*Mets' owner Fred Wilpon has taken a lot of grief over his comments in the current issue of The New Yorker. But here's what you need to know: The lengthy profile by Jeffrey Toobin is primarily about Wilpon the businessman and his dealings with Bernie Madoff; and Wilpon's widely quoted words about David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes make up only a tiny section of article. Oh, by the way, Wilpon needn't apologize to his players for telling the truth.

*We received several phone calls of complaint when the size of the Freeman's crossword puzzle was tightened, but none since we re-enlarged it. Funny how that works out.

*Those reaction shots of Oprah during that two-part televised farewell celebration reminded me of the "candid" images of a jaw-dropping, tearful Jerry Lewis after a telethon toteboard update.

*Would the network news coverage of the tornado tragedies been less complete had the anchors stayed at their desks in New York and, well, anchored?

*Leave it to comic-writer-actor Albert Brooks to set us straight: In China, he says, "Chinese food" is just "food". Why didn't I think of that?