As you can tell, my tree is the first one to shed all of its leaves.

















That would mean the end of raking, no? There's something called wind that makes that impossible. Anyhow, I detected a little frost this a.m. That means crank up the "Edmund Fitzgerald' song...fall has arrived, and winter is on the doorstep.

Meal of Links

My Dad and I went to see the movie, "W." yesterday. It painted a somewhat sympathetic view of old George W. Bush, considering it was Oliver Stone behind the camera. Josh Brolin was very good in the title role. This movie made me hate Dick Cheney, even more, and he was played by Richard Dreyfuss. Thandie Newton played Condoleeza Rice and annoyed me to no end. I'm sure she was close to Rice's cadence, but it bordered on parody. Babe's Dad played W.'s Dad and he was good as usual.

Best line of the movie was not on screen, but from a woman behind me. When trying to determine what was up with WMDs, Bush asks, "Who's in charge?", the woman says, "You are, you moron."

One other thing about the movies. We were at the Regal Beagle in Middleburg Heights. Got there early for what is now "First Look", which used to be "The 20". This was a series of three to four vignettes including behind-the-scenes stuff with interviews about upcoming TV programs or feature films. Now, it is basically full-length commercials for each show or movie without the interviews and stocked with endless amounts of commercials. Just so you know.

Votes are flipping on West Virginia machines. Homer Simpson was right!

A history of home values. Look for the market to bottom out in 2011.

Creative Lamps. That is some cool stuff there.

Exercise Yard

Really, what did you expect from the Browns? Hard to imagine they actually had a chance to tie at the end. Was there any sort of a carryover from Monday? It appeared not. Although, we still can't defend the run. That's a constant. Yesterday, it was Clinton Portis (old Coach Janky Spanky from a couple of years ago) running amok with 175 yards and the Redskins totalling 193 as a team. Well, that made for a quick game. Ugly, but quick.

It seemed the Browns offense reverted back to the pre-Monday Night games. With only one week to prepare, we never tested the Redskins secondary deep. At one time, Derek Anderson was 3-15 passing, before ending 14 out of 37. Not even 4 yards per completion. Braylon Edwards drops a few passes. Again. Jamal Lewis had a decent day running, but only after they decided to mix it up and run outside a bit. But it's unlike the Redskins, who continue to use the running game knowing those 3 and 4-yard gains turn into bigger gains later when the defense tires.

I think the biggest issue yesterday was during the Redskins goal line stand in the 4th quarter. All of a sudden, odd personnel packages started showing up for the Browns. I don't mind them, if these guys had at least had some plays before called upon. But Charles Ali and Jason Wright had passes thrown to them when they hadn't been in at all. Where is Jamal Lewis down there? Unbelievable, that Syndric Steptoe and Josh Cribbs also had goal line play. Let's keep Lewis in, with Darnell Dinkins and Steve Heiden in for added blocking. How about that for a change?

Anyhow, Browns lose, 14-11, in a game they didn't deserve to win but almost tied late. A loss at Jacksonville next week and we're right where we were before the Giants game, which presently looks like an aberration.

Visitor

None, a nice sunny Sunday.