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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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[Raak] Decorative? Not normally, no. (It is possible to imagine circumstances where it would be, but I think that is probably more misleading than helpful.)
Has the vegetable part been processed in order to be a part of this?
Is it used by artists?
Does it contain writing?
Is the mineral part mostly or usually wood?
Oh my God - the bifurcation's spreading
Is part of it metal?
[Iroleguy]I thought wood as a vegetable?
Is it something that can be made from either natural or artificial substances? (eg rubber or neoprene)
[Raak] Vegetable Processed? Yes
[Raak] Used by artists? It can be.
[Darren] Contain writing? No.
[Irouleguy] Mineral part wood? No. And neither is the vegatable part.
[Inkspot] Part metal? No. [Rosie] Can be made from natural or artificial substances? Yes. (Some applause.)
[Irouleguy] er, or the vegetable part.
A paintbrush?
Ink?
[Raak] Paintbrush? No.
[Darren] Ink? (Major applause). Very close, but I want something more precise.
Is it used in a domestic environment?
[Chalky] It is not typically used anywhere. (Well, I can think of one place.) But focus on Darren's answer -- he has basically gotten there.
(And yes, it can be used by artists, as I said. But normally you would not think of this as something that was being used.)
Well, it is gone midnight here in Singapore, and I am about to go to bed. And so, since Darren really did get the answer, I think I should pass the baton to him, rather than keep you all waiting until tomorrow. I was surprised how hard it was to answer some of those questions; my apologies if I misled in any way. The exact answer I was looking for was:

An Inkspot.
CdM] Nice one
self] Write out 'Wood is not a mineral' 100 times
Thanks to CdM! (It's the second time I've won one of these on a "ohhh... close enough"!) [Irouleguy] What about petrified wood?
Now we are Abstract.
Is it a human construct?
Is it an action?
Is it part of, or found in, all cultures?
Darren] True...
Is it a belief system?
Is it related to music?
[Rosie] Yes, but not necessarily. But yes.
{Inkspot] Yes.
[Irouleguy] I'm not sure if it's found in all, but certainly many.
[Gusset Login] No.
[Tuj] Indirectly, it can be.
[Rosie] Actually, just make that yes.
Is it a narrative activity?
Is it a physical activity?
[Raak] No.
[Irouleguy] Yes.
Dancing?
[Raak] No.
Is it a sport of some kind?
Is it done with the whole body?
Does it involve more than one person?
Is it something that only humans can do?
sorry - I think you've answered that last one already with your 'human construct' answer.
Is it restricted to adults only?
[CdM] Mostly no, although some people treat it like one.
[Inkspot] No.
[Gusset Login] Yes.
[Chalky] (1) Well, this is the reason for my vagueness about the "human construct." I'm going to say yes and no, depending on how you look at it. (2) No.
[Gusset Login] I need to be a bit more vague again. A better answer is this: normally yes, but sometimes no.
Is it a game?
[Chalky] No.
Whistling?
[Irouleguy] No.
Sex?
[Raak] I was waiting for someone to say this. No, it's not sex.
Waving
[Inkspot] No.
Drowning? (oblig.)
Is the part of the body the head, or part of the head?
Does it involve communication of one form or another?
Is it legal?
[Irouleguy] (1) No. (2) What part of the body?! I never mentioned a part of the body.
[Kim] Yes.
[Gusset Login] Yes.
talking?
[Inkspot] No.
[Irouleguy] (2) I wasn't really fair there, was I? The answer is generally no.
Acting?
[Raak] No.
txtng?
Do you need equipment of some sort to do it?
[Raak] No.
[Chalky] No.
I'll provide a clue if anyone wants one.
Summary
It is...a human construct, an action, found in many (if not all) cultures, a physical activity, involving communication of some sort, legal
It could be...related to music (indirectly), a solo activity
It is not...a narrative activity, dancing, a sport (though some people treat it like one), done with the whole body, a game, whistling, sex, waving, drowning, restricted to humans, talking, acting, txting [sic], done with equipment, generally done with the head

I'm having trouble with the idea that this is a human construct but not restricted to humans. So, yes, a clue might help, but I'll have a couple of guesses as well.
praying?
pointing?
[Irouleguy] No, and no.
Here's a clue: Raak has guessed a number of activities which can be associated with this. Not always, of course, but certainly sometimes. In essence, you're getting towards the right area.
And in response to Irouleguy's doubts, there is at least one type of animal (other than humans) which can do this activity, although I don't think it does it for the same reason!
Performing?
[Chalky] No.
Is this something which would be acceptable if performed in public?
Well, Raak has guessed dancing, sex, and acting...
Yoga?
[Dujon] Depends where you do it, but generally yes.
[Raak] No.
[CdM] What would you hope would go with them?
Smoking ?
Drinking alcohol?
[Chalky] No and no. (You're getting colder.)
Partying?
[Raak] No.
Applauding?
Drinking alcohol?
Oops, didn't notice Chalky just asked that,
Conversation?
[Irouleguy] YES!!!! (Well, actually it was "a ripple of applause" but you're easily close enough.) Just to explain my animal comments above, I don't think I imagined seals clapping in circuses.
[Raak] (1) No. (2) No.

So, Irouleguy is in the driving seat for the next lap.

WOO-HOO!
Darren] No you didn't imagine that - it was when you said one type of animal that I started to work it out.
Anyway, this is something else completely different - MINERAL
Antimony?
Mainly metallic?
Tuj] Antimony? No
Darren] Mainly metallic? No
Is it a monument?
Is it man-made?
Is it a single thing?
Inkspot] Is it a monument? No
Darren} Is it man-made? No
Raak] Is it a single thing? Um...yes and no. It's a collective noun, like 'the Alps' (but it's not a mountain range).
Is it a geographical feature?
Is it, collectively, larger than the Earth?
Is it an astronomical feature?
ImNotJohn] Is it a geographical feature? No
Darren] Is it, collectively, larger than the Earth? Um...define 'larger'.
Raak] Is it an astronomical feature? Yes *murmurs of approval from the audience*
Is it outside the Solar System?
Is it a consellation of stars?
consellation/constellation
Is it the Oort Cloud?
Darren] Is it outside the Solar System? No
Inkspot] Is it a constellation of stars? No. (I'd consider a constellation mineral/abstract.)
CdM] Is it the Oort Cloud? No - but closer
The asteroids?
Raak] The asteroids? No
The solar wind?
The rings of Saturn?
The Milky Way?
Rings around Uranus?
....and stop sniggering at the back
Raak] The solar wind? No
Darren] The rings of Saturn? YES!! We have a winner! And so the baton passes straight back to Darren.
OK, well, I'm back in the chair, it seems.
This one is MINERAL.
Is it man made?
[Inkspot] Yes.
Is it typically used inside?
Does it use electricity?
Is it mainly used for work, or for enjoyment?
[CdM] Inside the house, you mean? If so, yes.
[Raak] Yes.
[Irouleguy] These days, the latter.
A computer?
[Raak] Yes, but I need you to be more precise.
A computer running Windows?
An Amstrad?
A Macintosh?
[Raak] (1) No.
[Irouleguy] No.
[Raak] (2) No.
Is it a specific make or model of computer?
A BBC?
[Raak] Yes.
[Irouleguy] Close, but not close enough.
BBC Model B?
A BBC Acorn?
BBC Model A (Acorn)
[Raak] No.
[Irouleguy] A BBC Acorn? No such thing. Acorn produced all the BBC computers via a licensing deal.
[Inkspot] No.
Sinclair Spectrum?
[Raak] No (colder).
A Commodore 64?
[Raak] No, equally cold.
Hm, what's on the hot side of a BBC from a C64 or a Spectrum?
Is this type of computer still in current use (other than by retro geeks)?
Is it a BBC 'something'?
[Raak] No.
[Chalky] No.
I did give you a clue before. Remember, the BBC didn't make the BBC Micro - it was made by Acorn. So, what you might be looking for here is another (retro, we've established) computer made by Acorn, of which there were several.
Was this model named after a minute 'object'? - there's two I can think of.
Acorn Atom?
.. the one that was launched in 1980, she says knowledgeably.
Google? Wassat then :-)
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