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.

With winter storms plaguing those in the more northern climes, I thought that the Soup recipes - All Recipes site deserved an award. I'm not saying that soup isn't a good summertime meal as well, but in winter it just seems that much more enticing. If soup sets your mouth watering, have a look here and see if one of these delicious recipes might prove worth your further investigation. Enjoy.

It isn't often that I suggest a screensaver is worth the time and effort but having seen the electric sheep screen-saver mentioned in a few places, I've recently tried it out, and I must say I'm impressed. It works somewhat like the BOINC screensaver that you can download from the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) institute in that it harnesses unused computing power around the globe to make an even better screensaver. I have to admit, this new one (why it's called electric sheep I'll never know) is a beauty. Also, if you have some form of a screen capture software on your machine you can also capture the images created as artwork to print off and hang in your office by hitting the PrtScr or Print Screen button on most keyboards. Why not give both of them a try, and see how your own computer can help create something new, or help research around the globe with the BOINC one. After all, it is your machine so why not use it to best advantage?

My grandson just started preschool a couple of weeks ago and thoughts of homework and things of that nature are now in his parent's and grandparent's minds. Thus, the ~Kids Online Resources - Welcome to Kids OLR~ site will, undoubtedly be bookmarked and saved for his use when he gets to that stage. Doesn't time fly? He was only born yesterday wasn't he? *chuckles a grandpa chuckle*

As you know, I'm a fan of blogging. Indeed, when I find one such as Phil Bradley's weblog which he says is about "Internet searching, web design, search engine developments and anything that will interest librarians" you know I had to have a read. I must say his blog is a good read and I recommend you have a look too. If you're trying to keep up with things, this is a great way to do it, as well as simply a well done blog.

We all know that computing is getting smaller and smaller, and faster and faster. However, I recently came across an article that is titled Breakthrough Nanotechnology Will Bring 100 Terabyte 3.5inch Digital Data Storage Disks and goes into detail about how this might affect you and I. Apparently it can be done, and the expected cost of the Atomic Holographic DVR disc drive will be from US$570 to US$750 with the replacement discs for US$45. Ok, a bit pricy maybe but 100 terabyes saved on a small digital disk? Remember, a Terabyte is 1000 Gigabytes (or near enough to it) and a Gigabyte is just over 1000 Megabytes in size. How much data do we really need to store? One wonders what tomorrow will bring.

One of the few sites that I subscribe to on a regular basis is the site called About.Com. The reason is the articles written. One in particular, is titled Movie Download Scams and points out the pitfalls of doing this online. Yes, it can be done legally and it can be interesting to do, but armed with the great article by Dan Tynan of About.com you also won't get into hot water when you do it. Do read the article and become informed on what to watch out for.

I am constantly amazed by the new thinking and the clever ways that folk online do things. I recently came across a site called Phylotaxis which is really a very innovative way to promote web sites. Have a look and click on "launch Phylotaxis" and then move your mouse around the circles and see what happens when you click one. This is a very innovative and enjoyable way to bring folk to various sites. Well done.

So you finally have decided to make a computer network in your home, so mom and dad can get on the net when they want to, as well as the other family members who might be doing homework or, simply checking out the latest fashion. Well, networking can be wonderful, but it can also be a nightmare. So, if you are going to install a network at either your home or your place of work you should read the article on the site called practicallynetworking.com. You really owe it to yourself to start with this article and then hand the job over to professionals to do. After all, you should have someone to blame, no? *chuckles*

I'm sure you, like most of us, have downloaded one of the "helpful" toolbars available on the net for your particular brand of web browser. I have two or three that I use quite often. However, when one comes to light that is not just helpful in the sense you think it is, but helpful to spammers and browser hijackers, you should know about it so you can stay well away from it. One such toolbar is called the Recipe Toolbar and believe me you want NOTHING to do with this one. According to trusted anti-spyware sites Starware, the authors and owners of this toolbar, is Spyware/Adware and more. Indeed this so called helpful toolbar is adware and spyware and browser hijacker all rolled into one supposed innocuous toolbar. Stay away from it or be prepared to not only have your homepage whatever they want it to be, but also be tracked on everything you do and everywhere you go online. It even can hack your computer and send them such things as your address list from your email program, and could, note: could supply them with your online financial information as well. Um, be wise. Don't download this one, and if you already have, hire a good techo to get rid of it completely for you. It's worth the money.

If you reside and work in one part of the world and your friends, family, or business associates reside in another, you may need to know what time it is where they are. If so, have a look at and bookmark the Time Zone Check - Time Zones of the World site for that particular instance when you need a quick time check. It's a great site and lists almost everywhere on the planet - well, at least the time zones on it *smiles*.

I have to do a little explanation before showing you this next piece of software so please, bear with me. I do not endorse copying copy written material. That is a statement of fact and one that I actually do believe in. However, when you buy something you, as the now owner of that item, should at least be allowed to make a backup copy in case the original becomes damaged. In fact when you make a backup you are advised to put the original in a safe place and ONLY use the backup copy. But, if you've ever tried doing that with a DVD you've most likely found a problem as most software simply can't do it. However, there is a piece of freeware (yes, freeware - no charge) software called DVD Shrink which when downloaded and installed on your machine, will allow you to rip and burn backup copies of your DVDs. Now that has to be good, and probably should be on everyone's machine, just in case. Enough said?

Ok, I've seen some silly things online but this one, found and passed on by my wife, has to take the cake so far. Why anyone needs to know this I have NO idea, but, apparently it's all too true as the video will show. Hop over to the Fainting Goats at Qarxis.com site and watch the video. Strange? Kind of. Silly? maybe. Useful? I doubt it unless you happen to have to catch one for some reason. 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. ;-)