Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts:

Today's image lies in the parent fractal that results when 0.4 parts of Z^(-0.8) are subtracted from Z^2 and (1/C) is added on each iteration.  This parent is a gargantuan spider network with a very distorted Mandelbrot set near the origin.  Today's image is located in a filament extending from a small bud on the southwest shore line of the main bay of this distorted M-set.

The name "Captain Cutlass" came about when the sickle-shaped elements reminded me of the cutlasses that might have been wielded by the pirates of old.  (Many years ago I wrote a novel of the same name, the plot of which is best left untold.)

A close examination will reveal a jaggedness along the edges, especially near the minibrot at the center.  This jaggedness is the beginning of total resolution breakdown.  With an image magnitude of over 2*(10^13) this is to be expected.

The rating of a 7-1/2 might be stretching it a bit.  The image really holds little of an exceptional nature.  But like all fractals, it is one that holds an infinity of secrets, which makes it worth at least a cursory glance.

The calculation time of 2-1/2 minutes is a bit long to wait for an everyday image such as today's.  Here is where the web sites ride to the rescue.

Today brought total sun and a notably warmer temperature of 39F +4C to Fractal Central.  The fractal cats made up for the sun time they lost over the week-end by spending the better part of the afternoon in the sun on the shelf in the southwest window.

At the same time, the humans made it through the day uneventfully.  Somehow I became subscribed to a liberal political activist e-mailing list.  I rather suspect that FL is involved here, but it's no problem.  I rather enjoy reading the ideas some liberals have about solving the country's problems, but I'm not ready to go out and stand on a corner waving a sign about the evils of the big corporations.

The next FOTD will be posted in 24 hours.  Until then, take care, and what is wrong with humanity?

Jim Muth
jimmuth@earthlink.net


START PARAMETER FILE=======================================

Captain_Cutlass    { ; time=0:02:30.00 SF5 at 2000MHZ
  reset=2004 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm
  formulaname=MandAutoCritInZ function=recip
  center-mag=+1.000125895457505/-0.1044759082479428/\
  2.615924e+013/1/-40/0 params=1/2/-0.4/-0.8/0/0/0/0
  float=y maxiter=1200 inside=0 logmap=141
  periodicity=6 mathtolerance=0.5/1
  colors=000CBmCCl9DkCEjEFiGGhIHgKJfMKfOMfQNfSPeUQeW\
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  NzazzZRzXzzUVzSzzPZzNzzKb }

frm:MandAutoCritInZ {; Jim Muth
a=real(p1), b=imag(p1), d=real(p2), f=imag(p2),
g=1/f, h=1/d, j=1/(f-b), z=(((-a*b*g*h)^j)+(p4)),
k=real(p3)+1, l=imag(p3)+100, c=fn1(pixel):
z=k*((a*(z^b))+(d*(z^f)))+c,
|z| < l }

END PARAMETER FILE=========================================