Michael Jordan, spam emails, orchids, and ice plant
Let’s get several things out of the way with this one SNIPPETS post.
First, happy birthday to Michael Jordan, 50 years old today, and the 22nd best player of all time, behind a couple of Boston Celtics: Danny Ainge, Ray Allen, Tiny Archibald, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy, Dave Cowens, Kevin Garnett, John Havlicek, Tommy Heinsohn, Dennis Johnson, K. C. Jones, Sam Jones, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Bill Russell, Paul Silas, Bill Walton, and Jo Jo White. Alright, so I’m a little biased.
Second, one day in mid-January, I got over 500 emails of which more than half were spam emails. I decided to start an experiment to see if the unsubscribe, opt out, and report spam links on those emails did any good. I started unsubscribing, opting out, and reporting spam emails as, well, spam. Last night, I had just four spam emails when I went to take a catnap with 
Zoey the Cool Cat. At 6:00 this morning, when I checked emails, I had not a single spam email. Zip, zero, nada! I’m thinking that these unsubscribe, opt out, and report spam links actually do work. Interestingly, we live in a world of instant gratification but after clicking on many of the unsubscribe and opt out links, I was told of my success in unsubscribing and opting out but that it could take “up to 10 days.” Wow. And to think our computers are more powerful than the computers that put man on the moon back in 1969. Ten days is the best they can do?
Third, if you are in the San Diego area, now is the time to head on down to Balboa Park and check out the Botanic Building. It is full of orchids. I’ll be there this afternoon taking billions and billions and billions of pictures.
Lastly, although the East County mountains are supposed to get snow on Tuesday down to 2,000 feet, spring is springing throughout most of San Diego. The ice plants on the freeways are starting to put on their displays which should last from now through mid-May. The deep purple ones are at their peak from now to early March:
The pink ones will be blooming in April and May. This is a picture from last year:
I don’t know where “ice plant” got its name, but here in San Diego they are used along freeways and on steep hillsides. The plant is full of water yet surprisingly requires little water to grow and look beautiful. Planting ice plant, then, is a great way to protect one’s home from wildfires; when the fire reaches the ice plant, it goes no farther. Their tangled mass of roots are also good at holding together steep hillsides, especially during our four-week rainy season. Here are a few more pictures of houses using ice plants as fire defense, hillside holder-together, and sheer beauty:
The pink and purple ice plants are the most popular, or perhaps the most common. There are also orange, yellow, and white ice plants, but they are rare, especially plants en masse.
Ice plants are everywhere this time of year. Take a drive and you’ll see them. However, two of the best places to see masses of the pink ice plant in a month or so are State Highway 125 from Grossmont College to State Highway 52, and Interstate 5 at Cannon Road in Carlsbad.
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Posted on February 17, 2013, in Flora, Mother & Father Nature, Out & About, Photos, SNIPPETS and tagged balboa park san diego, bill russell, bill walton, bob cousy, boston celtics, botanic building san diego, cedric maxwell, danny ainge, dave cowens, dennis johnson, ice plant pictures, jo jo white, john havlicek, k. c. jones, kevin garnett, kevin mchale, larry bird, michael jordan, orchid pictures, paul pierce, paul silas, places to see ice plant in san diego, rajon rondo, ray allen, report spam, robert parrish, sam jones, spam emails, spam opt out, spam unsubscribe, tiny archibald, tommy heinsohn. Bookmark the permalink. 29 Comments.
They look a little like the edelweiss blooms of the Alps. Maybe that’s how they got their name? In any event: gorgeous! xoxoM
Looking forward to the orchids!
Thank you for the pictures on the ice plant Russell. I totally forgot about that plant. Being born and raised in So. Cal. I too remember not only all along the freeways but it covered the hillside in my childhood home. The purple hillside was beautiful. Now living in No. Cal. I never see this plant. Beautiful pictures!
This interesting informationm. I’m not spam only borrowing their lines. Those ice plants are very pretty. Especially the purple. It would stand to reason to put them all over the area. Useful and beautiful.
Such pretty flowers. And impressive to know about those unsubscribe things! I always wondered about that . . . Thanks, Russel!
The flower carpets are spectacular–a favourite thing of mine.
And how in this day and age it takes 10 days to unsubscribe by computer is a mystery on par with how it takes 2-5 days for your bill payment to register with the payee, but it comes out of your bank instantly, whether you are doing electronic banking or not. Pony express, anyone?
I have these, too. But I never knew what they were called. Delighted to see them here but can you tell me what their real name is? I’d like to plant more but I can’t find the description card I plant with my plants. It’s probably buried deep in the ground. I used them on several of my posts. Here’s one. Any help is appreciated. I’d like to order more.
http://simplysage.org/2012/06/10/weekly-photo-challenge-purple-ten-thousand-plus-one/
Thanks!
Alexandria
Those look like Lampranthus.
Thank you so much!
Hi Russel,
Lucky you that you could get rid of the spam mails. I’ve always been advised not to answer tp spam mails in any kind, not even to unsubscribe or so, as that only validates your e-mail address to them as real. But one never knows. At least this approach worked for you.
What I have noticed lately with WordPress and its Akismet spam filter is that a few more spam mails make it past that filter. But not many.
Best regards from southern Texas, and have anice Sunday evening,
Pit
I think before the Can Spam Act, it was common not to unsubscribe to spam because, yes, all it did was validate your email address. However, it looks like most spam originating from the United States actually does follow the Can Spam Act because unsubscribing actually working. You’ll notice in foreign emails that they don’t give you an unsubscribe option.
Hi Russel,
Thanks for the info about the Spam Act. I hadn’t known this.
Best regards from southern Texas,
Pit
I am loving the pink and purple plants! Brilliant and beautiful!!
so vibrant.
Loved the kitteh in the box too.
Very interesting to read about the ice plants; very useful plants.
I really liked the photo of the purple ice plant on the hillside. And, of course, the one of Zoey the Cool Cat. My cats love to curl up like that in boxes.
Beautiful photos–great plant. Thanks.
Those flower pictures have me wishing I were in San Diego!
Love those flowers, but the “cool cat” is adorable! Looks like mine
I love ice plant (and most other succulents). Bright pink or deep purple look fabulous on hillside. The wild flowers are starting to bloom in LA as well.
Ice plant can be really beautiful as you have captured! We are looking forward to seeing you in April! Hugs – B
Russel, ever since I moved to the West Coast, I’ve been a fan of ice plants. I really enjoyed the snapshots…and now I’m a fan of Zoey the Cat, too. Maybe we’ll check out the botannical gardens this weekend, thanks for the tip!
WONDERFUL SHOTS!
Gorgeous flowers!! Those orchids and ice plants are amazing! Hugs
We had iceplant with little red flowers. Looks like a cascade of purple water. I love your “kitty in a box.” What a sweet heart!
Sounds like you had Red Apple iceplant.
iceplants look a lot like what we call pigface. Wonder if they’re same thing.
I had never heard them called pigface, but it looks like Delosperma cooperi is also called pigface in some places. Interesting.
Thanks for checking out my blog, Russell! and upon visiting yours, how could I not read the one Michael Jordan in the title
Love the ice plant photos!