It's nice to see that President Bush is showing an interest in National Parks. The National Parks, Mounuments, Historical Sites, National Forests, etc. are one of the best things that we've come up with. I don't know if his interest is genuine but at least he's pretending well. Now if he could just loosen up some money for them.

It is so sad about the illegal aliens who died crossing the desert but we can't just open up our borders. We're already swarming with illegals. I'm actually in favor of open borders but I also feel that if someone isn't a citizen they should not get benefits. Now, if someone slips across the border they can get all kinds of stuff. The border states are hurting so bad and all the people in congress from places like, oh, Massachusetts and other eastern or northern states that have no borders people swarm across, keep telling us we have to take care of them. I know this sounds hateful but we can't afford to provide free education and health care for the whole world. I'm sorry for their kids but we can't afford to educate and medicate the children of citizens.

I took a round about route to work and enjoyed the walk and bus ride. I was getting damp at 6:30 in the morning but there was just enough cool breeze that it felt ok and in the shade it was very nice. There was a lady on the bus with a windbreaker and the bus was not that cool. She must have been so warm. Why? The saguaro flowers are pretty droopy now and the fruit is small and green. I wonder if the heat we're getting so early will harm them. The mountains were in a haze and looked like blue shadowy outlines like a Japanese painting.

I saw three cranes as I got off the bus at campus. It seems like the construction on the mall will never be done. The big hole in the ground is being filled in nicely and they have the roof on it level with the mall now. They had a black statue of a nude woman holding a bird (?) in the back of a truck and it looked a bit out of place among all the constructions workers. I wonder what they think of it.

It's student orientation and there were tables and banners set up before 7:00. People were running around wearing orientation tshirts and already kids and parents were walking past looking lost. I even saw a truck with a bank logo and a display set up. Got to get those kids accounts. I remember how freely they handed out credit cards to my kids. They did run them up more than they should and maxed them out much too often, but they have them paid off now and it did help them get through college. Now I'm the one who is trying to pay off my credit cards.

Dogs and their walkers were also out early to avoid the heat. They wove their way in and out of the construction and tables. All that energy helped me decide to stop and enjoy the roses by Forbes Building while eating some breakfast. The birds were chirping and the roses were full and beautiful. The vines have overgrown the arches into the courtyard so that a couple people had to duck to get through. It looks very cool and green, though.