As far as I’m concerned, those always-losing, never-won-a-Super Bowl Chargers can leave San Diego today, because all they want is money, money, money. Our current stadium is just fine – it’s the team that sucks.

Now our government is spending billions of dollars on a recent spacecraft to Pluto. After spending billions going to the moon and Mars (and discovering no human could live there!), this is a huge waste of money, with no solid, productive discoveries or results. But our space program has cost lives, and has ended up with billions of dollars worth of equipment that at times doesn’t even work! These billions could be spent on AIDS and cancer research, children in poverty, the elderly, etc. Let us stop trying to endlessly find life on other planets and save lives here on Earth.

I’ve just returned from San Francisco, where I was at City Hall speaking to the Board of Supervisors in support of the proposal to name a street after the first openly gay candidate for public office in the U.S. (in 1961), Jose Sarria. I flew into Oakland (a much cheaper flight than flying into San Francisco), where Supervisor Bevan Dufty picked me up and dropped me off at my hotel. Later that night, I went to Dufty’s home to watch “Desperate Housewives” and eat ribs, salmon and cornbread, all cooked by the supervisor. Next morning, I was off to City Hall to testify, and I am proud to report that the vote was unanimous to rename one block of 16th Street, where the Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Branch Library is located, Jose Sarria Court.

I brought the idea to Supervisor Dufty, and we have been working on this for almost a year. Now my dream could become a reality within a month. Supervisor Dufty’s leadership and commitment to this project has been awesome – no wonder he is talked about as possibly becoming the first openly gay mayor of San Francisco.

By the way, Mayor Gavin Newsom is looking as handsome as ever, and continues to have very high voter-approval ratings.

From City Hall, I was taken straight back to the Oakland airport for my flight back to San Diego… all this in 27 hours!

With Mayor Jerry Sanders and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis showing up as honorary chairs of the Alano Club’s annual fund-raising gala this Saturday at The Center (the theme is “Building Hopes, Building Dreams”), this is looking like it will be a great night. The event includes dinner by the renowned Chef Axel and entertainment by popular singer Chuck Rite, who recently sang at the world-renowned Rivera Hotel in Palm Springs. I urge your attendance and support of this event and of the Alano Club. For tickets or further information, phone (619) 997-4383 or (619) 246-6807.

The Victory Fund of Washington, D.C., will honor our very own Councilmember Toni Atkins with its prestigious Gay and Lesbian Leadership Award for her distinguished service when she was acting mayor of San Diego. The luncheon will take place on Friday, Feb. 10, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Bahia Resort Hotel on Mission Bay.

Coming into town for the event will be San Antonio, Texas, Councilmember Elena Guajardo and Victory Fund national director Chuck Wolfe. Everyone is coming to see Toni receive this well-deserved national recognition. For further information, phone Robert Gleason at (858) 539-7610.

If you don’t have Cox Cable, you need to get it, as it’s not only a great cable company, but also now carries that outstanding new gay and lesbian channel, Logo (channel 341), 24 hours a day, which is the best. I watch it religiously; the programs, news series, movies, etc. are first rate. I urge you to order Cox Cable now; call (619) 262-1122 or (760) 599-6060. You’ll be glad you did.

This year, there are four candidates for prince and princess royale, and the election and event is set for Feb. 4 at The Center. There will be a catered buffet and fabulous entertainment by some out-of-state performers. The community is invited, and tickets are only $15 in advance. For further information, phone (619) 303-2384 or (619) 741-1042. Best wishes to Prince Adrian Rodriguez and Princess Regina Styles, as they will be stepping down at this event.

Those unbelievable Mexican brunches at the award-winning Baja Betty’s are now on both Saturdays and Sundays, and are attracting hungry crowds for some of the best Mexican food this side of the border. It’s a full buffet, with so much different Mexican food (and some American dishes) that even this old, fat queen left happy. Saturday and Sunday brunches at Baja Betty’s take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, phone (619) 269-8510.

Now to answer Kevin McCarthy’s letter in our last issue. He had been calling the Gay & Lesbian Times’ office asking for my phone number, stating he was a writer/reporter doing an investigative article on bathhouses. I was given his messages and called him back.

After decades of dealing with reporters, I’ve learned to be very careful, factual and calm. Only an idiot would get hysterical, as McCarthy claims I did. I would give him full permission to play back this interview to anyone, so they can hear that Kevin McCarthy acted like an inexperienced, stupid, biased writer. The statements in his letter make him a bald-faced liar.

McCarthy told me he was investigating the bathhouses, and he wanted to know if I had any ownership of them, to which I said no. He stated that he was a frequent patron of the baths, and that he had attacked the landlord of the 2200 Club for what he called the bad condition the club is in. I told McCarthy that the landlord just leases the property and that the 2200 Club is owned by two businessmen. As for the police chief, I informed McCarthy that the police chief’s advisory board (which I chair) has discussed the bathhouse issue many times.

McCarthy then started talking about finding “shit in some of the rooms.” I was getting very suspicious due to his many flipped-out statements and his line of questioning, so I asked which publication he was writing for. He refused to answer me, so I told him that this so-called interview was over. I have since found out that McCarthy has no press credentials.

Lastly, contrary to what McCarthy stated, in my meetings with everyone from school board members to mayors, governors and presidents, I have never said that I was a spokesperson or representative of the GLBT community. I always give them my personal opinion as a gay or Latino activist. As for you, Kevin McCarthy, you need to stop living in the Twilight Zone.