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 Monday evening Australian (Queensland) time (GMT + 9 hours according to the world clock). Please come back and visit often.

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If you are a frequent visitor to my site you will know that I seldom put up a site that is commercial in nature. However, on very rare occasions I run across one that I think you should know about and the 5DollarSoftware.com site is certainly one of those. I mean, seriously, where else would you find quality software at a $5.00 US price tag? Just think of this for a moment. The people who wrote any of this software spent between 100 and 2000 hours writing the software and ensuring it works properly before releasing it for sale. And now you can buy it for use on your computer for $5.00? Most coffee now costs more. Have a look and you'll see what I mean. It has various categories listed on the left side of the screen, and let's face it, would you work for 5 cents per hour, or less? Not me thanks. So this site is a bargain and one to bookmark for when it's needed.

It would appear that folk all around the world have something to say on just about every subject there is to talk about. However, how do you, the consumer, hear what they have to say? One way is to hop over to the Global Voices Online site and literally, have a listen. It has voices of folk all over this little tiny globe talking about issues that affect all of us. Why not give it a try? You might find that someone else's thinking mirrors your own.

With the advent of school starting here (it already has) and soon in the more northern climes, I thought the Fact Monster Online Almanac, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, and Homework Help site might be worth a revisit for those who don't know of its existence. I mentioned it last in March of 2004 but that was a while ago now. If you need help doing homework or researching a topic for school, then this is really one of the better places to look for it. Enjoy, and bookmark this one.

I might also add that universities either have started a new term (as they have here) or are about to in another month or so in the northern half of the globe. If you are a university student, or are about to become one, you would do much worse than to read the Online Writing Materials About Online Writing Materials site, kindly provided by the folk at Dartmouth College. This will give you a good basis for your assignment writing in university - and yes, you WILL have to do those and do them well. Have a read.

Cooks enjoy looking at new and exciting recipes as well as you and I do. Indeed, many of the professional cooks gain insights into methods and ideas from sites just like the Cooks Recipes A cooking and recipe site with recipes for every cook! site. So, if it's good enough for the professionals to get ideas from, it should serve you and I well, shouldn't it? I think so.

What is the chemical composition of the majority of liquid found on Mars? How hot are the undersea volcanic vents in our own oceans and do species of animal life actually live in that temperature range? These and almost every other question you can think of a scientific nature can be found, or at least asked on, the site known as CCMR - Ask A Scientist!. I guess that's pretty self-explanatory so if you really need to know something of a scientific nature, hop over to this site and ask.

Did you know that the net has its own slang? Sure you do - you've seen some of it and though you may already know most of it, occasionally there will be some new term that confuses you. When that happens, hop over to the Internet Slang Dictionary & Translator and let this clever site translate it into English for you. Nice site, and I've personally bookmarked it as well. Even I come up against some terms I know nothing about.

Without doubt you will know of and most likely have seen and even read a copy of the magazine publication of the National Geographic Society. They have been publishing since I was a lad (yes, surprisingly they had invented paper and printing presses back then). But did you know of the online publication called the National Geographic News? It's a wonderful way of enthusing members of your family and friends to keep up with the latest discoveries found here. Maybe you should consider subscribing for your own grandchildren or children?

If you are using Windows XP you will be aware of the controversy surrounding the service pack for it, to keep it up to date. Friends, trust me, it's worth the trouble. Yes, if you have an older version of XP you may have to go get new drivers for some software and or devices such as scanners or printers, but shouldn't you be keeping a reasonably frequent eye on that anyway? The Security Essentials for Windows XP Service Pack 2 can be downloaded and installed from here. Yes, it's big, Yes, it is essential - for your own security. Yes, it will take time, but it is free after all. So turn it on, start it off, then go have lunch by the beach. *smile*.. it's worth the wait.

I've always been a gadget nut. Still am. Thus, I find that the Ubergizmo, The Gadgets Radar - www.ubergizmo.com site will do nicely at keeping me informed of the things just coming out to make my life easier. Have a look. It could enhance your life as well.

And not to be outdone, Microsoft has waded in with their own site devoted to new things (albeit things normally developed by them) that will make all of our net experience that much better as well. Hop over to the MSN Tech & Gadgets - Home site, have a browse around, and see what you'll spend at least part of those lotto winnings on *smile*

I know that folk get nostalgic about all kind of things, and I understand most of it, but unless you had a real affinity with a particular shopping mall when you were a kid, would you really collect pictures of it? Well, some folk do, and post them on the Malls of America - Vintage photos of lost Shopping Malls of the '60s & '70s site. Personally I must be missing something. I guess like most things, beauty (and nostalgia) is in the eye of the beholder.

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. ;-)