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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[CdM] Kidlit? NO
[GL] A previous stage? NO

Addendum

[INJ] On further thought, I feel like I should change my answer to your adaptation question. As you phrased the question: "A character in literature later adapted for the screen?" the truthful answer is YES, but this isn't a wholly typical case, so check your assumptions.

From works of Shakespeare?

[Chalks] Bardly? *audience laughter* NO.

Is this more than one character?

Is it related to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?

[Chalky] Multiple? NO
[GL] TLOEG? NO.

Adapted from comics/graphical novels?

Supernatural?

Male?

[INJ] Graphic? NO
[Softers] Supernatural? NO, at least not in the conventional sense.
[Chalky] Male? YES].

In a radio programme?

[INJ] Radio? YES *tumultuous applause*

Won't have 2 guesses in a row, but I think we're close

Well - your addendum helped

Slartibartfast?

From HHGTTG?

Marvin?

[GL] He said it wasn't important? NO
[INJ] H2G2? YES *applause*
[Software] Brain the size...? NO

Ford Prefect?

Zaphod Beeblebrox?

Freow.

[Kinrah] You have hit the subject on one of its two heads! It was ZAPHOD BEEBLEBROX, indeed. As you can see, my confusion over the adaptation question arose because of course, while the screen versions followed the book version chronologically, they didn't do so adaptationally, as it were. Plus of course, the character didn't originate in the books.

Over to you, Kinrah. *Hands over a perspex baton shaped like a cricket stump, just before there is the sound of a million billion people saying "Wop"*

I was trying to weigh up whether to go for Zaphod or the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (which has the potential to be part animal), even though I have just realised [Tuj] ruled that out with his 'P' question. Whee. Now, let's see if I can get the formatting right with
ABSTRACT/ANIMAL connections
This shouldn't be too difficult.

Begins with a P?

Glad to see my usual question served a small purpose, Kinrah!

Is it a fictional person?

Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer - the song?

*correction* RudolPH The Red NoseD Reindeer - the song?

[Tuj] P-aff? *audience laugh... then applause* YES
[GL] Imaginary? NO
[Chalky] Lyric of an oddly coloured creature? NO

Seasonal connections?

A work of art?

[INJ] Seasonally speaking? NO
[Projoy] Arty-farty? NO

Are the animal connections human?

Connected with science?

[Tuj] Humanimal? YES
[Projoy] Psy-ense? After giving it some careful thought, SOMETIMES (but the connection there really isn't worth following)

Culturally specific?

Is it related to psychology?

Involves an action or actions?

To do with religion?

[INJ] Cultural terms? NO
[GL] Psycho-analytic? NO
[Rosie] Requiring effort? NO
[Projoy] Belief system? NO

A feature of the intellect?

Related to politics or public life?

Is The Answer a noun or noun phrase?

[Rosie] Intellectual? NO *audience whispers among itself*
[INJ] Political? NO
[Projoy] Nounal? YES
I've also been considering the science question, and much like Projoy, I'm going to do a bit of a U-Turn; YES FOR A GIVEN VALUE OF SCIENCE. I believe it could be called a science by some people.

A social science?

Connected to the "Paranormal"?

[Projoy] Socially scientific? NO
[GL] Paranormal? NO

To do with the natural world?

Was it invented?

[Projoy] Natural? NO
[Tuj] Created? YES *audience applause*

Is it a type of person?

[Projoy] Demographic? NO

A theory? (Of anything)

Does it exist?

[Rosie] Theory? NO but *very loud applause from audience*
[Projoy] Existential? YES

Heredity?

Something that exists both in theory and in practice?

[Rosie] Passed down? NO
[Projoy] Works both ways? YES

Connected to economics?

Is it really really really small?

Is it a one word answer?

Is it something that can be studied in a reasonably mainstream environment?

Does it end with a Y?

Is it a process?

Sorry about the so long gap - had a LOT of stuff to do over the end of the weekend.
[Projoy] Economical? NO
[Tuj] Teensy-Weensy? DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU ARE COMPARING IT TO *audience laugh*
[Chalky] Just the one? NO
[INJ] Mainstream? YES
[GL] Why-y? NO
[Projoy2] Process? NO *more hushed whispers from audience*

A human activity?

Related to games or entertainment?

A cartoon?

Any medical connections?

[Projoy] Active? NO
[INJ] Move that joystick? NO
[Software] Cartoon? NO
[Rosie] Doctor, Doctor? STRICTLY NO (There is one connection, but it's so far gone from the standard question bounds that it's also not worth looking into.)

Since this is taking much longer than I anticipated (I really hope it's not because I'm giving the wrong answers) as a sort of first hint here's a roundup of what you do know.
Begins with P
Given value of science
Noun
It was invented
Audience gave loud applause to Theory
It exists
It works in both theory and practice
Studied in a mainstream environment
Also, it seems the audience have changed their mind and decided to give some rather late *loud applause* for 'Process'.

The Peter prinicple?

Can we change the audience?

Associated with business or commerce?

Parkinson's Law?

To do with the internets?

Pi?

Sorry if it's been mentioned. I'm ever so wrung out.

[Rosie] Incompetence rising? NO *audience laugh... then quickly fall silent*
[INJ] Businesslike? YES (but in the same way as Theory and Practice)
[Software] Filling the time available? NO
[Projoy] Intarwebs? NO
[Dujon] 3.14? NO-*is deafened by audience applause*

A pie-chart?

Is The Answer a type of number?

Probability?

[INJ] Sliced diagram? NO
[Projoy] Numerical? YES *more applause from the audience*
[Software] What's the chance? NO

Prime number(s)?

Pascal's triangle?

INJ's got it.

Planck's Constant?

Please, miss, can I have another go?

Pythagorus' Theorem?

No, not a theory. How about Fermat's Conjecture?

[INJ] Itself and one? NO
[Rosie1] Triangular numbers? NO
[Rosie2] Quantum mechanics? NO
[Projoy1] Square of the Hypotenuse? N- *audience explodes into applause* NO
[Projoy2] Pythagoras no greater than two? N- *audience applauds even louder, if that's even possible* NO

I'm probably spiraling out from the core but (it goes by a number of names) -"The Golden Square"?

Phi, the Golden Ratio?

If this is right, the winner should really be Dujon.

[Dujon, Rosie] Shiny yellow maths? NO *audience shout "Colder!"*

Pythagoreanism?

Poincaré's conjecture?

Had forgotten it started with P...

(a) Perfect Number(s)?

[Software] Mathematician Philosophy? NO *a few claps from audience*
[Projoy] Ball manifolds? NO
[INJ] Something we've yet to hear from Colin Sell? NO *audience ooh quietly*

Are we in the world of geometry here?

(I was about to suggest a platonic solid, but then realised that the whole point of them is that they don't exist in the real world.)

Oh, it's not a (mathematical) proof, is it?

Can I just say, btw, that this AVMA is (a) bloody hard and (b) very enjoyable.

[Projoy] Shaping the world? YES
(Taking the other one as a question as well) [Projoy2] Demonstrating true maths? YES
Glad you like it. I still hope that it's not taking this long because I'm answering the questions wrong. Just for another hint though; one of the questions I answered NO to earlier has got something to do with the answer, but I took the question to mean the definite article, as it were, because that's what I suspect it was intended as.

Pappus' Theorem?

Getting a bit arcane.

Polynomials?

A protractor?

I know it's wrong but I have to get it out of my head. I generally think it's a bad thing to know the first letter. Leads to all kinds of weird guesses.

Does the answer include the name of a mathematician?

I was sure Software was right until I noticed the answer to the "proof" question.

Is it, in fact a proof of Fermat's Last Theorem?

[Rosie] Surface areas? NO
[Software] Maths expression? NO
[Projoy] Angle measurer? NO
[CdM] Clue in the name? YES *audience applause*
[Projoy2] Proving the square? YES *more applause*

A Pythagorean Triple?

We're there.

[Rosie] Correct, it was indeed a Pythagorean Triple!
My confusion with some of the earlier questions arose when trying to work out whether mathematics could be classed as a science or not. But by reaching the correct answer I can rest easy knowing that if any of my answers were wrong, they weren't so wrong as to block out the answer completely.

One triangular baton handed over to Rosie.

(I can't resist pointing out that although I had never previously heard of "a Pythagorean triple", I still came quite close to winning that round! Good clues.)

*can't resist pointing out that she has never heard of a Pythagorean Triple and didn't even come close to asking any relevant questions but happily embraces fresh knowledge*

3,4,5 and all that

(Projoy, Chalky) Yes, I'd agree it doesn't quite trip off the tongue in the same way that Pythagorean Triangle does though it is a quite genuine mathematical term. BTW, did you know that 3 cubed plus 4 cubed plus 5 cubed equals 6 cubed?

OK, this is ANIMAL

Human?

(Projoy) Human? - YES.

Watt?

I'll go away now.

Still Alive?

(Dujon) Mr Steam Engine? - alas, NO.
(GL) Alive? - YES. Still alive? - A separate question

In entertainment?

Fictional?

(Softers) Entertainment? - NO, and for some, not in any way whatsoever.
(Projoy) Fictional? - NO. You may have been misled by my supplementary to Gusset Login in which I had taken his question to be "Alive and very old?" This person exists.

Born before 21st December 1969?

Born before 1940?

(Gusset Login) - A fortified over-forty? - YES.
(Projoy) At least a couple of years older than me? - YES.

Begins with P?

This question definitely coloured the last round strongly, although I'm not sure for better or for worse.

(Tuj) - Won't help here - does not begin with P.

Would a wheelchair come into this equation?

(Dujon) - Wheelchair-bound? - NO

Male?

(Gusset Login) - Male? - He is.

Political?

British?

(Softers) - Political? - NO .
(Projoy) - British? - NO.

Scientific?

American?

(Softers) - Scientist? - NO.
(Projoy)- American? - YES.

An entertainer?

(Chalky) - Entertainer? - Strictly speaking NO, but see Softers' first question. *some scattered mild applause*

Sporting?

(Projoy) - Sporting connection? - NO, none known.

Professorial?

(Softers) - Not a professor

Journalist?

(Projoy) - Hacking away? - NO.

In architecture?

(Projoy) - NO, not an architect. I know very little about American architects.

Does he belong in the broad category of 'religious'

(Dujon) - Known for his religion? - NO, although he is actually quite devout. Happy Christmas, mate.

A writer?

Would this man have connection with Jazz (perhaps as a clarinet player)?

DAMN!

Please ignore that question, Rosie.

(Projoy) - Not a writer.
(Dujon) OK, if you insist. *audience turn to each other, bewildered.*

Military?

You brushed aside 'entertainer' (Chalky's query and Software's earlier reference). As I find jazz entertaining therefore my second thought.

Would this man have connection with Jazz (perhaps as a clarinet player)?

I'm a glutton for punishment, me.

(Dujon) A jazzer? - He certainly is. *audience cheers and applauds*
(Projoy) - Not a military man.

Are you really saying you don't class jazz as entertainment?

(Projoy) It can be, and the subject of this AVMA is undoubtedly grateful for the money it generates but he would not be flattered to be called merely an entertainer, unlike say a comedian, who needs an audience above all else.

An instrumentalist (i.e. not a singer)?

(Projoy) - Instrumentalist? - YES.

Plays a brass instrument?

Was this gentleman once a part of Lawrence Welk's orchestra?

(Projoy) - Brass instrument? - NO.
(Dujon) - A middle-of-the-roader? - NO. *audience splutters in embarrassed amusement*

Is the man known for his artistry with a 'free reed' instrument.

I'm just narrowing the field.

(Dujon) - Reed instrument - NO.

Is this jazz instrumentalist NOT particularly entertaining?

:-) :-)

Given Chalky's drum roll: A percussionist?

Dave Brubeck?

(Chalky) - YES, not always easy listening, you could say.
(Dujon) Someone who hangs around with musicians? - well, actually he does, of course, because PROJOY has it. It's the great DAVE BRUBECK, 89 the other day. Well persisted, Pj. Your go.

Gosh! I must clearly take more pains in future to be less entertained when I listen to Blue Rondo à la Turk...

The next is ABSTRACT/ANIMAL...

Figurative?

Animal human?

(Proj) Me too, but not everybody. Have you tried playing it? Brubeck must have colossal maulers.

Begins with P?

[Raak] Figurative? KIND OF. Not sure which is the most helpful answer.
[Rosie] Human? YES and NO, but then again, NO
[Tuj] P-headed? NO

Mortality?

[Rosie] Le Grand Mort? NO (for that would also apply to vegetable matter, I think)

Does this apply to Life in the David Attenborough sense?

[Rosie] I'm not quite sure how to interpret the question.
Incidentally, I now realise there should have been some *applause* for your "Mortality" question.

Music-y?

Does it represent a state of mind?

(Pj) penult. question - Yes, it is a bit obscure. I was knackered and not totally sober after a prolonged bout of pub piano-tuning and payment in kind.

[Chalks] Musical? NO
[Rosie] State of mind? NO

Is it an observation on the behaviour of animals, including humans?

Sentience?

[Rosie] Observation? NO, a bit less abstract than that.
[Dujon] Sentience? NO

Was it invented?

[Proj] "YES and NO, but then again, NO" was a beautiful answer.

[Tuj] Invented? YEEES, I guess so. Not in the same sense as seed drills and nuclear reactors were, tho.

To do with ghosties and ghoulies?

A theory of behaviour?

[Chalky] Grabbed by the... NO, but you're moving in the right direction.
[Rosie] Theory? NO

Fictional?

Tough start here!

Is this a human idea or construct?

I think I see a glimmer of light...

[Tuj] Fictional? YES *a single pedantic audience member (probably Breadmaster) clears his throat disapprovingly at this answer, but everyone else ignores him*
[Duj] A human construct? YES

connected with Religion?

[Chalky] Religious connection? YES! *applause*

A dietary proscription?

[Rosie] Thou shalt not scoff? NO

Nativity thingy?

[Softers] Nativity? NOT AT ALL *audience laughter*

The Koran

May Allah forgive me.

The Priory of Sion?

[Duj] In the name of... NO
[GL] Dan Brown fuel? NO

Specific to one religion?

The Resurrection?

[Rosie] Specific to one religion? YES
[Chalky] And on the third day? NO

A form of sacrifice?

Nirvana?

[Rosie] Virgins and stone tables? NO
[GL] Smells Like Jain Spirits? NO

Quick and helpful New Year recap, disregarding unhelful byways: This is fictional*, connected with religion, and the audience have reacted positively to "mortality" and negatively to "nativity".

* unless you're amazingly pedantic

(oh, and the animal part is human to some extent, but then again not at all)

A particular (i.e. specific) god?

[Duj] A specific god? YES *audience applause*

Buddah?

In the ancient Greek pantheon?

[Softers] Fat guy? NO
[INJ] Kronos 'n' Co.? NO

Oops. That was me.

Is it one of the hindu gods?

Ganesh?

[GL] Brahma 'n' brigade? NO, and therefore
[CdM] Elephant-Head? NO (smart guess :))

An Egyptian deity?

[Duj] Egyptian? YES

Ra?

Amun?

I think we're nearly there...

[CdM] Ra? NO
[Amun] Amun? NO

Horus?

Osiris?

...and ever closer...

[GL] Horus? NO
[CdM] Osiris? NO

Anubis?

The Day of the Jackal

[Duj] You got it! ANUBIS is the answer on the card. *hands over baton inscribed with weird hieroglyphs*

Accepts in terror the bottom end of the staff.

As I typed my acceptance a flock of cockatoos flew over this my nest. Is it an omen or a red herring?
To be honest I don't know how this will work given my/our time difference. Let me think for a short while, please?

ANIMAL ABSTRACT

Is it a fictional human?

Anything specifically Australian?

Connected with the arts?

[GL] A papier mache man? NO
[Rosie] A beer drinking monotreme? NO
[INJ] Perhaps - but in the sense of which I surmise you ask the question - NO

Don't take the 'perhaps' as a clue. It isn't.

Begins with P?

[Tuj] Err, well, NO

Ladies and gentlemens, this is not going to work. The time difference does indeed put up some sort of barrier.
Perhaps Projoy might nominate a replacement?

Mythical?

Is the animal element human?

[Dujon] Don't give up on it yet. When CdM returns from his travels he'll be in your time zone, and Rosie operates on Hughestime, which is completely different from anyone else. Perhaps Flerdle needs to take a look in as well.

Is the abstract element fictional?

[Dujon] Don't give up. The game's more fun when a number of questions get backed up.

(INJ) I was just going to say the same thing. HMT has come into its own. I'll ask a question when I get back from the pub and Dujon has finished his breakfast.

A single unique thing?

Is this a well known phrase or saying?

All right then.

[Softers] As in feeble minds? NO
[INJ] A bipedal brain? NO
[GL] That, my friend, is a jolly good question. My answer must be that the subject exists but at the same time it doesn't. Therefore I am forced to YES
[Tuj] The one and only? YES
[Chalky] It is well known but it's not, other than by its description, that which you intimate. Ergo NO

Do we seek a single-word answer?

[Tuj] To be brutal and honest - NO

Invented?

I've got to say I'm much better at throwing the odd curveball in than staging an inquisition myself! Maybe I should set my watch to HMT so I know when Rosie's due...

[Tuj] That could well depend on the hours that Rosie's publican keeps combined with the depth of snow and black ice?
Invented? Not in the sense of the wheel, the steam engine or the loom, but invented it is. YES

Specific to a particular country or culture?

Ah, good international weather awareness! I can't imagine Rosie'd think a pub too bad a place to be snowed in.

Is the animal aspect mammalian?

[GL] YES

[Tuj] Sorry, I missed your last. Cultural or otherwise NO

Connected with food?

Something that is significant because of its status?

(e.g.the last mammoth)
I think under the circumstances I can allow myself to stack up questions - normally I'd wait for another intervening one.

Is it closely associated with literature?

[INJ] à la carte? NO
[INJv2] Given the situation I have no objection, ImNotJohn, but it's really up to the other participants.
In the sense that it is unique of its kind (although it has competitors in the fame stakes) YES
*audience is now stirring and seems to be taking a little more interest*
[GL] NO

Is it related to a particular form of media?

Mediation

Ooh heck, you do toss down the odd googly don't you?
In itself I would have to answer NO but in practical sense I would be inclined to YES
In other words the question is a wee bit too loose to pass a definitive judgment.

Was a particular writer responsible for this?

[Projoy] I would refer you to my earlier answer to Gusset Login relative to alphabetical verbiage. So NO

[Projoy] I will relent on my previous comment - but only to the extent that someone named it. To find out who did the deed I would need some more research, but I think that the effort would be pointless.
*The audience has reverted to its (or their) original attitude - heads up and staring at the roof of the auditorium*

Is the animal part of a particular mammalian species?

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