Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: 

There was no FOTD on September 15 because FL and I took a short trip to a nearby primeval forest and spent time by a waterfall -- a very enjoyable thing that we actually did without a 'smart' cell phone giving us constant access to the internet.  (I wonder how people got along back in the ancient 20th Century without one of those smart devices to keep them connected?)

The FOTD for September 14 was supposed to be the last of the current rectangle series, but that evening, while I was going through some early formulas, searching for the image in which I originally discovered the Z^(2.003)+C rectangle, I turned up today's image, which I feel fully deserves the honor of being re-declared an FOTD.  The image has already appeared in a slightly modified form, as an early FOTD, but it has lost none of its impact since then.

Do not be scared off by the following description of today's image.  It contains none of the offensive gore we see so much of in violent movies and games.

At first glance the image looks like a man with his head missing and a trapezoid, which is actually the distorted rectangle, floating above his neck.  A close look will reveal two vague wings like angels are supposed to have, extending from the trapezoid and flapping in the air.  Since it is difficult to remain physically alive with one's head missing, I assume the wings are carrying the man's soul, (whatever a soul might be), to wherever souls go when a person passes on.

The formula is an early effort to draw oblique slices through the Julibrot.  It is not new, but it has been used so rarely that it should be considered a new one.  With some effort, I could have calculated the same image with a present-day working formula, but laziness set in and I let it go as it is.

The name "On a Higher Plane" refers to one of those higher spiritual planes of the new-age culture, which cause skeptics knees to start knocking in apprehension.  Since the astronomers have failed to find heaven even with their most powerful instruments, it must lie on one of these planes of higher vibration.

The rating of a 9.5 indicates that I consider the image to be one of the all-time best.  It does indeed have a bit of artistic worth, as those familiar with the strange paintings of the surrealist artist Rene Magritte will recognize.

The calculation time of 1-1/4 minutes is a true bargain, so snap it up before it is gone.

Things are beginning to take on a feeling of Autumn here at Fractal Central.  The day dawned with a temperature of 50F 10C, and by afternoon it warmed to a high of only 72F 22C.  The brilliant sun did its best to warm the air further, but its angle is getting so low that it is fast losing strength.  The fractal cats enjoy the lower sun angle however.  They spent the afternoon on their shelf in the southwest window, where the sun now shines in more strongly every afternoon.

The humans spent the day doing human things such as watching the news and discussing politics.  The next FOTD, again guaranteed to hold no rectangles, will be posted when it is ready (most likely in 24 hours).  Until whenever it does appear, take care, and will mankind's growing fascination with computer driven technology be his salvation or downfall?  (Or are we all being brainwashed into zombies by the space aliens from Sirius-C? )

Jim Muth
jimmuth@earthlink.net


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

On_a_Higher_Plane  { ; time=0:01:25.00 SF5 at 2000MHZ
  reset=1960 type=formula formulafile=may-98.par
  formulaname=mult2-003-XY-ZW function=flip/ident
  center-mag=+0.00652543223009536/0/92.95638/0.6626/\
  -90/0 params=89.79892/94.33779/0.000177/0.073865/\
  -1.743502/0 float=y maxiter=1200 inside=bof61
  logmap=49 periodicity=6 passes=1
  colors=00055AC6RD7TD8VE9XEAZCBWDC`DDaCEaCFbCGcAF_B\
  IeAJfAJg9Kh9Ki9Fj9Kk9Kl8Km8Kn7Ko7Gl6Lp6Lq6Lr5Ls5Lt\
  4Ip4Lv4Lw3Lx3Ky2Kz2Jv3Lz3Lz4Mz4Mz4Mz4Lz5Nz5Nz5Nz5O\
  z6Oz6Ny6Py7Py7Py7Qy7Qy8Qy8Qy8Ry9Ry9Ry9Sy9SyASyATyA\
  TyATyBTyBUyBUyCUyCVxCVxCVxDWxDWxDWxEWxEXxEXxEXxFYx\
  FYxFYxFZxGZxGZxGZxH_xH_xH_xH`wI`wI`wIawJawJawJawJb\
  wKbwKbwKcwKcwLcwLdwLdwMdwMdwMewMewNewNfwNfvOfvOgvO\
  gvOgvPgvPhvPhvPhvQivQivQivOixPiwPiwQivRivRiuSiuTit\
  TitUisVirVirWiqXiqYipYipZio_in_in`imaimailbilcikci\
  kdijeiieiifihgihgighigiifiifjiekidkidlicmicnibnibo\
  iapi`pi`qi_ri_riZsiZtiYtiYuiXviWxjXwjXwiXviXviXuiX\
  uhXthXthXsgXsgXrgXrgXqfXqfXpfXpeXoeXoeXneXndWmdWmd\
  WlcWlcWkcWjcWjbWibWibWhaWhaWgaWgaWf`Wf`We`We_Wd_Wd\
  _Wc_WcZWbZWbZWaYWaYW`YW`YW_XW_XWZXWZWWYWWXWWXWWWVW\
  WVWVVWVUVUUVUUVTUVTTVSTVSTVRSVRSVQSVQSVPRVPRVORVOQ\
  VNQVNQVMQVMPVLPVLPVMPUMPT }

frm:mult2-003-XY-ZW {; draws 6 planes and many rotations
;when fn1-2=i,f, then p1 0,0=M, 0,90=O, 90,0=E, 90,90=J
;when fn1-2=f,i, then p1 0,0=M, 0,90=R, 90,0=P, 90,90=J
a=real((p1)+10^(-100))*.01745329251994,
b=imag(p1)*.01745329251994,
z=sin(b)*fn1(real(pixel))+sin(a)*fn2(imag(pixel))+p2,
c=cos(b)*real(pixel)+cos(a)*flip(imag(pixel))+p3:
z=z^2.003+c,
|z| <= 36 }

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