Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Dan Stenge, Salem, Oregon on May 22, 2009:

I grew up in San Francisco reading the witticisms of Herb Caen and Art Hoppe in the Chronicle. One of my favorite "Caenisms" was about seemingly never-ending street repairs.

The reason why they don't put all the streets back together at the same time is because they wouldn't fit.

Posted by Jean...Grants Pass, OR on May 22, 2009:

My journalism teacher used to bring in Caen's columns the next day - after he received his copy. He told us once that "Herb Caen is the only known existing human to use 'noisome' correctly. Go thou and do likewise." I'll take a cup of kindness yet, for old Herb Caen.

---

I'll join you -- Vitamin V on the rocks! -rc

Posted by Rodney --no Pain -- in Hayama, Japan on May 22, 2009:

TOO BAD Caen wasn't able to stay around long enough to experience Twitter -- he probably would have died happy knowing there was a populist successor to his three dot journalism....

I remember reading Caen's column but I didn't always have access to it -- your tribute stimulated my memory cells... Before I even got to the Caen tribute I was thinking what a great item your "Freaks of Nomenclature" is.... In this issue -- the free one anyway -- I think you've outdone yourself, Randy.... Good stuff! ... Thanks for sharing.

Posted by Patti from Alameda on May 22, 2009:

Herb Caen was a great way to start the morning. I discovered him when I started school at CAL (way back when) and read him to the end. It was fun to read his style and to occasionally see mentioned a friend. He once included a bit about the insect dinner at Barrington Hall, the housing co-op for students at UC Berkeley where I "grew up".

This is true - a new discovery for me and one that has brightened the day. Looking forward to the next installment.

Posted by Butch/Texan in Georgia on May 23, 2009:

It's kinda funny.I have been using 3 dots as a pause or break. I never knew it was a real way to type. I feel so much smarter now.

On the "Namephreaks" I had a banker named Mr. Green, He was by far the best banker I have ever dealt with. Funny how things come around.

---

Read up on ellipses, and you'll know more about "three dots". -rc

Posted by Ken, Virginia Beach, VA on May 23, 2009:

Freaks of Nomenclature? Shouldn't that be; "freaks of namingclature".

---

Um, no. Check a dictionary. -rc

Posted by Gareth, Australia on May 23, 2009:

Reading about the Namefreaks thing made me remember an interesting article I read a while back - people are more likely to go into a profession that relates to their name. It turns out that men are more or less equally likely to be called Dennis as Jerry or Walter, but men called Dennis are 82% more likely to be a dentist than men called Jerry or Walter. You can read more about the research here.

Posted by Wes, Lakeside, AZ on May 23, 2009:

I lived in the Bay area from 1966 to 1980 and Caen's column was one of the great joys of living there. He loved his city and it showed. I've never lived anywhere else with a columnist in the same league. Thanks for the memories, Randy.

Posted by Jim -Santa Rosa, CA on May 23, 2009:

I have lived in the bay area since 1965. I appeared in the Herb Caen column a couple of times. The last one was Dec. 20 years ago...he was let go after 25 years...the parting shot was...you are still invited to the Christmas party.

Posted by Mike Eager, Palo Alto on May 23, 2009:

When Herb Caen became ill with lung cancer, he went on "vacation," always planning on returning to write his ultimate column. Unfortunately, he never did give us his parting shot about Baghdad-by-the-Bay, gourmet Velveeta (only in Chico), Berzerkeley (alternate spelling?), all the pols and swells he managed to run into in SF restaurants, or whatever else came across his desk ....