Mac's Picks is a collection of family friendly interesting and useful sites, updated weekly. These sites are family friendly, and cover subjects dealing with a focus on the family as a whole, search, internet, internet radio, news, health, medical resources, household hints, education, educational resources, recipes, food, strange, different, help pages, homework, kids, diy, 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 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.

I wish to apologise for not keeping track of a service I have on this site, which may have caused problems in various families. I speak of the Google Search Facility on the bottom of this page. I originally put it there so that visitors might also search for other sites containing content they wished to see and use, but was under the false impression that it also was, on this site, a "Family Friendly" facility, as my entire site is exactly that. As I state in the Why How Info link on the right side of this page, "A site must be able to be visited by all members of the family. Therefore you will not find sex or drug oriented sites on my weekly page. I do not, in any way, sit in judgment on those sites or on those who wish to visit them. I just don't include them on my page". Unfortunately apparently the code I had there did not comply with that request. You will see that it now does (adults - test it out for yourself), and always will, ONLY bring back pages that comply with the Family Friendly category. I feel that enough search facilities cater to those subjects that don't comply within the framework of that category - mine doesn't have to. Again, my apologies to anyone who found that their search using that facility previously brought back inappropriate pages to view. It will do it no more.

Each day we read about more security risks, of sites "spoofing" us into believing they are legitimate while many download spyware and malware onto your computers simply by being on the site and moving your mouse. There is also the added risk that if you sign in to a site with personal info, it can, in the worst cases, aid in theft of your personal identity, and in the latter instances plant popup ads and spyware on your system. Thus, the Hide and Go Surf site offers you (free of charge) the ability of first going to their server, and then doing your surfing from there. Thus, anything that might be a bit suspect thinks that their server is your real one, thus hiding your real identity. It seems a pity that we have to look at and be aware of such things with this fantastic method of communication, but the fact of the matter is that we do, like it or not. Give this one a try. It might protect you from some of those net nasties you've heard about.

Did you ever wonder how your favourite restaurant made the delicious dish you had there last time, and fell in love with? If so, the copycat.com site provides you with many of the recipes so that you can do it yourself in your own home. Hmm, now if I could only afford that lobster in the first place... *chuckles*

If you're a frequent visitor to my site you'll know that I love blogs, and see them as a simple but effective way of staying in touch with friends, as well as learning things of use to you and your family. The F-Secure News from the Lab is, I suggest, mandatory reading in that it is "maintained by the personnel responsible for analysing virus, phishing, spyware, and spam attacks". Now that's a subject we all should pay more attention to so do give it a try and a read (no, it's not too technical) and then bookmark it and check it at least once every couple of days, for your own protection. Great blog published by some very clever people and well worth a look.

Here in Australia the younger folk have just returned to school after a break. And though I know that in the more northern climes, vacation is still being celebrated, many will return to school soon. All of these students will, I feel, benefit from having the KID_INFO_The_Web's_Best_Student_Homework_Reference_Resource site bookmarked and at their fingertips. Have a look and see what you think. I'd certainly add it to my grandsons' favourites, and will, once they grow to that age.

Women still find it difficult to be recognised in the work force. It amazes me that many men still believe that men should have the majority of jobs, while women, if they have a job at all, should remain on the lower step of the company or corporate ladder. However, unless or until such narrow thinking is finally abolished as being not more than chauvinistic thinking, sites like the Catalyst site will have a well earned place on the net. In their own words, "Catalyst is the leading research and advisory organization working with businesses and the professions to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women at work. " It's time all workforces got behind the women of their population and made it effectively a workplace where all members of society have an equal opportunity to expand their earning potential. After all, women kept the planet going and fed through two world wars while the males of our little green orb went off to fight each other. Makes sense to me and I hope this site helps your company or corporation join in the fight for better working environments for career advancement and for women in general soon.

If you are one of those who takes many photos on your digital camera (or even on the old film variety) and then manipulate them on your computer to look their best, you may have bought the Photoshop program. It is without question the best out there but too costly for most of us to try. And the real pity is that it does so much you need training to figure out how to make it work and do what you want it to do. The Photoshop Crash Course site offers help in learning this amazing program, but I must say that the principles learned here are of value in any photo manipulation program, including the one I use. So if you're a photo bug, have a look. It's well worth your time.

Teaching mathematics is a daunting task at the best of times. Teaching it to the younger members of our society is even more difficult. Thus The Math Forum @ Drexel University site is set up to help educators and students alike learn the ins and outs of math at many different levels. It is composed of "teachers, mathematicians, researchers, students, and parents using the power of the Web to learn math and improve math education." Sounds like a good one to bookmark to me.

You may have heard that the folk at Microsoft have now launched what is known as Windows Live. It is free to join (at least at the moment it is) and has many different ideas and ways of doing things. The ideas are mainly found at the Windows Live Ideas - Homepage site where you can join in, learn new ways of doing things, and keep abreast of the latest developments in the world of computing. Let's face it, like them or not, they still are the best there is, and this one is for free as well. Give it a try.

Have you ever looked up in the night sky and noticed a satellite moving through the heavens? Normally they are best seen just after sunset or just before sunrise. Did you know that you can not only identify which satellite it is you see, but track its movements as well? The folk at the NASA - Science@NASA site provide satellite tracking software for free that you download and install on your computer. From then on almost all of the satellites that you see can be researched here. Those in geostationary orbit don't move of course, but they are visible at the same times as the others. They simply appear, or disappear as the case may be. Have a look. It sure gives you a different perspective of the night sky *smiles*.

When working online many folk need the help of a good Reference Dictionary, Encyclopedia, Thesauri, Usage, Quotations, and more and luckily for us all, those references can be found at the Bartleby.com site. I've bookmarked this one for easy access and it's proved helpful on a number of occasions. Give it a try.

Way back when I was a young man I was privileged to attend the Hartt College of Music at the University of Hartford in the US State of Connecticut. Though that degree never got finished (the US Military intervening in that process) I met some absolutely wonderful jazz musicians, among whom was a jazz pianist who had more raw talent than anyone I'd ever heard at the time. He won't remember me from those days, nor should he, but his jazz quartet won the US Inter-Collegiate Jazz Contest in the last year I attended that school, and rightly so. His name is Lenny Lacroix and I recently did a search to find old friends I knew way back when, and his home page came to light. He's been influential in the jazz scene and obviously still is. He has accompanied and arranged music for many of those you will recognize. Have a look. He always was a good man with an amazing mind for jazz. Enjoy.

We've all heard computer jokes over time. Indeed, I use the occasional computer cartoon in the presentations I give to various groups here in Australia. Thus, the Computer Stupidities site really isn't 'strange' as such, but keep in mind that the examples here, for the most part, actually happened. I must say it kept me amused for quite a while. I hope you enjoy it as well.

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. ;-)