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.

With that time of year here again when children begin listening for the sound of sleigh bells, it might be a good idea to visit Mrs Claus' Cookbook at northpole.com and see all the goodies she has in store for that festive day. Who knows? You might become inspired as well.

Here in Australia we have just had the launch of another television channel, but this time one with a true difference. The NITV - National Indigenous Television channel will feature interviews with various indigenous people, and will also delve into the dreamtime stories so all of us can learn more about that as well. Hopefully you can join us and learn with us as well.

Some folk who live in the Southern Hemisphere look on the Christmas break as a time to do those things around the house that one never really gets to the rest of the year. Of course, to do some jobs you simply need the right gear, and one place to get plans for what you wish to do, and help in selecting the right gear for the job is the Do It Yourself Home Improvement, Repair, Remodelling and Hardware Store site. Yes, it's a commercial enterprise and no, I normally don't put those up here, but this one also offers the DIY person some useful help as well, and that is free. Have a look and see what you think.

All computer users at one time or another will face problems with their equipment. Thus, it's a good thing to have someone to ask questions of about equipment, operating systems, programs and the like. Such is the Computer Tips From A Computer Guy blog. It's run by a nice man who is a true dedicated computer guy. Have a look. I'm sure you'll find most answers you seek right here. if not, ask him your question. Yet again, blogs come through with interest for most of us.

Need a storage place for files you can access from any computer connected to the net? Then you need to look at the free service offered by the ADrive beta - Reviews and free ADrive beta downloads site which offers you 50gb free online storage for your files. Now that has to be worth a look.

I'll bet you know someone who is getting their own first computer this holiday season? If they are of the younger generation you also should take them to the KidGrid(tm) - Safe Websites Only Kid Safe Internet Links! site and possibly even make that their home page. It's worth doing and it's a safe site for the young folk to roam through as well. Enjoy.

When doing a search one can sometimes forget to do the same search in three or four different search engines to get the best return of sites to see. Or, you could simply download the copernic Software to search, find, and manage information program and install it on your system. This is truly one of the best metasearch facilities around, and it's free. Read what it does, then download it and install it on your own machine. A pity it doesn't seem to work with Vista... (Hint Hint Hint)

Surfing through various podcasts to find one of interest can be a tedious job, but occasionally you find a real gem. The Rocketboom podcast is interesting and you never know what Joanne will find next. For instance, a recent one showed the canine fashions in her neighbourhood on a cold winter's day. Though this particular one may not the subject to pick the interest of everyone, Joanne seems to find enough in the world around her to interest most folk a good deal of the time. Have a look. I'm sure Jay Leno would be pleased with the Doggie fashion this year.*chuckles*

If you have English as a second language you might find the English Grammar Quizzes Using JavaScript (English Study) site of use and fun as well. Indeed, if English is your first language this site is useful. Grammar simply doesn't seem to be taught as it once was so maybe this is a way of learning how to speak the Mother Tongue properly? Give it a try. It can only improve your own profile among those you communicate with.

Where I am, we are in the thunderstorm season. We are also told that there is increased risk of things like cyclones to our little section of the globe this year. It would be good if you could be warned that a devastating weather pattern was on the way wouldn't it? Well, now you can be if you download and install the freeware called EWN - The Early Warning Network on your desktop. You then tell it where you are on the globe (it uses Google Earth to find you) and how you would like to be notified of an impending storm ( like an alert on your desktop, through email, even SMS services to your mobile phone) or all of the above, and it's free. I can now be reasonably confident that I'll be warned of most real problems this storm season. You should be informed as well.

Those with large, close knit families often have a problem trying to schedule family events simply because you have no idea what everyone else has booked at the same time. Thus, a site like MyHomePoint, which is essentially an online calendar for the whole family to share, might just solve that problem. Now, do we include Uncle Fred in this or not?

Things are invented every day. Once invented, the smart folk patent that invention because you never really know if it will be a winner or not, and if it is, you should reap the benefits of being that inventor. Thus, the Delphion Gallery of Obscure Patents shows you that though innovative, not all patents make it to the production floor, However, its archives also show things like the patent granted for the first safety pin, and the light bulb. An interesting site to end this week's list of awarded sites. 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. ;-)