You never know when you only need to reference something but don't have your computer on. I came across a calendar that is a 200 year calendar which expires on 2050.

I scanned the calendar but realized that the original copy is black with white text. Maybe one day I'll recreate the calendar to make it printer-friendly.

It only takes three steps to use the calendar!

Instructions:

1. Find the column of the year

2. Trace down the column and intersect with the month

3. The letter listed will be the referenced monthly calendar that will be observed

NOTE: There are Leap Years that are designated with an asterisk.

As of today there are a handful of tactical pens that range from menacing to subtle appearances. There are some that have twist bodies, twist caps, or retractable. I personally prefer retractable because there are no worries of losing a cap and it requires one-hand operation. Just recently I noticed that my favorite flashlight company Surefire made a tactical pen.

Tactical pens are subject to criticism because of their intended nature. Why own a large "scary" looking pen with the company's brand plastered on it? It only lets others know your situation. Another criticism is that the tactical pens are not cheap ranging from $25 to $130. Sadly, there's not many options for ink color and point size either.

I myself have considered the sure fire EWP-02 because it is light-weight, averaged size, less-menacing, retractable, robust, and not overly expensive for a quality pen from a quality company. It's also an attractive looking writing instrument. However, the options for using an extra fine point is pending Surefire's customer support response. Unfortunately, I foresee that the smaller pen tip will rattle when writing because of the large pen hole used for medium point cartridges.

It certainly is a beautiful piece but the cost simply does not justify the purchase of the pen especially since the fear of losing it outweights the cost of a regular aluminum pen and the TSA is subject to confiscate the item. It's definitely something to consider especially if the original idea was to protect yourself on/off the plane where you can't carry any other defensive tool.

I've been doing research on tactical pens and pens in general for several months now. I feel I've slowly succumb to the intriguing complexity of pens. They vary in shape, size, weight, style, point size, and more. Which to choose?

I dislike it when a pen breaks or is lost before I've had a chance to use at least 75% of the ink. Some pens that I've found online are expensive, they write extremely well, and are very robust. However, let's face it, pens are easily lost on a regular basis and I'd be darned if I lost a $100 pen or had it stolen.

I've since found the best pen for my situation. The Pilot Better Retractable is a remarkable pen for my needs. I've outlined the pros and cons below.

Pros

• Metal pocket clip that does not deform from average use.
• Ink flow is extremely smooth and allows fast writing with less cramping.
• Body diameter is the average pen size which suits most people.
• Has greater value because it's slightly more expensive than other expensive "subpar" pens.
• Retractable clicking mechanism is smooth and soft however maybe too soft for most people.
• Retractable for quick deployment and professional one-handed use. No caps to lose.
• The pen is capable of writing extremely small font which allows for more text on page.

Cons

• Plastic body does not handle above average abuse. I'd prefer aluminum for heavy duty uses.
• The attachment of the metal clip to the body of the pen is plastic which may cause the clip to break off anyway. The clip mount should be metal just like the clip.
• There is no option for extra fine or ultra fine. Something around .30mm would be excellent.
• Slightly more expensive even when ordering it through local vendors.
• Not easily found in stores which must be ordered.

Conclusion

I let two friends have an extra pen and they both loved it. They've been using it on a daily basis ever since. One even wanted to know where to buy it because he is left-handed and the pen wrote smoothly while not smearing.

The Pilot Better Retractable pen will be a long time favorite of mine. I'm so happy that they sell them in boxes of 12. The pen rates above average in every category especially the ones that I require.

It's definitely been a while since I've tended to my website. I've been extremely busy with work which is out of the way now. I'm currently focused on preparation during my Operation Focus to become fit, independent, strong willed, and unbreakable/breakable.

I've been jamming to this tune for quite some time now without realizing that I should post it to share to the world. I love cruising while jamming to this song. Everything about it is magnificent.

Problem

You used to have the desktop icon label background transparent. Then, suddenly your label background becomes opaque making everything looking terrible.

Solution

1. Enable drop shadows for icon labels
   a. Right-click on My Computer > Advanced tab > Settings under Performance section
   b. Check mark "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop"


2. Disable/Remove web content on Desktop and disable Lock Web Items
   a. Right-click on Desktop > Properties > Desktop tab > Customize Desktop button > Web tab
   b. Uncheck all items in this tab
   c. Delete any web content in the Web pages section


3. The background wallpaper must be an image file such as jpeg, jpg, gif, bmp, etc.

This article is applied to Windows Server 2003 but should be able to work on other releases also.

To configure an internal time server to synchronize with an external time source, follow these steps:

1.    Parameter for time
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\Type

       i)   In the right pane, right-click Type, and then click Modify.

       ii)   In Edit Value, type NTP in the Value data box, and then click OK.

2.    Announce Flags
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags

       i)   In the right pane, right-click AnnounceFlags, and then click Modify

       ii)   In Edit DWORD Value, type 5 in the Value data box, and then click
            OK.

3.    Enable NTP Server
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer

       i)   In the right pane, right-click Enabled, and then click Modify.

       ii)   In Edit DWORD Value, type 1 in the Value data box, and then click OK.

4.    Specify the time source
      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

       i)   In the right pane, right-click NtpServer, and then click Modify.

       ii)   In Edit Value, type time.nist.gov,0x1 in the Value data box, and then click
            OK.

5.    Restart w32time service

       i)   Launch command prompt.

       ii)   net stop w32time && net start w32time.

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042

Problem

You can't determine if Microsoft Office 2010 is updated to Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Solution

1. Click File menu
   
   
   
   
   
2. Click Help menu
3. Click Additional Version and Copyright Information
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Read the first line of the new window
   
   
   

Conclusion

It's unclear as to why Microsoft couldn't list the information on the Help menu but there's a lot of things Microsoft does that I will never understand. Therefore, I've come to stop asking why and have learned to just "do".

I'm not sure why YouTube analyzed and determined that two completely different videos are exactly the same but I'm not able to post the original version of Weightless by Emilia De Poret. So, instead of uploading it on YouTube where people can discover great music I have to post it here.

Let's finish this week on a good note (pun intended ).