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.

Important Note: If you are returning to my page, welcome back! Please click your "Refresh" or "Reload" button on the top of your Internet browser to ensure you are seeing the current week's page of my "Picks of the Week". Also, I would love for you to make my site your home page. Simply click on Tools - Options in Explorer, or Edit - Preferences in Netscape, and click Use Current and it's done.

Dear Visitor. I am making an exception today to this week's list of sites for you to see. The reason for this is to ask for your assistance in preventing yet another atrocity happening in our little world to a people whose ONLY fault is that they believe in God. Can't happen in our world you say? Another Holocaust couldn't possibly happen over religious beliefs, not in today's society, could it? Well, the United Nations seems to think it not only could, but is HAPPENING NOW. And where? Well, let me point you toward the articles and blogs that will enlighten you on this terrible state of affairs. First please start at the http--www.unhchr.ch-huricane-huricane.nsf-viewopendocument which is a United Nations paper, and when you've finished reading that, please also look at the Iran Focus-Persecution Of Baha'is Continues In Iran - Human Rights - News story by Radio Free Europe, and finally please look at, and bookmark, the Baha'i Blog " Blog Archive " UN Religious Freedom Official expresses fears for Baha'is in Iran blog. Friends, I ask you to please begin by notifying the leaders of your own countries that this is taking place as a matter of public record, and ask them to take action to save these brothers and sisters who's only fault is that they believe in a Supreme Being and believe that their religion was founded by the latest in a series of messengers from that Supreme Being to mankind. Note: the latest. Not the Best, or Shiniest, nor the Greatest, simply the latest. Please help to prevent this group of people being killed and their ability to work stopped, and their children's education prevented, because they do not profess the Islamic Faith. Let this generation of inhabitants of this little green planet ensure that NO government, including the Government of Iran, is allowed to continue to practice the crime of genocide within their borders or on their citizens. I thank you for your help.

With more and more security problems on the net we all need competent anti-virus protection. Many folk use the free version of the AVG Free for Windows antivirus program. However there is an alternative if you wish to try it. It is called Avast - Free antivirus software download and will run for 60 days before you are required to register it. It is still free, but they do require registration and that is easily done at the Registration of Avast! 4 Home Edition site. Just remember, this is the home version and is not suitable for business purposes. If you don't presently have an anti-virus program running on your system, protect yourself with at least one of them today.

As you may know, the folk at Google Labs keep churning out new and exciting programs for us all. One has been talked about a lot but there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the Google Calendar, which is in the "beta" testing stage. The TechCrunch " Exclusive Screenshots Google Calendar site has some interesting information and screen shots of some of it. Just keep in mind it's still in the beta (or testing) stages and hasn't been released as yet. Watch this space.

You no doubt have some form of a Firewall installed on your Internet connection. If you don't have at least one kind of Firewall on your system you really are leaving your doors open to invasion. Once you do have some form of firewall installed, either software or hardware based, it would be a good idea to check out your own system to see if you are safe or not. One of the "Old Timers" like me is a man by the name of Fred Langa, and he produces a free newsletter that you should seriously look at subscribing to. He also has one addition of that newsletter which states that it contains InformationWeek Fred Langa LangaLetter The Best PC Help, Reference, And Test Sites September 17, 2001 and indeed, it does. Yes, this is, in Internet terms, old news, but if you haven't caught up with this info you should. Read, test, and remain secure.

If you or a friend or family member have some condition that is not readily understandable (for instance, I suffer with diabetic peripheral neuropathy - try saying that with a mouth full of oatmeal.. lol) there is a wonderful site which is provided by the Columbia University called Go Ask Alice! - Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service which is a really great site. Just Ask Alice about that condition (or any other) and they most likely will have a good description of it for you to read. This is a real bookmark - one to keep for that time in the future when you need information from a reliable source. I'd bookmark it if I were you.

Have you ever noticed that most children get sent off to learn some musical instrument or voice? Isn't it amazing how music touches all of our lives, hopefully in a positive way? The world of music and indeed, of instruments, can be confusing. Thus the Classics for Kids Musical Dictionary site is one that your younger family members (and some of the older ones as well) might like to know about. Take them there with you and show them how you've bookmarked (or made a favorite of) it for them. That way their questions about what instrument to try to play might be made easier.

If you're a frequent visitor to my site you'll know that at one time I was involved in education. However my involvement was at the University level and I can tell you that I admire the resolve of those who teach the younger members of our society. One source of good information, lesson plans, discussion and the like is the AST Center for Applied Special Technology site. Indeed I feel that every educator should be aware of this site thus do pass it on to those who might find it beneficial in their own classrooms.

You may or may not have watched the Commonwealth Games that were recently held here in the city of Melbourne. Melbourne is known for its shopping and for its fine food, among other things. Thus the ABC Melbourne Recipes site should come as no surprise. And indeed, the recipes found there are yummy to say the least. Have a look and see if they tantalize your taste buds as well.

One of the many ways I use to keep me current with new and exciting sites to show you each week is the service by Google called the Google Alert - Professional Web Alerts. Indeed, you can also use the service by starting a search for your favorite subject and having it emailed to you daily, weekly, or whenever you say. It's a great way to keep up with what ever is new in your own field of interest. Give it a try. I've found it invaluable.

Isn't it maddening when your system crashes and you have to reinstall all that software you had running on your system? And, what makes matters worse is the fact that much of it is now outdated, if it's produced at all any more. Thus, the OldVersion.com site can prove to be invaluable. You can find almost everything you can think of, including the Sygate firewall which I personally still use and consider the best firewall around. Unfortunately it's no longer supported, but you can find it here. Great site and well worth a bookmark.

When one thinks of space one naturally thinks of NASA or the Hubble Space Telescope sites. They are certainly the major players but also certainly not the ONLY ones. For instance, you might find that the Spitzer Space Telescope site, supported by Caltech University, is also a wonderful site for those interested in space and all its wonders. Have a look and enjoy the sky above you.

Do you make frequent long distance phone calls? Is your long distance phone bill astronomical in size? Would you like to try and cut down the amount you and your family spend on phone calls? Of course I'm alluding to something that takes advantage of the now popular VOIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol strategy of using voice over unused parts of the Internet. One of the pieces of software that also uses this you may already have and not realise that it can be used in this way. If you use Yahoo! Messenger with Voice as your chat program then you already have the capability of using VOIP on your system. The Yahoo! Voice - Internet Phone Call Rates site will show you how much they will charge you to use their system to contact phones, not just other computers that use Yahoo Messenger. I have to admit the prices do look tempting. Have a look and see what you think.

And finally for this week, a site I can only surmise put up by someone who came across some photos at some point, scanned them and now has them on the web in hopes of finding out who these people were. The site also is a wonderful slice of the 1950's and 60's and is a real nostalgia trip. Have a look. You might know who these Houseplant Picture Studio presents...PHOTOS OF AN UNKNOWN FAMILY WHO PROBABLY OWNED A LIQUOR STORE - PART 1 photos are of. If so let him know who they are. You might be looking at family of a bygone era. Enjoy.

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. ;-)