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.

How many have used the chemistry they took in high school since they left school? *looks at the few raised hands and shakes his head* Not a lot I see. Well, maybe that subject might have been easier to understand and remember if we had had access to A Chemical Jigsaw Puzzle. The young folk of today certainly have that ability if they have access to the net. So, if you, or a younger member of your household can't learn chemical reactions or don't know about how combining powers work, hop over and bookmark this site for them. It could even end up being fun.

One of the very few festivals here on the Gold Coast of Australia that I look forward to each year is the Wintersun Festival 2007 and this year is no exception. Wintersun 2007 starts on Friday 1st June and ends with the huge Best of Wintersun Concert on Monday 11th June. If you love old rock and roll (and dance a good jive or rock and roll until dawn), and also love custom and restored cars, this is the one festival you must visit and participate in. I know I'll be walking the streets of Coolangatta Saturday the 9th of June as I always do, camera in hand, loving all the hot rods that are on display. Come join us and have a wonderful week of fun. It's got to be seen and experienced to be believed.

Sometimes finding a blog that contains information or a subject matter you're interested in can be a real chore. That's why the Blogdigger Blog Search Engine is well worth a bookmark to keep it handy. It allows you to search for blogs that contain your favourite subject matter, and of course, once found, you can then read that blog as often as it's updated. Give it a try and see for yourself.

Australia, like many countries, has partially subsidised medicine, and various private healthcare schemes that you can join to protect yourself from the remainder of the costs involved. However, the Australian government recently put forth an initiative that may be just that little bit more "citizen friendly" than many other countries have done. They said to the private healthcare providers that they wanted a form filled out (which can be updated as needs be) that gave their benefits as well as their costs so that citizens could compare apples with apples and make an informed choice about which particular system suited them as individuals. The PrivateHealth.gov.au site is the result of that initiative, so now you can compare the various systems and find one suited to your situation. That's a pretty good idea I feel. Maybe your government would like to emulate that for their own citizens? You'll never know if you don't ask. Pass it on.

Being one of the older generation I find it necessary to try and keep some level of exercise going to maintain health. That hasn't always been the easiest thing to do, but sites like the Low Volume Progressive Intensity Training site has some good sound advice for all those who wish to start some form of physical exercise. There is a lot of good, level headed advice here on what to do as well as what not to do. Have a look. It might help in your situation as well.

I freely admit to being a jazz nut. Recently, as an early birthday present, my daughter and son in law gave me and my wife a trip to Sydney to hear a concert in the Sydney Opera House by Chick Corea and Gary Burton, two of the giants in the progressive jazz field. Needless to say I was absolutely wrapt, backed, in part, by the Sydney Symphony orchestra. However, though I love jazz, I also enjoy some classical music, in particular instrumental classical music. Like Victor Borg, I'm not a big fan of opera. However, when looking for some classical music to download and enjoy from the net, you might wish to have a look at the Classic Cat site as it bills itself as being "the free classical mp3 directory". Note the word free? Enjoy.

When running computers there often is a job that you need the computer to do but you really don't wish to, or simply can't afford to, pay for that software. Without doing it illegally (which I never condone in any sense) I suggest that the site calling itself simply "I want a Freeware Utility to ... 450+ common problems solved eConsultant" is one you should see and bookmark. This truly is a wonderful site for finding that little application that will do just what you need. Have a look and bookmark this one for future use as well.

Have you ever shopped online? Don't be scared off by the stories of folk losing their shirt by buying something online. I and my family have done it for years and never once been ripped off doing it. If you want to find the best price for whatever you're looking for, you might want to check out the Kelkoo.com Shopping and Price comparison European Leader site, as it does just that, compares prices for you. Then you can make the judgement you need to when you purchase something. Oh, and how do you ensure you don't get ripped off? Just as you do in real life - don't buy from someone you don't know. If it's a big organization, or one of the sites like eBay who police their buyers and sellers to prevent that from happening, then you're most likely alright. If in doubt, ask others about the site you're buying from. And never, ever, put your details on a site that is not a secure site. Look for the little lock on the bottom of your web browser. If it's locked, you're safe. If it isn't locked, or isn't even there where you enter your details, go somewhere else.

If you've ever thought you might like to dabble in writing the great novel, then possibly the site called Creative Writing Exercises and Advice -- Creative Writing Exercises to Help Your Writing might be of some help to you. It's well written and does give some very useful tips. Now there is a project for your summer vacation - finally write that book you've always known was in you. *smile*

Need something to spark the tastebuds of your family? Want to try something new to have for dinner instead of the boring usual? Then help is a hand if you hop over to the Recipes, your online food and cooking resource. - RecipeLand.com and browse around a bit. Here you'll find sound advice on making some pretty delicious sounding dishes that don't require you to be a gourmet chef to complete. Have fun, and enjoy your meal.

How many inventions can you name where the inventor was female? Not that many? Then you really do need to browse around the Women Inventors A-Z site and further your education about the wonderful inventions we have women to thank for. There are most likely as many, if not more, inventions patented by women than by men. Have a look. I think you'll be as impressed as I am.

I have a very dear friend by the name of Paul (in New Zealand). He is, in fact, much more like a brother than a friend. He also has one of the silliest things that amuses him as it apparently does many folk and that, dear reader, is popping bubble wrap. *nods* Yup, that's something that can keep Paul busy for hours and hours and therefore, I know he, and possibly you, will absolutely love the waste vital minutes with the PERPETUAL BUBBLEWRAP site. Brother Paul B., this one is for you. Turn up your speakers, and enjoy.

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. ;-)