A thread on DPReview.com stimulated me to make Local Contrast Enhancement the "Tip of the Week" on my site.
LCE is a technique that Michael Reichmann describes and credits to Thomas Knoll. A low setting for Amount and a high setting for Radius can result in a perceived increase in image contrast along the edges of finer details.
The effect is more subtle than 'WOW!,' but it sure can improve your images.
Feel free to take a look . . .
http://www.thelightsrightstudio.com/...pOfTheWeek.htm
Feel free to look around and download anything else you like from my Digital Darkroom.
Cheers,
Mitch