Some excellent work…

I've never met the gentleman (my loss, not his) and probably never will but I will repeat what I've said before - IMO this forum has comfortably the best forum functionality I've ever seen and rises admirably to the challenge other modern social media platforms pose but, more than that, I feel in safe hands here, he's like Pierluigi Collina was in his pomp, an outstanding referee, lets the game flow and only intervenes if he feels he has no other option.

That makes it a privilege to be here, as not all forums are like that - some who run them have their favourites, pick on those they have a personal dislike of and abuse their power.

This forum has some great contributors - the "Schweppes" thread had over a hundred replies in the build up to it - and it's by creating that environment and maintaining it that such superb discussion can take place.

Plus, for those of us who want it, we can have a giggle and set the world to rights here in Chit Chat.

Here's to Mister B, much appreciated and never taken for granted, not by me, anyway.
 
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Yes, there is a lovely flow - and glow - to many of the threads on this forum - and that’s even before we get to the week of Cheltenham! And it is to Mister B’s credit that he steps back and lets us argue like adults.

There are one or two people I can’t stand, but they are also people who offer some great insight into racing. I’d rather keep reading them, than put them on ignore.

And Tanlic totally deserves that two-week ban.
 
Have to say I completely disagree Len and believe me defending Tanlic is not a hill I'd choose to die on. The person who first called it out I'm not familiar with but has managed a dozen posts on the forum in years of being a member as if literally just waiting in the wings to be offended. The word he used was for me non offensive and is a term nearly everyone I know from all walks of life uses when they order a Chinese meal even though when addressing a Chinese person would give them the same respects as they would anyone else. I just randomly asked a few guys at work to see if i was losing the plot they all agreed it wasnt in anyway offensive. He is talking about the food not the people. You've got him on ignore Ian which to me is the best policy if you don't like reading someone's content.

The new mod comes on and bans him so I'm taking someone has reported him which for me is very sad. Tanlic has been a big contributor to horse racing forums for a long time whether you like him or not, agree or disagree with everything he says. At the end of the day the guys an old fella out in Thailand and obviously talking horses is a big part of his life and to take it away over something so trivial for me it just stinks.

The new mod has done a fantastic job with the forum. However a couple of times people have requested that we get something sorted with the separation of the general chat and the horse racing threads properly so that people who genuinely come on a horse racing forum for horse racing can actually see what they came for on latest threads. That hasn't been done which is fair enough if a mod hadn't had time but it would've been a better use of time than throwing the book at Tanlic.

I took Euros side when he dropped another sort of c-bomb the other week and jinny had took offence as I think he has the right to use it where he sees fit and again people who are offended by it can ignore. Personally though I took it on board as it's a word I might drop in from time to time because I just think that sometimes it's the best descriptive that someone could apply to a person or bunch of people. I've purposely tried to change my wording when i post on here because I know it offends somebody but I don't have to, that's my choice as to whether I tone myself down or not.

It's all just very sad to me and I hope Tanlic returns after the ban. As I still have plenty to argue with him about.
 
I read what you had to say there with interest, Danny, as I have invariably come to do since getting to you a little bit online here.

I think ignoring those who we find offensive personally is a sound strategy - the ignored may not realise they're being ignored, but that doesn't matter, the ignore button has done its job.

I'd urge anyone who doesn't like me or my content to likewise put me on ignore, then in their world I won't even be here.

Much more productive than possibly endless sniping at someone who can't even see what they're saying.

I can't share your sympathy over the suspension - no civilised forum will tolerate people calling others expletives without consequences.

Before I put him on ignore, my impression was that of an unpleasant know all, who talked at people instead of to them and too often became very nasty very quickly.

And I still consider the term used racist.

Maurice says it's no longer acceptable - I'd argue it's NEVER been acceptable to Chinese people and society has belatedly woken up to realising it's no way to refer to any group of people.

More positives than negatives to this forum, though, I must have around a dozen people on ignore and that leaves a forum that is pleasant to read and much more to my taste.

Cracking discussions here over "Schweppes" weekend - long may it continue.
 
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If he'd used the term about a person then I'd agree but when he's talking about a curry not so much.

And the unpleasant know all who's quick to blow his top is for me part of the charm of Tanlic.

And despite you being a wind up merchant to some degree and having some rather let's call them strange posting topics. I quite like your sense of humour and I think from what I've read of your horse racing posts I've quite enjoyed those also and would consider them well informed opinions and this horse racing forum certainly needs more of that.
 
Ian_Davies said:
Cracking discussions here over "Schweppes" weekend - long may it continue.
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I also find it more offensive that a bunch of educated guys can't get there heads around a race changing it's name a few times in the last 30 years. Mind I still call the Hennessy the Hennessy so I guess I'm as bad.
 
Agree with Danny entirely,Tanlic's an assset to this forum,and the front page is a disaster - foodie crap having precedence ove r horse racing is a big nono,imo.
Also the ignore button is so easily overidden it's become meaningless.
 
Danny said:
I also find it more offensive that a bunch of educated guys can't get there heads around a race changing it's name a few times in the last 30 years. Mind I still call the Hennessy the Hennessy so I guess I'm as bad.
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I track races a lot for my pointer/trial race stuff and LOADS of them have changed their names numerous times over the years, it's just a fact of life it seems.
 
Danny said:
And the unpleasant know all who's quick to blow his top is for me part of the charm.
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Fair enough, Danny, which means if the bloke returns after his ban, you can engage with him, while I have him on ignore - everyone wins.

I don't think I am a wind-up merchant, tbh, when someone else I've now got on ignore kept bizarrely targetting my chit chat threads demanding "what has this to do with racing?" my way of dealing it was to start a mickey-taking thread, rather than get pointlessly aggrieved, but I won't even be doing that again as it went down like a lead balloon with him and those of his ilk.

Yes, my tongue is in my cheek a lot, I can see the funny side of people, including myself, taking themselves dreadfully seriously, but there is no malice intended.

Do I know the game?

Well, after over 40 years in it, Editor of the Racing & Football Outlook, spell on the Racing Post and even more valuable spells in the betting industry, there would be something pretty far wrong if I didn't.

But unlike yer man in the sin bin, I don't feel the need to ram my CV down everyone's throat every five minutes, so I don't talk about it (THAT 😂) much.

Anyway, it's what you do NOW, not what you've done, that matters and I try to keep up with - and even stay ahead of - new thinking in the betting game.
 
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Ian_Davies said:
Maurice says it's no longer acceptable - I'd argue it's NEVER been acceptable to Chinese people and society has belatedly woken up to realising it's no way to refer to any group of people.
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I grew up in an area where pretty much the only Chinse people were those who owned restaurants and there weren't any in my village until relatively recently so I'm kind of a product of a history of ignorance. I used the word in question a lot growing up having no idea it might have caused offence to Chinese people.

I'd posit that many English/Welsh people on here refer to Scottish people as 'Jocks' without knowing that we find it offensive. I don't know how the Welsh feel about being called Taffs or the Irish Paddies (and I am an Irish citizen with an Irish passport).

The French certainly do not like being called Frogs and I'd be pretty sure that term has been used on here regarding French-trained runners.

The word in question is undoubtedly racist but while it might seem strange for me to defend Tanlic who has been very nasty to me in the past I'm not sure his intention was to offend with its use.

He does, though, deserve to be sanctioned for his other direct foul language towards a few members.

I also had friends at uni who were born in southern Asia and often referred to themselves as Pakis so we thought that was a factual reference rather than racist.
 
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I would definitely say its an age thing, myself growing up in Belfast in the 70's and 80's would have always used that word without thinking of any racist connotations, but its not a word I would use now as I most likely grew out of it and cant remember the last time I did use it.
If I go for Chinese or want a Chinese, thats what I say to my partner, same as if I want an Indian thats what I would say.
I wouldnt ever knock anyone for saying the word as I do know it can be said without the intention of causing offence and IMHO its definitely a generational thing.
Language changes but not everyone will change at the same time.
 
It's a Scottish diminutive for John, so similar in origin to Paddy in Ireland, but only people called Jock should be called that.

My granda was Paddy and I have relatives called Paddy but the other family members whose name isn't Patrick would take serious issue with anyone who called them Paddy.
 
Tanlic is very knowledgeable about racing, and I enjoy reading his thoughts on the subject. I don’t always enjoy the cut of his jib, however, and we have exchanged words in the past on other subjects.

I don’t care that he’s called me a twAt, as this is the internet, not real life. It’s his casual racism that offends me more, tbh.

Don’t be conned that he said it innocently, either. Tanlic is totally aware of his actions.
 
And the bit about referring to the food, not the person, as a Chinky? We all know who has prepared that food, don’t we? That’s why calling food Chinky is derogatory and racist.
 
Obviously I must be a racist having used the word many years ago purely to refer to the food.
It's a pity some people tend to be offended, and become even more offended with every passing moment instead of letting the matter drop and moving on.
Just as well it was only certain types I was racist about otherwise my non British partner wouldn't be seen dead with me.
 
notsodancingbrave said:
Obviously I must be a racist having used the word many years ago purely to refer to the food.
It's a pity some people tend to be offended, and become even more offended with every passing moment instead of letting the matter drop and moving on.
Just as well it was only certain types I was racist about otherwise my non British partner wouldn't be seen dead with me.
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I think the point I’m making is that we all know better now, as you yourself admitted in an earlier post.
 
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I missed whatever happened today.Regarding Tanlic we have gone toe to toe on a regular basis for at least 5 years now.I disagree with 99%of what he says but he calls it as he sees it and is a regular contributor which is exactly what this forum needs.
 
As I said before, I had six or seven people on ignore for a while but at New Year last year decided to take everybody off ignore.

Right now I only have one on ignore but, to be honest, Tanlic has pushed me close a couple of times. I think another person has me on ignore, which I'm very happy about.

It's a grand facility well worth using.
 
The cracking thing about the facility is it gives literally all of us freewill and individual choice.

So forgiving people like you, Maurice, can give others as many second chances as you like without your kindness impacting on anyone else.

And zero tolerance, never forgive, never forget, types like me can just "get rid."

No more annoying posts to read and even the dimmest troll eventually figures out they're on ignore, hence wasting their time.

It diffuses present conflict and erases the possibility of future conflict with a beautiful painlessness.
 
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