The chairperson selects an object/idea/whatever and announces whether it's animal, vegetable, mineral, and/or abstract. The others have to ask questions to figure out what it is. Whomever guesses the object correctly is given the chair for the next round; repeat ad nauseam.
[Riff] Rotter! "The content of a vegetarian's colon" was exactly the topic I was going to choose if I got into the chair. I would have set it as abstract since its animal, vegetable or mineral content could not be ascertained without removing it from the colon in question.
Blimey! I thought that was a question leading towards the correct answer, not the answer itself. OK, I'll try and pick something simple that shouldn't lead to confusion (ha!) and get someone else in the chair. VEGETABLE
[Chalky] Spat is not the word I would have used, friendly banter seems more appropriate somehow. Do we agree though that the classification is purely on composition, and method of production doesn't come into it?
[rab] Agreed - I should have prefaced the word 'spat' with the adjective 'friendly'. It was pure mischief on my part and I really should have remember that such posturing doesn't necessarily transfer well on to the screen. [Material composition - yes, which is why I still think milk should have in part an 'animal' classification :-)]
[Chalky] Using dictionary.com : A plant cultivated for an edible part or the edible part of such a plant - No. A member of the vegetable kingdom; a plant - Yes
Is it a single, particular thing (as opposed to, say, oak trees in general)?
Ha, nice to see I'm not the only one capable of starting minute pedantic arguments. See, everything is mineral really, and animal and vegetable are just more or less arbitrarily defined subsets of it, aren't they?
[Kim] Unrelatedly, some friends and I once spent a lunchtime trailing after Michael Howard surreptitiously through Folkestone town centre. Our stalking attempt was foiled when he drove off in a very flash car. Curses!
[Inkspot] Yes. [Kim] Great Guess! But No. [Raak] Yes. [Breadmaster] Taking your 'Oak Tree' senario. I was thinking of a single thing like "An Oak Tree" as opposed to "All Oak Trees" or "Some Oak Trees", but I would give the chair to any of those three as they would be close enough.
Episode 12B. How to recognise different types of trees from quite a long way away. No. 1. The Larch. The Larch. - congrats to snorgle! Take it away . . . . .
[snorgle] "Is the person known as a politician?" I don't see any answer to that question, or anyone else asking it. I notice Btd's "European?" has also gone unanswered.
Raak-I'm not deliberately not answering, you know! Therefore - not a politician, not European, not regularly on tv, not australian, not a popstar and yes, Riff, he is a movie star!
Chalky - YES! But ZK- he's canadian, I thought everyone knew that! Honestly, some people..
It's your go now, Chalky. I saw Matrix Revolutions yesterday. Am sorely disappointed! Action scenes good, characterisation awful, ending complete cop-out. At least I got to look at cute Keanu for long periods though. We actually waited until the end of the credits (through all that outrageously loud dance music) on the off chance something else would happen. I said "That is the suckiest ending ever! It's like the end of The Empire Strikes Back, but without another part to make up for it. It's just never explained." GRR!
Audience goes wild for Chalky, whoops, cheers, outrageous hand gestures, sausages, etc.
*Whilst cheering rapturously* would like to point out the order in which the entries came...I'm sure I knew he was canadian anyway. aren't all the stars canadian? eric mccormack is (I think), so is michael j fox, paul gross, mike meyers....
I thankyou. That was somewhat akin to a lurker's victory. I haven't been around much this weekend, just popped in to catch up, hazarded a wild guess, and there you go .... [snorgs] Yes - I thought Matrix Rev was a pile of cack, but at least I didn't fall asleep during it [which I did during Matrix Reloaded]. I'll post a new thingy tomorrow, if you don't mind. I HAD lined up a person, but we've just had one, so I'll attempt to think of something sparklingly original to brighten up a Monday morning :-)
Bob - the gravitational guess - No Bob - the snorgle guess - No Software - Sort of, yes rab - No Raak - No Boolbar - the J A guess - No Boolbar - the book guess - Yes, but most things might, wouldn't you say? snorgs - indeed, it is common knowledge [but that's not the answer] Breadmaster - No Bob - the proper sausage guess - No Marfa Farker - No Inkspot - It can be Rosie - No :-)
Raak - er ... No. It would be very misleading if I replied otherwise Boolbar - No, not directly Bob - Emotion - No, but it can have an effect on the emotions [Clue #1] Bob - Buggary - No
...vague I know but I'm thinking...Oh!the pain,the pain! and going by William Hague's campaign, an oft misquoted commodity, which is what you would expect really.
Raak - I think we've established that it's an 'it'.. therefore, it's a common perception that people can make 'it' - although they may not be aware they are [Clue#2] Duj - No
Riff - No. [all] Don't get too fixated on science [or even maths]. There are a whole bunch of questions that haven't been asked yet, which should simplify matters considerably.
.... so if this isn't wrapped up by then .. there will be a 10 hour hiatus .. Rosie - No Raak - What an interesting guess - it isn't correct but some might believe that the occurrence of such might have some bearing on 'it'. Inkspot - It is both a cause and effect :-)
Inkspot - No rab - Indeed I did. It was a specific question and I would have been misleading you if, at that time, I'd answered yes. However, as 'this' can be perceived by all the senses collectively, I answered yes. I feel it may be more helpful. Boolbar - No, not really.
... but as I am continually astounded by your collective grey matter, I fully expect the answer to be here when I return this evening. Clue#3 - it has two sides - the one I'm thinking of is the happy/desirable side.
This summarises all that chalky answered before catching the train. I’ve taken out the wild guesses and repeated questions and added the clues at the end.
This is an * A B S T R A C T * thing. It is (sort of) a human concept. It can’t be heard. Is it found in a book? Yes, but most things might, wouldn't you say? It is common knowledge [but that's not the answer]. It is not commonly considered art. It is not fictional. It can be a saying or verbal expression. Does it have to do with language? er ... No. It would be very misleading if I replied otherwise. It is not directly something to do with the weather. It is not an emotion. It is not a feeling. Does it have to do with music? – No. Is it an action? - Not really ... it could be ... sometimes ... vague, sorry. Nothing to do with water. It is "not really" connected with the arts. It would have been known about in 1900. It is 'made' of abstract AND tangible things. Is it a scientific theory or principle? - mmmm ... tricky. I shall say No, but your line of questioning might lead you to the right place. It is not 'historically' attributed to one person. It is not a religion. It can exist/occur where there aren't any people around e.g. Mars. Is it a rule or law? - Sort of, yes. Is it anything to do with mathematics? - In a way, yes. Is it possible for people to make one? - I think we've established that it's an 'it'.. therefore, it's a common perception that people can make 'it' - although they may not be aware they are. It is not Gravity. It is not Heat. A quincunx? - What an interesting guess - it isn't correct but some might believe that the occurrence of such might have some bearing on 'it'. Is it an effect rather than a cause? - It is both a cause and effect :-) It can be perceived by any of the five senses. It is not one of the seven deadly sins. It is not a maze. It is not the chaos theory. Does it have something to do with the sun? - No, not really. - Sorry - I've got a train to catch
[Clue #1] It is not an emotion but it can have an effect on the emotions. [Clue#2] It is an 'it'.. therefore, it's a common perception that people can make 'it' - although they may not be aware they are. “There are a whole bunch of questions that haven't been asked yet, which should simplify matters considerably”.
From all that, I interperet it as being a natural occurance or event, the quincunx which I interperet from a quick browse as illustrating 'randomness'(is this right), is the scientific/maths a blind alley which leads down to something measurable even on Mars
rab - No, but getting closer Boolbar - No, not exactly, but excellent guess. Winning could be considered a part of 'it' Inkspot - No, but the portent itself has a connection Kim - Not directly Software - Yes Dazed - No Inkspot - Yes to 'occurring event' as for 'natural' - I would say more 'yes' than 'no', although the mathematics might prove otherwise [Clue#4]
..... that's close enough. The answer was 'serendipity' but as this one has dragged on for a couple of days now, it may be best to leave it that a combination of your two guesses will do nicely. [insert smiley face here] I'm pleased because I was a-rootin' an' a-tootin' for you. So whilst ... *the audience whoops and hollers [and exhales a collective sigh of relief] and waves handkerchiefs and garters and all manner of private apparel for that vair vair clever Raak*
... I shall prepare myself for the possible questioning of some of my replies :-)