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.

No doubt you have your favourite search engine that you use all the time to find things on the net when you need information. However you should keep in mind that no one search facility covers the entire net and thus you should use a few search engines to really find what you're looking for. Thus a list like the one at the List of search engines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia is not only worth a look, but worth a bookmark to return to again and again. If you can't find what you're looking for after using all of these facilities, I'd venture to say it's either not for public consumption or not on the net at all.

One of the blogs I enjoy keeping up with on occasion is the one called Dave Barry's Blog. Mr. Barry is possessed of a keen wit and I'm sure you'll also get a chuckle out of skimming through his blog, some of it sent to him by readers. It's a great chuckle and well worth a look.

If, when taking photographs over the recent holiday season, you said to yourself "I wish I knew more about (insert the part of photography that still eludes you here)" then you should have a look at the photography Learn photography with free online course site and indeed, sign up and take the free course. There is a lot that will improve your photos contained in courses like this, and you must admit, the price is great. Enjoy and learn how to improve those shots next time.

If you look for ways to store things online occasionally, so that you, or others, can have access to them, you might want to look at the openomy site and give it a try. It gives you 1 gigabyte of online storage space - admittedly not huge but for many, adequate, and it's free as well. If what you wish to share isn't over that file size, then this facility is for you.

As you may be aware, I do not normally show commercial sites here. The one exception to that rule is when that site offers something to the Internet community for free. Thus, the Kraft Foods - Great Recipes and Food Ideas site appears here for your perusal this week. The folk at Kraft have indeed put up a group of very tasty sounding recipes to try. Have a look and enjoy.

Do you occasionally need the facilities of a dictionary or an encyclopaedia, or just need to ask someone a question about something? Then you could be in need of the Answers.com - Online Dictionary, Encyclopaedia and much more site. Indeed, this site is one I use myself so do have a look.

Many famous people were also prolific correspondents, keeping in touch with literally thousands of people in their lifetime. Charles Darwin was one of those and you can get a glimpse as to whom he wrote and what he wrote at the Darwin Correspondence Project site. On the site it says "Darwin exchanged letters with nearly 2000 people during his lifetime. These range from well known naturalists, thinkers, and public figures, to men and women who would be unknown today were it not for the letters they exchanged with Darwin." Sound interesting? Have a look. I think it is as well.

Did you hear recently on the news that yet another black hole has been found not all that far from our part of the universe? If not you really should head over to the CNN.com - Black hole findings yield new mysteries site which not only will let you in on the news, but will also give you a good insight into what science presently feels a black hole really is and why they are feared. Unsettling, but as yet we're not in any real danger.

If, like me, you have a few projects to do around your home and you are in need of advice on how to accomplish some things, then the eHow How To Do Just About Everything! site is one you should look at and bookmark for future use. From how to care for your pampered pet to how to prepare for an economic recession, it's all here. Have a look and maybe pass this one on to those you feel would benefit from it.

Every once in a while most of us come upon an unfamiliar word and we might either try to find its meaning or make our own meaning up (and be so far off the mark as to be ridiculous). You might want to have a look at the Foreignword.com - The Language Site Online dictionaries & free translation tools site and bookmark it as I have. I find it very useful and trust you will as well.

Folk tend to collect all kinds of things. For instance, I, once, like most males of my age, had a poster of Raquel Welch from her film "One Million Years BC" pinned to my wall. If you've seen posters that you would love to have then hop over to the Movie Poster Awards - All the Latest Movie Posters site and you'll most likely find it there. You can also upload your own to them if you have something to share. Enjoy.

I know folk have different hobbies and though I normally poke fun at some of them here, the one titled Bread Machine Home Page - Bookshelf really is a good one to look at, in particular if you're into making your own bread in a bread machine at home. I might have to wonder at the bread machine cam also listed on this site, but *shrugs* this list of recipe books seriously is good reading. Now where did you store away that bread machine?

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. ;-)