Mac's Picks is a collection of family friendly interesting and useful sites, updated weekly. These sites may be search engines, medical resources, household hints, educational resources, recipe sites, sites I call "head scratchers", and/or new sites dealing with all kinds of things of use to the general internet community. To find the criteria I use, simply click on the "Why and How Info" link on the right side of this page.

This page is updated on a weekly basis, each Tuesday evening Australian (Queensland) time (GMT + 9 hours according to the world clock). Please come back and visit us often.

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You may well know that I love good food. I, and my family, also love watching recipe shows on TV and have found some of the recipes by internationally known chefs such as Ainsley Harriot, Nigella Lawson, Rick Stein, Georgio Locatelli, Ken Hom, and Antonio Cambuccio. Surprisingly the UKTV Food Recipes site has recipes by all of these chefs and many more as well. You may well find a favorite recipe you've seen on one of the television shows here, so have a good browse around and bookmark this site. I think I can hear the kitchen calling again ... can't you?

There are many search facilities on the net and not all of them easilyknown. One way to find some of them is to hop over to the Search Engines Worldwide site, which bills itself as having "global & local search engines, directories, metasearch, meta, mp3, add and submit free" facilities for you to browse through. Remember, if you only use one search facility your chances of finding what you seek are extremely limited. Give some of the other search facilities a try.

You may have browsed a few blogs to find one that suits your interest but that can be time consuming and possibly not all that productive. Thus, the Technorati Searching the World Live Web site may be just what you need. It helps you find the blog you need to read with the information that interest you. This site works like a search engine of blogs and you use it in much the same way. Put in a key word you are looking for and it should bring up a blog that deals with that subject. Try it out. You may find exactly the blog that will keep you informed.

You'll know that Leonardo De Vinci was not only an artist but also a scientist and inventor. The Leonardo's Workshop an ArtEdventure with Carmine Chameleon site, though set up for children, is absolutely fabulous as it explores some of the drawings he left about things like flight, and he wasn't that far out either. Have a look (and take the younger members of your household along with you) and see what a prolific inventor he was. Very interesting and well done site.

If you have an interest in international affairs, education, politics, peace, or other broad reaching subjects the Conversations with History site has interviews, both written and as video presentations, about these and many other subjects with famous people from around the world for you to see, read, and/or listen to. Most of those listed are internationally renown as leaders in their field, and you get to hear them first hand. Now that has to be a wonderful educational resource, whether in education or simply wishing to hear information that you may have little real knowledge about. I find myself taking more and more time here listening to the outlook of those interviewed. You may as well.

What if "Internet-connected cell phones and car navigation systems (were to) be able to discover up-to-the minute information about local traffic, shops, and restaurants, while real - time 3D graphics systems (that) will let users literally see and navigate through a detailed virtual world". Would you be interested in having that information? The folk at the Digital Earth GeoWeb site are developing systems that will provide you with info about any geographic location on the globe and how to use it. Now that has to be exciting news. Have a look and a peek into the future.

Have you ever wondered what the flu or a cold really is and why it is deadly to some and not to others? How about whooping cough, or chronic fatigue syndrome, or even chicken pox? The answers to these and many other questions can be found on the Microbiology Microbes Bacteria Information and Links site. Yes, I know that it's nasty stuff, but once you understand it it's a little easier to deal with. Have a look and then you'll know.

I was recently sent a site to look at by one of my regular and much appreciated site senders, called Moments Of Extinction. Now, I'm not all that sure what the title is meant to portray, but I can tell you that there are amazing photos of people around the world that are beautiful and fascinating at the same time. This site is well worth a look for the beauty of the photos presented here of folk around the world, and in particular I think, in Africa. This is one of those really great sites to visit for a while.

I'm a gadget freak. I also keep up with what is new or even on the horizon by dropping into the MSN Tech & Gadgets site occasionally and checking up on the new things there.

Having said all of that, there are some reasonably good places to find shareware and freeware apps on the net. One is a site known as SnapFiles. This site allows you to download freeware and shareware software programs, and that's fine. Just remember to read ALL of the licensing and privacy agreement before you install the software.

How many earthquakes happened over the past 4 or 5 years? Where did they happen, and when? What about volcanoes? Is there any pattern involved? Is there any direct relationship between the volcanic activity and the movement of continental plates? To find the answers to this and many other questions hop over to the Riverdeep For Parents site, and it's for kids as well I might add. Simply download the things for their earth science center and try it out. It is nothing short of fantastic. I spent over an hour there myself. It is really good info about our little green orb and how it works.

Most males, and some females, at one time or another have dreamed about building a Hot Rod. The Project33 1933 Ford Street Rod site wants you to help build one on line. Now that's an interesting concept but hey, it might work. So, if you've had that dream, but not the time or money to make it happen, hop over and give them a hand. Strange.. but maybe useful in some way. *smile*

Rebecca Game of "Digital Women - Women with their modems running...", is a graphic designer who is superb to say the least. Rebecca designed this "new look" web site specifically for me, and I can't praise her work enough. Her site, dedicated to women on the net, is worth seeing and bookmarking for future reference. If you are looking for links of interest to women, please visit her site. And if you need the best graphic designer on the planet, I seriously can't recommend her more highly. Oh yes, and when you visit her site, tell her Mac sent you. Thank you Rebecca. I am eternally grateful for your assistance and expertise. ;-)