The First 3-D Image of a Mandelbrot Fractal Is Stunning

Here's a video of a deep zoom into the Mandelbulb with full parallax/perspective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDd8R0xlkNA

clipped from io9.com Behold the "Mandelbulb." This is a three-dimensional image created using the Mandelbrot set, a mathematical structure whose edges form fractals. The result is something that looks like an alien tree. Which isn't surprising, since fractals emulate patterns in nature. this is the "first true three-dimensional representations of the Mandelbrot set." It was created by computer programmer Daniel White from Bedford, UK. clipped from www.skytopia.com The original Mandelbrot is an amazing object that has captured the public's imagination for 30 years It's known as a 'fractal' - a type of shape that yields (sometimes elaborate) detail forever, no matter how far you 'zoom' into it It's found by following a relatively simple math formula. But in the end, it's still only 2D and flat - there's no depth, shadows, perspective, or light sourcing. What we have featured in this article is a potential 3D version of the same fractal. Gotta love the luminous sorbet style texture of the quadratic version of the Mandelbulb

The Top 10 Quotes by Confucius.

clipped from www.globalone.tv Confucius says: The Top 10 Quotes by Confucius clipped from api.ning.com clipped from www.globalone.tv 1. "Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself." 2. "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance." 3. "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." 4. "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." 5. "The Superior Man is aware of Righteousness, the inferior man is aware of advantage." 6. "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." 7. "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do." 8. "He who learns but does not think, is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger." 9. "He that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools." 10. "If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?"

Merry Christmas

clipped from www.gotohelltown.com

Copenhagen: Look to the Sea?

The oceans may be largely overlooked at the climate conference in Copenhagen, but they will bear the brunt of climate change.

clipped from www.scientificamerican.com The oceans control climate change. Not only do the world's waters absorb the bulk of the extra heat trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, they also absorb the bulk of the extra carbon dioxide. And that means one thing: a more acid ocean.  Warmer water also takes up more space. That's led to sea level rise of 17 centimeters over the 20th century, enough to erode or submerge some 60 extra feet of beach on the U.S. East Coast.  Nothing agreed in Copenhagen or hereafter will be able to stop either this thermal expansion of the seas or the rising acidity of the waters. That would take actually reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, perhaps through devices to pull it out of the air.  Already, human impacts on the ocean are large, from spurring jellyfish to dominate to boosting algae blooms and dead zones. The Baltic Sea that Copenhagen guards is the world's largest such dead zone. With water, water everywhere, perhaps it's time to think.

14-Defining Characteristics of Fascism

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

clipped from www.commondreams.org American Fascism Dr. Lawrence Britt has examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14-defining characteristics common to each: 1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays. TOP 2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

Bush Shoe Thrower -- Karma is a Size 12

clipped from www.tmz.com It was a shoe-icide mission -- an angry Iraqi broke into a press conference in Paris yesterday and fired his shoe at the same guy who threw some footwear at President George Bush last year. clipped from www.copytaste.com clipped from www.tmz.com Just like the Bush incident, the new shoe-thrower missed his target -- Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi. But moments after the shoe flew, Muntadhar's brother tried to settle the score, by taking off his own shoe and trying to smack the attacker with it. No one was injured in the shoe'ding.