mc5 - AVMA Take 2

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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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Could I replace that question with "is it a fictional geographical site, like Hy Brasil?"

My back yard, as in "Not in my back yard"?

[INJ] No. You're right and I think I may come in for some criticism. By answering Chalky's question "Is this a place?" with a Yes and not directing her and following questioners to the fact that there is more than one of these, I think I have unwittingly misled people into thinking that there is, in fact, only one. Even as I think about it, I am beginning to doubt whether this is really abstract at all, but merely animal, mineral and (to a lesser extent) vegetable, but I will stick to my guns and take the flak if it comes.
In the light of this, the answer to each of the five questions following yours is No.
Raak and Projoy are currently the strongest links and, moreover, have already used the words that are on the card here in separate questions.
Questioners may get more benefit focusing on the non-abstract qualities.

Are these tourist attractions?

So the answer is somewhere in:

is a abstract and archaic architecture art Brasil building controversial Could dominoes fall fictional geographical Given Gravity huge Hy I is it it's like making of over Paleontology pastime place question replace rows ruin single site specific sport that the them then with work

Oh Raak - you DO make me laugh sometimes :-) Spot on.
Now I shall ask a question ...

Is this a place that might be visited by tourists?

Might have helped if I'd actually read your question aswell ... sorry Kim, I'll do another one

Would people pay to see this?

Sporting venue(s)?

[Raak] Tourist attractions? Unlikely, but then some tourists would go to see a hole in the ground.
[Raak] Yes! Now, perm any three from forty-four in alpha order.
[Chalky] Unlikely, but then some people would pay to see a hole in the ground.
[Irouleguy] No.

A building site?

A type of public building?

A burial site/graveyard/gravesite?

The site of an archaeological dig?

Whew!

Chalky wins! The answer on the card is, indeed, "A building site". Well done, Chalky. Now, was I right or wrong?

[Kim] I agree it's reasonable to call it abstract. As for one or more: I see your problem, but I think you needed to answer Raak's 'single specific place' differently - otherwise it is no longer abstract.

the incredible rightness of being ..

[Kim] Thanks M'dear :-)
hmmm - I wonder if you had answered Raak's question "A single, specific place?" with a No and a Yes - it might have been obvious that, although having a singular purpose, this type of place was not unique. As for the 'Abstract' label, I can understand your misgivings. Probably not, I'd say.
I'll post a new one a bit later - give others a chance to comment ..
[simul'd with INJ]

The incredible siteness of building

Kim] Nice one, first of all. I tend to think of 'abstract' as meaning fictional or unreal, so I would have labelled this as MINERAL (with qualifications) rather than ABSTRACT, but I do think it's a fine distinction. I agree with Chalky about your answer to Raak's question, but I don't think it led us too far astray. And I thoroughly enjoyed it, which is what really matters.

Thanks for the comments. I think you're all being far too nice. The fact is that I intuitively chose to describe it as ABSTRACT without really considering the issue. During the course of the game I had to start considering first of all whether a building site really is more than the sum of the materials and people that fill it up; then I agonised over whether "a building site" meant "that building site, there", or "some building site, somewhere" or "any building site anywhere". Also, is a building site a place, or is it in a place? So, I still think that my problem started with my answer to Chalky's question "Is this a place", rather than Raak's "A single specific place?". Even questions such as "A human construct" (INJ) "The sport of making huge rows of dominoes and then making them fall over" (Raak) and "Is it a ruin" (Projoy) I found difficult and thought-provoking, but, hey, it was fun to wrestle with and I hope you all found it as entertaining as Irouleguy did.

Let's draw a line under it and move on.

Now? Yes?

A N I M A L

Four-legged?

A single, individual creature?

Alive?

Winged?

Human?

[Kim] I think all of us who have set AVMAs have grappled with this problem -- you pick some subject that seems quite straightforward, and the next thing you know someone asks a question that also seems quite straightforward, and yet you find you have no idea how to answer it. And, usually, the more you think about it, the worse it gets...

Food?

Mammal?

grappling

[Raak] Four-legged? No
[Wol] single individual creature? After much thought - No
[Phil] Alive? In this instance, Yes
[Puckoon] Winged? No
[Rosie] Food? Not in the sense you may mean
[CdM] Human? Do you mean A Human? Yes and No
[Iroule] Mammal? Do you mean A Mammal? as above

[CdM] How right you are - a couple of my replies above took considerable thought. I should know by the next batch of questions whether I have misled ... and reserve the right to review :-)

Is it a category of person (eg, left-handed people)?

[Kim] Category of person? No

A part of a creature?

Three, yet one?

Is it a role? (e.g. Leader of Conservative Party)

Is it a part of a human?

The Dalai Lama?

The current Crystal Palace goalkeeper?

I only put that up to say I think we're getting warm.

significantly warmer

[INJ] A part of a creature? Yes *applause*
[Raak] Three, yet one? No
[Phil] Role? No
[Kim] Part of a human? Yes *more applause*
[iroule] Dalai Lama? No
[Rosie] The goalkeeper? No :-)

Do all humans have this part?

[Iroule] Do all humans have this part? At birth, Yes, I suppose they do.

Placenta?

The umbilical cord?

[irach] Placenta? No
[Raak] Umbilicus? No

Do most adults have this part?

[Raak] Most adults? Yes

Would it's absence be visible to another person (assuming no clothes)?

AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!! *Climbs to the top of nearest greengrocer and throws himself off*

*breaks INJ's fall*

[IN'J] Naked Absence Of Body Part - probably not.

Is it an internal body part?

Is it an appendix?

Spleen?

Do both men and women have this part?

Would the absence of this part be a serious medical condition?

.. today we have naming of parts ..

[irach] Internal? Yes, but nothing as obvious as the appendix :-)
[CdM] Spleen? No
[Raak] Men & Women? Yes
[Rosers] Absence causing serious medical condition? No, not on its own.

Is it something that all humans are born with, but lose after being born?

[Kim] Born with, yes, but lose after birth, as a matter of course, No.

A secretion of some kind?

A secretion of some kind?

Preview, you silly boy!

[Rosie] Not a secretion, No [was trying to avoid mineral/vegetable connections] although your guess gets a *smattering of applause*

Tonsils?

[Iroule] Tonsils? No

Hair?

[Raak] Not hair - [see my last reply to irach]

The organ of Zuckerkandl?

Appendix?

Gall bladder?

[Raak] Zuckerkandl's thingy? No
[Kim] Appendix? Ni [see my last reply to irach]
[Rosie] Gall Bladder? No, but very very close!

Pancreas?

Surely its removal would lead to serious medical problems, such as instant diabetes?

[Rosie] Indeed it would, which is why the pancreas isn't the correct answer :-)

Prostate?

(if I can intrude) Bile duct?

[Kim] Prostate? No
[Dandalf] Bile duct? No. (intrude more! It's good to have new players in this game)

Duodenum?

[Kim] Duodenum? No

Am thinking about Rosie's remark re: Serious medical condition. I know of people without this part who have what could be termed a medical condition but wouldn't label it serious. S'pose it's a matter of opinion.

Large bowel?

left kidney?

[Raak] Large Bowel? Close - location-wise - but No. * audience frantically points to one of Rosie's guesses*
[INJ] Left kidney? No

Urethra

The navel?

Bladder?

Haven't had the gall to guess that one previously.

[Inks] Urethra? No - but SO close
[Raak] Navel? No
[INJ] Bladder? Cheeky but CORRECT! *relieved cheers from audience*
Over to you ....

That's a relief

OK in that case we'll have an ABSTRACT with ANIMAL connections

A work of art?

[Raak] - work of art? - NO

Character from fiction?

[Kim] Character from fiction? - YES (some hesitant applause)

Any religious connothingies at all?

Human?

Character from a novel?

A character in a film?

A character from mythology?

Is the character human?

(intruding more) From science fiction?

Robin Hood

This is going well

[Néa] - religious - NO
[Tuj] - human - YES
[Iroul] - from novel - NO
[Raak] - in film - Has been depicted on film, but originally NO
[Inks] - from mythology - NO
[Kim] - see above
[Dandalf] - SF - NO
[Inks] - Robin Hood - NO - *Huge round of applause*

Someone else who figures in the Robin Hood stories?

Soon be there

[Raak] in the Robin Hood stories? - YES

Maid Marian?

Sheriff of Nottingham?

Friar Tuck?

Little John?

Obviously not you, squire.:-)

BUGGER!, done it again. That last one was me. These drop-down lists are a pain in the posterior passage.

Will Scarlett?

[now firmly intruded) A merry man?

Well, there you go

[Rosie/Rock] Little John it is.
That wasn't very hard then, was it. Just as well, given my infrequent appearance on here in the last few days.

[ImNotLittleJohn] It was good to have a nice short one for a change.

agree .. although Inkspot landing on the precise area of fiction was inspired. How did he know that?

oooh

Maybe Inkspot is INJ's evil twin?

The clue was in how INJ answered Kim's first question it' a middle age thing.

Inkspot] You being middle-aged, or the historical Middle Ages?

[Irouléguy]It was just a poor cross server play on words type joke.

[Inkspot] I don't see how "(some hesitant applause)" would lead you to "Robin Hood", but I can see how INJ's answer to Raak's second question would help.

[Kim] I took the reply to your question to be a fiction based on someone, it was a toss up between 'mythology' or legend. When almost a day had passed I took a shot at the fella in green tights.

Sorry for the delay.

This one is MINERAL. Nothing whatsoever to do with steam engines.

Anthracite?

Diesel?

A manufactured object?

Are there more than one of these?

Is more than one mineral substance involved?

Anything to do with the weather?

(irach) - No
(Irouléguy) - No
(INJ) - Yes
(CdM) - Oh yes.
(Kim) - Yes
(Raak) - Not even a teensy little bit.

Clarification

(Kim) The object itself is one mineral substance in the way that the term is used in this game.

Is it made of plastic?

Is it used inside the house?

Small enough to pick up with one hand?

Inkspot - No
(Irouléguy) - No - *chuckles from a few members of the audience*
Raak - Yes

Is it made of metal?

Chalky - Indeed it is.

Could it be a component of other things (like a ball-bearing)?

Does it explode?

Is it a dream deferred?

InNotJohn - No
Raak - No
CdM - No, nothing as fancy.

does it always have a defined shape that is chaarcteristic to it, e.g. circular, square...?

Is it a weapon of some sort?

A boule?

A tool of some sort?

A sporting implement?

irach - Yes, a shape but not a simple geometrical one.
Chalky - No
Raak - Non
(ImNotJohn) - Only in an extremely broad sense. The answer really is No.
Kim - No.

Does it have moving parts?

A sculpture by Bathsheba Grossman?

As seen at http://www.bathsheba.com/.

Inkspot - No
Raak - No; functional rather than artistic.

Mobile Phone?

Phil - No (metal only)

Housekey?

A spoon?

A coin?

Is it made of steel?

Forget the coin question; geometric shape.

A car key?

We have a winner! Well done, Dandalf. The "word on the card" is front-door key, but that's near enough. That was too simple, wasn't it? Next time.....evil grin

ABSTRACT with ANIMAL and MINERAL connections

A work of art?

An organisation?

Picasso's 'Les demoiselles d'Avignon'?

A human construct?

(oblig)

Raak - No Rosie - No Irouleguy - Non! ImNotJohn - errrrrm....Yes and No (sorry!)

Oh Dear! - Sorry about lack of linebreaks. (hangs head in shame)

An activity?

A state of mind?

Raak - No
Irouleguy - That could describe the object on the card. *sprinkling of applause*

An emotion?

Thirst?

"The artist in despair at the magnitude of antique fragments"?

The Golden Age of Mankind?

Kim - No
Rosie - No
Raak - No - (laughter)
irach - No

Anarcho-syndicalism?

It had to be right eventually.

Patience on a monument?

(INJ) I'm thinking monkeys, typewriters and Shakespeare. :-)

INJ - No
Rosie - No - no link, however tenuous, to monkeys, typewriters and/or Shakespeare :)

An aspect of conscioussness?

[Kim] Too many "esses", precioussss

Hunger?

Kim - No
Inkspot - No

A hangover?

*yawns*

As this is going so slowly, I'll do a quick recap:

It is NOT:
a work of art, an organisation, Picasso's "Les demoiselles..", an activity, an emotion, thirst, "The artist in despair ..", The Golden Age of Mankind, anarcho-syndicalism, patience on a monument, an aspect of consciousness, hunger.

It IS:
a state of mind, and may or may not be a human construct.

Is it a state of mind that a normal person would experience on a regular basis?

Is it an agreeable state of mind?

It the mineral part a liquid?

[Chalky]With Dandalf calling in once every couple of days this one is going to take weeks.

A mind as quick as quicksilver?

A cunning plan dancing naked upon a harpsichord and singing "Cunning Plans Are Here Again"?

Is the animal part human?

L'esprit de l'escalier?

Thinking of a snappy comeback ten minutes after the conversation

Absence?

To liken the sound of a harpsichord to two skeletons copulating on a tin roof?

Profound apologies to all for the long pause - I've been having modem problems.
INJ - No
Rosie - No
Inkspot - No
Irach - No (laughter)
Raak - No
INJ - Yes
Irouleguy - No
Rosie - No
Raak - No
Think entertainment. (One of my answers to Rosie contains a hint!)

Can it be experienced on ones own?

Is it an anthropomorphism?

Inspiration?

A film?

Paranoia?

INJ - The entertainment? - Yes
Kim- Yes
Snorgle - No
Chalky - No
Botherer - No

Is it connected to the weather?

Is it religious in nature?

Sorry again - can only use office computer [ ; ) ]
KIM - No
Projoy - No
Time for another hint? I've used one of the three words on the card in one of my answers to R.....

Anything to do with computers?

Anything to do with monkeys?

Is one of the words "no"?

Tears of Laughter?

Pretending to be a snail - literally hours of fun.

[Projoy] No - since it's not an activity.

Hm. Surely the fact that it's "an anthropomorphism" should be the main giveaway, except that I can't really put parameters on what that is, precisely.

Is the anthropomorphism male?

*is bored*

sorry Dandalf - I know it's not your fault - but up until 11 days ago this was the snappiest, sharpest game on this server. Forgive me - you see, I started this game and there's a sense of personal pride. How shallow am I? :-)

(Chalky) You make Hamsey Green pond look like the Marianas Trench. No, not really, honestly.

Methinks its time to put this one to sleep. If you don't get it after this you are all "The w------ ----" and you leave with nothing!

The Weakest Link?

I think I may be right. Hahahah! Thanks Dandalf :-)
In the interests of the game I shall decline the 'chair' - mainly because I won't be able to post regularly during the daytimes.
[Rosie?] would you care to take my place?

Shame

I can't help feeling we should have got closer to that. The 'state of mind' is what put me off the track for quite some time. I sympathise with Dandalf though as I also often find it difficult to look in more than a couple of times a day and once at weekends if I'm lucky.

Chalky - You are the strongest link.

(Chalky) Strictly we ought to wait till Dandalf rubber-stamps it, even though you're obviously right. OK, I'll do one even thought I got nowhere near the answer.

This one is ANIMAL

Non-human?

Non-alive?

non-edible?

Is it native to a particular country?

irach - No
CdM - Yes
ImNotJohn - Probably not, now
Inkspot - Was (see answer to irach and CdM)

Clarification - (INJ) Probably not edible, I meant.

Non-fictional?

Male?

rach - Yes
Raak - Yes

Is he European?

Mozart?

Anything to do with either monkeys, typewriters or Shakespeare?

A broadcaster?

Inkspot - Yes
Irouléguy - No
Kim - Not a thing
Phil - No

Might I make a suggestion? This game went through a period [I think CdM started the trend and I'm sure you, Rosie, amongst others, followed the initiative] of putting the Yes/No replies next to, not just the name of the questioner, but also a C&P of the question. For those folks, like me at the moment, who can only rush in for a few moments, there isn't time to trawl back through the questions to match them to the replies .. so I end up not bothering to frame a question of my own. It may make for more participation ..

Born in the 18th Century?

Is he Welsh?

(Chalky) OK, not a bad idea.
Kim - Born in 18th C - No
Inkspot - Welsh? - Nag'dy (No)

Musically inclined chap?

A poet?

Well that's me stumped.

Born in the 19th Century?

(irach) Musical? - Not known for it.
Inkspot - Poet? - No
Kim - Born 19th century? - No.

- Born in the 20th Century?

Did he hold a political office?

British?

A scientist?

A cultural figure?

Dandalf - Born in 20th C? - No
Raak - Held a political office? - Well, sort of. Not what he's known for
ImNotJohn - British? - No
Inkspot - A scientist? - Yes *considerable applause*
Irouléguy - A cultural figure - No.

An astronomer?

Einstein?

Oops, not borh in 19th or 20th century. Ignore that, try this:
Galileo?

ImNotJohn - An astronomer? -Yes
Raak - Not Galileo.

Was he German?

Inkspot - German? - No

Did he have a silver nose?

.. Or Copper Knickers?

Is it indeed Copernicus? If so, award the win to Chalky.

Kepler?

Yes, his underwear was unusual and cupric, so courtesy of irach, CHALKY is the winner. (Raak) Don't geddit. :-(

[Rosie] Raak is referring to Tycho Brahe.

Here is The Straight Dope on the subject.

Marvellous - y'learn something new every day

V. generous [irach] :-) I now have a little more time to do one of these, so I think we'll go for ...

V E G E T A B L E

Tony Blair's Cabinet?

Does it grow on trees?

Is it edible?

Is it manufactured?

Hey Chalky, it's been more than an hour since Raak's question...

Is it just one species of vegetable?

[Raak] TB's cabinet? No *chuckle*
[Inks] Does it grow on trees? No
[INJ] Edible? Yes
[CdM] Manufactured? um .. Yes
[CdM] Yes - he's very eager, isn't he?
[Iroule] One species? Yes

Does it require cooking to make it edible?

[C/C] I just asked the question, I can wait...

[Raak] Cooking? Yes [with hesitation]

Is it a (culinary) dish?

Does it grow underground?

Porridge?

Is it a root vegetable?

(Raak) re Tycho Brahe - I didn't know that. What is also not too well known is that he died of a burst bladder and the consequent peritonitis. At a boozy banquet with the King of Denmark he dared not leave the table until His Maj had got up despite a certain degree of urgency. Awful.

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