Fractal visionaries and enthusiasts:

Today's image is named "The Meaning of Life".  I gave it this name when I wondered whether there is a deep meaning behind fractals such as today's, as well as behind fractals in general.  After all, meaning is not something that exists out there in nature.  It is a concept invented by the human race, which thinks in a cause and effect manner.  We try to give a cause to everything that takes place because it disquiets us to know that some things might simply just happen with no prior cause.

Today's image, which definitely did not just happen, lies in a valley along the edge of the 'fan' of the parent fractal created by combining 2.2 negative parts of Z^(-6.2) with 7 negative parts of Z^(-1.2) on each iteration before adding (1/C).  This parent consists of the typical north-south chain of large bays and the prominent 'fan' found in many similar double negative exponents of Z type fractals.

When I first saw the image, it appeared to have much potential, but finding a good color palette proved unusually difficult, and in the end, I could rate it no higher than a 7.

The calculation time of 2-3/4 minutes borders on slowness.  But as always, the FOTD web sites are there to bring instant relief to impatience.

A typical, rather pleasant midwinter day passed uneventfully here at Fractal Central today, with partly cloudy skies, yet enough sunshine to keep the fractal cats happy.  The temperature of 43F +6C was well above normal, but in such a mild winter it felt about right.

At lunch time, I avoided a debate about the flaws of liberal politics, which I guess preserved the averageness of the day.  But tomorrow will not be an average day.  We will be taking a one-day trip back to Old Fractal Central 150 miles, 240km south of here, which means there will be no FOTD for February 4.  The next FOTD will appear on schedule on February 5 however, that is unless I get involved watching the Stupor Bowl on TV or the Puppy Bowl on the Animal Channel.

Until next time, take care, and what are we?  Where do we come from?  Why are we here? and where will we go from here?  If these questions were either answered or shown to be meaningless, it would take most of the fun and mystery out of life, and perhaps out of fractals as well.

Jim Muth
jimmuth@earthlink.net


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

TheMeaning_Of_Life { ; time=0:02:45.00 SF5 at 2000MHZ
  reset=2004 type=formula formulafile=basicer.frm
  formulaname=MandAutoCritInZ function=recip passes=1
  center-mag=+0.90643064/+2.02491633/1353/1/-155/0
  params=-2.2/-6.2/-7/-1.2/0/0/0/0 float=y
  maxiter=2250 inside=0 logmap=-128 periodicity=6
  colors=00062A73A84A96AA6AB7AC8AD9BEACD7CG8DH7DI7EJ\
  4EJ7FL5GL8HL8IM8JLBKM9JMBLM8JMALM7JN9LL6IL9IK7HJ9H\
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  JKkIKlHKlGKmEKnDUoCUpBUqAUr9cs8cs7crBmqFmqJmpNmoRv\
  oVrnZmmbhmfcljZkpUlnUmmUmkUmjUnhUogUoeUpdIpbIqaIq_\
  HrZHrXHsWHsVHrWLrXOrYRqZUq_Xq`_qabpbepchpdkoenofqo\
  gtohwslKtoLsmKslKskKrjKriKrhKqgKqeKqdKpcKzbmzamz`m\
  z_mzZmzXmzWmzVmzUmzTmzSmzRmzQmzOmzNmzMmzmzzmzzmzzm\
  zzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzzmzcmzdmzemzfmzh\
  mzimzjmzkmzlmzmmzomznmznmznmzmmzmmzmzzlzzlzzlzzkzz\
  kzzkzzjzzjzzjzzizzizzizzhzzhzzhzzgzzgzzgzzfzzfzzfz\
  zfzzezzezzezzdzzdzzdzzczzczzczzbzzbzzbzzazzazzazz`\
  zz`zz`zz_zz_zz_zzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzz\
  ZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZzzZz\
  zZzzZzzZzzZzz_zz_zz_zz`zz }

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