A TV nerd waves goodbye

Jerry Seinfeld may be going out with a bang, but don't expect Steve Urkel to make much noise during the series finale of Family Matters. Unlike Seinfeld, which will end for good on Thursday, the series ender for Urkel isn't scheduled to air until sometime in the summer.

The studio did its best to give Urkel (Jaleel White) a good sendoff after nine seasons, which began on ABC before CBS stole it away last fall. After persuading longtime love Laura (Kellie Williams) to marry him, Urkel manages to board a space shuttle before ultimately getting marooned in space.

Take the plunge Saturday at marine center

Want to find out what marine biologists do? Go to MarineQuest. It's a FREE way to check out the Florida Marine Research Institute.

You can tour the laboratory, try the hands-on displays and hear presentations on manatees, sharks, rays and other creatures.

Touch the tanks filled with Tampa Bay sea life and meet an interactive manatee skeleton. The institute is at 100 Eighth Ave. SE, St. Petersburg. MarineQuest is a one-day deal, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information call 896-8626.

Stamps are fun to stick or collect

Next time you dash off a letter to your pen pal or write Grandma a thank-you note, don't use the same boring stamps you always do. Lick and stick a new 32-cent cartoon Sylvester and Tweety stamp instead! The feline and feather duo are featured on a commemorative stamp (that means it will be available for a limited time).

If you're interested in collecting stamps, check out the U.S. Postal Service's youth stamp collecting program. Members receive free magazines, posters and other items to help get started. To become a member free of charge, call (888) 782-6738.

So cool on TV, so disappointing at home

The May/June issue of Zillions, the consumer magazine for kids, has announced its annual Zap Awards for commercials that make toys appear better than they really are.

Each year, kids from across the country nominate the toy ads they think are misleading and should be ZAPPED off the air. This year's recipients are ads for Merwees (dolls that can't really swim), the Spider-Man Web Blaster (a container that can't really cover a city street with webs) and Casey Cartwheel (who can't really cartwheel endlessly across a countertop).

_ Information from Times wires was used in this report