Nicaraguan Medical Team Needs Help. Give Today

Friends,
   As you know, I work with an NGO down in Nicaragua on clean water projects, including building water systems, and working on healing the after-affects of years of bad water. The Medical team again needs your support to raise money to buy new equipment for the Anti-Parasite project I have written about in the past. (Watch Juanita's video in order to see the progress we're making).

Specifically, this time, we need a centrifuge, and items for a mobile clinic. You'll see their pictures below.

Can you help us raise $2000 to help contain the project? DONATE HERE.

(For more information on Amigos, and they work that do in their community, scroll to the end.)

The vortex:

Portable AC unit:

The tent: 

Results

Below is a snapshot of their work. For a complete set of results, see: https://amigosforchrist.org/amigosresults/

My ballot picks for Nov 6 2018

I have done a post on my ballot picks for the last couple of elections. Here are my picks for November 2018.

Since some of my choices are the same as the primary, I'll refer to that post for brevity.

Governor: Gavin Newsom. Not a tough call. See primary post for more details.

Lt. Governor: Eleni Kounalakis. See primary post.

Secretary of State: Alex Padilla. Primary post.

Controller: Betty Yee. Primary Post.

Treasurer: Fiona Ma. Still impressed. See primary post.

Attorney General: Xavier Becerra.See primary post.

Insurance Commissioner: Ricardo Lara. Primary post.

Member, Board of Eq., District 2: Malia Cohen. Primary post.

US Senator: OK, this is tough one, but I stand by my primary support for KDL, in spite of Senator Feinstein's performance during the Kavanaugh hearings. (Sorry Anna).

House: Zoe Lofgren, for as long as she runs.....

State Assembly: Evan Low, primary post.

Judicial offices: I have not heard of any of them, so Yes to all.

State School Superintendent:Tony Thurmond. While my hijada is doing well at her Charter school, I think we need to support people of the current system. (I might have goofed in the primary.

County Supe: Don Rocha. Has the experience we need. And a nice guy too.

Sheriff: John Hirokawa. See primary post....too many scandals under Smith.

The State Propositions

1: Housing Bond: Yes. We have a serious housing crisis.

2: Bond for homeless/mental illness housing: Yes.

3: Infrastructure Bond: Yes.

4: Hospital Construction for Children's healthcare: Yes

5: Changing requirements for tax treatment when people over 55 sell homes. OK, this is totally selfish, but I gotta retire some day, and I'll be up for this in 2 year. Shameful, yes...but I'll take my tax break for myself and my family.

6: Eliminating Road repair and transportation funding: No. Public safety issue.

7: Approval for State Legislature to change Daylight Savings Time. I hate this one, and I don't care. So No.

8: Regulating Dialysis Treatment Payments. Why are we deciding this? Vote no.

10: Rent Control (Costa-Hawkins): We need to have affordable housing. Yes.

11: Making private ambulance drivers on-call during breaks. Again, why? I suppose Yes.

12: Setting farm animal enclosure standards. Seriously?! Voting no out of a fit of pique.

Local Propositions

A: Continue 1/8 cent sales tax. Yes.

S: Streamlines procurement, adjusts some thresholds. Yes.

T: Disaster Preparedness Bond: Yes.

U: Charter Amendments: Sure. Why not.

V: Local housing bond. Yes. See previous comments on housing.

Speech at Confront Corruption:Demand Democracy SJ Vigil 7/18/18

My Name Is Bill Roth, and I am a board member at Sacred Heart Community Service.

The core message you have heard tonight is that it's important, now more than ever, that we all unite as a community, to protect each others' rights.

And for those of us with privilege it's important we stand up for vulnerable communities.

That’s why I want you to join with Sacred Heart Community Service and other organizations to support our Rapid Response Network.

The RapidResponse Network is a community defense project developed to protect immigrant families from ICE deportation threats and to provide accompaniment support during and after enforcement activities in our community.

Did you know that 99.1% of the time ICE does not have a valid judicial warrant when it raids an immigrant’s home?

Did you know that very often, ICE will mislead people into thinking it is the local police? This destroys the trust built by our local police force, and violates constitutional protections.

You can do something about this.

Join the Rapid Response Network, and get trained as an operator or legal observer. Or join to help comfort a family that has just lost a mother or father to deportation.

To learn more, go to http://bit.ly/rapidresponsesj or send me a message at 408 256 3271.

Interview during Vigil. Photo Credit (c) Andy Morris

My Ballot Picks for June 5th Primary

5/15: Update with link to Merc endorsements and more thoughts on Governor.

A couple people have asked me for my opinion on things on the June 5th ballot, so here are my picks and the reasons why I am voting the way am.

But before I go through the ballot, let me note that this is an important elections, at the local, state and national level. As many of you know, I have been working on registering Spanish speaking citizens at Catholic Churches in the Modesto area, where there is some amount of chronic under-voting, and we have a real chance to flip a district to a Democratic seat. There are also good people running in San Jose, as well as some pretty nefarious propositions. So please, vote. Now, on with the picks:

FYI: Here are local party endorsements: SCCDP  and the State Party. And the Merc.

It is important to understand my algorithm. I will pick candidates that share my values, but you also get points for running a good campaign, and points subtracted for running a bad campaign. This is because if you can't run a campaign effectively, you will likely be unable to govern effectively. 

My Picks 

 

Candidates

Governor: I am torn. I have concerns about Gavin Newsom, especially after Stephen Colbert embarrassed him on the old show. And selling gay marriage in San Francisco was not really a tough sell. Had he been mayor of Louisville or Milwaukee, that would have been something. That said, I think he as fairly represented California as Lt. Governor. On one hand, he's a 1-percenter, scion of the Gettys, that started a winery with family money. On the other hand, he has supported important causes, we line up on most important issues, and he throws great parties for Democrats at the state convention. And he's from Northern California. We need someone to represent the north, to make sure our resources (especially water) do not get inappropriately siphoned off by southern California. The Merc seems to like him, for good policy reasons. They does not reflect the pause some are given by his messy first divorce, nor his current wife's penchant for unfortunate mis-statement.

Antonio Villraigosa on the other hand, to me, represents what California is becoming. California is already a minority-majority state, and we should be represented this way. He has experience running LA, no mean feat. However, I am not sure he'd factor in Norcal in his decisions due to lack of experience.

I also like Amanda Renteria, but it feels like she is ballot-riding for her next job, whatever that is.

Pick: Today I am leaning Gavin, last week it was Villraigosa.You Pick. (I'll update this when I make a choice)

Lt. Governor:  Eleni Kounalakis gave a pretty good speech at the local Dem Pary Dinner, as did Jeff Bleich. Bleich has a serious resume, as a law clerk, lawyer and ambassador. Kounalakis was also an ambassador, and was born in Sacramento. She also seems to have decent money behind her, and is running a decent campaign.

Pick: Kounalakis

Secretary of State: Alex Padilla. Incumbent. Doing a good job.

Controller: Betty Yee. Incumbent. Doing a good job.

Treasurer: Fiona Ma. Gave a great speech at the local Dem Dinner. Very impressive and a solid accounting background.

Attorney General: Xavier Becerra. He's been doing a great job standing up to Trump. Keep him in this seat.

Insurance Commissioner: Ricardo Lara. The *last* thing we need is a crypto-conservative shill for the insurance industry in the job. I'm looking at you Steve Poizner.

Board of Equalization, District 2: Malia Cohen. Great local candidate.

Senator: KDL (AKA Kevin DeLeon). After enough years, a change is needed. DiFi has been maddeningly centrist on national security and privacy issues. Its time for a change.

Congress: Zoe Lofgren. Because she's one of my heroes.

State Assembly: Evan Low. Incumbent. Doing a good job.

Superior Court, District 4: Chiarello. He's the only one running.

Recall Persky: Yes. The Standford case is all you need to know.

Persky Replacements: Unknown. You pick.

School Superintendent: Marshall Tuck. He has good endorsements from people I trust.

County Supervisor: Don Rocha. He understands central San Jose, and he stopped by the house. He's working hard for it. (and he offer to help me load my Kayak.).

Assessor: Larry Stone. Cuz why not.

DA: Jeff Rosen. Incumbent. Doing a good job.

Sheriff: Too scandals/deaths at the County Jail for Smith to keep her job. Hirokawa.

Mayor: No real choice. Sam Liccardo. A good man who is trying to represent ALL of San Jose, and doing a good job at it.

Propositions/Initiatives

 

Prop 68: Bond measure for natural resources. YES.

Prop 69: Making sure the Legislature does not divert transportation money to something else. Duh. YES.

Prop 70: Requiring 2/3 super-majority on divesting cap-and-trade monies. I hate super-majorities. Seems anti-democratic. NO.

Prop 71: Sets effective date for ballot measures. Unclear what this is for but seems reasonable: YES.

Prop 72: from the why-are-we-deciding-this Dept.: Excludes newly constructed rain-capture equipment from reassessment. Umm....I guess so? YES. (Is the rain-capture lobby really this strong?)

RM3: Raise bridge toll. Not a big affect on me, and we need more monies for traffic alleviation. YES.

Measure B: Sham proposition. NO.

Measure C: Tucked in here is language that allows the creation of affordable housing which San Jose desperately needs. YES.

How to get a job at VMware

How to get a job at VMware

Want to know how to get a job at VMware? I am writing this down because I end up sending a version of this email to a lot of people, like folks in my community, or students at Marquette University.

First off, VMware is a great company, with a good culture. But, if you are looking for a startup, this is not it. That said, they/we have good products, good people, and a good culture. I plan on staying for a long time.

How to get a Job at VMware: The numbers (or 25 to get 1)

How to get a job at VMware? Getting hired at VMware requires persistence. I targeted VMware when I was looking. I sent in upwards of 75 resumes online, and I got 3 sets of interviews, which resulted in 1 job. This is where I come up with the metrics. Assume you'll have to submit 25 resumes to 25 different jobs in order to get one call back. 25 to get one. Yes, The numbers stink, but that's life. Get used to it.

It’s who you know....

Mostly. Look, it helps if you know someone, but I am living proof you don't need to. But, if we do know each other, please let me know you are submitting, and I'll submit internally for you as a referral. VMware has a robust referral program. But I'll only do this if I actually know you.

How to get a job at VMware: The process

The process is as follows:

1. Go to https://rolp.co/3lGQa and search for jobs.
1. Or  http://careers.vmware.com/ if that's not working
2. Find the job you are looking for.
3. Write down the Job ID. It will be R followed by some numbers, e.g. R123456
4. Submit your job. Optionally include a cover letter. (more on this in a minute).
5. If we know each other, send me the job ID, and I'll submit internally, and tell you what I know about the group.

How to get a job at VMware: Internships

Internships start appearing in December, so if you are in college or grad school make sure to start applying then. Most of them are decided by March, in my experience.

A note about LinkedIn

This is just me: I don't use PDF or DOCX resumes, I only use LinkedIn. Make sure your profile is up to date. Moreover, be aware of what your Google search results are, because I am going to check.

A note about Passion

The job interviews that worked best for me were the ones I had passion and a firm opinion on. At BEA, I sensed the rise of Eclipse as a platform, and made that known during the interviews, even though it was a competitor to BEA's then current offering. (Turns out, they were aware of the rise of Eclipse as well). During the interview, I was passionate about what the product strategy is. It helped me get the job.

In a similar sense, at VMware, when I was interviewing, I made it clear that their projections for this new product were wildly optimistic. I gave them my view of the market, which I had been in for 5+ years,  and I gave then an idea of how I would market it, in spite of the disconnect. I got the job. And I'm still here, as of this revision, nearly 7 years later.

So that's it. Good luck, and let me know how I can help.

(Originally published 12/27/2017, updated 4/1/2020).

Jelly Pro Device Profile

For those doing development on the Jelly or Jelly Pro, I have build a sample Device profile you can use in Android Studio.

The Jelly Pro Device Profile is here.

Fr. Jon Pedigo has won the Sultan and Saint Peacemaker award

(Fr. Jon has won the Sultan and Saint Peacemaker award. Read below.)

Date 4-14-2017

Dear Father Jon,

On behalf of Unity Productions Foundation, the creators of the docudrama The Sultan and the Saint we humbly request your attendance and participation in the upcoming premiere of the film at Santa Teresa Parish on the day of  April 23^d.  At this premiere of the film we would like to honor you with the Sultan and the Saint Peacemaker Award in recognition of your outstanding work in building bridges across faiths and cultures.

As an award recipient, you will be included in a national network of peacemakers working to promote peace and greater understanding across lines of religious difference, particularly Christian and Muslim relations.  We would like to include an overview of the work you do on our website (www.thesultanandthesaint.org) where we will feature your headshot and a brief overview of your impact.

You will be joining a national network of The Sultan and the Saint Peacemaker awardees that is made up of interfaith activists who are working locally and globally to promote peace and better relations. We will periodically check-in with you to learn about your latest projects and we will provide you with some tips for programs and events you can host using UPF films and other resources.

Thank you for your consideration. Please email me confirming that you will be available for the premiere and that you are interested in joining this network.

Sincerely,

Unity Productions Foundation

Help Eliminate Diseases Caused by Bad Water: Can You Give?

Dear Friends/Family,

   As you know, I have been working with a great group in Nicaragua, Amigos for Christ. You can read my report from last year, with a video from the team, and their testing results. They focus on clean water, health and education programs for the folks in one of the poorest regions of the 2nd poorest country in the Americas.

One of the their core programs is the elimination of diseases caused by unclean water. In areas in where we have yet to put in a clean water system, up to 50% of the children have intestinal parasites. 

So, here's this year's ask: 

We need to raise money to keep the anti-parasite program going. Can you help us with our attempt to raise $4864? Here's a breakdown:

Need	Amount
Transportation and Materials for Preventative Classes and Home Visits in Rural Communities	$1,450
Collection and Processing Materials for Parasite Testing	$2,160
Additional Materials for studies	$1,254
	$4,864

I have donated $500, and got my employer, VMware to donate another $1000. But a donation of any size is welcome. Can you help?

The donation link is here: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/billrothp2p

Thank you for your consideration. Call me if you have questions.

Bill Roth

Music for the Post-Election Blues

Like many of my friends, the election results hit me hard. Really hard. As to why, more on this later. But I have learned that Music can be a powerful non-chemical mood altering device. For me, some kinds of Music, like early John Gorka, can send me into depression. Other music can bring me out of it. So, what follows is my recommendation for things to listen to in order to bring yourself up off the emotional floor that was this election:

• Appalachian Spring, Aaron Copland. If you want to actually hear morning in America, listen to this. Leonard Bernstein once said of Copland, "He's the best we have, you know." 
• Rodeo, Aaron Copland. Movement 4 was famously used for "Beef: Its what's for dinner" ads, it typifies the American energy.
• Sweet Honey in the Rock. Anything, but I have been listening to "Eyes on the Prize" to remind me that "the arc of history is long, but it bends toward justice."
• Little Light, Sturgill Simpson. Great piece of white gospel music
• American Land, Bruce Springsteen. Very wry. Also, Greetings from Asbury Park.
• Bob Dylan, Oh Mercy.
• More on the way.

So go, grieve. Listen to music, and come to terms to the election. And then, next monday, get back to work fighting for a better country.

Vote Picks for 2016 for Santa Clara County, Assembly District 28, Willow Glen (ish)

As many of you know, I obsess about politics the way other people do about sports. This has been the most interesting election cycle of my lifetime, both good and bad. I've been pouring over the my ballot, and I get excited when I get my State Voter Guide, which is online. and below are my picks for 2016 all the way down. Feel free to start a conversation on this.

My Picks:

• President/VP: Clinton/Kaine
• Senator: Kamala Harris. Look, I love Loretta Sanchez as a person, and I recognize and appreciate what she's done in Garden Grove. But Harris is a serious candidate, and a historic candidate
• Congress: Zoe Lofgren, now and forever. Proud to have her as my representative in Congress.
• State Senator: Jim Beall.
• Assembly: Evan Low
• San Jose Unified School District: Pam Foley.
• East Side Union School District. Pattie Cortese
• City Council: Helen Chapman. Dev Davis is a Republican.
• Open Space District: Dorsey Moore. PLO is just ballot riding.
• Prop 51: Yes. Its the only way we can legitimately fund schools in California
• Prop 52: Yes. Why is this not in the legislature?
• Prop 53: No. Would make raising revenue for worthy projects harder
• Prop 54: Yes. Seems reasonable that legislation should be public 72 hours ahead of time.
• Prop 55: Yes. Proud to extend this, and to pay it. We have to find education somehow.
• Prop 56: Yes. Leads to a healthier population
• Prop 57: Yes. Part of the on-going criminal justice reform
• Prop 58: Yes. Preserves the status quo. Common language is a unifier. I'd also like to see mandatory Spanish as well. Maybe in the future.
• Prop 59: Yes. Allowing for proposal and ratification of an amendment to overturn Citizens United
• Prop 60: Blank. Ummm, really? I have to vote on this?
• Prop 61: Yes. Lowers drug prices. 
• Prop 62: Yes. End the Death Penalty. Seamless Garment.
• Prop 63: Yes. Background check for ammo. Guns don't kill people, bullets do.
• Prop 64: Yes. 420 dood. Then tax it. See Aquinas: "lex humana dicitur aliqua permittere, non quasi ea approbans, sed quasi ea dirigere non potens." (ST 1-2.93.3.3)
• Prop 65: Yes. Grudgingly. The bag ban is an example of the nanny state. Do you know how many groceries I have left in the parking lot because of this ban? But this redirects money to environmental causes.
• Prop 66: No. Seems to me like taking away due process rights
• Prop 67: No. See Prop 65. How much pasta sauce do I need to leave in the Safeway parking lot?
• Measure A: Yes. We have the largest per-capita homeless population. We need to fix it.
• Measure B: Yes. Traffic is a mess, future generations need BART. Yes to the sales tax.
• Measure E: Yes. Be fair on offering extra hours. I have seen this abused.
• Measure F: Yes. Its a decent compromise. Lets rebuild SJPD.
• Measure G: Yes. Yes to Business Tax.
• Measure X: Yes. Supports Job Training
• Measure Y: Yes. More Property Tax to improve San Jose Schools.

My Current Senate map:

As extra credit: At this writing, my Senate Map looks like this. My current prediction is  50/50 split with VP breaking tie.

Making a difference in Nicaragua

Earlier in the summer of 2016, I send out a call to my frends and family to help me raise money for medicine for the people of northwest Nicaragua. As many of you know, I have been working with a great organization, Amigos for Christ, to help the folks of this area.

Amigos has a systematic approach to helping folks. The have have five foundational areas they work on. Simply put: First, they start by working with communities to build water systems. This work is not charity, but a collaboration. The community must put up half the labor, and some of the money. Once the water system is in, they work on health issues. From there, it progresses to economic development. They have been working on this for 20 years, and the area is dotted with free-standing independent communities.

I have been working with the Health Team for a couple of years. I have been working on eliminating intestinal parasites in children and their parents, a disease which affects way to many people in this area. This year, the group had a special meal for me to celebrate the work we had done, and I was supremely moved.

So, to the donors, I say thank you. But more importantly, so do they. Here's a message from my friend Juanita, a nurse on the team:

My name is Juanita Patricia González Picado, and I work with Amigos for Christ. I am in charge of the projects for eliminating parasites, and the elimination of Chronic Renal Insufficiency in the communities we work in.  This year, we worked with seven communities, 4 existing and 3 new communities. Thank you for your contributions and donations, which help us realize these projects and serve the people in these communities with stool and urine testing, which helps us in our mission to eliminate parasites and disease. We keep you in our thoughts always.

(Note: The translation is mine. I take responsibility for any mistakes)

The team also put together a slide presentation on the epidemiological data they have been collecting in the communities, which illustrates the level of service and professionalism that these folks provide:

Data on Amigos For Christ Parasite Project from Bill Roth

(If you want a translation, post a comment)

I am proud to be able to help them, and I am proud that my family and friends who donated help to make the lives of these people better.