Governor Kulongoski obtained a job as a judicial（司法的，法院的）clerk in Eugene and then established his own law firm there．The firm earned a reputation as Oregon’s largest labor－law firm，representing labor organizations throughout the Pacific Northwest．The law firm served as general counsel（辩护律师）to the Oregon AFL－CIO，the Teamsters’Union，and numerous other labor organizations in the public and the private sectors．During one Oregon legislative session，Ted took time away from his law practice to author the Oregon Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act．Ted was selected as one of the top 71Oregon lawyers in the 1987edition of Best Lawyers in America．
While he was practicing law，Ted also served in the Oregon House of Representatives（1975－1978）and the Oregon State Senate（1978－1983）．He was appointed Oregon Insurance Commissioner（专员）in 1987and served until 1991．As Insurance Commissioner，Ted led the reform of the Oregon Workers’Compensation system，which is recognized nationally as a model for reducing costs to employers and raising benefits for workers．In 1992，Ted was elected Oregon Attorney General（首席检察官，司法部长），where he reformed the Oregon Juvenile Justice system，which now provides certainty and accountability for juvenile offenders．In 1997，he was elected to the Oregon Supreme Court as associate justice and served until mid－2001．He was inaugurated（举行就职典礼）as Oregon Governor in January 2003．
Kulongoski is the only governor in Oregon’s history to serve in all three branches of government at the state level：legislator，supreme court（最高法院）justice，and governor．
In his 30years of public service，Kulongoski has brought together the people of Oregon to solve some of our state’s most difficult issues，from protecting older Oregonians from fraud（欺骗）and abuse（虐待），to improving minimum wage and worker safety laws，to ensuring that Oregon’s children are well－educated，healthy，and safe．
As Governor，Kulongoski entered office faced with a3billion deficit in the state budget—a more than 20percent loss in revenue．Changing the way Oregon budgets，the Governor built a principle－based budget to pave the path to a prosperous future．After nearly three years，Governor Kulongoski continues to lead Oregon out of the recession（工商业之衰退，不景气）—creating jobs and expanding business opportunities in rural and urban areas—while protecting the environment．Governor Kulongoski has also opened the doors to college for more Oregonians by ending the disinvestment（蚀本，收回投资）in post－secondary education to keep Oregon’s brightest here at home．
Governor Kulongoski and his wife，Mary Oberst，have three grown children．They enjoy backpacking and hiking．Ted is an avid fly－fisherman，and throws a fly in any puddle（水坑）or stream of water in Oregon．
State Bird州鸟
1927年北美红雀被选为俄勒冈州州鸟。北美红雀以它与众不同和美丽的歌声见长。在它的嫩黄的下腹部有一个黑色的“V”字，它尾巴外部的羽毛主要是白色的，当它飞行时，可以很容易看见。它们主要的食物来源是昆虫、蜘蛛和其他小的无脊椎动物。它们也吃种子，在冬天时，这是它们的主要食物。冬天里在原野和草场常常可以看见它们成群结队。
The Western Meadowlark（Sturnella neglecta）was chosen state bird in 1927by Oregon’s school children in a poll sponsored by the Oregon Audobon Society．Native throughout western North America，the bird has brown plumage with buff and black markings．Its underside is bright yellow with a black crescent（新月，月牙）on the breast；its outer tail feathers are mainly white and are easily visible when it flies．The Western Meadowlark is known for its distinctive and beautiful song．
Meadowlarks are members of the blackbird family．Other blackbird species may have non－black females，but meadowlarks are unique in not having mostly black colors on the male．
The Western’s Meadowlarks song is complex，garbled and abrupt．Males commonly use fence posts as perches while singing．They will sing to stake out a breeding territory which averages 7acres in size but may vary from 3to 15acres．The males will have more than one mate．Up to three females may nest within its territory．
Meadowlarks are ground nesters．They weave dried grasses into a bowl shape，typically within a larger grass clump（土块）for shelter and camouflage（伪装）．An average of 5eggs are laid and they may have two clutches per year．The eggs are white with brown and lavender（淡紫色）spots concentrated at the wider end．Incubation（孵蛋）takes two weeks and the young are full grown 6weeks after hatching．The young have some black spots on their breast but do not develop the distinctive black “V”until the fall molt ．Nesting and brood－rearing chores are done primarily by the female，although the male may help feed the young．
The majority of their food during the growing season is insects，spiders and other small invertebrates（无脊椎动物，无骨气的人）．Some seeds are eaten also，and that becomes the bulk of their food in the winter．During winter meadowlarks will form into flocks of up to a few hundred individuals which are often seen foraging in fields and pastures（草原，牧场）．
The following is identification：
1．8．5inches length
2．Sharply－pointed bill
3．Buff and brown head stripes
4．Yellow underparts with black “v”on breast
5．White flanks with black streaks
6．Brown upperparts with black streaks
7．Brown tail with white outer tail feathers
8．Juvenile and winter plumages somewhat duller
9．Frequents open habitats
State Flower州花
俄勒冈葡萄花是一种低生灌木，能长到2—5英尺，有着羽状的树叶，光滑的绿叶看起来像冬青树的叶子。这种植物在初夏开鲜艳的黄色小花，在晚秋深蓝色的浆果就会成熟，而且果实可以煮着吃。葡萄花的根部还可以作药用。虽然这种花土生在北美，但现在欧洲也有这种花。在1889年俄勒冈州将此花作为本州州花。
A low growing plant，the Oregon Grape is native to much of the Pacific Coast and found sparsely（稀疏地，稀少地）east of the Cascades．Its year－round foliage of pinnated，waxy green leaves resembles holly（冬青树）．The plant bears dainty（娇美的，鲜艳的）yellow flowers in early summer and a dark blue berry that ripens late in the fall．The fruit can be used in cooking．Oregon grape is a close relative of barberry（伏牛花，伏牛花子）（Berberis vulgaris），and as with its cousin，the plant’s medicinal portion is the root．Although Oregon grape originated in North America，it now also grows in Europe．