[Zope] passing request variables in zope

howdy. i've been passing some variables through the url <a href=http://mysite.com/index_html?newvar=chocolate>link</a> and then accessing the request namespace in the target page my favorite ice cream is <span tal:replace="request/newvar">vanilla</span> i would like to pass this variable without cluttering up the url. i know that i could also use cookies, or sessions, or a form to pass this variable. is there any other way i could pass this variable? i guess i would like to be able to create POST variables by hand and then send them off to the next page, whatever page that is. is this what the response object is for? am i just being really boneheaded? thanks...