Herb Caen

Herb Caen (April 3, 1916 – February 1, 1997) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist working in San Francisco.

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Born in Sacramento, California, Caen worked for the San Francisco Chronicle from the late 1930s until his death, with an interruption from 1950 to 1958 during which he wrote for the San Francisco Examiner.

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Caen gained notoriety with his column "It's news to me", which was first published in 1938. His columns were known for their dry wit and his intricate knowledge of the goings-on in his city. Caen had a considerable influence on pop culture and its language; most notably, he is credited with inventing the term "Beatnik" in a 1958 column. He also coined the word "hippie".

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For many years, San Francisco had a double-decker freeway along part of its waterfront. Caen loathed and lambasted it in his column. (He called it the Dambarcadero, instead of the Embarcadero Freeway.) The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake severely damaged the freeway. Rather than repair it, it was demolished. In its place is a boulevard and Herb Caen Way... a wide promenade to the new stadium for his beloved Giants.

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Caen received a special award from the Pulitzer Prize board in 1996 "for his extraordinary and continuing contribution as a voice and conscience of his city."

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Caen played himself in a 1996 documentary called The Hippie Revolution. He died of lung cancer in San Francisco. His funeral was one of the most widely attended events in recent city history.

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Caen often referred to his column as "three dot journalism" ... and playfully popularized many concepts and terms, such as Frisbeetarianism.

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1916: 1916 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar)...

February 1: February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 333 days remaining, (334 in leap years)....

1997: 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar....

Herb Caen related Images and Photos (experimental)

Herb Pots	Herb Alpert	Herb Alpert	Circuit Caen
Country Herb Collection	Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass: Whipped Cream ...	Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass: Whipped Cream ...	Herb Garden 2012 Wall Calendar
Kitchen Herb 2011 Wall Calendar	Herb Gardens 2012 Wall Calendar	Herb Garden 2012 Vertical Wall Calendar	Bob Marley Herb Fabric Poster Wall Hanging