I've been getting back up to speed on CSS and web design, and I've found some incredibly cool stuff since my list bout of interest—some because it's new, some because it was way above my level when I was first learning CSS. Among the coolest developments are CSS-based drop-downs (example); CSS image map replacements, complete with very cool roll-over effects (example); and "sliding doors" and sliding doors part II for making sweet expandable tabs (example)—especially cool since I'd just finished patting myself on the back for coming up with CSS tabs that looked just like their example ugly tabs. A List Apart is definitely the best resource I've found for CSS-oriented coolness.
The other incredibly cool CSS effect I've come across is faux image compositing with CSS—don't bother to visit unless you are using a standards-compliant (or "not-IE" as they call it in the trade) browser, as it will just look weird. Of course, the better solution is to simply use semi-transparent PNG backgrounds (this also doesn't work in IE (well, Win-IE) without ugly hackery, but that's no loss over the multi-image method), but it gets points for cleverness.
And then, of course, there is the CSS Zen Garden, which demonstrates the awesome power of CSS. My personal favorite is this design, but once again IE users need not apply.
Note to self: convert more people to Firebird.

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