Comment Re:Misunderrtanding the problem set (Score 1) 918
XeTeX (and XeLaTeX) uses unicode, Open Type and AAT fonts -- so the miracle is already present.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XeTeX and http://scripts.sil.org/xetex .
Submission + - Checked out Blender 3D lately? (v2.45 Released) (blender.org) 1
Apollos writes: "Open source software can be remarkable, and Blender 3D is no exception. This open source 3D modeling and animation package has been around quite a few years, but it is really getting mature; just check out the gallery at http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/gallery/images/. Version 2.45 has been released and can be downloaded at http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/
Blender 2.45 contains advanced features such as subdivision surfaces, soft selection, a modifier stack, full skeletal rigging and animation including inverse kinematics and vertex weight painting (there's even a non-linear animation editor, vertex shape keys, and lattice deformations), UV mapping and unwrapping with seam based support and real-time on the fly unwrap editing mode, multiple shaders, a material node editor, a node based compositor that's even being used for keying effects, physics and particle system, raytracing, sub surface scattering (SSS); oh, and did I mention it has it's own built-in game engine? You can find the full feature list at http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/features/.
Blender uses Python as a scripting engine so you can write your own importers and exporters, as well as extend and customize existing features. It runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows.
If you're worried about the learning curve, there are loads of helps and tutorials, both web based and video; just search the web and they'll pop up everywhere. Here's a short list of websites featuring video tutorials: http://blender.org/, http://blendernewbies.blogspot.com/, http://blenderunderground.com/. There's also the main support site featuring all sorts of tutorial links, http://blenderartists.org/."
Submission + - Duck Penis/Vagina In Evolutionary Arms Race
zentropa writes: "Gotta see it to believe it. Rape is common in some duck species, and it seems that female ducks have evolved "maze-like" genitals with twists, pouches and dead ends, in a bid to prevent rape and retain control of who fathers their offspring. The males, meanwhile, have evolved equally convoluted penises to keep up, according Cosmos Magazine in Australia. It has a picture of said genitals. Who said humans have it tough?"
