Tiki Archeology
I've been asked many times about my fascination with the Tiki sub-culture. It's a bit hard to quantify exactly why I'm so fascinated by it, but there are a few aspects...
Tiki Maniac
I've become completely obsessed with Tiki pop culture. None of that historical polynesian crap... no, I'm talking Tiki Americana from the 50s revived in all of its swank glory. Southern California was the central point of the Tiki empire in its hayday, and it turns out it's still a pretty happening place now. There are quite a few tiki bars, artists, bands and swinging cats like me who love a good cocktail. Artistically inspired, I created some of my own tiki art:
"Groovy Moai"
"Martiki"
"The TikiGeeki Fez"
(BTW - The above is a little more funny if you know my name on Tiki related messageboards is TikiGeeki... and the below image is my avatar)
Universe 3/03 - Mapping Complete!
As luck would have it, I found the point of repetition in Universe 3/03. You can find a full write up (DigTrig) on the topology of a cellular automaton using rule set 3/03 on a field that starts empty and is 20 x 20 in size. In short, 335,225 unique patterns with that final unique pattern looping back into iteration #243,830. Far less than the 36 quadrillion possible patterns, but 1/3 of a million iterations is nothing to sneeze at... about 35 Megs of text files! One note of interest: the number of unique iterations before the point of repetition, I called them "Prime Iterations", is 243,829... which by sheer chance... is a prime number! I guess "Prime Iterations" is a good term after all. ;)
Such a nice feeling to have defined the Universe of 3/03 and to know it's entire timeline and topology. I'm feeling a little omniscient. :D