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"beat"

I am pretty sure Jack Kerouac coined the term "beat" to describe the generation of the time, not Caen. Anyone concrete on this?—Preceding unsigned comment added by Asbogle ( talkcontribs) 09:29, 16 May 2006 (UTC) reply

Yes, Kerouac did refer to the "Beat generation". Seems Caen the typical journo working for the corporate press was only out to redicule the new swinger music. On the question of the claim that Caen coined the word hippie, this too is factually incorrect. Evidentally, the word hipster, was coined in 1940 by Harry Gibson. Then in 1963 the British band The Swinging Blue Jeans released their hit song 'Hippy Hippy Shake'. This referring to the new beat music where the youth swung their hips, and the hipsters pants worn by the rebelling British youth. This reference to Caen needs to be changed? Mombas 04:29, 31 August 2006 (UTC) reply

The article says he coined "beatnik" and "hippie", which are different from (though obviously related to) "beat" and "hippie". Lagringa 22:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC) reply

Untitled

I miss Herb's writing. Sniff. Obbop ( talk) 01:22, 17 April 2011 (UTC) . . . So do I. Mercurywoodrose ( talk) 23:30, 14 April 2012 (UTC) reply

Sources

Image changes

I've added a few images, and swapped some others. Those not currently used I've parked here. I encourage my esteemed fellow editors to shift, swap, adjust, and juggle further, as they see fit. EEng ( talk) 21:20, 6 December 2015 (UTC) reply

Herb Caen in his office in 1994
Caen and future fourth wife Ann Moller at the 40th anniversary celebration of The Paris Review with founder George Plimpton, October 1993.
  • He sort of resembles Ed Koch in these pictures. Discerning New Yorkers certainly wouldn't mind trading Koch for Caen. Trocadero Thunder ( talk) 14:51, 6 July 2018 (UTC) reply
Well have you ever seen them together? E Eng 16:07, 6 July 2018 (UTC) reply

GA?

Anyone not think this is ready for GA? I was hoping for a DYK:

... that "Mr. San Francisco" Herb Caen said, "If I do go to heaven, I'll do what every San Franciscan does who goes to heaven. He looks around and says, 'It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco'"?

Paging Binksternet. E Eng 02:02, 26 September 2016 (UTC) reply

Yes, it's worth putting this article in front of a GA reviewer. Binksternet ( talk) 08:53, 26 September 2016 (UTC) reply
Good article status. E Eng 16:06, 6 July 2018 (UTC) reply
  • It's not yet at Good article candidacy status, but could benefit from a formal peer review. It's written in a familiar, "chummy" style, and there are far too many quotations, which makes this read like a hagiography or fan's tribute, not a dispassionate, formal encyclopedia article (It's also a lazy way to fill space on a screen, but Wikipedia articles have no minimum word count). --Animalparty! ( talk) 04:16, 17 January 2019 (UTC) reply
    Now and then one runs into someone who thinks that the hallmark of good encyclopedic writing is lifelessness. Paging Binksternet. E Eng 04:48, 17 January 2019 (UTC) reply
I remember faithfully reading Herb Caen's column every time it appeared as I began working in San Francisco in the 1980s. I am a testament to the Chronicle editors' estimate that a lot of people were turning to Caen's column before or instead of the front page. I think it's fitting that his biography article reflect some of his well-known style. Carefully chosen quotes are a good way to convey to the reader his wit and charisma.
Is the article ready for GA? I think it needs a tiny bit of polish, nothing serious. Binksternet ( talk) 05:25, 17 January 2019 (UTC) reply
Submit it to GA and you'll find out. Or, Submit it to Peer review first to get outsiders' opinions and recommendations, then consider nominating to GA. Either way, constructive criticism will come in droves. --Animalparty! ( talk) 05:44, 17 January 2019 (UTC) reply
Animalparty, I looked around and found this list of the Good Article criteria. Could you perhaps take a moment to give us a preview of what a peer review might show by giving specific examples of ways in which the article fails to meet those criteria? Thanks! E Eng 15:03, 17 January 2019 (UTC) reply
Nothing. Huh. E Eng 16:25, 23 January 2019 (UTC) reply

1903 Call article, "San Francisco: The Baghdad of America"

One of our colleagues [1] has unearthed a 1903 San Francisco Call article describing San Francisco as "the cosmopolitan city of the United States" ( "San Francisco: The Baghdad of America". San Francisco Call. Vol. 94, no. 101. 9 September 1903.). The possibility that HC knew about this is intriguing, but of course we can't use it without some source commenting. Worth parking here, though -- maybe someone will have a bright idea. E Eng 02:27, 16 September 2017 (UTC) reply

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Ideal photo

I know it's a longshot, but does anyone have the moxy to try to get the lead photo on this page [2] appropriately released? Man, that would be perfect. Starting point here [3]. E Eng 22:04, 11 November 2019 (UTC) reply

Yes, that would be a great photo to put in the article. Hayford Peirce ( talk) 23:01, 11 November 2019 (UTC) reply