Michael Kramer

Two weeks ago Outtakes asked readers to help count the buckles attached to Michael Jackson's "Bad" outfit and, more earthshakingly, explain why the Ungloved One is wearing so many of them. The deluge of loose leaf and post cards and even a typed letter or two was overwhelming. Not one managed to come up with the correct number. According to Jackson's PR people, Michael--who designed the outfit himself--is wearing 46 buckles. Why? The PR people said Michael said there's no special meaning behind them.

Comic Michael Richards apologized Monday for a Friday-night tirade during his stand-up show at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood during which he used profanities and racial slurs directed at blacks. The 57-year-old actor who gained fame as Kramer, the wacky neighbor on "Seinfeld," offered his apology during an appearance on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman." It was taped in the afternoon and wound up on the "CBS Evening News With Katie Couric."

The New York Times and a Time magazine columnist found themselves in an ethical thicket Monday over the Times' coverage of U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood's derailed nomination to be attorney general. On Sunday, the New York Times ran a page-one story saying an anonymous source close to Wood contended that she had given the White House full details of her hiring of an illegal immigrant as her baby-sitter, an account that contradicted the White House version of events.

The New York Times and a Time magazine columnist found themselves in an ethical thicket Monday over the Times' coverage of U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood's derailed nomination to be attorney general. On Sunday, the New York Times ran a page-one story saying an anonymous source close to Wood contended that she had given the White House full details of her hiring of an illegal immigrant as her baby-sitter, an account that contradicted the White House version of events.

Comic Michael Richards apologized Monday for a Friday-night tirade during his stand-up show at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood during which he used profanities and racial slurs directed at blacks. The 57-year-old actor who gained fame as Kramer, the wacky neighbor on "Seinfeld," offered his apology during an appearance on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman." It was taped in the afternoon and wound up on the "CBS Evening News With Katie Couric."

Donald Trump proposes to free Mike Tyson after his rape conviction on the condition that he donate his earnings to rape victims. That is as ludicrous as freeing Jeffrey Dahmer on the condition that he become a vegetarian. MICHAEL A. KRAMER Los Angeles

Michael Kramer had three hits and two runs batted in to help Pepperdine beat San Francisco, 5-4, in the first game of a West Coast Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday, but the Dons salvaged a split with a 4-2 victory in the second game. Pepperdine (31-22, 20-9 in conference play) scored all of its runs in the first inning of the opener, capped by Kramer's two-run double. Steve Zorn, who had three hits for the Waves in the two games, singled home Josh Oder with the first run.

* Marsha Ferber will discuss and sign "Prescription for Robust Health" at 7 tonight at Borders Books and Music, 429 S. Associated Road, Brea. * Writer Luis Gonzalez will speak at the Writer's Series meeting at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

Increased breast-feeding during the first months of life appears to raise a child's verbal IQ, according to a study of nearly 14,000 children that was released Monday. The study in Archives of General Psychiatry found that 6-year-olds whose mothers were part of a program that encouraged them to breast-feed had verbal IQs that were an average of 7.5 points higher than those of children in a control group.

Cartoonists gave thanks last week for a scorn-ucopia of easy pickings. There was Hanoi Dubya (it was just as he remembered it from the Swift Boat ads!), the O.J. book, then the booklash, then Michael Richards' (Kramer's) appalling racial rant and obligatory apology. (Good thing O.J. wasn't at the Laugh Factory.) We dined on plenty of traditional Thanksgiving leftovers -- think post-election turkeys, political gravy trains and pilgrims-asillegal-immigrants -- and handfuls of low-hanging fruit.

Two weeks ago Outtakes asked readers to help count the buckles attached to Michael Jackson's "Bad" outfit and, more earthshakingly, explain why the Ungloved One is wearing so many of them. The deluge of loose leaf and post cards and even a typed letter or two was overwhelming. Not one managed to come up with the correct number. According to Jackson's PR people, Michael--who designed the outfit himself--is wearing 46 buckles. Why? The PR people said Michael said there's no special meaning behind them.

Three Sherman Oaks residents have been identified as being among eight passengers on a commuter plane missing off the Hawaiian Islands. A continuing aerial and sea search failed Friday to uncover clues to the fate of Panorama Air Tours Flight 21, which disappeared Wednesday evening near the island of Molokai, 50 miles southeast of Honolulu. "We didn't find a trace of anything," said Coast Guard spokesman Mark Griggs.

Today Sewing--Noon: Sandra Betzina, author of "Power Sewing" books, columns and video tapes, hosts a "sew perfect" chat. http://www.hgtv.com Friday Hand Dancing--3 p.m.: Hand dance is a form of swing and a close cousin of the jitterbug. Learn from Lawrence Bradford and then enjoy R&B sounds from the Orioles and the Jewels. http://www.kennedy-center.