Yes, it's another round of that classic guessing game - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Abstract [or any combination thereof]. This effort - '03/'04 should address any queries, but then again, may just serve to confuse and baffle which some might say is the point of the game. Patience, integrity and a decent search engine may be useful ....
[Phil] Grammatical? NO The AOTC has 3 words none of which are the definite or indefinite article. Hint: When the question was set it was in the future, now it is in the past.
Rosie's question "Does it need to be cooked?" continues to weigh on my mind. No Anglophone would say that they cook the Answer on the Card, but cooking of some sort or other is involved in the process of turning naturally occurring ingredients into the AOTC.
I've just reviewed my answers and noticed that when Chalky asked "Is it an animal product", I said "YES". I should specify that only the animal part is an animal product, the vegetable part isn't. Hope that helps ! :-)
[Phil] Fret ye not - that's what I meant. In summary: The AOTC is 'Animal Product' plus a 'Vegetable' (but not a vegetable to be found in a greengrocer) somehow linked together. Edible/Potable. Doesn't need to be cooked. Milk is involved. I'll now ask a question, if I may ...
[Software] Napoleon wasn't short, apparently, he was just portrayed as short for propaganda purposes. A bit of googling, and my suspicions are confirmed. He was about 5'7" (1.70m), over 2 inches taller than average for France at the time, and just about exactly average for the UK. Reference here
This is supposed to be a nice easy quick one - random guesses of allegedly vertically-challenged individuals will lead nowhere .. and I'm already bored
[Dujon] A well known male without a fig leaf? As written, the answer has to be 'partly'. As intended, the answer would be very much NO. Take your pick.
To clarify my answer to Dujon, the AOTC involves the image of a man who is not wearing a fig leaf but does not involve naked men in any way that I know of.
I have to give credit to the film "Night at the Museum 2" for raising my awareness of the Lincoln Monument, and more recently the 50th anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech, without which I would never have guessed that. Anyway, onwards and upwards....our next AVMA is
[Software] Human? NO (yes to fictional animal, no to fictional person, hence not a person. You are correct that nobody asked that question directly though) [GL] Dog? YES *more applause* [Dujon] Male creator? YES
Ooops, not sure what happened there, but I thought I'd add a summary, just to help out, as I thought this would be simple. Not that there's much to summarize. This is a fictional dog; created by a man; has appeared in multiple media (from the list: book, film, tv, radio, Grand Opera), but first appeared in print; has a slight link to The Simpsons (which is unlikely to be useful). The AOTC was not created by A.A.Milne; is not a Disney character; is neither Greyfriars Bobby nor Lassie; was not introduced in a children's story.
[Software] Snoopy? YES! My childhood hero. I still drink out of a Snoopy mug at work, which even has a Snoopy stand to sit on. Such is my fondness for the special beagle, that when I tried this AVMA on family members, and as soon as I said "fictional dog", they guessed it. The assumption, of course, was that "print" referred to books. Also, The Simpsons makes several nods in the direction of Peanuts and Snoopy - e.g. "Hungry, Hungry Homer" which was on C4 last week finds Homer asleep on top of the kennel, and Bart says "Good grief!" more here. Here, Software, take this flying helmet, goggles and scarf set - may it serve you well!
Sorry Software - too complicated - only kidding. But whilst we're about it, PLEASE answer the questions in a straightforward manner ... takes bloody ages to work out what you're trying to reply to usually! ;-)
[Raak] A building? - NO (not as such) [Phil] Margarine? - NO can tell talk from mutter [GL] A planet - NO * some discussion and shuffling among the andience * [Rosie] Man made? - YES
(CdM) It would take a conspiracy theorist of a high order to connect this with either of your suggestions. (Phil) Strictly no, but possibly in a figurative sense.
Yes, well, that wasn't quite a lurker's victory, since I did ask questions earlier on, but I clearly stood on the shoulders of slightly-taller-than-average people, there.
This isVEGETABLE with ABSTRACT and ANIMAL connections.
Oops, missed Phil's question. Animal connection = human? The main animal connection is human, yes. (There are also many other less direct animal connections, both human and nonhuman.) Made in the form of the animal connection? No.
[CdM] Single identifiable individual? Well spotted - NO. .. but I still think the additional word ABSTRACT would have been misleading. You may disagree .. :)
[CdM] Have I met someone who is an AOTC? This particular someone is the only one who *could* be the AOTC. Whether or not I've met them already is irrelevant.
I think that counts as a win, Monsieur C de M. The actual Words On The Card are The Person Who Guesses That They Are The Winner Of This Round. I toyed with the notion of adding ABSTRACT to the description but really couldn't be bothered with the standard questioning that might've come my way ;-)
Besides - you ARE a real person, aren't you?
*baton fashions itself into CdM-shape and flies to Daddy*
Human? Yes. *some audience murmuring, which abates when they read the footnotes on the card* Shirley Williams? No. Human? Yes. *no murmuring, because the audience members have read the footnotes on the card*
Human with footnotes? Yes. Your point? (OK. I think the most useful answer is yes. But it is possible to claim that a simple Yes is misleading.) Handicapped pianist? No.
Named human? No. More than one human? The AOTC is not more than one human. *smattering of applause, nonetheless* Less than one human? Yes. *some applause, and some discussion among the more pedantic audience members*
Blood? No. Only human? This is where the footnotes come in. I am thinking of the AOTC in a sense specific to humans, but it can apply to other animals as well. You will almost certainly find it more helpful just to think about humans, though. Pre-birth? No. Part of a human? Yes. Part of a specific human? No.
A moustache? Yes! I am currently growing one as part of Movember (one of the founders of which is an alumni of the school where I now teach). I haven't had a moustache (without beard) since I was about 18, I think—and, if I do say so myself, I think it looks absolutely hideous. So if you feel like throwing support towards my Movember team, you can click here. It is a worthwhile cause. *plucks out hairs one by one* and weaves them into a baton for cfm*
[CdM] Er...not that crushed. :-) Familiar phrase featuring pups? NO. [GL] NO. The AOTC is abstract. I think that is the proper answer to your question...
[Dujon] Theatricality? YES. There is an element of theatricality associated with the behavior that is associated with the AOTC. (Reminding everyone that the behavior is not the AOTC.)
[Rosie] Scary stuff? YES, in some instances. But many other emotions might also be associated. [Chalky] A musical solution? NO. But come to think, there is a movie title closely related to the AOTC...FWIW. :-)
[Dujon] Board contest? Not sure what you mean. A board game like Monopoly? NO. A skate boarding contest? NO. Opposition to someone's nomination to a Board of Directors? NO. Or did you mean something else?
[Dujon] An award? I think the best answer is NO, not in the traditional sense of honoring or gifting someone. But but but...*audience encourages this line of thinking with hoots and hollers*
[Phil] Highest praise? NO. [Rosie] Everybody's doing it? NO, that is not the AOTC. However, since peer pressure is frequently one of the behaviors that results in the AOTC...*audience continues to applaud*
[Chalky] Losing it? NO. Let's have a look at where we are. The AOTC is not a behavior in and of itself. It is the result of more than one behavior. Though no one asked specifically, the AOTC is the result of human behavior. One of behaviors associated with the AOTC has an element of performance about it though it is not a performance in the traditional fine art or entertainment sense. If the behavior were a performance, however, the AOTC could be likened to the finale of same. Peer pressure is often involved. Though not an award per se, one or more of the behaviors associated with giving an an award are also associated with the AOTC. I will throw in for free that the AOTC is a noun.
Does this occur in a particular geographical location?
Twenty-nine questions over twenty days might indicate scant interest in this little puzzler - even my curiousity meter is twitching around 'indifferent'. So it's not connected to love, marriage, birth, death, academia, job development, sport or the performing arts - is not a well-known phrase or saying or an an 'award', per se?
[Chalky] Particular geographical location? NO, it happens in many locations. [Chalky 2] Involves voting? YES, often. [Chalky 3] Medical connection? YES and NO. It is not a critical connection but some of the most famous examples include a medical connection. [Chalky 4] Possible 30 years ago? YES. And also 300 years ago. *vigorous applause for the somewhat indifferent player*
I apologize. I guess I am really bad at this game. Next time i get the baton, I will just pass it on. The AOTC is "verdict" -- in the legal sense, the finale of a trial, which involves some degree of performance on the part of both attorneys and witnesses...and which also involves voting, at least in my experience as a juror.
[cfm] Sorry you feel the need to apologise - there was nothing wrong with your choice really. Something I've said before on more than one occasion ... I think it helps to reply to a question without changing the questioner's original wordage. Spinning a question forces a 'double read' which can get tiresome. It can also mislead, eg. your reply to CdM's key question regarding a specific profession didn't inspire a rigorous follow-up and perhaps should have?
[cfm] I've only been in the chair once. It can be quite difficult to respond to questions in a manner relative. Some people are quite adept at it. I wasn't. Don't dwell on it, regardless of the somewhat snide comments you might receive.
[cfm] Visual Art? I said before, not everyone would agree it was even art. That said, if it is art, it probably qualifies as visual art. (I am guided solely by Wikipedia in this matter, however).
[cfm] Could it fit inside a microwave oven? Yes, it's an abstract. [Chalky] Is it really an Abstract? Yes.
To clarify the point, the contents/title of a book, film or TV programme would all be examples of abstracts that can be seen. (I'm not saying it's one of those but they still exist).
Typical example of my stupidity - Software asks "Camelot?" The reply comes back " It's only a model - No " Result: I spend more time worrying about my failure to make a connection between these two posts than I do about the actual resolution of this puzzle. Thus confirming why I shouldn't be playing this game.
[cfm] Thanks, so do I. But now I've got my CV up to date etc. I'd welcome the distraction of getting the game back up and running.
So, in summary The AOTC is the name of a work for the second half of the twentieth century that contains both visual elements and music. It is not a play, film, or TV programme but more than one copy exists. The title itself contains the name of a place, which is the mineral connection. The animal connection remains unexplored.
[GL] Eek. Just spotted your redundancy posting. Been there, done that. Hope something turns up pronto. [Chalky] I don't understand the Camelot/only a model connection either.
[Phil] Human connection? Yes, but not exclusively. [Chalky/Phil] I'm sorry for the Camalot/Model thing, it was a reference to Monty Python's Holy Grail. Clearly I have seen it too recently. It was not a clue.
OK. Either I, Christmas, or a combination of the two seem to have killed this round/game. Whatever the reason, it would seem wise for me to step down and offer the baton to someone else. The AOTC was The Secret of Monkey Island.