Mark MacNicol's Blog
December 19, 2018
May 23, 2018
Outdoor Supplies
Anyone know people who own/work for an outdoor supplies company?
On 12th June I will be climbing the three highest mountains in UK (target is under 24 hours) to raise much needed funds for the neonatal unit at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital. They looked after my son Finn for the first week of his life (gave us a fright but he’s now four months old and thriving). More info at the fundraising site here LINK
Below are the items I need for the challenge. If I can beg borrow steal these it will ensure every penny goes to the unit:
Walking boots (ankle covered) Walking socks. Head Torch. Waterproofs (jacket and trousers).
Thanks for support
Mark x
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June 13, 2017
I’m an #Outmander
I have a penis. After reading the first Outlander book I was totally hooked. I have no idea why more men aren’t reading (or watching) Outlander. Though the announcement that Channel 4 Freeview will screen I hope is about to change that. Thing is it’s patronising to both genders to say we like our sex and violence delivered differently, regardless of medium, we want it to be authentic (at least for our characters). Diana Gabaldon’s work is certainly authentic, a bullseye on multiple levels, the research, characters, suspense. I love all of it. As a Scottish Writer, of course I was going to be sensitive to an American setting a story here, especially around such a historically significant period.
In truth the main reason I read the book was because of the TV adaptation shot in Scotland. I wanted to check it out first and see what all the fuss was about. I’ve since become part of the Outlander family on social media (I’ve met a few of them in person too), but the majority are female. It sometimes feels like I’ve gate crashed a hen party. This brief blog post came out of some social media requests for me to speak out encouraging more men to give it a go. So here it is. It’s a thumbs up from this alpha male Scottish silverback. Peace x
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April 27, 2017
Cancer Research Fraud
After making the decision to raise funds for cancer research I registered for the Great Manchester Run on 28th May 2017 and then tweeted and shared a link to my fundraising page.
That day I started receiving messages accusing Cancer Research UK of being fraudulent on a grand scale.
To give you a taste:
-in the pocket of big pharmaceutical companies.
-mismanaging donations.
-misreporting accounts.
-in favour of pharmacological and oncological treatment rather than understanding causes for prevention.
-have cures but are keeping them secret.
As you can imagine I was alarmed and concerned so I did my own research. What I found was lots in the way of accusations, theories, speculation. What I didn’t find was any credible evidence or proof.
My own personal experience setting up the Justice for Willie McRae campaign taught me valuable lessons about unsubstantiated claims in the absence of credible facts (more info on McRae page on this website). In summary, I could find nothing credible that undermines the work of CRUK.
In fact, my digging led me among other things to audited annual accounts that clearly show 80p from every £1 donated (they receive no government money) goes to combating cancer.
If anyone out there has anything credible that proves any of the above claims. Not accusations. Actual evidence. Actual proof. Then please forward it to me and I’ll gladly share it.
In the meantime, I’ll raise what I can to help fund life-saving research and I’ll ignore anything unsubstantiated that undermines trust in the work CRUK are doing.
My fundraising page is HERE
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July 25, 2016
Cineworld Unlimited Cards
..are great for shareholders but bad for audiences. I found that out today.
Imagine dad, mum and two kids being told there are no tickets left for a film. They’re friends of mine and I just happened to bump into them in the foyer. I’m feeling a bit guilty at this point as I just got my ticket for the same film and was told mine was the last seat. I even offered to give my ticket to their son as he wanted to see the film so bad. Their plan was to drive to another cinema to try and see the film together as a family.
So… You can imagine my reaction when I sat down among all those empty seats. I’m not just talking about a few either. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that Unlimited card holders are booking tickets and then not using them. I understand why the model is so attractive to Cineworld financially. Massive base of customers paying a £17.40 subscription (regardless of usage), like Netflix, or that gym you pay for and don’t go to. The difference is at my gym people aren’t being turned away because people book but don’t use treadmills.
I know Cineworld say they are doing everything they can to avoid this from happening (I had that conversation with staff at the cinema – Yasmin is lovely by the way) but it obviously isn’t working. No one wants empty seats at the cinema. Not shareholders, not film makers, not audiences, and certainly not the people being turned away.
Next time you’re at a Cineworld cinema and you are surrounded by empty seats – Spare a thought for the people being turned away in the foyer.
The post Cineworld Unlimited Cards appeared first on Mark MacNicol.
Cineworld Unlimited Cards..
..are great for shareholders but bad for audiences. I found that out today.
Imagine dad, mum and two kids being told there are no tickets left for a film. They’re friends of mine and I just happened to bump into them in the foyer. I’m feeling a bit guilty at this point as I just got my ticket for the same film and was told mine was the last seat. I even offered to give my ticket to their son as he wanted to see the film so bad. Their plan was to drive to another cinema to try and see the film together as a family.
So… You can imagine my reaction when I sat down among all those empty seats. I’m not just talking about a few either. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that Unlimited card holders are booking tickets and then not using them. I understand why the model is so attractive to Cineworld financially. Massive base of customers paying a £16.90 subscription (regardless of usage), like Netflix, or that gym you pay for and don’t go to. The difference is at my gym people aren’t being turned away at reception because people book but don’t use treadmills.
I know Cineworld say they are doing everything they can to avoid this from happening (I had that conversation with staff at the cinema – Yasmin is lovely by the way) but it obviously it isn’t working. No one wants empty seats at the cinema. Not shareholders, not film makers, not audiences, and certainly not the people being turned away.
Next time you’re at a Cineworld cinema and you are surrounded by empty seats – Spare a thought for the people being turned away in the foyer.
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