Paula Little, you've just finished your first semester of graduate school... what are you going to do now?

Imagine a lens for your camera phone that is very small and has no moving parts yet is still able to focus and zoom like the “huge” lens you already have.  French startup Varioptic has come up with a technology that makes zoom lens elements which have been shrunk down to a couple millimeters in size... but they say they'll go smaller.

The technology is very cool.  They sandwich a couple of liquids of similar density into their element and move the edges of the liquid “bubble” by applying electrostatic pressure.  The surface tension forces the shape to bulge, focusing the element.  Clever.

Now maybe that Dick Tracy watch can really have a video phone!

Get the whole picture on this story at the register.

Thanks Denise for the tip on this Jamba Juice coupon: http://jambajuice.com/menuguide/featuredproducts.html

Starting tomorrow (12/1) people on the west coast will be able to request a free credit report at http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.  This new service will eventually be available to the whole country but is starting with the western states first, allowing the bureaus to do a gradual roll out (can you say beta test?).

I'll likely be one of the early people who runs out and signs up for a credit report, using my personal information to shake the bugs out of the new system.  I'm sure everything will be just fine, what's the worst that could happen?

The first states are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.  For more information MSNBC ran a story on the subject a few days ago: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6576905/

You know they didn't put this page up recently, but the number of things to see in Iraq makes me sad that the human race is so screwed up.  One more place I'm likely to never see in my lifetime.

On the entertaining side, I do like Atlas Tours's tag line: “We are sincere”.  If we're rude and obnoxious, don't fret, you know we mean it.

I'm as big an animal lover as the next guy... but this is just... well... odd.

"Imagine: your dog, cat, or other pet in full military regalia. I make this fantasy a reality. Using the latest digital techniques, I combine a photo of your pet with the uniform and background of your choice."

Fantasy?  You mean like: “I love a man in uniform, now lick my boots Sgt. Spot!”?  Ewww!!!

Get your freak on at http://www.petsinuniform.com

Ever wonder where those turkeys come from and where they go?  National Geographic published an article in 2001 with some interesting details (like the trainers spend a lot of time dressed in blue clothing to mimic white house suits to socialize the turkeys).

Click for scary-big.

Ginger Elvis says: “I taste better than fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches!  Thank you very much!”

<crunch> Ginger Elvis's head has left the building.