FOTD -- December 25, 2010 (Rating 7) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: Today's image is an unpretentious scene deep on the northwest shore line of the main bay of the Mandelbrot set. I have named it "Merry Season" because it covers a multitude of festivals connected with bringing light to the darkest time of the year, the winter solstice. The most celebrated solstice festival in our culture is Christmas, which unfortunately has become more of a marketing opportunity than a celebration of divine salvation. The colors traditionally associated with Christmas are red and green, probably associated with red holly berries. I have given the image a red and green theme in keeping with the seasonal colors. Red and green also remind me of the holly grove back at Old Fractal Central, where the now deceased original fractal cats romped and lurked for almost twenty years. New Fractal Central has but one scrawny holly tree, but that tree is presently covered with a full crop of red berries, which add their share to the feeling of the season. The new fractal cats get their share of action indoors however. The image rates a 7, fair enough for a mere Mandelbrot scene. The calculation time of under 2 seconds is as fast as Santa coming down the chimney. The finished image is or soon will be posted on the current FOTD web site at: <http://www.emarketingiseasy.com/TESTS/FOTD/jim_muths_fotd.html> And don't forget the original FOTD web site at: <http://www.Nahee.com/FOTD/> which Paul has kept going for over 13 years. While tending to last-minute Christmas details on Friday, I heard a version of 'Oh Come Emanuel' on the radio, with drums and traps beating out a syncopated rhythm in the background. I wondered why the beat had been added to such a simple song. The traditional melody is an old plainchant, which has no rhythm. The only reason for the intrusive beat that I could think of was that over the years the purpose of music has changed from lifting the spirit through melody, to getting the body moving with a catchy beat. (But then again, times keep changing, and I just might be old-fashioned. FL heard nothing intrusive in the arrangement.) The mix of sun and clouds with a temperature just above freezing that we had here at Fractal Central on Friday made the day just about average. The fractal cats enjoyed the sun, and when the sun failed, they went to the heat. The day of the humans was filled with last minute preparations for whatever may come. The next FOTD is due in 24 hours, but if it does not appear until Sunday, do not be surprised. Until whenever, take care, and I don't want to leave the impression that I'm cynical at this time of year. I want to state it outright. Jim Muth jamth@mindspring.com START PARAMETER FILE======================================= Merry_Season { ; time=0:00:01.92-SF5 on P4-2000 reset=2004 type=mandel center-mag=-0.4228394615443\ 275/+0.5720091755518583/4.164996e+011/1/11.5/0 params=0/0 float=y maxiter=15000 inside=0 logmap=266 periodicity=6 mathtolerance=0.05/1 colors=000A1QB3UC6XD8_EAcGCfHEiIGmJIpKKsLOsMPrORrP\ UrQXqR_qSapTfpVhpWkoXooYpoZrn_snatmbvmcxmdzlezlfzl\ bzi_zfWxcTuaQrZMlWJcUFcRCcO9bMA_LBXLCULDULEULFULGU\ LHULIULJULKULLULMULNULOULPULQULRULSULTULUVLVWLWXLX\ YLYZLZ_L_`L`aLabLbbLccLddLeeLgfLifLkhLmjLomLqmLsmL\ umLumLsmLmcJjbIg`HcYG`VFYUEUUCRUBNU9KU8HU7DU5AU46U\ 23U1KUDGUACU78U54U2_U5YU4WU4VU4TU4SU3QU3PU3NU3LU3K\ U2IU2HU2FU2EU1CU1AU19U17U16U04U03U01U0yYzvWzsVzpTz\ nSzkQzhPzfNzcMmcKccJUcHKcGEcEDcDBcBAcA9c87c76c55c4\ 3c22c11cJlcIjcHhcGfcGdcFbbE`aDZ`DX_CWZBUZAShAQh9Oc\ 8Mh8Kh7Iu6Gu5Fu5Du4Bu39u27u25u13u01uFkuAWu5GZyzzzz\ Lzzzzz7zzzzz0zzzzz0zzzzz0zzzzz0zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz\ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz\ zzzzz_zzZzzYzzWzzVzzUzzTzzRzzQzzPzzOzzMzztzztzzuzz\ uzzvzzvzzwzzwzzxzzxzzyzzyzzzzzzzzzzzrzzjzzczzWzzOz\ zHzz9zz2zz4zz5zz6zz7zz8zz } END PARAMETER FILE=========================================