Interests: Connecting state educational policy to foreign policy: china is rising as an economic and geopolitical power. for our own economic development, for our own national security, and for world peace and stability, we need to educate many more of our students to high levels of mandarin proficiency and we need to send many more students to study abroad in china so that they know the country and its people well. it is one of our most profound responsibilities. yet, now there seems to be a disconnect between the recognition that china is rising and the programs in our school. The US and Oregon need a substantial gas tax to reduce funding to hostile foreign petrostates. This weblog believes connecting discussions of foreign policy and Oregon policies and politics will be useful.