Welcome to the 342nd issue of the Cool Tricks and Trinkets Newsletter offering weekly insights into new, cool, useful, fun, unusual and interesting sites on the Internet.

………………….....with a little help from my friends..………………..

Dear Cool Tricks and Trinkets Newsletter Subscribers

As some of you may know, over the past 5 years I have been blessed in building my company A1 Discount Hotels into one of the largest affiliates in the Hotels.com family. Our commitment to customer service and simply caring for people has yielded thousands of loyal customers.

In an effort to acknowledge our valued clientele, we are launching a new site, A1 Travel Club, (http://a1-travelclub.com), which will offer the LOWEST hotel reservation prices on the Internet.

Travel Club members will receive an additional 5% rebate on all pre-paid hotel reservations. This rebate will be on top of the already low prices offered by hotels.com.

The Travel Club will be "by invitation only" and I am asking for your support in telling all your friends, family and associates about our new venture.

With much appreciation,

Charles Kessler

In this issue:

- Baby Name Wizard
- Stagework
- Nobody Here, Just Me
- Short Takes
- RatLab: Where All The Mad Scientists Go
- A Dancer's Journal
- Like a Rolling Stone
- Vaguely Artistic Collage Gallery
- Virtual Bunkers Tours
- Subscribers' Sites

Baby Name Wizard

More than just a word, the names we are given by our parents are our lifelong titles, and an integral part of our identity. Whether you are a John, Jack, Beverly or Moonunit, this cool site will give you some insight into the popularity of your given name.

The Baby Name Wizard is an interactive tool that shows the individual 'rank' of first names by decade in the 20th Century. Just drag your mouse over the Wizard until you find your name, then click on it to see a graph that tracks its popular status over the past one hundred years. For example, 'Mildred', who once enjoyed the rank of 6 at the turn of the Century, fell entirely off the radar after 1970.

http://babynamewizard.com/namevoyager/lnv0105.html

Stagework

Fans of stage performance will enjoy this cool site, which offers a behind-the-curtain look into the world of plays. Managed by the National Theater of England, Stagework.Org aims to give theater-lovers an insiders view into the complex processes that go into producing a live play.

The site is chock full of cool features, including info on upcoming performances and articles on individual plays and current adaptations. Don't miss the 'Productions' section of the site, which is a behind-the-scene video story of the birth of plays such as 'The Crucible" and "His Dark Materials", from rehearsals and set design to interviews with cast and crews.

http://www.stagework.org.uk/

Nobody Here, Just Me

Art meets animation at Nobody Here, an eccentric design site supported by the Netherlands Foundation for Fine Arts, Design, and Architecture. The high design concepts on this site may make it a bit confusing at first, but it is well worth taking the time to figure out this amazing Dutch designer's domain.

Visitors to this artistic website should take their time to check out the many interesting features, including sections such as 'Toes', 'Apologies' and 'Problems'. The designer uses impressive graphic creativity to convey his personal emotions and frustrations. If you want to participate, just apply by choosing one of the 'bug' identities and crawl around the website chatting with other insect visitors. This is a very cool online experience.

http://www.nobodyhere.com/justme/me.here

SHORT TAKES

Tales of the "Numa Numa Dance"

Get ready to groove and laugh at this hilarious site. Just sit back, relax, turn up the volume and watch the "Numa Numa Dance" unfold.

http://www.funpic.hu/swf/numanuma.html

<><><><>

Comparing Browser Speeds

Not all browsers are created equal. Read one man's research about which of the five major browsers is the fastest on Earth.

http://www.howtocreate.co.uk/browserSpeed.html

<><><><>

Build Your Own Eunicycle

Introducing the Electric Unicycle (Eunicycle), a hybrid of a scooter and a unicycle. Check out this site, created by the inventor of the Eunicycle, to learn how to build one of your very own one-wheeled contraptions.

http://tlb.org/eunicycle.html

Designed by a twenty-five year old Microbiology student, RatLab's goal is to 'spread a little science love'. Whether you are a student or just someone who is curious about the wondrous world of science, this site is sure to entertain for hours.

Go to the 'Facts' section to find answers to all sorts of fun questions about why things are the way they are, or spend some time reading articles about important issues such as stem cell research and the tuberculosis epidemic. Ambitious young scientists will also find a cool section called 'Try This', which is filled with safe experiments that can be tried at home.

http://www.ratlab.co.uk/

A Dancer's Journal

In the dancing community, Martha Graham is known as 'the mother of modern dance'. This website was created as a 'journal' by one of her new students as a tool to help them learn their new moves.

Students and fans of the performing arts will enjoy watching the process of learning each dance. Dancers can practice these amazing steps, developed by Mrs. Graham over eighty years ago, at home from the convenience and privacy of their own computer.

http://www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org/marthagraham/

Like a Rolling Stone

Welcome to the online home of one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Bob Dylan. More than just the voice of a generation, he is a singer whose style changed the way we perceive traditional vocal talent and whose lyrics have inspired millions of fans.

The site behind the legend has everything you need to know about Dylan and his music. Fans can find out about upcoming performances and tour information, buy show tickets and albums from the online store, as well as his new book "CHRONICLES: Vol. One". There is also an A-Z archive of his songs, for those purists who see Dylan and his lyrics as more poetry than song.

http://www.bobdylan.com/index.html

**********Advertisement**************

Have a Website, But Can't Edit It?

Easily edit your business website whenever you want. No software to install
or maintain. Edit.com works with your current website design and hosting.

Visit Edit.com online or call 877.387.2549 for more information.

http://www.edit.com/index.cfm?aid=tat2

<Editor Note> This is one of the most useful services I have seen.

********************************

Vaguely Artistic Collage Gallery

This cool artist site focuses on the creative medium known as the collage. The 'Vaguely Artistic Collage Gallery' features a collection of talented collage pieces using a variety of materials.

Browse through the gallery to see cool collages made up from mixed media pages, altered books, puzzles, photomontages and several other specific materials. After looking through the gallery of collages, you can send e-cards of the images to friends who appreciate good artwork.

http://www.vaguelyartistic.com/montage.html

Virtual Bunkers Tours

Human history is riddled with violent wars. While many do not survive these horrific conflicts, their memory and sacrifice can be honored through study and reflection.

The creator of this site, Dan McKenzie, has made a hobby out of studying military history, primarily underground bunkers near the Maginot Line in Northern France. A true hobbyist, Mr. McKenzie has compiled a ton of information about various bunkers, deep level shelters, military bases and other abandoned military locations throughout Europe.

http://www.bunkertours.co.uk/

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 ctt@net-market.com

~ The Exciting Adventures of Chickenman

~ Rupex - The Definitive Source for Home Storage of your Sports Boards.

~ Merrill "Mitch" Lewis - Sculptor

\\ \\\ | /// //
\\ \\ | /////
\\\\~ ~////
( @ @ )
OOo-(_)-oOOo--------

Heaven embraces the horizon.
No matter how jagged the profile,
The sky faithfully conforms.

~ Zen Saying

oooO--------( )----
( ) ) /
\ ( (_/
\_)

Have a great weekend.

Charles Kessler