former life for the chance to get to learn as an immortal and they're cherry-picking halfbakers of exceptional brainitude?
Whoa...
That sativa really packs a punch.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 06 2021 Felt more than a little ghosty replying to one of his annos, just now.-- FlyingToaster, Mar 08 2021 If you scratch and sniff your screen on his hb home page, you can smell his socks.-- xenzag, Mar 08 2021 But probably only if you've snuck into his house & are using the computer in his room.-- Skewed, Mar 08 2021 Curious, no death notices yet on UK sites. I suppose it takes awhile? Has anyone who was emailed heard anything further?
Either I've forgotten how to use Google or [8th] was quite adept at flying under the radar. Probably the latter. I've learned that he was 3 months younger than [Max], so he was 3 months younger than me as well. A few other tidbits... would it be appropriate to speak them here or not?-- whatrock, Mar 09 2021 //Has anyone who was emailed heard anything further?//
No, I replied. Haven't heard anything back.
//was quite adept at flying under the radar. Probably the latter.//
Definitely, that article about the fireworks display business puts it in Northwich, Cheshire. I used to work in Northwich, yet even in almost a decade on here, I can only remember a couple of instances where he even got as far as mentioning a familiarity with the North West. That's pretty amazing given the sheer comment volume.-- bs0u0155, Mar 09 2021 //A few other tidbits... would it be appropriate to speak them here or not?//
Anything you'd be happy to share with friends would be fine.
From my quick Googling I found his birthday was 7 July 1962 (which lines up with your stated age gap to [Max]). I was kind of surprised it wasn't 8 July since that would make his moniker more apt.-- xaviergisz, Mar 09 2021 //A few other tidbits... would it be appropriate to speak them here or not?//
I have a picture of him with a casual elbow on his Piper Cherokee. I'm not going to post it anywhere but I can't see any harm in sharing it by email.-- bs0u0155, Mar 09 2021 emailed you, [bs0u0155]. As in Max's case, for 8th it was a bit harder than usual to grieve for someone whose face I don't have a memory of. So thank you and if anyone else has anything they could send me I would be ever so grateful and will keep to myself.-- blissmiss, Mar 09 2021 [bs0u0155] I'd sure like to see the pic you mentioned, to finally be able to put a face with the personality.
The other tidbits include birth in Nantwich which is sorta east of Wales, and a sizable domicile in Northwich which is sorta north of Nantwich. I believe a relative lives in Norwich, which is Northwich minus the "th" and is located to the east over by the Channel. Lots of wiches in that country.
[bs0u0155], I see you and [8th] in my minds eye at a cafe, a table apart, laptops open, each responding to the same anno and oblivious to one another's identity. I'm sure we've passed one another, members in our community, without even knowing it.-- whatrock, Mar 09 2021 //Lots of wiches in that country.//
Thankfully we had the good sense on this side to burn them all a long time ago. A toasted 'wich is pretty tasty, after all.-- RayfordSteele, Mar 09 2021 //[bs0u0155] I'd sure like to see the pic you mentioned,//
Done.
//birth in Nantwich//
Nantwich, Northwich, middlewitch. There's a lot of them, and an awful lot of canals. I'm from Macclesfield, an altogether more sensible place that had the good sense to install some hills. Northwich is already quite a flood-y place, but they also had the great idea to extract the rock salt that's underneath the whole area. To do this, they pump in water and suck out brine. No-one knows exactly where the salt is coming from, and every now and then some sinking happens. Either locally, i.e. a house disappears, or the whole town shudders downward a few cm.
But, the drive in past Jodrell Bank is a hoot on a nice day.-- bs0u0155, Mar 09 2021 "wich" comes from "wic" which is a jetty or harbour side. Named as such because that was where the ducking stool to duck the witches was built. Sandwich is of course named for the jetty or harbour side in the sand, the combination of soft sand and hard jetty being the inspiration for the bread and butter in a sandwich. The witch presumably represents the gherkin or Branston pickle.-- pocmloc, Mar 09 2021 I had always thought wich was the Brit version of stan, as in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Thisistan and Thatistan. But I stan corrected.-- whatrock, Mar 09 2021 //I stan corrected//
[Waits eagerly to discover what Stan corrected]-- Skewed, Mar 09 2021 //Named as such because that was where the ducking stool to duck the witches was built.// Quack, quack! -wic is from old English, meaning settlement or village. -wich is a modification of this applied to salt producing areas. Both originate from the Latin, 'vicus'. No witches. No jetties. And definitely no ducks!-- DrBob, Mar 09 2021 no, docks.-- pocmloc, Mar 09 2021 And the "Nant" part of Nantwich, meaning "stream", is actually Welsh, I think.-- pertinax, Mar 09 2021 I always assumed stan just meant either country, land or kingdom [what], so the Kafiristan in the man who would be king would be something like 'the land of the heathens' if translated.-- Skewed, Mar 09 2021 Online etymology tells me that -stan is Persian for 'country'. So, Hindustan, for example, is the country of the Hindus.-- DrBob, Mar 09 2021 [[Idly wonders how many mountains hills & whatnot in maps of the British Empire have been named 'what did you say' or 'I don't understand you' in the local vernacular]
[Imperial cartographer to locale]
"So what's that place called then?"
[Local in his native dialect]
"Sorry mate but I haven't a clue what your saying with that foreign lingo of yours"
[Cartographer cheerfully jots down what he's just heard as a place name]
"Cheers mate"-- Skewed, Mar 09 2021 Thank you [bs0u0155]. Bless you! (waves hands around importantly, invoking various blessings from invisible god(desse)s assumed to inhabit this area of space.
I can see how he might get stuck in a tank.
So... Borgistan, shirley?-- whatrock, Mar 09 2021 No, the Borg are a nation (if nation they are) without territory (permanent territory anyway) .. a bit like locusts asset stripping (aka "assimilating") their wary around the universe.
As the Borg say "Home is where the cube is" & since they got warp tech that can be almost anywhere.-- Skewed, Mar 09 2021 [Skewed] You MUST watch the first minute or so of the linked movie Babakiueria
(Also, I'm enjoying how this solemn posting is drifting off topic. How Halfbakery-like)-- AusCan531, Mar 10 2021 Oh that's brilliant [Aus] exactly what I was trying to conjure & the reversal is an added sweet touch.-- Skewed, Mar 10 2021 I don't think it would be unreasonable for [whatrock] to ask the longtime friend and roomate for more details.-- xaviergisz, Mar 10 2021 There's no sign of a death notice or funeral details resulting from a search using his alternative name. I sent Max some pieces of my work when I knew he was ill, and would have done the same for 8th. I'd certainly light a celebratory candle. (sulphur of course) - only the best for 8th.-- xenzag, Mar 11 2021 Umm, I do [xav], this has got to be a distressing time for her & we may just be a bunch of random online nuts to her, just because he appeared to live here doesn't mean she's had any real prior awareness of any of us, maybe a little later, for now the only thing that would be acceptable would be to ask where to send flowers or the like, an interrogation at this time (no matter how politely made) from what may be to her essentially random strangers re the circumstances may not be welcomed.-- Skewed, Mar 11 2021 It's much too late of course, but I'm thinking about a sort of Viking ship burial, but with a spaceship. An atmospheric re- entry ship burning, perhaps.-- pertinax, Mar 11 2021 I love that idea, Pert. And maybe a mid-sized Puss 'n Boots replica to command the craft...maybe.-- blissmiss, Mar 11 2021 //An atmospheric re- entry ship burning//
Followed by the obligatory 14 days of Quarantine naturally. Nothing to do with Covid - just the fact that it's [8th]-- AusCan531, Mar 11 2021 //atmospheric re- entry ship burning//One of those flights taking someone's ashes into space should then bring [8th]'s back/-- lurch, Mar 11 2021 I think of "A Ring of Harriers" as a tribute : a take on the "missing man" formation <link>-- FlyingToaster, Mar 11 2021 He's probably just stuck on that massively complicated roundabout at Swindon, driving endlessly in circles in his nuclear-powered tank, scaring other road users, guzzling 30yo Scotch and living on his winter reserves.-- UnaBubba, Mar 12 2021 .-- Worldgineer, Mar 17 2021 What. The. Hell.
.-- ytk, Mar 17 2021 It feels so unfair... I'd always hoped to meet him one day.-- 21 Quest, Mar 17 2021 I had too... I think many of us... so many... the conversations would have overridden work and time and obligations, pausing only for food and the loo.-- whatrock, Mar 17 2021 Under the guise fo being cranky and anti-social, he was an incredibly positive and gregarious guy. Very not into virtue signalling, had his own views, didn't care what people thought about them. Like a lot of us are saying, one of the two big stars of this place. Him and Max.-- doctorremulac3, Mar 18 2021 Statler and Waldorf-- pertinax, Mar 18 2021 //Statler and Waldorf//
Like 8th, a great British tradition. Surprising, to me at least, the Muppet show was British, in part. ABC passed on the pilot and Henson moved to the UK where it was picked up by Lew Grade and filmed/produced by the people responsible for the Thunderbirds etc.-- bs0u0155, Mar 18 2021 I'm pretty sure this is also our guy... <link>-- bs0u0155, Mar 18 2021 Yep, that's him, [bs0u0155].
I recall him telling me about that little snafu.-- UnaBubba, Mar 18 2021 That article is amazing and completely cements my understanding of 8th.
"fireworks and special-effects have always been something he is very enthusiastic about." "He has got all sorts of diplomas in the subject."-- Worldgineer, Mar 18 2021 Quell your curiosity. I only knew him through the .5 Bakery, but I have a good idea of what killed him and it wouldn't make you happy.-- Voice, Mar 23 2021 No way any method is going to make me happy... but I am curious, and sometimes raging at fate is constructive.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Mar 23 2021 [bigs] - you came back!
We missed you.-- pertinax, Apr 03 2021 ^ INDEED.-- blissmiss, Apr 03 2021 Welcome back [bigs] - you were missed.-- zen_tom, Apr 04 2021 Donate to a dog charity (linky)...-- DenholmRicshaw, Apr 06 2021 I was just composing a message with details of 8th's funeral etc.......wonder will any HB member be present? It seems to me that the Halfbakery was an important outlet for himself as few days would pass without him posting some comment on something. Perhaps this will feature on the day.-- xenzag, Apr 08 2021 Is there a cat home that could be donated to in his honor?-- RayfordSteele, Apr 08 2021 I agree, [xenzag] His home away from home most definitely. Wow, over 900 people have viewed his obituary. That's a very large circle surrounding him. Sweet.
I vote we somehow set up a donation site where we can pay via Paypal or something generally used by both sides of the pond, and see that it is donated to an animal shelter that is non-euthanasia in nature. That way we can support his wish for dogs and his love for felines. Maybe we could find a shelter that has PayPal and would set it up for us. They probably would. Gotta be near his home, I would think.
Thoughts, comments, belittlement? Uhm...whatever your feeling. I'm feeling weary of sending our fellow bakers off to the great mystical after-death. It's kind of hard to visit without a shadow of either Max and 8th in attendance.-- blissmiss, Apr 08 2021 //details of 8th's funeral etc.......wonder will any HB member be present?..//
I bloody well would have if travel was possible in any reasonable way. It's a 20 minute drive from my parent's place, and while I usually visit in July/August, I'd have happily brought that forward to pay my respects to the bloke, very frustrating.
Still, when he sent me the picture of him with his plane, I expressed my frustration that I couldn't send my own picture of an 18yo me standing next to the plane I soloed in. Because it's in a drawer 3000 miles away, and I can't get to it. He responded with: "Patience; this too will pass .." like the sort of nice chap he was. Well, it's not passing bloody fast enough, and now I'm missing my 3rd funeral.-- bs0u0155, Apr 08 2021 Dammit... I was holding onto the hope that he'd just done a runner or something.-- FlyingToaster, Apr 08 2021 .-- Amos Kito, Apr 16 2021 Oh Amos, how sad it is to see you only in times of great grief. I miss you and thought you might have been gone forever. 8th would be touched by your remembrance, I believe.-- blissmiss, Apr 16 2021 // 8th would be touched by your remembrance, I believe. //
Yeah. 8th was one who pretended that my halfbaked goods had some merit. He will be missed.-- Amos Kito, Apr 16 2021 //Quell your curiosity. I only knew him through the .5 Bakery, but I have a good idea of what killed him and it wouldn't make you happy.//(Voice)
//No way any method is going to make me happy... but I am curious, and sometimes raging at fate is constructive.//(2 fries shy of a happy meal)
I've been thinking about this. You know how Viking warriors (supposedly) wanted to die with a sword in their hand? I think 8th might have wanted to be holding a detonator. Then again, there are these guys in Mad Max:Fury Road who would spray their teeth silver, tell their mates "Witness Me!", then jump from a moving car to attack another car with an exploding lance. I reckon 8th would have appreciated that as an ending. Perhaps more so if there were cats on the target. Maybe he'd have preferred explosive jousting with a lion? I never did ask whether he disliked big cats more, less or the same as small ones, and I guess now we'll never know.-- Loris, Apr 22 2021 I'm assuming it was cardiovascular, heart disease, that's what kills most people. COVID has the most publicity of any killer currently but people dying from are mostly the elderly and those with underlying conditions. He might have had some that made him succeptable I guess. I think he would have let us know if it was cancer.-- doctorremulac3, Apr 24 2021 Ah yes, the cool way to go out. Tempers the sadness at your funeral with supressed giggles.
And kudos to the cultured wordsmith that came up with the term "autoerotic asphyxiation" to replace "jerking off while hanging yourself". Sounds almost elegant, like the title of a famous oil panting, or a ballet. "Autoerotic asphyxiation" sounds like a ballet that is, not "jerking off while hanging yourself". I don't think a ballet titled the latter would be one I'd care to see. It'd pose an interesting challenge for the choreographer though.-- doctorremulac3, Apr 24 2021 I just came across these words of James Thurber on Harold Ross (founder of the New Yorker):
"Harold Ross died December 6, 1951 [...] In November the following year the New Yorker entertained the editors of Punch [...] I was in Bermuda and missed the party, but weeks later met Rowland Emmett for lunch at the Algonquin. 'I'm sorry you didn't get to meet Ross,' I began as we sat down. 'Oh, but I did,' he said. 'He was all over the place. Nobody talked about anybody else. '"-- pertinax, Apr 26 2021 Oh. This is what happens when I don't stay in touch. :-(-- normzone, Apr 26 2021 My favourite words from James Thurber are: "ta -pocketa- pocketa- pocketa- pocketa- pocketa." I kind of think that [8th] would have a passing similarity to Walter Mitty.-- AusCan531, Apr 27 2021 " I’m betting on autoerotic asphyxiation.-[a1] Apr 24 2021"
Now I automatically feel a whole lot better. And so did 8th, briefly, I will wager. As for his family, or his coworkers, whoever found him first, probably less so ;-)
Thank you [a1]-- normzone, Apr 27 2021 What!!!???????!!!!-- pashute, Jun 11 2021 .-- Dub, Jun 14 2021 .-- Frankx, Jun 16 2021 // Max and 8th are sitting somewhere having an engaging talk about what really happens after life on this dimension, and saying "...see, I told you so, I posted an idea just like this back in 2010."
By law of conservation of information, they must be, they are, just need to be decrypted.
...
See, we have to join our forces to build life ensurance (not insurance) systems, removing causes of death like aerospace industry is removing the causes of crashes, do it systematically, ASAP, or we will all end up like that.-- Inyuki, Jul 20 2021 .-- Mindey, Jul 20 2021 .-- MechE, Aug 02 2021 .-- ixnaum, Oct 24 2021 //we have to join our forces to build life ensurance (not insurance) systems//
[8th] already had the right idea, Musk is working on it, well, not working on it personally, he's funding the research on it's precursor though, but it's a way off yet.
With a hive mind you never die, just lose a few neurons every once in a while that you can replace faster than you lose them by banging bits of you against other bits of you.-- Skewed, Oct 30 2021 I used to get hives every year when I was a growing boy. As soon as they stopped, I knew I was fully fledged.-- xenzag, Oct 30 2021 //banging bits of you against other bits of you//
[Ponders]
[Ponders some more]
So would that count as masturbation if two bits of the same hive mind did that for fun without any intention of procreating?-- Skewed, Oct 30 2021 Two bits would, all too soon, lead to bytes.-- 4and20, Oct 30 2021 He wasn't a two bit sort of space zombie.-- Voice, Oct 30 2021 //He wasn't a two bit sort of space zombie//
Fair enough, but a disturbed mind still wants to know, is it still an orgy when all the 'participants' are from the same collective? ;)-- Skewed, Oct 30 2021 Aw geez. I come back for a look around only to read about Max and now 8th.
Bugger.
At least, thanks to Jutta, I've got pages and pages of their writings here to read back over and reminisce.
Even more virtual hugs to all and sundry.-- Custardguts, Jun 05 2022 .-- dentworth, Jul 13 2022 And you can add Farmer John to the list of living legends no longer among the living.-- blissmiss, Jul 14 2022 . :(-- sartep, Jul 19 2022 random, halfbakery