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AVMA Take 2
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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 ....
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Is it some sort of picture/image/diagram?
[GL] Could be.
[Darren] (The audience stirs vaguely from its torpor.) It could be in part.
Is it ... Software?
Is it a map?
or even ... A Hologram?
Is it a game?
[Software, GL, Chalky, Kim] No.
Is there one for each person?
Is it an action?
[GL,I] no.
Would life be better if there were more of them?
Is it a timetable?
Silly idea I know, but I can't shake the idea that it might be
[I] For some people it might be.
[GL] No.
Is it a Patent?
Is it money?
[s,a] No.
Are they still being made?
[s] Yes.
Does it last beyond the death of it's creator?
[all] Yes, but not to any great purpose.
Is it a webpage?
Is it the membership of some group or other?
And the physical manifestation, presumably, the membership card or other such thing.
TIDYUP
It is a state of mind? No
Is it a belief system? No
Have people been killed over it? Don't know
Does it have supernatural connections? No
Is it entertaining? Can be
Is it a piece of music? No
Would Software like this? Raak couldn't say
Is it a part of any nations laws or constitution (that you know of)? No
Is it a work of fiction? (laughter) sometimes
Is it a game? No
Did it exist in 1900? Yes
Does it exist now? Yes
Is it intelligence? No
Can it be represented mathematically? No
Is it the title of a story? No
Are there more than one of them? Yes
Is it presented as fact? Yes
Is it some sort of list? No
Is it an alibi? No
Is it a saying or proverb? No
Is it instantiable? Yes, you can make copies of it
Is it connected to religion? No
Is it an idea? No
Does it have an existence seperate from interaction with human consciousness? Yes
Has it been disproven? N/A
Is it a work of art? No
Is it Art? No
Did it exist before humans? No
Did exist before DNA? No
Is it created by humans exclusively? Yes
Is it specific to the culture of any one country, ethnic group, etc? No [but some may not have it]
Is it an event? No
Is it a measure of some sort? No
Is the physical embodiment manufactured? Suppose so
Is the physical emodiment organic? Could be
Is it some sort of picture/image/diagram? Could be in part [audience stirs]
Is it ... Software? No
Is it a map? No
A Hologram? No
Is it a game? No
Is there one for each person? No
Is it an action? No
Would life be better if there were more of them? For some people it might be
Is it a timetable? No
Is it a Patent? No
Is it money? No
Are they still being made? Yes
Adding the 3 additional questions which I didn't see - that's 50 questions so far. EEk!
stats
... half of which have been asked by 2 people :-)
[GL] It can be a web page.
[sadie] It is not the membership of a group.
It is a URL?
For "it", substitute "is" and vice versa. Doh!
Is it about some other thing?
Such as a manual, or assembly instructions, or an advert...
Are you *sure* this is an abstract?
Is it news?
Is it connected with law?
[Kim] No.
[sadie] Yes.
[sadie] Yes -- anything that can appear on a web page is abstract, not being made of animal, vegetable, or mineral matter.
[GL] No.
[Darren] No.
is it a recipe?
Is it a set of instructions?
Did it exist prior to 1811?
[GL] No to both.
[all] Yes (although I woldn't have known without Google).
Wakes up and belatedly bursts into applause at something someone recently said.
Did it exist before 1783?
[all] Yes.
Just in case that's misleading, examples of this have existed before 1783.
Is it a commercial?
(More applause from the audience.) No.
Assembly instructions?
Anticlimax, that last one.
A lonely hearts ad?
*!!BING!!*
[Chalky] YES!!! A personal ad. Google tells me that the earliest known personal ad was placed in 1727. The woman who placed it was sentenced to a lunatic asylum for four weeks.
in the right place at the right time
Wow - not only for getting there eventually, but also for that poor woman who ended up in the madhouse just because she was lonely. [well chaired btw]

Now for a nice easy

A N I M A L / A B S T R A C T

Is it the Welsh dragon roused from its slumber ready for the six nations?
Is this a mythical animal species?
[Inkspot] No :-)
[Darren] No
Is it a fictional human?
[GL] Yes
Harry Potter
It's always Harry Potter.
[rab] 'tisn't
Is it a male fictional human or a female fictional human?
In the work of fiction they are most famous for appearing in, are they older than 27?
[BM] No and Yes
[GL] No
Is it a character from a book?
Is it Hermione Granger?
as rab said, it's always Harry Potter
[Inkspot] No
[GL] Nope
Is it a character from a film?
Was the work of fiction first published since 1950?
In the work of fiction they are most famous for appearing in, are they older than 17?
Ripley (from the Alien films)?
Princess Leia?
During the works in which they appear, do they age noticably?
Is is a cartoon character?
Is it a character from a stage play or musical?
Is it a character from a song?
Does the character appear in just one work, or in a series?
Is it the title of the film/play/cartoon/whatever?
[GL] No
[Raak] No
[all] Doubtful but possible
[Raak] No
[GL] No
[sadie] No
[Kim] No
[Darren] Yes therefore Yes [sort of] *oohs and aahs from audience*
[Irouleguy] One
[Rosie] No
Eliza Doolittle?
I'll assume it's a musical then - is this musical still regularly performed?
[Raak] I think you'll find she turns up in the film versions too (see Gusset Login's question).
(by "assume it's a musical" I mean the musical from which this female character is taken)
[Raak] No
[Darren] Don't assume too much - but yes, it is performed regularly.
Does she appear in a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber?
[GL] No
Does she sing herself?
Is there a connection to Gilbert and Sullivan?
Madame Butterfly?
[sadie] er .. sort of
[GL] Yes *loud cheers from audience*
[Inks] No
The three little maids from school?
Is she attractive?
In Gilbert & Sullivan, this is important.
Yum-yum?
As I'm told that's the important one of them
Was its first performance in or before 1882?
(dates here)
*Ping*
[all] Well done! - it was indeed the Three Little Maids from School from The Mikado - famous for being filled to the brim with girlish glee-ee ... especially Yum Yum - 'though Pitti Sing is just as important, being a bit of a minx.
.. and [sadie] I quite agree - attractiveness IS important in G&S - why, even Katisha had a fascinating elbow.
[Darren] better luck next time :-)
Well, OK that's good. um...

ANIMAL/ABSRACT

Just to be different

Is it some sort of emblem? (Symbol, logo, trademark, heraldic device, etc.)
Anything to do with Gilbert & Sullivan?
Just in case a bluff needs to be called.
[Raak] No
[Tuj] No.
Is it a fictional human being?
Is it male?
Is it a mythological creature?
Does it possess special powers?
By which I mean ones that are impossible under our laws of physics. (Good game, btw!)
Is it to be admired?
(Botherer - 'tis indeed :-))
[Irouleguy] No
[Inkspot] Yes
[Darren] Yes (depending on how strict a definition of mythological you use)
[Botherer] Yes
[Chalky] That would depend on who you are
Is it a character from a book?
[Inks] No
Is he an alien of some variety?
In the space sense, not the immigrant sense, obviously.
A centaur?
Does it have religious connotations?
[sadie] No
[Inkspot] No
[Darren] *laughter from audience* No
Does he, or part of him, resemble a human?
Is it a superhero?
Is he a one of the bad guys, a doer of unspeakable evil?
[sadie] He is somewhat anthropomorphised, yes.
[Darren] No
[Inkspot] No, but there are those that wish he was
Is he, special powers aside, an existing species of animal?
[sadie] No
Is he used in advertising?
Has he ever been worshipped?
[Darren] Not to my knowledge, and brief google failed to turn up any suggestion that he ever has been
[sadie] No
Is he a character from a film? A play? A radio show?
[sadie] no, no and thrice no.
Does he appear in any sort of literary or artistic work?
Is he a character from a TV series?
[Raak] He had his picture in TV Times once... But I don't know if that counts
[GL] *mummerings as the audience wakes up* Yes
Was the TV series pre-1980?
[Chalky] No
Basil Brush?
Ronald Rat?
Is he animated?
pre-1990?
[Raak] wasn't it Roland Rat?
pre-2000?
UK terrestrial TV?
[Raak] No
[Raak 2] I think you mean Roland Rat, and No
[sadie] Yes
[Chalky] Yes.
[sadie] Yes
[Chalky II] Yes
Was he *approximately* an existing species?
[sadie] Do you mean "prior to anthopomorphising, was he to some extent an existing species?"
If so, then, Yes he was.
Was it made by Cosgrove Hall?
From The Magic Roundabout?
[GL] Yes
[Rosie] No, I think that was pre-1980.
Just checked Magic Roundabout = 1965
Dangermouse?
Count Duckula?
I'm aware I could go on for some time with this, but I'll be a semisportsman and not list out the lot.
Darren] Ooh, go on.
Sorry for the delay, the weekend interupted me.
[Darren1] No, but you're close
[Darren2] YES. Hoorah, take a bow.
Bow. Wow. Right. Let's see...

Vegetable/Abstract

It's Monet's waterlilies, obviously.
The flower of immortality that Gilgamesh was given by Utnapishtim?
That todger-shaped turnip in Blackadder II?
Is this directly related to art?
Is it an ent?
[CdM] Obviously no.
[Raak] Nope.
[Chalky] No.
[Dujon] No.
[Gusset Login] No.
Is it a geographical area?
Is it a fictional object?
Is it used as a metaphor?
Is it a living plant?
As opposed to a dead one.
[Chalky] No.
[Kim] Yes.
[Raak] Could be, but then again anything could be.
[Gusset Login] Yes and no.
Is it edible?
Is there just a single one?
[Irouleguy] I suppose it probably would be, but this is not specified.
[Raak] Yes.
Is it a tree?
A long shot - The Beanstalk?
[Raak] Not strictly speaking.
[Rosie] CORRECT! So it's your go next!
Right, earwig-o, earwig-o, earwig-o.

This one is ABSTRACT with ANIMAL connections.

Blimey Rosie - if you're going to take a random lurker's guess, the least you can do is return to see the result :-) Well done. OK, let's crank up the line velocity and try to get this game moving again - which leads me to ask ...
Are we to assume that you will be online to reply to our questions around 1pm - 3pm and 12am - 2am as per your usual pattern?
Is it a work of fiction?
Is it the Welsh dragon?
(Chalky) - I'll try and have extended opening hours.
(Gusset Login) - No
(Darren) - No
Is it a mythical creature?
Is it human?
Is it singular or plural?
Is it an emotion?
(Gusset) - No
(Raak) - The Abstract part normally refers to humans.
(Iroule) - Yes, one of the two. All right, singular. :-)
(Darren) - No.
Does it have anything to do with religion?
(Raak) - No.
Is it an attribute of a living thing?
Is it a saying?
(Darren) - Yes
(Gusset Login) - No
Is it something unique to humans?
Is it a figure of speech?
Is it "dog tired"?
Is it a praiseworthy attribute?
(Darren) - As stated, it must be, but in a broader sense almost certainly not.
(Tuj) - No
(Kim) - No
(Raak) No. It's neutral.
Is it some flavour of "-ness"?
Is it human nature?
Tuj - Yes. Find the flavour. :-)
(Darren) - No.
Happiness?
Consciousness?
Doggedness?
Has it anything to do with the sense of smell?
Maybe a fragrance?
Loch-ness?
Anything to do with a geographical location?
(All) - No
Anything to do with time?
Is there any connection with art?
(Darren, Raak) - Both No.
Clarification
In my previous reply "All" means everybody, not just "all".
Baldness?
Is it a physical attribute?
Is it anything to do with morality?
(Raak1) - No
(Raak2) - Yes
(Darren) - No.
Maleness?
Beardiness?
Trombonism?
(all) - No.
(Darren) - Now, now. :-) Er, no. A clue is that I do have this attribute.
Trombonism
(Darren) That's an illness, not an attribute.
Ambidextrousness?
Rosie] I always substitute "flavour" for "type" in that sort of context, and you wouldn't believe how few people accept it.
(Tuj) - No {No problem whatever with the word "flavour". Perfectly obvious what you meant :-)}
Is it an attribute shared by more than half the population?
(Darren) - No. Byebyes at 3 a.m. tonight; I'm tired.
Anything to do with age?
(Raak) - No. :-)
Is it a {flavour, -ness, attribute} common to males?
Is it unique to people of a certain region?
(Irouleguy) - No more than females, AFAIK.
(Tuj) - No
Someone, no clues as to who, almost stumbled on the answer.
Youth, then.
A religious faith?
Deafness?
Musicality?
(Raak, Inkspot, all, Darren) - All No.
Although I mentioned that I had this characteristic, I doubt if anyone here knows it.
Left-Handedness?
Forgetfulness?
Truthfulness?
(Tuj, all) - No
(Snodgrass) - THAT'S THE ONE! Well done. Here's the baton.
Mmmm, Satisfied smile creeps over visage closely followed by panic on realising I have to run the next leg.....

OK. Lets have an ABSTRACT with ANIMAL connections

The Great Bear
The ban on hunting?
Is the animal connection human?
Is it a character from a book?
Is it from Lord of the Rings?
Is it edible?
(Raak)(Rosie) Both No
(Dujon) Yes
Inkspot) (GL) (Irouleguy) Also All No
... but one of the NO's is strangely relevant!
Does this involve an activity?
Is it a character from a film?
Fox Mulder from the X Files?
Is it Orion?
A pig's breakfast?
Nudity or Nakedness?
[Rosie] Not as such
[GL] [Darren] [all] No No Thrice No
[Raak] No but I like your style
[Chalky] Absolutely not, what do you take me for?
Is the human female?
Is it a character from mythology?
[GL] It can be
[all] Nope
Is it an emotion?
Is it a dislike of The Lord of The Rings?
[Darren] Its not an emotion ut it can cause them
[Boolbar] No, although many do I understand.
Does it have a Latin name?
A film critic?
Is it a medical condition?
[Tuj] & [Duj] Both No I'm afraid.
[Chalky] Also no - but if it were there might be a cure! Dream on.
It's more conceptual..
A jelly baby?
Is the cause of the emotion another human?
Lust?
[Wol], [Raak] Sadly No.
[Rosie] Quite the reverse. The 'animal' may cause emotional feelings in others with this.
Is it a well-known saying?
Is it a little-know saying?
Is it connected with religion?
[Chalky] & [all] Fairly well understood phrase. Clue: 2 words with alliteration
[Darren] Far from it, quite un-Godly
Dog's Dinner?
[Chalky] I could see how these may end up as a Dog's Dinner but No
Cat's Cradle?
Is it an insult?
Re: dogs and cats, I think we established above that the animal connection is human. (Dujon's question.)
Is it some desirable characteristic?
Good God?
Tecnically connected with religion, possibly by being it's opposite
[all] No (both offerings)
[Darren] Not an insult but some may feel slighted by them
[Rosie] The 'giver' thinks they are but the 'receiver' may have a different opinion
Wolf Whistles!!!
Chat-up lines?
[Darren] No
[Rosie] In a very real sense these could be thought of as chat-up lines. :-)
Love letters?
I'm still not totally convinced that wolf whistle is wrong.
Valentines?
[Darren] No - and Wolf Whistles is wrong. So there!
[Raak] Valentines What? Volvo? Vermicelli? No, not Valentines anything
An honest opinion?
[Irouleguy] No but straying into the right area.
A practical joke?
[Raak] No - but arguably what I am thinking of can be mistaken for a joke.
A helping hand?
[Darren] Nope.
Clue. The road may be paved with good intentions!
Constructive criticism?
Full Frontal?
I thought the road to hell was paved with frozen door to door salesmen.
Sweet nothings?
Cat calls?
[Darren] [all] [Rosie] [Chalky] All No I'm Afraid
Is one of the two words an animal [not human]?
Do both the words begin with the same letter?
[Chalky 1] No. The reference is human, and points toward a job, profession or calling
[Chalky 2] Yes, hence the alliteration reference
The Devil's Dictionary?
[Raak] No, Wrong initial letter. Is being the Devil a Profession? Mmm, there are possibilities I suppose...
Evil Eye?
Busy body?
[Snorgle] [Darren] No No
Star signs?
Agony Aunts?
Cold callers?
[Chalky] No twice
[Irouleguy] No once
Clue: A statement is involved.
[Snodgrass] ... then make one and put us all out of our misery :-)
Turn your minds towards Election Time
Party Politics?
THATS CLOSE ENOUGH! I was thinking of Politicians Promises but
CHALKY has reached the gist of the notion of the glimmer of an idea so I willingly hand over the batton to CHALKY

Rousing cheers all round almost drowning out the sound of groaning and deep sighs of relief!

Well done Chalky. That was a toughy. I'd not heard "politicians' promises" used as a phrase before, but at least somebody got it in the end!
acknowledgements
Thanks Darren, and yes - my venacular doesn't encompass that phrase either, but hey ...
[Snodgrass] Thank you, kind sir [?] - some might say you've been over-generous.
OK - I'm conscious that weekend is due and this might be a slow-burner but here's a nice simple

M I N E R A L

[and if there are any animal bits then they're not important enough to redherring your efforts ... and I've just verbalised an abstract noun - so kill me :-)

Is it man made?
Is it bigger than a phonebox?
[GL] Yes
[GL] It could be but very unlikely
Do you own one (or more)?
[Bool] I do have it, yes. 'Owning', as such, may not be the correct word.
Is it a bone of some sort?
Is it a house?
Oh, a man-made bone isn't very plausible.
Smaller than a toaster?
Is it something more often owned by women than men?
I just realised a house smaller than a phonebox isn't very plausible either. I really should start paying more attention to Gusset Login's moves.
A fuse/circuit-breaker box?
If not "owned" is it shared?
Well, Raak stole my thunder. I was pondering on his contribution, a gas meter or a 'phone line. So, a 'phone line?
Should I by some misfortune be correct I would ask that Raak take the reins.
Is it metal?
A mobile phone?
... rushing in and rushing out
[Darren] No & No
[Tuj] It can be any size but not usually very large
[Darren] Yes
[Raak]No
[Rosie] can be
[Dujon] No
[Inkspot] No
[Darren] No.
Would most people usually have just one?
A Handbaaaaaaaaaaaag?
Is it to do with cosmetics?
Is it purely ornamental?
apologies
I've just realised I can't be here for a couple of days so I will hand the baton over to Darren [if that's OK with you D?] because he was the closest with his cosmetics question. I'll return to this later in the week, if an opportunity arises. :-)
Is it lipstick?
Speaking personally, I'm willing to wait for Chalky's return. We can just keep asking questions until she gets back and answers them all.
A silicone implant?
Mirror?
A dress?
[irouleguy] Usually
[Edith] No
[Darren] Yes!
[Tuj] No
[Darren] No
[Raak] No
[Tuj] No
[all] No

Oh yes - I realise now there's some vegetably bits in this but as it's cosmetics you'll soon guess it :-)

Mascara?
Lipstick?
[Darren] No
[GL] I refer the honourable gusset to my previous answer :-)
Wig?
I'm not honourable, I don't even read answers.
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