Hello and welcome to Mac's Picks of the Week. If you are interested in why this site exists, how it operates, and a little about Mac, then click on the Why and How Info link and see what is there. When you have finished please return to this Home page and see what sites I have chosen this week to receive a Mac's Picks of the Week award. Thank you for visiting and please share this site with friends, family, and colleagues who you feel will enjoy it.

This page is updated on a weekly basis, each Monday Australian (Queensland) time (GMT + 10 hours according to the world clock). Please come back and visit often.

This coming Sunday, the 18th of February, marks the Chinese New Year and I and my family would like to wish all our Chinese visitors, family and friends a most prosperous and happy New Year. From our home to yours, Happy New Year.

When you search for something on the net, it would be helpful if sites with the particular word you are searching for are brought back, but sites relating to different aspects of what you seek are also included. The Clusty the clustering search engine appears to do just that. It brings you back sites like other search engines do, but also clusters around that sites that deal with other aspects of it for you to see. Give it a try. Maybe Google isn't the only way to do it. *smile*

We have a friend who manages an Asian food store, which has aisles devoted to Chinese, Malaysian, Thai, Korean, Japanese, and other Asian food tastes. The problem most Westerners face is to try and understand how much of this unfamiliar food or spices is used, what to do with them, and how to prepare it all. The Asian Food Recipes Asian Food, Asian Recipe, Free Cooking Recipe, Asian Online Recipe, Asian Cuisine, Asian Cooking site may provide some answers to those kinds of questions. Have a look and see if it helps your understanding. And, if you find a site that lists all those various foods and spices you find in your own neighborhood, and how to use them to enhance your meal, please let me know about it so I can share it with the visitors to this site. Enjoy.

Like her or dislike her, Rosie O'Donnel is a well known character, and she has her own blog. If you hop over to the r blog - Rosie O'Donnels blog site (and yes, that is how it is listed - r blog) you will be able to have a read of what she says. It is an interesting blog to say the least. Would you say this blog is true or just opinion? Have a read, then judge for yourself.

Children grow up learning different Myths, Fables, Legends and indeed, we did as well. However, what is the difference between the terms Myth, Fable, and Legend? Have a look and it may well clear it up for you - with examples of each. It did for me.

One of the things folk with mobile phones do is text (or txt as they call it) others. For some it's so much a part of their day one wonders how they find time to do much else. It's cheaper than making the normal phone call (normally) but what if you could do it for NO charge? Well, if you live in the USA or Canada, you now can through your web connection at the Joopz site. I hope someone in Australia follows suite soon. Um, and a tiny word of warning. Some folk get charged to RECEIVE a txt message so ask first. It could be expensive to them.

If you have a lot of fonts (typefaces) on your computer, (and check - most of us have vast numbers of them that we never use) you need to manage them somehow so that when you do need a new one, you know how to find it. Sue Fisher has developed a free application that you can download and use to do just that. Hop over to the Sue Fisher The Font Thing site, download and install it, and use it to manage your fonts. Yes, it is freeware but it might be a nice gesture to make a contribution to your favourite charity in her name as a thank you. Just a thought.

Times Square in New York City is one of those places most of us know about, even if we've never been there. Most of my family have been there at one time or another and it can be a fascinating place to see. The lights at night are amazing, and if you avoid the more unpleasant parts of Times Square, you would find an interesting though hectic place to spend a little time in. If you would like to see it, hop over to the Times Square Cam - EarthCam site and watch it, and the people in it, in real time. You'll get the feeling of how vibrant a place it really is. Enjoy.

If you, like most of us, fight the spyware that abounds on the net and that somehow manages to worm its way into our computers, you probably have looked for and maybe even downloaded a "Spyware Catcher". Three of them that I know of are good (Spybot-Search and Destroy, Adaware, and the Microsoft anti-spyware product) but many are posing as spyware removers when in reality THEY are spyware themselves. So, how do you tell what to NOT download? One way is to visit the Spyware Warrior Rogue-Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites and compare their list with what is presently on your computer or even where you go when online. If they say it is suspect, stay away from it, for your own sake. Do have a look at this one.

Though many folk have hobbies they enjoy, ranging from building hot rods to fishing to playing a sport of some sort, to ... well, you get the idea. However there appears to be a growing population who sew as a hobby. How/Why would they do that? Hop over to The Home Sewing Association where you not only will learn how to properly sew, but will also find sewing projects for fashion, home decor, embroidery, bridal gowns and accessories, pets needs, quilt making, crafts of all kinds, kids projects, and the list goes on and on. Who knows? You could be the next budding fashion designer. Have a look.

Many folk work in industries that rely on information about the population in various places. The Australian Bureau of Statistics, like the same type of organizations in every country, has an enormous amount of data for people to use. Have a look. It's amazing what the Australian population is like.

Speaking of folk in business using information, if you find yourself in that situation you may enjoy having a look at the InformationWeek - News Tech Center and bookmarking it so that you can regularly return. It is valuable information for any marketer and consumer as well.

You no doubt are aware of Loch Ness in Scotland, and the fabled Loch Ness Monster? Most of us are aware of it and most have their own opinion or view of the possibility of what it is/was. However, have you heard of the Lock Lomond Duck? Hmm, thought that might have escaped most folks attention. Well, all is not lost. Hop over to the Spot the Duck Webcam which is live from Loch Lomond, and see if you can spot this odd creature. Just click where it says to and you will refresh the image. Fascinating, simply fascinating. ;-)

Rebecca Game of "Digital Women - Women with their modems running...", is my web designer and a graphic designer who is superb to say the least. 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. ;-)