Welcome to the 119th issue of Cool Tricks and Trinkets offering weekly insights into new, cool, useful, fun, unusual and interesting sites on the Internet.

In this issue:

- Illuminating Light
- Low Cost Film Developing
- The Travel Year
- Short Takes
- Censored - Wielding the Red Pen
- Aspiring Photographers
- Rock's Back Pages
- Chick Click
- What is Logic?
- Subscribers' Sites


Illuminating Light

The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh has teamed up with the Van Gough museum in Amsterdam to help shed some light on, well, light. This extraordinary site takes a detailed look at the evolution of light in a social, economic and artistic context. Have fun navigating the site through an interactive timeline that spans the Industrial Age from 1750 - 1900.

http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/light/english/index.html

Low Cost Film Developing

During the holidays, photos are ripe for the taking. But by the time you've developed all the rolls and made prints for everyone, the price of all the memories can be pretty steep. If you're looking to take the work and expense out of your holiday photos, Snapfish.com has a unique solution.

For $1.69 per roll, snapfish.com will develop your negatives and send you a full set of prints, AND create an online photo album which will be available to your friends and family.

What's the catch? You're required to pay a visit to your new photo album within 30 days of completion. That's it! Otherwise, you'll have to pay $3.99 a roll. Not too shabby. Users are allowed to develop 24 rolls within 12 months.

http://www.snapfish.com

The Travel Year

What do you do if you're a 20 something graphic designer who is burnt out on the dotcom world? You take a year off and travel the world.

The Travel Year is a site created by two net professionals documenting their travels for a year all over the globe. Complete with a detailed travelogue including a map of the route they've taken and a calendar itinerary, this site truly is the next best thing to actually being there.

If you're feeling generous, you can help prolong their trip by sending Michelle and Tim some money.

http://www.thetravelyear.com/

SHORT TAKES:

All About Words

If you're looking for a fast, uncluttered, text based online dictionary, bookmark this site.

The DICT Development Group has created a site that has access to numerous dictionary databases such as Webster's 1913 Revised Unabridged Dictionary, WordNet's Lexical Database, and the CIA World Fact Book.

http://www.dict.org/

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Lego Star Wars Trilogy

The fruits of over 2,500 hours of work, the Lego Star War Trilogy painstakingly recreates over 180 key scenes from the original series. Imperial Walkers, Ewok dances, Jabba's sail barge, and the "most impressive" Skywalker vs. Darth Vader lightsaber duel are all recreated using cutom-made models. Only fully trained Jedi, with the Force as their ally, may conquer this site.

http://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/~mbsf/

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Caricature Zone

Got some free time at the office? Why not make a caricature of a colleague. Caricature Zone gives visitors all the tools necessary to deface a friend's photo or take an impressionistic fling.

http://www.magixl.com/heads/intro.html

Censored - Wielding the Red Pen

Given the rights Americans have to free speech, could you consider a circumstance in which the suppression of materials or ideas might be wise? The University of Virginia Libraries has created an online exhibition to challenge your views on censorship.

Censored - Wielding the Red Pen, provides examples of various types of censorship that have occurred in the US. Everything from the 785 dirty words counted in The Catcher in the Rye, to the controversial birth control advocacy of Margaret Sanger, to the argument of Creationism vs. Darwinism in our schools are explored in this thought provoking site.

http://www.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/censored/

Aspiring Photographers

Depth of field, shutter speeds, aperture settings and f-stops are enough to make new photographers camera shy. Fear not, now there is a site for all of us who are intimidated by the technical aspects of photography.

Explore Photography contains a wealth of practical information created by a professional photographer interested in demystifying the process. Lucky for us, as these pages are packed with simple, sound advice to get any amateur started on the right path.

For the absolute beginners, be sure to check out the Buying a Camera and Lens section. For the experts, bookmark the Hyperfocal Distance and Depth of Field charts.

http://www.explorephotography.com/

Rock's Back Pages

Can't make it to the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame anytime soon? This site is the next best thing.

Rock's Back Pages contains a in depth information for the rock enthusiast. Browse through the impressive "library" of groups for articles ranging from album reviews to general commentary or check out featured stories or see what's new in rock news.

http://www.rocksbackpages.com/

Chick Click

The influence of women on the net grows daily and recents stats show more women online than men. Chick Click is another intelligent and fun answer to what some consider to be a slightly misogynistic, male dominated internet.

With subjects ranging from politics to shopping to equal rights, Chick Click takes a smart and slightly ironic look at all things topical and how they affect women. The site is ripe with discussions and advice on personal and generic issues.

http://www.chickclick.com/

What is Logic?

My favorite subject in college, (Rutgers 1964) was logic 101, while learning how things verbal could be expressed mathematically. Solving mysteries by applying logic to a set of clues always fascinated me.

Factasia's purpose is, "to provide resources for building a vision of the future." In this heady, intellectual playground, visitors will find everything from an 80 word definition of "truth" to intriguing introductions to symbolic, philosophical, mathematical and many other forms of logic.

http://www.rbjones.com/rbjpub/logic/log025.htm

SUBSCRIBERS' SITES - Many of our subscribers have fascinating on-line projects. This weekly section will introduce you to some of these sites. Please let me know about your project so that I might mention it in this section. Write me at info@tricksandtrinkets.com

~Funtestiq - quizzes, puzzles, riddles, polls and games.

~Welcome to Amanda's website and her poems.

~ Beffie's World - Flash cartoons, weekly haiku news and rants.

~Visual Basic Programming Group

~ Art Sketchbook - Create your own sketches and exhibit them.

~Crafty Crocks

~Mind-Sharpeners - Unique medical teaching modules. 

~Online Course about natural health and healing.

~Just Think It! -Quotes, Thoughts & Inspiration FREE newsletter.

~Sewhanhaka High School Class of 1968

~The Personal Musings of Jeanette



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Once you've seen the face of God,
You see that same face on everyone you meet.

TAO

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Have a great weekend.

Charles Kessler