Jen's Thorough-blog

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Sunday, October 21, 2007

THOUGHT PROCESS

Post number 474.
Perhaps the last.

It is the biggest racing day of the year at Woodbine but pressures from several folks may lead to this site shutting down.

It has been fun writing about racing at Woodbine and Canadian-breds, This industry deserves a forum for folks to talk and for people to read about the day's racing etc.

Now you may have to do it in the local papers..or DAILY RACING FORMThat would be too bad. Promoting the sport and bringing people out could be a good idea.Many don't see this site that way.

THOROUGHBLOG will be back after this time out. A decision will be made in the next day or two.

26 Comments:

At 8:48 AM, Anonymous said…

I hope you don't shut down the site. I check it out everyday to see what's happening at Woodbine. I thought the whole idea of a blog was you could state your own opinions and not worry or care what anyone thought. Please keep the site going.
At 10:03 AM, Anonymous said…

Jen,
I ve only been reading your blog for a couple of months.You put in a huge amount of work and you have created a very interesting forum.I find it hard to figure out why anybody wants to shut it down but I believe it.Too bad if it happens.
At 10:07 AM, Anonymous said…

Jen on one of the best days for racing in these parts the news that your blog may be ending gets things off to a terrible start. Perhaps it is the daily grind that is the problem. Your blog would be just as necessary a read if you only posted when you felt the need? I sure hope you decide to continue in some form.
At 10:10 AM, Patrick J Patten said…

what the f? I really don't get it.
At 11:13 AM, John said…

Hi Jen

I, for one, am upset to hear that your blog may be an issue for some people. What kind of issue I can't imagine? All I know is that when I want to get information on racing at Woodbine I go to your blog. It's a terrific supplement to the mainstream media. And I wager on many more races at Woodbince because I get insights and ideas from what you write and I have bet Woodbince much more since you have been blogging. Tell the powers that be that blogging indirectly increases their handle and that is something they should be encouraging not discouraging!

Good Luck I hope this works out

YOU"RE TERRIFIC !!!
At 11:30 AM, Anonymous said…

VERY UNFORTUNATE!!!!!! I have enjoyed your blog very much. Although I haven't agreed with some of the comments and opinions it was very informative. It sounds like you are being bullied by someone or some group who feel that you are performing a dis-service to the industry by supplying a forum in which people can voice their opinions both positive and negative about the industry and those who run it. Where would we be if all journalists knuckled to the pressure of disgruntled parties!Hopefully you will continue or someone else will have to pick up the torch.
At 11:57 AM, Anonymous said…

DON'T LET ANYONE SHUT YOU DOWN JEN!
Unless you've "infringed upon some copyright laws", provided information that lead to insider trading, or slagged someone bad enough that they want to sue for defamation of character (which you've never done, perhaps some here have - but not you), then you shouldn't shut down!
As I see it - this site is an information hub and PUBLIC place to discuss this great sport - nothing more, so what's wrong with that?
Yes there are some people that post that have very very strong opinions and of course that rubs some people the wrong way, but that's what a public forum is all about!
No one should be able to shut you down but you (unless you did some of the above) - so don't "give in to the man"!
If anyone (including Woodbine) thinks this blog is doing a dis-service to the industry they are sadly mistaken! (I'm saying this and I work for them!).

Please don't go Jen!
At 1:01 PM, Anonymous said…

Sounds to me like you got a nasty lawyer's letter.

Do what you have to do, Jen, to protect yourself.

Your foes are the foes of everyone who visits, participates, and wagers on Canadian horseracing.

Shutting down this blog will NOT shut down the ability of another blog to pick up the challenge.

The internet is the great equalizer. This blog may be shut down but the public will continue to be able to express itself.

Your efforts have proven that the Canadian wagering public wants a forum for discussion and enlightenment.

This isn't China or Russia where journalists are murdered and the internet is hijacked by dictators - at least not yet.

But it is a place where those with more money than sense abuse the legal process.

So do what you have to do, Jen, to protect yourself from some ridiculous, absurd, malicious legal action.

What you've started can't be stopped.
At 1:28 PM, Anonymous said…

a good site Jen... hope you can keep it running.
At 5:19 PM, Anonymous said…

Jen,

Hope you are able to keep the site going. It is one of my daily stops to see what is happening in the world of Canadian racing.

In the past when I've needed a question answered you been able to help me out. Do hope this isn't the last.
At 5:25 PM, Anonymous said…

Your blog is on my daily list of sites to visit to catch up on news. Your blog is a huge asset to Canadian racing, where finding racing news is very tough to find. Give it your best shot to keep it going.
V
At 9:05 PM, Anonymous said…

A sad day indeed!!! This is the first thing that has prompted me to write to, not only your site but, any website or newspaper, no matter how annoyed I was! This site has had so many talking. I know far too many horsepeople at Woodbine who read and enjoy this site on a daily basis. This is where we go to find out our local racing information. It is both fun and informative. I know that you have put in a great deal of your time and effort. I thought that it was just the beginning not a short lived venture. I have never been to a racing site that has posted the views of fans, gamblers, and horsepeople. Your work has appealed to all. You should be congratulated NOT shut down. I hope that this is not the end!!! Remember, THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD!!!!!!!
At 9:24 PM, Anonymous said…

Jen, your blog made our favourites list so long ago that I can't recall when we first started tuning in on a daily basis. I simply don't understand why you are being bullied into shutting down one of the finest sources for thoroughbred news .
For a fan like myself, this has been the ONLY consistant and reliable vehicle through which I can keep up with Woodbine Horses and their connections during the off-season.You have worked so diligently to provide us with that news.Please, Please know that for every comment posted on this site today, there are many more who feel as we do. I also hope that some of those frequent visitors to your blog who would miss your site as much as we would and perhaps have never posted a comment before, will do so now.
Jen,you've worked far too hard to have this "pressure from several folks" put you under. I don't know who these "folks" are, but they suck more than the vacuum cleaners at the car wash.
At 10:05 PM, Anonymous said…

Why dont you continue your site through facebook?
At 12:15 AM, Anonymous said…

Jennifer,

I have enjoyed much of your effort here, but a lot of your grief over it comes from your having opted to screen what should be purely anonymous and open-to-everyone responses.

As soon as you do that you become DEFENSIVE, and others can see right through it, and are challenged to exploit it.

Had you opted to fully ignore statements written here that might have incensed you, then you would not have effectively continued to fan your own fire.

Nobody really cares that you have your favorite trainers, or that you reach out for who might be closest when wanting a topic to write about. However, once you show that you're self-conscious about any of that, you bring on just the sort of atmosphere that the powers that be might not approve of.

The site lost something considerable at such time as when you began to restrict comments.

If it is merely legal matters, and threats of lawsuits from individuals, just hold your ground and let them try their best. Any other response from you would be "defensive" once again. Stop doing that!
At 7:15 AM, Anonymous said…

This is truly a sad day for Woodbine racing fans.

I have found this site invaluable in providing information on horses that I would have not seen elsewhere, even on the Racing Form site, Equidaily, or any other mainstream site.

Could this issue be resolved by posting a disclaimer, or perhaps not taking advertising?

Alternatively, I agree with an earlier posting, move your blog to Facebook, and post the blog for your "friends" from your reader base.

I wish you well in whatever decision you make, and thank you for providing this forum for as long as you have been able to.
At 8:39 AM, Anonymous said…

I am just guessing, but I would not be surprised if the issue here has less to do with what Jen writes and more to do with the anonymous commentators who accuse people of cheating or incompetence whenever they fail to cash a bet. Think about it. It's easy to say, "Jen, get a lawyer and defend your right to publish" but Jen started this blog out of love for the game, not to make money and if this is really the issue and it requires hiring attorneys to keep the site going, would you go through all of that? This blog has been a godsend for anyone involved in or interested in Canadian racing. I sure hope it continues, but if it does not I would not blame Jen -- I would blame some of the knuckleheads who think the worst of everyone when things don't work out for them. Yes, the internet is the great "equalizer" -- but it also provides an outlet for some of the worst character traits and emotionally uniformed opinions. Again, this may have NOTHING to do with this situation, and if I am off base I apologize, but a couple of years ago NYRA discontinued a message board because of the vitriol and accusations leveled at trainers and riders by disgruntled bettors. If this is what sinks this site, that would be a crying shame.
At 8:51 AM, Unknown said…

Hi Jen! Just wanted to say how disappointed I was this morning when I read that this site may be shut down.

I have been reading your blog since the Woodbine season beagn back in March and have found it a wonderful compliment to following racing at Woodbine. You certainly cannot find much of this information on your site in any of the local papers.

I hope everything works out for you and you are able to continue with your blog or perhaps find an alternative. Thanks for all your efforts.
At 10:20 AM, Anonymous said…

Head Scratcher:
I am bewildered that 'other powers' would find your blog offensive. Is this world that thin skinned?
I am sorry to see that this is happenning to you. You have done so much for the sport, and, you deserve better.

Alex Sidor
At 11:19 AM, Anonymous said…

Jen, Hopefully you wont have to shut the site down. I have read your site daily, and found it very helpful. Keep us informed if you do decide to carry on elsewhere. BOO the the people trying to shut you down!
At 11:27 AM, Anonymous said…

We can all guess what is bringing this on. I can speculate too. I do know that WEG hates criticism and tries to silence it whenever possible.
I'm thinking this blog has put too much heat on WEG, not from Jen, but the commenters who make valid points.
And I don't blame the commenters either. If changes are going to happen for the positive, criticism is a must.
If not WEG, it could be individuals putting legal pressure because their reputations have taken a turn for the worse thanks to the insights provided in the comment section.
If I'm right, Jen can close comments altogether, but then most people would stop coming here.
Maybe we will never know what is really happening here.
I haven't had any threats yet for my blog and I'm as critical as they come, but then again, I don't update daily, and I only get about one quarter of the hits Jen gets.
At 11:36 AM, Anonymous said…

I second those comments of Charley Barley. I could not have said it better myself.
At 11:45 AM, Alan Mann said…

Jen - Hope things work out and you can forge on. And you've been really smokin' lately here also!!
At 12:46 PM, Anonymous said…

Ms. Jen
If you have been intimidated or threatened by any individual(s) that feel their good reputation has been questioned, please take comfort in Canadian Law, that holds:

1) TRUTH: If a statement hurts one's reputation but is true, Canadian Law holds that anyone can say it.

2) FAIR COMMENT: Anyone is free to comment, even harshly, about issues of public interest, as long as their comments are honest, not malicious, and based on factual events.

NOTHING in your blog, its archives, or in the "Anon" posts violates these 2 tenets. In fact, the Ontario Racing Commission has publicly stated that integrity in racing is its major focus, to the extent of even operating a "snitch" line. Hence, given such prompting by the ORC, integrity is/was the issue a lot of the postings were discussing.

Good luck to the intimidators. Anyone trying to close you down could find himself dealing with Mr. Eddy Greenspan, if he's available. If that happens, I will kickstart the contributions to your defence fund. By the way, frivolous actions can be. and are, punished by punitive damages.
At 8:04 PM, the_drake said…

Hopefully the site can continue. It's the only site (in my opinion) worth going to for Canadian racing and breeding news. It also gives everybody a chance to voice their opinions whether agreed on by the masses or not. I've been in this game for 10 years, a short time compared to most who post or just come to read. In those 10 years I have yet to see any real forward progress (the jury is still out on the polytrack). This industry from handicappers to hotwalkers, breeders to jockeys need a forum to speak out about what they think is important and what can make this sport better or what is wrong and needs to be changed. WEG has been able to toot their own horn for so long and keep everyone quiet, mother Woodbine doesn't always know best.

It's too bad we may loose the chance to speak out against or praise the everyday goings on in Canada.

Great job Jen, you don't owe it to anyone to keep the site open and to fight battles you don't need to be. It was great while it lasted.
At 12:58 AM, Anonymous said…

What a shame I always thought racing was a public sport. Welcome to the Old Boys Club.