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.

Before we start off on this week's links, I would like to state two things. Last week I had a link to a site I thought was fine and fell into the family friendly category, called "dribbleglass" which is a joke site. Unfortunately if you dig through the archives of that site, many jokes are certainly not "family friendly" or suitable for all to see, and I apologise for not seeing that sooner. Indeed John, a visitor to the site, took the time to inform me that the site in question was unsuitable, and I thank him for that. So, first of all, an apology and I will try to delve more deeply into sites and their content in future.

Secondly, there is presently a joke circulating the net, usually through email, that sounds like the real thing, until you notice something. If you get a dire warning that the Internet is closing down because of maintenance, usually titled "Yearly Internet Maintenance Announcement" which states that "IT IS URGENT THAT YOU DO NOT CONNECT TO THE INTERNET FROM MARCH 31st 23:59 GMT (11:59 PM) UNTIL 00:01 GMT (12:01 AM) APRIL 2nd." it's a hoax. Note the time you're not supposed to connect to the net - One day and 2 seconds??? And the date? April Fools??? Even with today's technology that's quick, so don't panic or send it on to others (and thus clog up the email pathway of the net even more than it is). It's a hoax but Techos worldwide are chuckling at it. Enjoy this week's links and thank you for stopping by.

To make up for the non-family friendly humour site of last week, I suggest you have a look at the My Clean Humour site. It is great with some really good jokes contained therein. Enjoy, and thank you again John for the help with this.

There is a company that has made a piece of software called BOINC and they give it away for free. What does it do? It allows you to hook up with sites that use that software but need much more computing power than they have themselves. In other words, those sites you agree to help will feed you data to have your computer crunch and send back to them, ONLY when your computer is not being used by you. In this way you get to join in on some fantastic sites that need your help. One of the first was SETI or the Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence, who get so much data that they just can't compute it all. Join in. It only uses resources you aren't using at the time.

One site that you can hook up with is the ABC@home site. No, it's not a broadcasting network but instead is a site trying to solve one of the most puzzling problems in mathamatics today. They state that "The ABC conjecture is one of the greatest open mathematical questions, one of the holy grails of mathematics." And you (and/or your computer) could help solve this puzzle. If math is your passion, have a really good look at this and participate in finding the answer to this problem. Enjoy.

Though I'm a Drag Racing fan it's been years since I've been to one, but hopefully that will change this year as my wife and I both enjoy the drags. If you enjoy drag racing as well you might enjoy having a look at the Drag Racing List - Drag Racing Stats, Stories, and Photos site as it does have some great shots on it. Vrommm Vroommmm...

As you well know there are blogs on almost any subject you care to look for. One of those involved in music is the Today's Blog Music - The Hype Machine site. They offer advice on what is new, what is good, and even what isn't so great. Have a look and decide for yourself if you would like to keep up with the latest in music this way. Turn up those speakers.

I find playing with my eldest grandson (aged 7 ... almost) that one thing he likes doing is solving puzzles or mysteries. I feel he's going to enjoy the MysteryNet's Kids Mysteries, mysteries to solve, scary stories, and magic tricks site because it will stimulate his mind and keep him thinking of alternatives, which I think is a good thing. Have a look. The younger folk in your home might agree.

One of the things that all of us need, especially as we get older, is exercise. It may not be easier than it was once, but it is necessary. One site that seems to offer some sound advice about exercising, especially as one gets older, is The Exercise Habit -- familydoctor.org site. They also answer questions such as "How much do I need?" or "How do I get started?" all good questions to be sure. Have a look and keep active.

Though it is finally fall here in the southern hemisphere, those in the more northerly climates are preparing for summer to arrive. Thus, the site named A Primer on Summer Safety, hosted by The US Food And Drug Administration is probably one you should have a read through. Indeed, Fellow Aussies can also learn a thing or two about some of these summer problems here. Enjoy.

If you're planning on travelling through the UK and Europe or North America, and need to know how to get from point A to point B, one site that can help you plan that trip is the Map24 - Route planner and maps for UK, Europe and USA site. It's in effect an interactive map and you say where you are starting from, where you want to go, and it will show you the best route to take. Now that has to be handy. Have a look and bookmark it for future use as well.

Here in Australia we are fortunate to have an indigenous population who finally are starting to be recognised properly. The new Australia Prime Minister recently said "Sorry" publically for things that were done wrongly in the past. One real benefit to come into being is the NITV - National Indigenous Television channel and indeed, if you're an Australian you should have a look and tune in on your own TV as well. Let's learn from each other for a change instead of pointing fingers. Have a look and tune in.

If you've been a visitor for a long time you may also have picked up that I personally don't consume alcohol. So what do I serve up when folk come to the house for a barbecue? Well, luckily I have the Non Alcoholic Drinks Recipes site to fall back on, and indeed there are a reasonable amount of those online. You might want to look at some of the ideas here for your own situation, especially if summer is heading your way. This is a nice way to ensure that those driving home from your party drive more carefully and safely. Have a look and bookmark this one.

I love Do It Yourself or DIY sites. Some are really clever, and some... well, most of it is good but you may have to watch out for the things they want to show you. For instance I personally love the Instructables - The World's Biggest DIY & How To Show & Tell site and the amazing amount of how to videos to be found there, all from folk who have joined the site. As I said though, just be careful with some ideas there. A DIY on how to kiss may be a little out of the young folk's sphere of knowledge but that is up to you to decide. Basically the site is good, quirky, but good. Have fun.

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. ;-)