www.dMagy.com

New Site

2009-12-13T17:57:00.001-07:00

Visit my new site at http://www.dmagy.com/

Entitlement

2009-04-22T13:09:00.001-06:00

Our society is responsible for its childrens' sense of entitlement. Students know that they are a priveledged class of citizen; all rights and limited or no responsibility. We legislate and hold teachers responsible for student learning but not the students themselves. President Roosevelt's "Freedom from Want" taken out of context can mean "If I want a yacht, society is supposed to see to it that I have one." In our effort to protect our children we are depriving them of the strength to stand up for themselves.

-originally posted as a comment on Sarah Pomranka's Spiritual Wheaties

My Unorthodox Help Desk Blog

2009-02-23T07:34:00.004-07:00

I have started a Help Desk Blog on the district's blog server, I guess that makes it an "Official" Help Desk Blog. I am going to treat it that way at least. In other words, I do not think it is a place for my own personal opinions. Those you will be able to find here. In a week or so, after I move over a couple posts, I am going to delete the blogger site that was My Unorthodox Help Desk Blog.

Tip Card

2009-02-09T11:19:00.005-07:00

Tipping waiters and waitresses is the accepted practice in the United States. Many do not know the historical reason for it, but we all know it is what we are supposed to do. In fact, in many states servers pay income tax on an assumed wage of 8% of their sales.

We all know we are supposed to tip well for good service and not so well for for bad service. But what is bad service? When should we tip 10%? When 20%? Should we ever stiff a server? Is there a standard? Are we really providing them feedback? What if I am a cheap SOB or don't want to break a $20?

With all of these question floating around in my head, I decided to set my own standard and provide a little feedback. I have designed a Tip Card that can be filled out and left with the tip. Below is a sample and a link to a printable sheet of 10 cards.

Tip Card.pdf

LuminClout

2009-02-08T18:00:00.002-07:00

For some reason I started thinking about LuminClout again in the last couple weeks. Looking at the file details, I have not edited the board since 2004. If you look at the top of the board you will see the system names have been rotated to face the center. I will have to finish that eventually.

Magyar Telekom

2009-02-05T11:39:00.003-07:00

I know many of you will assume this is something I made up, but this really is the logo T-Mobile uses in Hungary. Here is a link to the history of Magyar Telekom since the telephone system in Hungary was privatized in 1993.

2009-02-04T11:54:00.001-07:00

What do you do if your perceptions are greater than your abilities?

Moving the Copy Center

2009-01-29T07:30:00.002-07:00

Official word came down today that the Copy Center is moving from ESC to Clover Basin. I predict this is the beginning of the end for the Copy Center. The majority of the the Copy Center clients are the departments at ESC, LSC and SSC. FedEx Kinkos is just to readily available for them to drive all the way over here. (Originally posted on my Unorthodox Help Desk blog.)

New Store - Jedi Advisory

2009-01-27T13:12:00.004-07:00

If you do a search on CafePress for the word "Jedi", your search will come up empty, not a single entry. Considering the popularity of Star Wars, I find it hard to believe that no one in this great big internet has every tried to tag a Cafe Press design with the word.

Honestly, I could see using the tag "Jedi" on designs that have nothing to do with Star Wars just to bring searcher to my designs.

I assume that at some time in the past, George Lucas's lawyers came a-calling and Cafe Press (wanting to stay in business) put "Jedi" at the top of the list of tags shopkeeppers are not allowed to use. I thought people should be warned. (By the way, I did not use the tag "jedi" myself otherwise, I am sure the store would be empty.)

http://www.cafepress.com/jediadvisory

2009-01-17T12:48:00.003-07:00

"Spontaneity is nice, dear, but there's a great deal of charm to a well-planned seduction, too."

- Lady Polgara the Sorceress, the Duchess or Erat

From "Demon Lord of Karanda" by David Eddings

Obama DeathStar

2009-01-17T08:06:00.004-07:00

CafePress took down another one of my images. This time it was one I had titled The Obama DeathStar. I do wonder how they decide which of their own rules to follow. Manipulation of someone elses logo is not allowed. I admit that is exactly what this is. But, I have have seen much lower quality parodys of other logos, such as Wal-Mart.

Update: I contacted Cafe Press asking about why my Obama DeathStar had to be removed while other similar designs were allowed. I specified two examples using the Obama logo and two using an images of the deathstar. Here is the reply I received:

Dear Daniel Magyar,

Thank you for contacting CafePress.com! As you may know, CafePress provides an automated service to a rich and vibrant community of international users. Unfortunately, because our service is automated, sometimes content that is not consistent with our Content Usage Policy is posted on CafePress. Another reason why the images in question may be up for sale is because certain shopkeepers have obtained authorization for the use of certain designs. We appreciate that you have brought this content to our attention and we will look into it. For more information please review our Content Usage Policy (http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/help/law.aspx), which is an accurate measure of what you can and cannot do through the CafePress service.

Best Regards,

Margene H.

Content Usage Associate

After I received this reply, I checked and both of the Obama examples I gave are still available. The deathstar ones are listed as "This Design is No Longer Available". Personally, I suspect the long arm of George Lucas.

Pray for Password

2009-01-13T08:50:00.003-07:00

Today, I received an email form a customer needing my assistance. She was not going to be available while I worked on her account so she included her password, pray4dad. I really like this idea. With a little thought, it turned a mundane everyday task into a daily reminder to seek out God.

Honestly, I am not good at prayer. I do not pray on a regular basis and feel presumptuous to spends God's time on mine fairly insignificant problems when I do. But the next time, I am required to change a password, maybe I can think about someone in my life that I should be praying for.

Wikipedia Design

2009-01-06T20:30:00.003-07:00

Added a new Wikipedia design to my CafePress store. (click here)

Wikipedia - Flat Earth

2009-01-01T22:52:00.003-07:00

This is a design I am working on for my CafePress store. Any suggestions?

Logo Lives

2008-12-03T09:44:00.002-07:00

I have started a new web project at www.logolives.com . (more to come...)

2008-11-20T17:20:00.005-07:00

"A prudent man doesn't give either a priest or a woman the opportunity to scold him in public"

- Lord Barak, Earl of Trellheim, Cherek

From "Pawn of Prophecy" by David Eddings

A Professional Biopsy of Daniel P. Magyar

2008-11-14T13:20:00.001-07:00

Niwot High School – graduated: Whoopee!

Iowa State University - Majored in Computer Science, then Industrial Arts and Education, then Mathematics, then Naval Science, then dropped out. Went back for Mechanical Engineering, had a son and dropped out.

US Navy - Electrician’s Mate, Nuclear Power Program – Honorman: Nuclear Field “A” School, Honorman: Nuclear Power School, … medically discharged

Sigler Companies – over the course of nine years managed seven departments from Hand Bindery to Information Technology. SUCCESS!

St. Vrain Valley School District – Manager of Technology Support, could not handle it. Currently is one of two technicians on the IT Help Desk

Biopsy Findings: Non-malignant but not good either.

"Random Spanish" Flair

2008-11-09T21:33:00.002-07:00

I randomly speak SPANISH in daily conversation.

I created this Flair on Facebook.com because it was just too appropriate for my son, Connor. He is taking second year spanish in high school and is always inserting spanish words into daily conversation. I sent it to three people on October 26th. It is now being used by almost 1200 Facebook users. Due to its success I have also added it to my store at www.cafepress.com/dmag.

Church and State

2008-11-08T08:15:00.002-07:00

I justed posted flair and a new design on my store: moral > legal. I don't think what is legal and what is moral have been the same in America since the 1950s. That being the case we need to lives our lives in our own morality within our nation's legality.

People in this nation do not seem to realize that seperation of church and state was intended to be a one way street. Our forefather were trying to protect their religion from being affected or controlled by the government. They certainly were not trying to make a godless or immoral nation.

Election Day '08

2008-11-04T06:24:00.002-07:00

This election is like an ice cream party!

(Where your choices are rhubarb or hazelnut.)

Trek Geeks

2008-10-09T21:23:00.001-06:00

Sold another Klingon Infant body suit. This time to a woman in Texas. Going to add 'Momma's Little Vulcan"

My Latest Sale on CafePress

2008-09-14T11:02:00.001-06:00

So who is geekier? The guy that designed this or the guy that bought one?

Port-Masters of Catan

2008-08-07T20:06:00.004-06:00

I am posting the rules for my own variant for Settler of Catan. I love 'Settlers' but was quite disappointed with the fourth expansion recently released by Mayfair Games. I created this expansion a couple years ago.

Port-Masters of Catan

SQL, Man

2008-02-14T08:58:00.008-07:00

This caped hero came to simplify our world one database at a time. His queries will dazzle you. His keystrokes will simplify. With SQL Man there is no trans log. SQL Man fears only one thing, AppMan. What is his secret weapon you ask……………celery and kidney beans.

Illustration requested by Mr Rogers.

Polling for Race or Ethnicity

2008-01-31T21:24:00.000-07:00

I think it promotes racism to inquire about race or ethnicity. The government should not listen to one group more than another, nor make special arrangement/concessions for one group over another. I encourage all people to be proud of their heritage but our government should treat everyone the same regardless of their DNA.

Carpe Dulcis Diem

2008-01-30T06:01:00.000-07:00

Latin Translation:

carpe - to pluck, seize, grab, lay hold of, hold on to

dulcis - sweet, pleasant, agreeable, delightful

diem - day

Have a Nice Day

I was looking into some latin translations when this idea struck me.

Laws, Laws and more Laws...

2007-07-30T08:11:00.000-06:00

Did you know that last year there where 800 bills that were before the Colorado State Congress and that 400 were signed into law? And, that was just in Colorado. Just imagine how happy our descendants will be in a 100 years when they have hundreds of thousands of new laws to improve their lives.
- My Proposal -
Lets amend the Constitutions so that any bill signed into law, expires twenty years from the date signed. Furthermore, laws already in effect expire on their next anniversary that is a multiple of twenty. This would keep our politicians focused on the most important issues and not legislate us into tiny padded boxes.

Jury Selection

2004-03-07T06:05:00.000-07:00

Our jury selection process has gotten ridiculous. Prospective jurors beliefs and philosophies are used as a basis to deny their right to sit on a jury. The only reasons a citizen should be excluded from a jury is if they have a personal relationship with any of the parties involved or stand to personally lose or gain based on the outcome of the trial.
- My Proposal -
Call prospective jurors from the appropriate geographic area using a totally random method. Then restrict jury selection questioning to the following questions; 'Do you have a personal relationship with any of the parties involved in this trial?' and 'Do you stand to personally lose or gain based on the outcome of this trial?' If either of these are answered 'yes' then the person is eliminated otherwise they sit on the jury.

Creation vs. Evolution?

2004-02-08T19:41:00.001-07:00

This is a debate that has caused strife for many years. Creation is taught to us by the Bible. Evolution is a proven scientific principle. On the surface they seem mutually contradictory. But, are they and is the strife necessary?
- My Questions -
Is God omnipotent?
Could God create a 100 year old oak tree in one second?
Could God create a billions year old universe in six days?
- My Answer -
Both creation and evolution are truth in the most important sense. The bible lets us know that God created this beautiful and wondrous universe. For which I am extremely grateful. Science lets us know the universe has tremendous expanse and history which we have been give the opportunity to explore and discover. If you too answered 'Yes' to the three questions it should be plain that the two concepts are quite compatible. We have a beautiful and wondrous place to explore and to discover and, most important, in which to live. Amen

Crime, Punishment and Jail Time

2003-12-31T17:55:00.001-07:00

CRIME, PUNISHMENT & JAIL TIME
It really irritates me that the living quarters of inmates are better then those than many enlisted members in our military forces. Here we have people that have refused to live by the rules of our society being treated to a higher standard then the men and women that have volunteered to protect our way of life.
When I was in the Navy I was assigned a bunk in a berthing space. The space was approximately 7 feet by 7 feet and had six bunks in it. Why should prisoners have it any better?
- My Proposals -
1. Reinstate corporal punishment. Rehabilitation is a joke. We need a deterrent. Public flogging, could be such a deterrent. Instead of sitting around watching cable or pumping iron, the convicted criminal is given a number of lashes. Depending on the severity of his crime, he reports back to work/school the next day or the next week. This could go a long way to reduce jail/prison overcrowding. We would also reduce court cost due to appeals. Since in these cases, the punishment could be administered immediately after sentencing.
2. Eliminate guards on the inside of prisons. The people in prisons have, beyond a reasonable doubt, committed crimes thus demonstrating their disregard for our society and the rules by which we have agreed to live. Since their is no place left to banish criminals we still need to provide them with shelter, food and clothing. So isolate them from our society and let them establish their own rules of society without our interference.

The Church, Marriage & Homosexual Unions

2003-12-30T16:44:00.001-07:00

Currently, Marriage is two - three party agreements; one between God, a man and a woman, the other between a man, a women and the government. Due to 'Politically Correct' opinion both are under fire.
With God, marriage is a promise between a man and a woman to love and support each other. Many argue that being homosexual is part of their nature and we should love them and thus support a same-sex union. The problem with that argument is that a basic belief of the church is that being sinful is part of everyone's nature. We try to love everyone but we do not condone or support other sins such as stealing or coveting.
With the government, marriage is a contract with all of the clauses written by an entity which knows nothing about the individuals involved. To make matters worse, the rules regulating the contract are subject to change if the couple moves across state lines.
- My Proposal -
The churches should reject participation in the civil process of marriage. That way men and women could be married in the eyes of God and their neighbors. The government could mind it's own business and the 'Politically Correct' could go unheeded. After all, it is more important to be Morally Correct than Politically Submissive.
If necessary, a marriage contract should be written by the man and women involved and the government should have no say in the terms or conditions.