This week’s topic was picked last week by a suggestion from a friend on the social media (Threads, not the other one). So this week, we have the topic of “Tulips.” So I asked Chad (ChatGPT) and Bart (Gemini) to generate 20 questions each with a prompt that got me 20 questions… of those 40 questions, about 14 of them were usable… so I relied on Some Other Guy to come up with the remaining 6.
Onto the questions:
1. What cultural significance do tulips hold in different parts of the world?
My understanding is that tulips are to symbolize “perfect love.”
2. How do tulips impact the economy, especially in regions known for tulip cultivation?
I am not sure currently, but I cannot imagine that it isn’t helpful economically. The Tulip fields in Holland are absolutely gorgeous and should be viewed by a camera drone.
3. What role do tulips play in environmental conservation efforts or ecosystem restoration?
The tulip is not super great for a landscape by themselves, but they are really useful for pollinators.
4. Rembrandt Van Rjin is a famous “Dutch Master” from the impressionist era… did that Dutch boy ever paint Tulips?
Not really… he did paint a tulip on his wife’s head in Painting “Flora.”
5. Are there any myths or folklore associated with tulips in different cultures?
The only one I could find is a Persian myth about Farhad and Shirin. Farhad was in love with Shirin. Shirin was murdered. Farhad was distraught and rode his horse off a cliff in despair. A red tulip grew in the spot where he went off the cliff to symbolize his perfect love for Shirin. The thing that stands out about that story is that the horse had to go over the cliff and the horse was not distraught for the loss of Shirin… Why do your horse like that, Farhad?
6. Can tulips be grown sustainably, considering factors like water usage and pesticide use?
The cursory research I did to answer this question point to the fact that smaller tulip farms can be sustainable, but at scale it gets much more difficult. I did find this quote though: A sustainably grown tulip will dwarf a supermarket one, with supermodel-leggy stems and generous, teacup-sized flowers.
And they say romance is dead.
7. How do tulips symbolize different emotions or concepts in various cultures?
How do bears bear? How do bees be? A tulip will tulip, baby. How do they symbolize? By having historic and cultural meaning that intensifies over time. That’s how. Weird question, Chad. Weird question.
8. Tulips scream spring, but can they thrive in other seasons?
With global resourcing, tulips can be found year round. It’s spring o’clock somewhere.
9. We all love a classic red tulip, but what's your favorite unusual tulip color?
I dig me some purple tulips.
10. A tulip is a flower… do you recommend any particular brand of gluten free flour?
Best I have found is Caputo Fioreglut Gluten Free Flour, it is pricey, but damn if it doesn’t bread and pizza crust.
11. Fresh vs. silk: When does a fake tulip become acceptable?
Silk flowers are always acceptable… indoors. Seriously, if the silk flower makes someone happy to see, let them have it. I ain’t gonna yuck anyone’s yum.
12. Tulips and Holland seem to go hand-in-hand. Have you ever been tried at the Hague, you monster?
Gods no! What do you think I have done? Wait, don’t answer that.
13. "Tulip mania" - a period of economic chaos fueled by tulips! Could it ever happen again?
N - F - T - ‘s. Bored Ape is just the digital equivalent of the 17th century yellow tulip.
14. Are there any cultural myths or legends associated with tulips in your part of the world?
The only one I could find was the Persian one mentioned before. Pay attention, Bart. That has already been asked.
15. I have never seen a picture of an old windmill in the Netherlands without having an out of focus tulip in the foreground… Just how horrible was the Dutch East India Company?
Oh… It was pretty darn terrible. In so many ways. I mean truly monstrous. Many people don’t know about the Indian and East Asian slave trade done by the Dutch East India company. Couple that with the transatlantic African slave trade… damn.
16. Tulips are a major Dutch cultural touchstone, Dutch is the adjective form for the country of the Netherlands which is also known as Holland…. Do you think Erling Haaland’s parents made a deal with the devil to sacrifice their baby boy’s looks for sheer goal scoring prowess? When he makes a run on goal, do the monks at Lindesfarne get scared?
He can score goals from anywhere.Last season he had something like 53 goals in all competitions. That is insane and the work of the devil. Look at that unattractive man… This is him trying to look good… that is the work of the devil as well.
17. Would you dare to get a tattoo of a tulip? If so, share your design concept!
Nope, there is no personal connection to the tulip for me. My dad used to grow roses in the side yard where I grew up…so I have a connection with roses and I would not get that tattooed.
18. What classification of flower is a Tulip? Let’s see if you’re 9th grade biology class information holds up.
It is a flowering plant… so a gymnosperm?... is that right?
19. Where do tulips get their name?
It is a frankification of the turkish word for the persian word for turban, dulband. A tulip flower looks like a persian turban… nee durband.
20. Has a horticulture instructor ever said, “The only tulips I care about right now are the two lips that keep yapping and disturbing my class. Quit flapping your two lips.”?
God, I hope so.
To recap:
Next week is the solar eclipse
Please let it be sunny
Er… well, let it not be cloudy
The whole point of a solar eclipse is to have it not be sunny
I will try to get some pics
It is supposed to be 99.6% coverage in C-bus
I have the polarized glasses and phone camera shields ready
Last eclipse was cloudy in 2017
Miss you Jared
Still looking for a job
If you are looking for a UX designer with boatloads of useless information on a myriad of topics
I’m your guy
If you are looking for a UX designer who can divide by 0
I’m your guy
Hit me up, yo
Have a great week everyone