Please support the ongoing GLBT community’s 27th annual “Toys for Kids” campaign going on right now.… There are colorful boxes all over town and the Imperial Court needs more than ever Toys! Toys! Toys! The need grows every year… so why not drop off an unwrapped toy today.… Thank you.

The beautiful home of Tom Felkner and Bob Lehman was once again the site of another successful fundraising event, this one for Mayor Dick Murphy, who was introduced by Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins, who gave a very strong endorsement for Dick Murphy’s re-election, urging the GLBT community to support the mayor. Among the many people in attendance were community leaders and business people.

Popular City Councilmember Donna Frye, who is the strongest non-GLBT ally of our GLBT community on the city council, has endorsed Mike Aguirre to be our next city attorney, and now with former State Assemblymember Howard Wayne dropping out, Mike Aguirre has emerged as one of the top frontrunners, with strong support from the union and also from the people of color and GLBT communities. Mike Aguirre has been a strong and consistent supporter of GLBT rights for over 20 years.… No other candidate can come close to matching Aguirre’s record with our community… period. Recently a good friend of mine sent out an e-mail urging the support of a certain candidate because, as he put it to me… “We need more women in positions of power.” Well, we also need a lot more people of color in positions of power… and I proudly support Councilmember Donna Frye in endorsing Mike Aguirre for city attorney!

Political tongues were wagging all over the state when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger extended a personal invitation to Chris Kehoe, the Speaker pro Tempore of the State Assembly, to ride with him on his private jet to San Diego.… Chris tells me Arnold sat Kehoe right next to him and they had a good talk and got to know each other better. When they landed in San Diego the governor invited Kehoe to attend his rally at Horton Plaza, which drew a huge crowd.… Governor Schwarzenegger then introduced Chris Kehoe to the crowd as his “new good friend.” Many consider this a big coup for Kehoe, who is facing a tough race in her state senate campaign.

I, like many, was looking forward to the screen adaptation of the major play Angels in America, which previewed on HBO this past week.… While there were great actors (Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson were all outstanding), the movie was very depressing, with no good gay role models, but full of bad ones: a guilt-ridden closet case Mormon who treats his wife awfully and is miserable… also another gay man who drops his lover of four years like a hot potato after he finds out he has AIDS, then spends the rest of his nights cruising Central Park and even asking a guy to screw him and infect him with the virus. Finally, there is another closet case, a right-wing Republican (yes, Roy Cohn), who hates everyone, including himself, and makes the evil witch in Snow White look innocent. This play, while it was great in its day, is too outdated to have been made into a film.… When you want an AIDS flashback to the ’80s, I recommend And the Band Played On.… As for HBO’s Angels in America, it plays more like “Devils in Soho!”

Yes, it’s that time again, when the Gay and Lesbian Times and I present our annual Holiday Decoration Contest in the following categories: bar, restaurant, business, dance bar and best window display, plus an overall grand sweepstakes winner. We will go around judging by Dec. 20, with beautiful ribbons being presented to first second and third place winners.… It is our way to show the Times’ appreciation for the fabulous decorations so many of you do to brighten up the holidays.… Phone (619) 692-1967 for more information.

This coming Sunday, Dec. 14 there will be a fun holiday show at 8:00 p.m. at Numbers, with great entertainment, holiday desserts, raffles, etc., all for the toy drive. Your hosts will be Katrina Yen, Milo and Nathan.… For more information, phone (760) 550-8015.