Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts:

Today's image is a continuation of the current series of below-standard FOTD images.  The rating of a 5 is certainly nothing to get worked up about.  The most unusual aspect is that the image was rendered with the outside set to 'fmod' and the inside set to the color 253.  This trickery raises the everyday scene to a level marginally worthy of being declared a FOTD.

The name "Reason Prevails" has nothing to do with the image.  It came about when I caught myself trying to make sense of the currently faddish (at least among some thinkers) cosmological theories.

The parent fractal, which was created by the expression 2.5*(Z^0.5)+0.5*(Z^2.5)+C, resembles a distorted Mandelbrot set facing northwest, with a southern period-3 bud larger than its main period-2 bud.  Today's scene is located on a filament extending from the large period-3 bud, near the point where the filament terminates in an irregular open area.  The shape of this open area is mirrored in the small brilliant patches scattered about today's image, which actually are open areas themselves.

The calculation time of 1-1/5 minutes is quite brief, leaving no danger that half a day will have been wasted if the result is not up to expectations.  The most convenient way to view the image is to hop down to the currently active FOTD web site at:

http://www.emarketingiseasy.com/TESTS/FOTD/jim_muths_fotd.html

and view the finished product there.

Paul's original FOTD web site at:

http://www.Nahee.com/FOTD/

is currently not up to date.  But I am still waiting to hear from Paul, telling me that he is once again feeling well enough to start getting the site caught up.

As soon as I struck the 'send' button to send off yesterday's FOTD, I wondered if I had gone too far in lambasting the discipline of science.  Even though it certainly falls short of perfection, science is the best method we currently have of explaining the 'how' of things of the natural world, at least at the macroscopic physical level.

But it seems as though the older I grow, the more I see science being mis-used.  In fact, as I see people, especially the young, walking about in near trance states, totally fascinated by their latest wireless internet gadgets, I see technology gone amok.  Then I wonder whether the progress of mankind is nearing a peak, beyond which we will slip into a downward curve of regression until we settle into a state of helpless zombiehood, ruled by our overlords, the elite of the giant computer and communication corporations.

The good news is that we had a mix of sun and clouds here at Fractal Central on Tuesday, with a temperature of a pleasant 43F +6C.  The fractal cats enjoyed the sun while it was shining, and the heat when the sun went behind a cloud.  My day was successful enough, since I avoided a philosophical debate with FL when she casually asked what I have against science.  The next FOTD will be posted in 24 hours.  Until then, take care, and be on the winning side.

Jim Muth
jamth@mindspring.com


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

Reason_Prevails    { ; time=0:01:12.61-SF5 on P4-2000
  reset=2004 type=formula formulafile=basicer.frm
  formulaname=MandAutoCritInZ function=recip passes=1
  center-mag=-0.9953029291869159/+0.2475891945519297\
  /2.455e+009/1/40/0 params=2.5/0.5/0.5/2.5/0/0/0/0
  float=y maxiter=1000 inside=253 proximity=0.05
  outside=fmod logmap=yes periodicity=6
  colors=000TbvUauV`tW_sXZrYYqZXp_Wo`VnaUmbTlcSkdRje\
  QifPhgPihQjiQkiRljSmkSnlTomTpnUqoUrpVsqWtrWusXvtXw\
  uYxw`zv_yvZxuYxuXwtWvtVvsUusUurTtrSsqRsqQrpPrpOqoN\
  poNpnMonLomKnmJmlKmlJllIlkIkjIjjIjiIiiIihIhgIhgIgf\
  IgfIfeIeeIedIdcIdcIcbIcbIbaIbaIa`J`_J`_J_ZJ_ZJZYJZ\
  XJYWJYVJXUJWTJWSJVRJUQJTPJSOJRNJQMIPLHOKGNJFMIELHD\
  KGCJGBIGAHG9GG8FG7EG6DG7CG7BF7AF79F79F79F79F79F8AF\
  9AEAAEAAEAAEABEABEABEABEABEACEACEACEACDACDADDADDAD\
  DADDADDADDAEDAEDAECBECBECBFCBFCBFCBFCCFCCGCCGCCGBC\
  GBCGBCHBDHBDHBDHBDHBDIBDIADIADIAEIAEJAEJAEJAEJAEJA\
  EJAFK9FK9FK9FK9FK9FL9FL9FL9GL9GL9GM8GM8GM8GM8GM8HN\
  8HLAHN8HN8HN8HO7HO7HO7HO7HO7IP7HP7HPBHP7IP9HRCHREH\
  PEHREHREHQEHREHQEHSEHTEHUFFPFFPGEPHEPHEPIEPJDPJDPK\
  DPLDPLCPMCPNCPNCPOBPPBPPBPQBPRAPRAPSAPTAPT9PU9PU9P\
  V9PW9PW8PX8PY8PY8PZ7P_7P_7P`7Pa6Pa6Pb6Pc6Pc5Pd5Pe5\
  Pe5Pf4Pg4Pg4Ph4Przzi3Pj3P }

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=========================================