FOTD -- September 26, 2009 (No Rating) Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts: Today's not-quite-super image lies in the parent fractal that comes about when Z is combined with 10 parts of Z^(-7) and (C) is added. This parent fractal resembles a circle that is trying to morph into a Mandelbrot set. Off the screen to the west of the morphing circle lies a huge scalloped blob, with smaller blobs between it and the circle, all of this connected by a spider-web network. Today's scene, filled with blobs, lies in this network. I named the image "Lost in the Circle". I must have had a good reason for chosing this name. I gave it no rating because I neglected to give it the coloring work it deserves. The calculation time of 22 seconds needs no excuses. The calculation moves faster than light and as a result finishes before it starts. It will take slightly longer than this to go to the FOTD web site and view the image there. The web site may be accessed at: <http://home.att.net/~Paul.N.Lee/FotD/FotD.html> The following O.T. diversion is strictly 'in my opinion'. I began the day Thursday reading in SciAm magazine that the 'big bang' may be out, replaced by the 'big bounce'. When I mentioned it to FL, she made some casual comment about reality. I have forgotten the innocent comment, but the rambling line of thought it brought about is still going strong. Big Bang or Big Bounce? How do we even know what exists at the present time, much less what existed 13.7 billion years ago? And what of all the other strange stuff? What does existence mean? Does the supernatural exist or is it an impossible dream? Are fractals real or are they supernatural? The answer appears to depend on the definition of the word 'supernatural'. My view of the word 'supernatural', as well as the similar word 'paranormal', is that both words are merely wrong classifica- tions. Something truly supernatural or paranormal is impossible. Everything that exists must in some way be natural or normal. The difficulty arises because we have such a limited grasp of the full extent of the natural (normal) world. I strongly believe in the existence of many of the so-called supernatural or paranormal phenomena such as psychokinesis and ghosts haunting buildings, and (gasp) even conscious spirits of the dead. But I do not consider these things supernatural; I consider them to be fully natural things not yet understood and incorporated into the natural world. By contrast, I am sometimes called an Atheist because I doubt the existence of the familiar god-in-the-sky of conventional religion. To me, this god is as much a mental construct as are the various interpretations of the quantum phenomena. Yet I do believe in a universal creative power. If one wishes to call this power something more 'scientific' such as the energy of the vacuum, so be it. But to be considered the God of the universe, this power must be conscious. Actually, the problem is our limited concept of the extent of the natural world. Things that are considered supernatural in one century are well understood and considered perfectly natural in the broadened concept of the next century. And we will always have skeptics to guard us from excessive broadening. I'll only briefly mention the aliens from outer space who are supposed to be visiting us. Here I turn skeptic. An alien in a space ship is something I must see with my outer senses before I can take the claims seriously. Thickening clouds marred the sky here at Fractal Central on Thursday, but the temperature of 70F 21C was close to perfect. The fractal cats watched proudly from their window shelf all morning, satisfied that the seven stray cats that were hanging around yesterday have moved on for good. (I am not so sure they are gone for good however.) My day was moderately busy and very thoughtful. The FOTD turned out moderately good. The next FOTD, hopefully better, will be posted in about 24 hours. Until then, take care, and heed the skeptics. Jim Muth jamth@mindspring.com jimmuth@aol.com START PARAMETER FILE======================================= Lost_in_the_Circle { ; time=0:00:22.39-SF5 on P4-2000 reset=2004 type=formula formulafile=allinone.frm formulaname=MandAutoCritInZ function=ident center-mag=-0.651456440912045/+0.1830358557352468/\ 91605.68/1/-64/0 params=1/1/10/-7/0/0/0/0 float=y maxiter=1000 inside=0 logmap=21 periodicity=10 colors=00000AJGLJ7AM9RPBNRDJUFGXHCXJ8WL4SN0hwseugf\ oefidfcbfYafS_gMZhHYiESiCNiAIi7Di58i33k67m9BnCFoFJ\ pHMoNKnTIiZHf`ccaye_ugZqiYmkXimWeXRTGNG0J3AI8JHCiN\ 5dOD_PLVPSRQ_MQfHRnDRuHQnLQgPQaTPVXPO_PIbOHeNHhMHk\ LHnKGqJGtIGwHGmCLd8QW4VN0ZM0aL0cK0eJ0gDFd7Ub1h`6fY\ BdWGbTL`RQZOVXM_VJcUHcXDcZAc`7h`El`Kq`Qu`WrZRpXNmV\ IkTEaQGTOHJMIAKJUXamitnfuocupaupZuqXurUurSuoWrlZoi\ alfdjchg`kdYnaVq_WoVWmRWlNXjJXhFXgBZbN_ZY`VhaRsZWr\ W_qUdpRhoPlnToiXqd`s_duWZs`TqdNohHnlMpfRq`VsW_tQcv\ LhwFlxAitGgpMdmSbiY_ecYbiVZoTWtWVrZUqaTodSngRljQkl\ PjoGdq8Zs0T_PSGmSBB1QL6dVBrdFffIWgKLiMAjOfLI`RLVWO\ Q`RKfUEkX9pZTd_kT_fQkbNwcTtdZqecnfikgnhhteiyblwdou\ fqshntdltaiuZguWevTbvQ`wNZwKcdFhMAm45iBEfIMcPU`WaY\ biViqSpycsdovKzx0yt3xp6wl9viCueFtaIsYLsVNqXRoZUm`X\ ka`iccgefffiggNgh0jj7mkDpmKsnQvpXxqbffWPWQJZJDaD7c\ 7VtiQkjMbjHUjDMjLkhIimJ_h } 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=========================================