Welcome to the 131st issue of the Cool Tricks and Trinkets Newsletter offering weekly insights into new, cool, useful, fun, unusual and interesting sites on the Internet.

In this issue:

- Coming Attractions Internet Style
- Know Your Planet
- Burma: Grace Under Pressure
- Short Takes
- Reinventing Schools
- Extreme Sports Pie
- Pooja Online
- Close Encounters
- Courtroom Drama
- Subscribers' Sites


Coming Attractions Internet Style

One of the best parts of going to the movies is the Coming Attractions, and the last few years have seen more and more online movie trailer websites. Otnemem.com has a unique preview for the movie 'Memento', which generated a lot of buzz after its release at this years' Sundance Film Festival.

The online trailer is molded in the spirit of 'The Blair Witch Project' in its feigned realism, but goes much deeper with a haunting, creative format. It opens with a chilling clue to the plot that only adds to the anticipation of seeing the film.

The one clue, a newspaper article, is dotted with about ten words that unravel into a series of deeper clues about the main character (just run your mouse over them.) Together they emote a sense of the movie that no standard television or movie trailer could achieve, and a genuine desire to dig deeper into the film.

Know Your Planet

In recent decades, environmentalism has grown almost as quickly as the technologies and circumstances that deplete the lands, oceans, animals and people of the world. Behind every threat to the ecosystems is a passionate, not for profit organization dedicated to its defense.

Know Your Environment takes a different, more scientific approach to dealing with the current problems facing the environment. Instead of picketing, lobbying Congress, or sleeping in trees, they promote education to create an awareness of these very serious issues.

Scroll through an index of college-level lectures and articles on topics ranging from genetically modified foods to clean water to the perennial argument over the ozone layer. This is a great site if you are interested in these crucial issues and want to get to the facts beyond the politics.

Burma: Grace Under Pressure

Burma, now known as Myanmar, a country nestled between China, Thailand and Tibet, is the size of France and home to over 50 million people. It is also a nation ravaged by poverty and oppressed by a ruthless military dictatorship that for the past twelve years has drained its society of freedom and economic security.

Burma, Grace Under Pressure is a photo-journal "in motion" inspired by the site's founder, Geoffrey Hiller, during his recent trip to the troubled land. It is more experience than website, accompanied by Burmese music, each picture is aligned with a quote or story.

Hiller manages to portray the pain and struggle of the Burmese people through personal interviews, storytelling, and factual information.

SHORT TAKES:

SpyCam

Seeing things objectively takes on a whole new meaning at Globexplorer.com, which claims to be the world's largest archive of images captured by satellite or aircraft.

While the site is primarily focused on ebusiness and supplying images to companies involved in travel, sports, land management, and telecommunications, you can still take advantage of a 'birds eye view' of almost twenty major cities.

Sign up as a member and zoom in on the planet from above.

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Office Clown

Every now and then people find themselves a little bored spending eight hours a day in the same office. Whether it's boredom or revenge, Planet Wally will supply you with enough office pranks to keep you snickering for months.

With over a hundred pranks available, you'll be able to confuse your coworkers with tame and harsh pranks alike. Look for the George W. Bush Web Prank as well as the Junk Mail Prank, located in the 'Home Pranks' Section of this slightly evil but very fun website.

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Public Radio Fans

Fans of quality radio programming know that Public Radio is the professor of the intellectual airways. This website allows you to scroll through and listen to an international index of public radio programs. From the BBC to Australian radio it is easy to search by location and find your favorite channels.

Reinventing Schools

Technology is changing our lives more and more each year. Whether at home, on the road, or at the office, we are incessantly interacting with computers and digital technology. As adults, it is easy to forget the other environment that is rapidly restructuring itself as a result of these advancements, schools.

Reinventing Schools is wholly dedicated to issues surrounding the relationship between technology and education. Topics discussed range from the "Nintendo Generation" and how they learn differently than previous generations to reforming the education system to the importance of qualified teachers.

It also discusses new approaches to improving the way in which children interact in classrooms, offers an OP-ED section, and covers the business and financial concerns involved in enhancing America's schools.

A fascinating site to read through, especially if you have kids!!!

Extreme Sports Pie

The fastest-growing sport in America today can be described in one word, extreme. From the snow to the sea and beyond, young people are happily risking their bodies in the arena of extreme sports. Pie.com is a comprehensive, online magazine/gallery filled with endless articles and photographs revolving around surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding and BMX biking.

Clicking into any of these categories will reveal a photo gallery (with streaming video clips of wipeouts and great moves), articles on the sport, tips on how to do 'tricks', recommended locations where you can hone your skills, and more.

The site is also equipped with chat rooms, forums, email and instant messaging as well as music to listen to while you browse. A little difficult to navigate but well worth the effort.

Pooja Online

Many Americans are familiar with the purifying and life-giving benefits of yoga and Ayurvedic medicine. While these are important components of Indian society, they are only the tip of the spiritual iceberg that is India. Religion, art, music, astrology and philosophy all play major roles in this fascinating and ancient culture.

Poojaonline.com is a cryptic website that radiates energy and information, a doorway to a foreign world that places spirituality in front of all other concerns. There is so much to explore at this site, religious services and education, you can even have a 'pooja', (a silent meditation or chanting to express gratitude or receive blessing), done in your name.

Books and music are also available, as well as a spiritual slew of additional offerings and knowledge. This is a wonderful website in that its presence online is supported by a network of real life services. Om Shanti.

Close Encounters

For years we've been reading about the Hubble Telescope and how it's expensive, prone to breaking down and capable of solving some of the most fascinating mysteries in the universe. But what exactly is it and what has it uncovered in the years since it first began orbiting the earth?

This site answers just about every question an astronomy major, a future astronaut or sci-fi fan could ask. There is also a wealth of information about the suns, planets, stars and galaxies that compose our vast universe, to help you understand exactly what that Super Telescope is looking at.

Even more fascinating is the section 'Beyond Hubble', where we learn about the next generation of the Hubble Telescope (ready for orbit within 10 years and said to 10 times as powerful as the original). Dare to go where no net surfer has gone before.

Courtroom Drama

If you enjoy burying your brain in stories, especially those about history and legal cases, you will love this site. Lawbuzz.com, despite its misleading title, is a treasure trove of fascinating tales about historical characters, events and court cases dating back over a thousand years.

The twist is that every story is sprinkled with links that lead to deeper information about the subject you clicked on. If you are reading the story of Braveheart (which you definitely should, it's located in section entitled "The Stories Behind the Movies"), you can click on Edward I to find out more about the notoriously ruthless King of England.

Other cool sections of LawBuzz are Famous Trials and Trials Without Justice. You can register for the e-magazine to get access to even more enthralling material.

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

~Living with disabilities - A story about being.

~Sandi McMenamin - pianist/vocalist/songwriter and piano teacher from
Australia.

~Cheer Up - Free ecards, postcards and lots of love.

~DotComBizGuide - The place to find the home business you are seeking.

~Certified Security Consultants - Find one near you.

~The Busy Person's Guide to Home Remedies

~My Cookbook - The BEST recipes on the net.

~Earthbound Companies - Innovative Web-Site Design and Web Services.

~WOLFDENTRADER - Loom beadstrips using authentic Native American designs.


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A course sieve catches little.
A fine mesh catches more.
If you want the subtle, be refined,
But prepare to deal with the coarse.

TAO

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Have a great weekend.

Charles Kessler