Appalled Residents of a San Clemente Street Engage in Bit of Name-Dropping

Neil McCarthy directed me to a story in the San Clemente Sun-Post about residents who were upset over their street name, Camino Cachones.

Many outsiders, the newspaper explained, pronounced it “as Camino Cahones,” which resembles a Spanish slang word for testicles. Adding to the problem, the U.S. Postal Service had misspelled Cachones as Cahones in its database, so residents saw that version on bulk mail and catalogs.

The San Clemente Library translated “cachones” as “wave,” “breaker” or “long-horned.” But residents asked for and were granted a new street name with no anatomical implications: Calle Vida.

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Name that animal: Perusing a CHP Web site, Vince Stickel came upon an unidentified-rumbling-object report in San Diego County (see accompanying).

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Trying to guess what the IRS is thinking: To remind you this is April 15, I’ve reprised a vintage photo, sent in by Barry and Elsa Neilsen.

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More money matters: I suggested that the L.A. Archdiocese could alleviate its budget problems by removing the “No Coins/Holy Water” sign at the baptismal font in the new cathedral.

Susie Harper was reminded of the no-coins policy of a religious figure of the 1920s and 1930s: evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, founder of the Angelus Temple in Echo Park.

When the collection plate was passed around, congregants would be told that Sister Aimee didn’t like to hear the clanging of coins and would appreciate the quieter sound of paper money instead.

My kids are in Sister Aimee’s category.

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Speaking of church: Janet Mauk of La Crescenta spotted a pair of puny pews for sale (see accompanying).

“Probably for church mice,” she commented.

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Long search: In its early days, Long Beach was derided by rival Angelenos as “Iowa by the Sea,” a reference to the many Midwesterners who settled there. Ever since, it seems, the city has been looking for a more appropriate civic motto.

As part of the city’s latest search for a magical phrase, the Beachcomber newspaper has a ballot on its Web site listing “International City,” “The Most on the Coast,” “California’s Site to Sea,” “A Very Choice Place,” “MultipliCity” and “None of the Above.” Publisher Jay Beeler pointed out that “None of the Above” is “not a slogan.” This column, civic minded as always, will also collect nominations from readers and pass them along. Did I mention that “Cachones” is Spanish for “wave”?

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miscelLAny: Writer Ray Richmond of West Hollywood noticed that one of the possible side effects for a prescription diet drug was “increased appetite.” Commented Richmond: “Kind of a curious possibility for a diet drug, no?” He added: “If this is an error and it’s supposed to be ‘decreased’ appetite, well, wouldn’t that be the point?”

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Reach Steve Harvey at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012.