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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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Herd mentality?
A swarm?
Migration?
It being that time of year.
Aggressive? Not aggressive as such, but still *a smattering of applause*
Herd mentality? No.
A swarm? No, but * applause*
Migration? No, but *a little applause*
A stampede?
A stampede is correct! *throws the baton in Rosie's direction and runs out of the way as quickly as possible*
(CdM) Fear not. Now, where's Mandelson?

This next one is A N I M A L.

Non-human?
Non-human? No.
Alive?
A specific, named individual?
A specific named individual? - No. *mild audience amusement*
Alive? - Some are, some aren't.
A race?
A nationality?
Holders of a particular office?
(Phil) Not a race. A race apart, some would say.
(nights) Not a nationality.
(Irouléguy) Not a holder of a particular office.

The words on the card are singular, preceded by the indefinite article.

A Corporation Sole?
(Kim) Er, wossat then? I don't think it's the answer.
The rich?
...being different from the rest of us.
A spin-doctor?
A pejorative description applied to a group?
A royal family?
(Irouléguy) No, not the rich.
(Softers) Spinner/Spinster? No, but *some audience murmurs of appreciation.*
(INJ) Not pejorative, but a group, yes.
(Graham III) Not the royals. *some mild audience laughter.*
The Government
A Governmental or political post or office?
A Corporation Sole is an entity in law comprising, at all times and from time to time, a single individual. It enables property to vest in the entity without having to be transferred each time the individual changes. Its helpful, for example, in ecclesiastical matters, where the property (churches, land, etc) subsisting in a particular diocese (eg, Chelmsford) vests in the Corporation Sole (eg, "The Diocesan Bishop of Chelmsford") rather than the particular individual who happens to hold that post at that moment (currently, The Rt Revd John Gladwin). Hope that helps.
(Phil) Not the government.
(Kim) Not a political office. Not an office at all, really.
Is this an occupation (e.g. Soldier, Sailor, Candlestick maker)?
Is one of the words on the card a collective noun?
Is this specific to a particular culture or country?
To do with the written word?
Is it related to a game or pastime?
Related to the military?
(Dujon) An occupation - YES
(CdM) Any collective nouns? NO.
(Irouléguy) Particular country or culture? No, but certainly more prevalent in some cultures.
(Softers) Written word? YES. *vigorous audience applause*
(Bigsmith) Game or pastime-related. Can be, but certainly not necessarily. *some scattered hesitant applause*
(Raak) Militarily related? NO.
Second thoughts
The audience could possibly have made a bit more of Bigsmith's question.
Connected with education?
Are there TWO words on the card in addition to the indefinite article?
(INJ) Connected with education? NO.
(Chalky) Two words plus indefinite article? YES.
Do either of the two words begin with P? :-)
A sci-fi writer?
(Chalky) Pinitial? - Psorry but NO.
(Phil) NO, not sci-fi.
A Poet Laureate?
(irach) The poet Laurie ate? NO. *cruel audience laughter*
A Weather Forecaster?
(Chalky) Not a forecaster. (See Softers' last question).
Are puzzles involved?
(Dujon) Puzzles? NO.
related to journalism?
A critic?
(INJ) Related to journalism? Strictly speaking no, but there is frequently a connection. *audience applause*
(Softers) Not a critic.
An author?
Related to the law?
A Movie (or Theatre) critic?
(Phil) Author? A case could be made out for YES. *applause*
(Kim) Not law-related.
(irach) Not any kind of critic. (see Softers' last question).
A sports writer?
A ghost writer?
(Softers) Could be, but not the words on the card.
(irach)_ A GHOST WRITER it is. Well done, as long as it's your own words. :-). Over to you; make it easy.
Okay, this one is ABSTRACT WITH MINERAL CONNECTIONS
Coal mining?
[Rosie] Not coal mining.
A human concept?
Neil Young's 'After the goldrush'?
Between a rock and a hard place?
[Software] Not as such.
[Irouleguy] No. [Bigsmith] No. (Smattering of audience attention)
Visible in nature?
[Kim] Figuratively, yes....
Ahem...
Begins with a P?
Is it a saying?
[Tuj] Ahem...Ahem... No.
[Graham III] Yes, a saying of sorts.
Does it involve a natural feature?
{Rosie] Not so much a natural feature as a natural object.
Is the mineral rock?
A gold mine?
Are precious metals involved?
[ImNotJohn] The mineral component is composed of rock, but not the word "rock" per se.
[Software] Not a gold mine.
[Kim] No precious metal.
A stone's throw?
[Software] You got it! Close enough and yes, cigar."Just a Stone's Throw Away" were the exact words on the card.
P
This round begins with a "P".
Perfect :)
Looks to me like it began with a T.
[CdM] Hmm, I think you're right. Maybe we should wait 'til it's penelope's turn to set one.
Who? Me?
Well I never! I actually guessed it!!

Mmmm, bu**er! That means I'll have to think of something.

I know!

ABSTRACT with ANIMAL, MINERAL and VEGETABLE connections.

Anarcho-Syndicalist Recipe for Pot-roast?
One day, mark my words....!
Does it appear in the works of Douglas Adams?
A television series?
Does it start with a B?
[Tuj] ;-Q
Raak - No, but could easily have done so :o).
Tuj - No.
G III - B? No.
"The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"?
Is it unique?
[GIII] Well, what face are you pulling there?
A human construct?
An imaginary planet from a science-fiction novel?
Tuj] I think it's 'tongue-in-cheek'.
irach: Nope.
Tuj: Well, yes and no. * audience mutters *
Rosie: Yes, absolutely.
Iro: No.
Is the answer the title of an artistic work?
I'm assuming that Anarcho-syndicalist watsit was off the mark....
Anything to do with the current banking crisis?
Kim: - That's a matter of opinion, but the least misleading answer is No.
Rosie: - Yes.
Is it a collaterised debt obligation?
A sub-prime mortgage?
Is it a financial vehicle?
G III: - A what? er No.
Raak: - No. * audience mutters *
IMJ: - Not a financial vehicle.
Is the vegetable connection paper?
A set of rules or protocols?
CdM: - Yes
Rosie: - No.
A legal document?
Is the word "money" in the answer?
Frozen pig belly futures?
Don't believe me?
Hmm, case of the disappearing web reference. Try Here
Dow Jones' Industrial Average
The Financial Times?
Raak: - Not a free lunch for a lawyer, No.
Tuj: - Not as such, No.* audience stirs *
G III: - Interesting, but No.
irach: - No. * audience nervous laughter *
Phil: - No.
Monetary policy?
Is a particular currency part of the answer?
The RPI?
Was it originally 3 pages long?
CdM: - No.
Irouléguy: - No.
Raak: - No.
G III: - No.
Payment in cash?
Was it something that the typical player of this game was likely to have given much thought to a month or more ago?
Rosie: - No. * audience chuckles *
CdM: - It's probably something that has been on many a morniverser's mind, so Yes.
"The stock market"?
Anything to do with pensions?
Is the answer an abbreviation?
Anything to do with mortgages?
Is Tuj an abbreviation?
Any chance that you might answer the questions by indicating which question you are referring to?
The credit crunch?
Do the paper and mineral connections refer to money?
irach: - No. * audience mutters *
Tuj: - No.
Kim: - Yes. * a few claps from the audience *
Chalky: - I didn't think there was any ambiguity.
Irouléguy: - Spot on! YES. Over to you!
CdM: - Close, but no cigar.
*steeples fingers* Ex-cellent! Smithers, throw another pauper on the fire.

OK, our next is ANIMAL or VEGETABLE or MINERAL, or possibly a combination thereof.
McDonald's Meal?
Michael Jackson?
irach] McDonald's Meal? No
Tuj] Michael Jackson? Nice one - but no
Human animal?
Is this one thing in three or more different versions?
Is it always the same size/shape?
Software - Human animal? No
Rosie - Is this one thing in three or more different versions? *murmurs of approval from the audience* Yes, though the versions part is a bit of a red herring.
Tuj - Is it always the same size/shape? *hum of discussion in the audience* Size, no; shape - umm, sort of.
Glue or Adhesive? It can be derived from animal, vegetable or mineral.
Would this be a carving?
I do not mean the head of the house at Sunday dinner.
Manufactured?
[Software] I think you may have misread my extremely awkwardly worded penultimate question in your round, but no matter. :-)
(or maybe not, I suppose -- I think that there was more credit crunch talk in the UK than in many other places following the Northern Rock failure...)
# irach] Glue or Adhesive? It can be derived from animal, vegetable or mineral. *applause* No, though glue or another adhesive could well be involved.
Dujon - Would this be a carving? No
CdM] Manufactured? Yes (though not necessarily machine-made)
CdM] I think you're right the second time - my guess was a response to yours and Rosie's questions together, so Softers' answer worked.
Can one make one of these things oneself?
Rosie] Can one make one of these things oneself? *applause* Yes
Is it a one-word answer?
Tuj] Is it a one-word answer? One word plus an indefinite article
Have you made one of these things?
Is it decorative rather than functional?
CdM] Have you made one of these things? Yes, though not very well.
Rosie - Is it decorative rather than functional? No - the other way round.

Hint - sometimes it's plural rather than singular.
Is the animal connection in the form of a material, like leather?
Is it an item of clothing?
Software - Is the animal connection in the form of a material, like leather? * loud applause* Yes
Kim - Is it an item of clothing? *muted applause* No
Is it an item of footwear?
A bag or similar functional container?
Kim - Is it an item of footwear? No
irach - A bag or similar functional container? No
A belt?
Is the animal material actually leather?
irach - A belt? Yes
Rosie - Is the animal material actually leather? It could be, but not necessarily.
An item of national dress?
Graham III - An item of national dress? No
Suspenders?
irach - Suspenders? No
Is this an article into which an object (or objects) are inserted?
I am thinking here about tool belts, bandoliers, holsters and their ilk.
Dujon] Is this an article into which an object (or objects) are inserted?
Interesting guess, but no. Some of those things might have one (or more) of these, though.

Hint the second - it's not any type of undergarment.
A watch strap?
Would it normally be worn by a person?
(Rather than an animal)
Software - A watch strap? No
ImNotJohn - Would it normally be worn by a person? Person rather than an animal, yes - but it's not 'worn' as such.
Is it associated with a particular profession?
Graham III] Is it associated with a particular profession? No
A buckle or similar fastener?
Garters?
A dog tag?
Fanny Pack? Bum Bag?
CdM] A buckle or similar fastener? *some applause* No
Rosie] Garters? No
Software] A dog tag? No
irach] Fanny Pack? Bum Bag? Nono
A safety harness?
A seat belt?
Rosie - A safety harness? An interesting guess, but no
irach - A seat belt? Hardly
A bandolier?
A noose?
Is its primary function to attach something to some other thing (for a broad definition of thing)?
Also, does it begin with P?
Phil]A bandolier? Er, no
Graham III - A noose? My word, no
CdM - Is its primary function to attach something to some other thing (for a broad definition of thing)? *applause* Attaching - yes, sort of. Something to something else - no.
CdM - Also, does it begin with P? No (though it was Tuj who gave me the idea).
Dog leash?
A knee pad?
irach] Dog leash? No
Software] A knee pad? No

As CdM is wont to say, examine your assumptions. There's one assumption in particular that is leading people in the wrong direction.
A pair of hand cuffs?
Or any other sort of bondage equipment?
Is it usually part of a larger item?
Oh dear.
A Conveyer belt?
Graham III] A pair of hand cuffs? No (vegetable hand-cuffs?)
Raak - Or any other sort of bondage equipment? No, perfectly SFW
Tuj - Is it usually part of a larger item? *applause* Yes, always
irach - A Conveyer belt? No
A collar?
they could be made of string? Not necessarily good hand-cuffs, but hand-cuffs all the same.
Graham III - A collar? No
Hand-cuffs] Touché

A dressing gown cord?
Is it elastic?
When you made this thing, did you also make the larger item?
I think it is INJ who is wont to want you to examine your assumptions.
Graham III] A dressing gown cord? No
ImNotJohn] Is it elastic? No (hypothetically, I suppose it could be)
CdM - When you made this thing, did you also make the larger item? *murmurs of 'Good question' from the audience* No. If you made the larger item, you would also make this (or these) in the process, but people will also make (or remake) this (or these) having bought (or otherwise acquired) the larger item.

Apologies for any false attribution - it's good advice, whoever said it.
Is it decorative?
Graham III - Is it decorative? It can be, but it's primarily functional.
A saddle?
Is it used to carry something?
OK – let’s try to see what we know:
It is a belt but it is not worn as such and is not an item of clothing. It is a part of a larger whole, but can be made separately (a replaceable part?) It may be made of A, V or M and is always ‘sort of’ the same shape although the size can vary. If Animal this could be leather. Manufactured although not necessarily by machine. Irg has made one. It is functional rather than decorative. It has some 'sort of' connection with 'attaching' but not of one thing to another (still slightly confused by that). The answer is one word plus the indefinite article, but this could exist in the plural. It is not normally elastic (although that is not impossible). It does not normally contain or hold other things (bandolier, tool belt)
It is not: a buckle or fastener (applause), garters, dog tag or leash, safety harness, seat belt, handcuffs or other bondage gear, a conveyor belt or a number of other things excluded by the things we know.
Is it a drive belt?
Raak] Is it a drive-belt? YES! (Specifically a fanbelt, but that's good enough).Apologies for the 'connecting one thing to another' answer, which I think was wrong now - I was trying to get at the idea of it being internal. And the answer to Dujon's tool-belts question was misleading, as I didn't read it properly. Not one of my better ones. One baton improvised from tights handed over to Raak.
That was unexpected. Hmm... MINERAL and ANIMAL, with ABSTRACT connections.
Is it manmade?
By the by, the answer "Would it normally be worn by a person? Person rather than an animal, yes - but it's not 'worn' as such." rather threw me. Did you mean "NO"?
[G III] Man-made? Something man-made is involved.
Is the mineral metal?
But is it art?
[Software] Partly metal.
[G III] Not art.
Is the animal portion canine?
An everyday object?
Begins with a P?
[Irouléguy] Can I ask about the "it was Tuj who gave me the idea"?
[irach] Not canine.
[Rosie] Not an everyday object. Not in the sense you mean, that is. *laughter*
[Tuj] Yes! It does indeed begin with a P! Is that a first?
P-research
[Raak] No, it is a seventh, though I have asked the question 59 times.
People who aren't me have an improved success rate of 3 out of 12.
Meanwhile Raak has asked if the word has ended in P, and CdM set the answer "the set of all words beginning with P".
Does this relate to time?
[Dujon] Relates to time? In a way.
Is the animal part living?
Are the abstract connections to a work of art?
[Tuj] Also related: around the same time I also set "A P" in the sense of the Associated Press, and "urine".
[Tuj] The animal part is living.
[CdM] Not related to a work of art.
A horse and cart?
[Rosie] Not a horse and cart.
A cage?
[Rosie] Not a cage.
"Pig in a poke" ?
[irach] Not a pig in a poke.
Is the animal a source of energy to be used as, for example, motive power?
[Rosie] The animal makes it happen? Yes.
A Pony and Trap?
[Software] Not a pony and trap. The "motive power" thing may be misleading.
Is it the animal part that begins with the "P"?
[irach] The animal part is not the part beginning with P.
A rat-race?
[Rosie] Not a rat-race.
Is there an agricultural connection?
[Kim] Nothing to do with agriculture. *snoring from the audience*
Is the animal a mammal?
[Rosie] The animal is a mammal.
Is the animal normally associated with human contact (e.g. pet or livestock)?
[G III] Not a pet, not livestock. Associated with human contact? Well...you're thinking on the wrong lines. Hint: a frequently asked question has not yet been asked.
Animal human?
Why the FAQ didn't I ask that earlier?
Is the abstract connection a metaphor?
Fictional?
[Rosie] At last! The animal is himan.
[CdM] The abstract connection is a metaphor.
[Tuj] Not fictional. (Knowledgeable members of the audience and those who have just googled it murmur.) Not intended as fictional.
Is it "Manpower"?
[Kim] Not "Manpower".
Related to the bible?
Is the mineral part a specific object?
[G III] Not related to the bible.
[Rosie] Yes, a specific mineral object.
Is the human currently living?
[Kim] Not applicable. Not a specific human.
"People Power"
Is the mineral object implied rather than specified?
[Rosie] Yes to both.
Is this a phrase?
[Tuj] It is a phrase.
Is the word that begins with P "Power"?
[irach, sorry I overlooked this] Not "People Power".
[Kim] P is not for "power".
Summary: the phrase describes a specified mineral object, an implied one, and some human activity, and the whole is also a metaphor. Not biblical, artistic, or any of the specific guesses so far. It begins with a P.
The Press?
[Rosie] Not The Press. The very first word of this begins with a P.
Is the animal human part a plural noun?
[irach] The animal human is not mentioned.
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