FRISKY HOLIDAY: If hearing some dog lovers...

FRISKY HOLIDAY: If hearing some dog lovers refer to Christmas as “Santa Paws” days makes you cringe, try this one: The Irvine Animal Care Center has a deal Saturday, Dec. 3. For $10, you can have your dog’s picture taken with Santa Claus at 92 Corporate Park Plaza in Irvine--a remembrance your dog can enjoy for years to come. . . . It’s for a cause: The money goes to help care for the animals housed at the shelter.

BALANCING ACT: For years you’ve heard politicians debating a “balanced budget.” Here’s an Orange County group that plans to do something about it--even though it won’t count. The Concord Coalition, a nonprofit citizens group begging for a balanced federal budget, holds its own little congress in Irvine on Jan. 7, 1995, called Debtbuster 2000. The idea is to put together a five-year balanced budget plan. . . . It has no effect, of course, but, says a spokesman, they’ll pass it along gratis to the real Congress.

ORANGE JULIUS: Quick, without looking at the picture above, name the most famous doctor in America. Yes, some would say Doctor J--Julius Erving--the 11-time NBA All-Star who’s now a businessman and TV commentator. . . . Erving’s popularity is high seven years after retirement: Cal State Fullerton this week announced that Erving will be keynote speaker in April at its annual auction to raise money for athletics at the university and Fullerton city schools.

PRIVATE EYES ONLY? Would it raise an eyebrow if you walked into your local City Council meeting and saw everyone watching adult movies? That’s what a group in Orange wanted their council members to do this week, to accent how upset they are that Cablevision isn’t able to control inadvertent showing of the Playboy Channel on their home screens. . . . Council members decided against a public screening--but each agreed to take a tape home for private viewing. Warns Councilman Fred L. Barrera: “We haven’t heard yet from the guys who want that channel.”