THIS WEEK'S QUESTION: Rocky road trips and September slumps have plagued New York baseball teams this season, but both the Mets and Yanks have managed to secure a spot in the post-season. Both "Battles by the Bay" will surely provide their fair share of great moments but will either or both teams be able to stay on track to make it to the World Series. "Who will make it to the World Series?" To express your opinion, CALL (212) 980-3434. ENTER question number 348 PRESS 1 for YANKEES PRESS 2 for METS PRESS 3 for NEITHER PRESS 4 for BOTH

Simply Simon

Singer-songwriter and Queens native
Paul Simon is among the top candidates up for election into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Paul Simon's "You're The One" goes on sale this week.

The diminutive Simon, an alumnus of Forest Hills High School and Queens College, was inducted into the hall
back in 1990 along with former partner and Queens buddy Art Garfunkel for his work in the duo Simon and Garfunkel.

Simon, who makes his home in Montauk, is now up for election once again for his solo work.

The 2001 inductees will be announced in November and honored next spring in a ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria.

"You’re The One," Simon’s latest release since his short-lived Broadway play "The Capeman," hit record stores Oct. 3.

PR Firm Sings
Burger Blues

Someone is about to be grilled by Wendy’s.

"Our public relations firm blew it," a Wendy’s spokesman told QConfidential this week, referring to a recent press release that was
served up to the Queens media by Ketcham Public Relations, a Manhattan-based firm.

In the release, Ketcham announced Wendy’s "Search for Sizzlin’ Sounds," offering a CD with samples of songs about hamburgers – written and performed by true burger aficionados, Wendy’s customers and the general public.

The problem? Some of the song lyrics might be considered questionable with regard to the recent Flushing slayings.

A Wendy’s representative told QConf that the oversight on Ketcham’s part in sending out the press kit was a case of truly poor judgment, made by the same PR firm that organized a memorial to the victims at the Queens Botanical Garden at the same time they mailed the CD.

Wendy’s officials were angered by Ketcham’s oversight, citing the chain’s efforts to ease the burden of grief on the victim’s families. Wendy’s International paid for each of the victims’ funerals, and for counseling for the families and the two survivors.

Immediately following the shootings, Wendy’s ceased all advertising in the NY Metro area and remained off the airwaves for a full month, out of respect for the victims. The chain also announced at the memorial service that it would not reopen at the Main Street site (closed since May 25) – also out of respect for the victims and their families.

Sources said the chain is searching for a new site, perhaps on nearby Roosevelt Avenue, to to open a restaurant in the downtown Flushing area.

As for the "Sizzlin’ Sounds" press kit, the spokesperson said it "was in no way intended to be sent to news media in Queens."

Here is a brief excerpt from one of the cuts on the CD, "For A Bite OF Beef and Cheese."

Ketcham spokesperson Rich Martin said the firm was "very, very sorry for the oversight."

Where's The Beef?

Wendy’s Founder Dave Thomas was recently in town to pay tribute to the five victims who were killed at the Main St. Wendy’s. He helped dedicate two trees at the Queens Botanical Garden and offered his support to the two survivors and families.

But it wasn’t Thomas’s first time in town. Apparently, the man best known for his old fashioned burgers, has been filming commercials here at the Silver Cup Studios for the past 10 years.

Thomas filmed his first Wendy’s ad in 1981. Although he was not the CEO, he became the spokesman for the company. In 1989, Thomas threw himself into Wendy’s advertising, staring in at least 500 commercials at Silver Cup by 1999.

Some of the more memorable commercials (other than the 1984 Where’s the Beef ads) include Thomas offering a money back guarantee if you don’t like his burgers and the "Old Fashioned Guy" campaign where he insisted that Wendy’s must be the best restaurant or why would he have named his daughter after it?

Indeed Thomas did name his fast food chain after his daughter, Melinda Lou (Wendy is a nick name). The first restaurant opened in Columbus, OH, in 1969. Today, Wendy’s International has opened 4,400 restaurants around the world and is being traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Believe It Or Not

Who knew badminton was an Olympic sport?

You know badminton—the game that’s sort of like tennis only different. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a game where two or four players use long, lightweight rackets to volley a shuttlecock over a net.

Apparently it’s a bona fide Olympic event, and even stranger, Ridgewood resident Kevin Han represented the red, white and blue in the badminton singles competition in Sydney.

Unfortunately, Han was ousted in the third round.

• SCANDAL: Speaking of the current school scandal in which former District 29 superindendent, Celestine Miller is alleged to have taken about a million bucks in kickbacks on computer contracts for her district, board member Timothy James remarked, "I don’t believe it! Come on! No way! She would not have gotten away with that. I’ve never known of a black person to get away with that kind of money for more than a few hours!"

• OXYMORONIC: Political columnist Arthur Nitzburg is addressing the Ethical Cultural Society 11 a.m., Sun., Oct. 8 at 67-25 188th St., Fresh Meadows. His topic – get this oxymoron – "Journalistic Ethics."

No comment!

• COWARDS: The cow statues throughout New York won’t get sent to pasture after they continue to be vandalized or deliberately damaged, if Parks Commissioner Henry Stern has his way. Disturbed by the increase in these incidences, including the attempted theft of the art house bovines, the eccentric Parks czar vowed that the cows would each get rehabilitated at the "Cow Hospital," and that these "cowards" would be punished for their crimes.

Confidentially New York . . .

E-MAIL your items to: conf@queenspress.com