I am getting quite perturbed with the LA Times Crossword Puzzle on the weekends. With the last two Saturdays being so easy and probably a six-month slide down a slippery slope, I am officially declaring it dumbed down. Oh, the Times editor refers to it as "eased-up", but I call 'em as I see 'em. Anything beyond the most basic geography, history and mythology has been eschewed on the weekends for more modern stuff. The Saturday puzzle used to be a challenge, sometimes I'd have to leave it and come back, finishing it later that day or maybe even waiting until Sunday when something finally clicked.

Now if I don't finish it quickly, it's a rarity. Today's was way too easy. It included two cities in Texas, El Paso and Waco, that shouldn't happen. Uriah Heep and Descartes were also included, because they were long (and easy). Crap answers like that abound now! I saw one site that compared this week's Friday and Saturday to a Wednesday puzzle. Which was better than last week's, which was a Tuesday!

Look, I empathize with those who start doing the crosswords. There is nothing like finishing the harder ones as the week goes on and you figure out the nuances and certain words that pop up all the time. But where is the learning and, I might add, fun, in achieving that status simply because the puzzles are easier. And I understand the newspaper's plight in attracting new people to these puzzles. But, my God, this is really a sad commentary on what passes for intelligence these days. And i would wager to say the NYTimes would not do this.

Actress Tea _____, are you effin' kidding me on a Saturday puzzle?

Meal of Links

You like autumn? Well, here's your autumn. I think we call it fall, in these parts.

I thought this would start when the Limbaugh Rams takeover got public play. Would black players sign with the Rams? Probably not. Then again, these are better players talking and they have choices.

More fun with Google maps. This time in Toronto.

If you haven't started reading Letters of Note, you should. This one about The Beatles and the implied Beatlemania was really funny. "I'm 15 and feel like 80."

Guess what you can get at Wal-Mart? Kiss M&Ms!























Exercise Yard

The Baltimore Marathon is being run today. The Baltimore Sun has printed a map of where the most dangerous parts of the marathon route are located. Including the homicides.

Visitor

10 Across: Hero at the Battle of Cabra, 1079 (5 letters) Answer: El Cid