Backbone talking to node/express running locally os x 10.6.8. Trying to populate a clientside backbone model with fetch. Thinking I have fetch wrong. Most of app_stuff.js is cut-and-paste. Curious why node/express sees the request as OPTIONS instead of GET (or POST?) and if I have the terminology right. I think I can make it work like this but would rather pay the dues for some best practices while still an absolute newb.
backbone
(function($) {
    var Stuff = Backbone.Model.extend({
    });
    var Collec = Backbone.Collection.extend({
        model: Stuff,
        url: 'http://localhost:3000/stuff'
    });
    var nstuff = new Collec;
    nstuff.fetch(
        { data: $.param({ name: "helloworld"}) }
    );
})(jQuery);
app_stuff.js
var express = require('express')
  , routes = require('./routes')
  , stuff = require('./routes/stuff')
  , user = require('./routes/user')
  , http = require('http')
  , path = require('path');
var app = express();
app.set('port', process.env.PORT || 3000);
app.set('views', __dirname + '/views');
app.set('view engine', 'jade');
app.use(express.favicon());
app.use(express.logger('dev'));
app.use(express.bodyParser());
app.use(express.methodOverride());
app.use(app.router);
app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'public')));
if ('development' == app.get('env')) {
  app.use(express.errorHandler());
}
app.get('/', routes.index);
app.get('/users', user.list);
app.get('/stuff', stuff.index);
app.options('/stuff', function() { console.log("stuffed"); });
http.createServer(app).listen(app.get('port'), function(){
  console.log('Express server listening on port ' + app.get('port'));
});
terminal output
$ node timeline/app_stuff.js 
Express server listening on port 3000
stuffed
