Latest news with #AndyThomas
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I had a premonition about how my grandad would die - no one believed I'd seen the future...but then it came true
In the summer of 1977, 12-year-old Andy Thomas watched from the window to see his mother approaching in floods of tears. At that moment, Mr Thomas knew that the bad news they'd be expecting was coming: his grandad was dead. As the family's holiday was interrupted by their sudden loss, Mr Thomas sat back and watched his grieving relatives, trying to process what had just happened. Then, without warning, Mr Thomas woke up back in his bed, relieved to discover that it had all been nothing more than a bad dream. 'It was one of those moments when you just think "thank god for that",' Mr Thomas told MailOnline. However, Mr Thomas's relief proved to be short-lived when he looked out of the window and saw his mother walking towards the house, once again in floods of tears. And much to his disbelief, he found that his premonition had come true - his grandad really had died. Mr Thomas says: 'Every single thing unfolded just exactly as I just dreamt it. Not even just slightly, it was the same thing, and I just re-lived it twice. I tried to tell people, but in all the chaos they just didn't want to hear it.' Mr Thomas, now a prolific paranormal investigator and author of STRANGE: Paranormal Realities in the Everyday World, says that even as a child he knew something was wrong. He says: 'I knew this wasn't normal, this wasn't right. I was watching everything unfold in front of me and I knew what everyone was going to say, who was going to do what, and who was going to walk across the room. 'It was exactly the same, everybody was just the same. The only difference was that I knew what was about to unfold.' This might sound a lot like déjà vu - a peculiar sense of familiarity for something you haven't experienced before. However, Mr Thomas insists that what he experienced that morning was something far more profound than a sense of familiarity. 'This wasn't just a passing feeling of "hang on, haven't I done this before", this was very precise,' Mr Thomas says. 'Déjà vu tends to occur for a few seconds, we're talking about something that went on for several minutes here.' Likewise, Mr Thomas says that he could accurately predict his family's actions, while studies have shown that experiencing déjà vu does not help you predict what will happen next. What is déjà vu? Déjà vu is a very common condition, with studies suggesting that about two-thirds of people experience it at least once in their lives. Scientists still aren't exactly sure what causes this strange feeling, but the explanation is decidedly not paranormal. The best theory is that déjà vu is caused when something goes wrong in a region of the brain called the medial temporal lobe, which controls creating memories and giving you the feeling of recalling something. When the brain gets overexcited it's possible that this region starts to signal that you're recalling a memory even while the memory is being formed. As the rest of the brain catches up with this false signal you get the strange sense of confusing similarity that characterises déjà vu. Whatever the cause, that strange morning turned out to be a pivotal point in his life that would forever change how he thought about brushes with strange phenomena. Mr Thomas says: 'This stuff gets rubbished and you're always told that it's a hallucination, but I've experienced enough myself to know that I have to be open-minded about it.' Now a full-time paranormal researcher and author, Mr Thomas says he has spoken to 'hundreds' of people at events across the country who report similar experiences. While he says that ghost sightings are the most common paranormal experience people report, many others have had similar moments of what Mr Thomas calls 'precognition'. In one incident reported to Mr Thomas, a woman named Janet Tucker was woken the night before a car trip by a terrible nightmare in which she saw her mother being pulled through a window by paramedics. The next day, the family campervan was struck by a car at a crossroads and veered off the road into a brick wall. As emergency services arrived and Janet climbed from the wreckage, she looked back in horror to see paramedics pulling her mother through the campervan's sliding doors - just as she had seen in her dream. Mr Thomas believes that precognitions may be far more common than is openly acknowledged as people hide their stories due to the fear of being seen as crazy. Mr Thomas says: 'This is happening on a really everyday basis to somebody somewhere. 'I think the more we speak openly about this, I think the more people are going to come forward, and we're going to discover that actually, this kind of stuff is going on a far more regular basis than we know.' However, even though Mr Thomas is a staunch believer in the supernatural, he still believes that a scientific explanation is possible. 'On one level there is no such thing as the paranormal, it's just something that science hasn't explained yet,' says Mr Thomas. 'I love science, but it needs to apply itself to things that have previously been assumed to be not worth consideration. Mr Thomas currently believes that the scientific explanation for his premonitions of death could come from the world of quantum physics. Cutting-edge research is now showing that, in quantum physics, the future can affect the past in a process called 'retrocausality'. In some experiments, researchers have found that a pulse of light can sometimes appear to spend 'negative time' passing through a material - emerging before it enters the other side. For some researchers, this has called into doubt the fundamental assumption that time moves in one direction with cause always preceding effect. Some scientists even believe that ditching the idea of time as a one-way street is the only way to solve some of the fundamental problems of quantum physics. Mr Thomas believes that these quantum concepts could explain how some people seem to access information from the future. He says: 'If you look at what quantum research is suggesting, time doesn't run from A to B; it can go in either direction. I suspect that there's a general flow of time but if you chuck a stone, a big event sends ripples back and you just briefly pick them up when time gets stuck in a groove.' It is important to bear in mind that retrocausation has only been observed in extremely specific experiments under laboratory conditions and scientists don't think it would allow for memories to travel backwards in time. Likewise, retrocausation only affects the measurable states of quantum scale particles like photons, not big objects like human brains. However, for Mr Thomas, the goal is not necessarily to provide a definitive explanation for these experiences but, rather, to encourage scientists to consider them something worth trying to explain. He says: 'We are brought up with certain attitudes and told, this is the way the world works but can we, just for a minute, put aside the sceptical thing and ask: "What else could be going on here".' WHAT IS QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT? In quantum physics, entangled particles remain connected so that actions performed by one affects the behaviour of the other, even if they are separated by huge distances. This means if you measure, 'up' for the spin of one photon from an entangled pair, the spin of the other, measured an instant later, will be 'down' - even if the two are on opposite sides of the world. Entanglement takes place when a part of particles interact physically. For instance, a laser beam fired through a certain type of crystal can cause individual light particles to be split into pairs of entangled photons. The theory that so riled Einstein is also referred to as 'spooky action at a distance'. Einstein wasn't happy with theory, because it suggested that information could travel faster than light.
Scotsman
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The 'free ticket' youth centre that has become an Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue in Leith
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... When Citadel youth centre was handed its first free tickets for shows under the Fringe Days Out initiative, youth worker Andy Thomas knew it would not be an instant fix in breaking down barriers to the arts for the community he served. Now, eight years later, the centre has decided to host its own Fringe shows in a bid to 'bring the Fringe' to the local community in Leith. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Comedy night Punchline on Leith and a music show called Storm in the Citadel, featuring three bands, are to run in the first week of the Fringe. The centre's links to the Fringe began seven years ago, when the centre first distributed tickets through the Fringe Days Out programme. The scheme was run by the Edinburgh Fringe Society - and has now distributed a total of 19,000 tickets since its launch in 2017. 'It's a toe in the water for us to see what it's like to be a Fringe venue, which is the culmination of quite a few different years of building up a relationship with the Fringe,' says Citadel's deputy manager Mr Thomas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, he says it took time to convince users of the centre to take up the offer. Juggler Kevin Armour performs at the launch of this year's Fringe Day Out initiative. | Fringe Society 'The tickets have got more and more popular every year,' he says. 'The obvious barrier is cost, and you deal with that by offering free tickets. But then you realise there are a lot of other barriers that maybe you haven't thought of. People think 'OK, but how do I get there? And what will it be like? Will my family enjoy it and will I feel comfortable? Is this sort of thing really, for me?' 'You realise cultural inclusion is not just about money, it's about a lot more.' Andy Thomas of the Citadel Youth Centre. | Fringe Society Mr Thomas says the attempt to make the Fringe an integral part of the centre had removed the psychological obstacles for many users. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'This outreach work is really what's needed to then make the kind of vouchers really worthwhile.,' he says. 'That's what breaks down the barriers and that's what gets people really making use of [the tickets]. Folk have got more and more confident about actually going to the Fringe.' Last year, the Citadel offered its premises to an Australian children's comedian, Coach Mon, as a rehearsal base before the start of the Fringe. In return, she performed a free show for families who use the centre. The youth centre created a Fringe-style atmosphere, with chairs and tables outside and a food van. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Sometimes it's about the show, but also about sitting, having some lunch outdoors, and that kind of atmosphere,' he says. 'We get some of our parents to travel up there [to Bristo Square]. It's also nice to be able to recreate that atmosphere in Leith as well.' The idea developed from the pre-Fringe show for the Citadel to become a full-blown venue this year. The events will also utilise skills of the young people who use Citadel to do ticketing and marketing for the venue's shows. 'A lot of the young people we work with have left school with no real sort of qualifications and are lacking a bit of confidence and not really ready to go straight into the job market,' says Mr Thomas. 'This sort of experience, where they can put something on their CV that says they've been involved in events like this, is really a valuable opportunity for them.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tony Lankester, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society., said: 'Engaging and helping our local community is a high priority for the Fringe Society, and Fringe Days Out is a vital part of that work.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Roughly 1 in 3 Americans Would Opt for Pay Cut Instead of a Layoff — How To Safeguard Your Job While Positioning Yourself for a New One
This year, one out of three Americans are grappling with 'layoff anxiety,' and roughly one in three 'would take a 10-20% pay cut to avoid being laid off,' according to a recent survey by Clarify Capital. Read More: Find Out: The survey of 1,000 Americans also found that many would take other measures to save their jobs. Specifically, 46% indicated that they'd accept additional responsibilities or workload. Moving to an undesirable role is something 25% of respondents said they'd do. Some — 25% — would even go back to the office full time. Cutting down to part-time work is something 18% would opt for. Andy Thomas, the owner of Andy Thomas Careers Now, a full-service career and executive coaching firm that works with clients nationally, told GOBankingRates what steps you should take to safeguard your job and position yourself for another one. Thomas stressed that taking initiative is key. He explained that if you're sensing that a layoff is looming, then it's best to not be idle and wonder if it will come to you. Instead, you should get ready as if it will. 'Have your resume done,' he said. 'Have your LinkedIn up to speed, regardless. Begin to look at the marketplace, regardless. Don't wait for the anvil to come crashing down.' If you aren't proactive, he warned, you might end up in a situation where you'll 'have to settle on a lower-priced job or a lesser position.' Discover Next: However, according to Thomas, there's value in remaining employed. He said, 'Unless you're being physically or mentally abused in a job, it is always better to stay employed rather than riding the unemployed rollercoaster in between jobs.' As far as whether the trade-offs some respondents indicated they'd make in the Clarify Capital survey –opting for a pay cut, increased duties or a heavier workload, being reassigned to a position that's not appealing, shifting to full on-site work and slashing their hours to part-time — could they work? 'In some cases, the answer is actually yes,' Thomas said. He believes that all companies undergo tougher times. 'Here's the key: if the company has been good to you in the past, if the company, you feel, has been fair to you in the past, why not help the company by riding the ride a little bit if you can?' he said. However, he stressed that 'you see leadership at the top that knows what it's doing, that's trying to get around the corner and that is disclosing where they are, disclosing the many issues that they're dealing with as a company.' '[By being] very transparent in what's happening,' Thomas said. '[It] would buy a little bit of trust in you as an employee to maybe give them a little bit of the benefit of the doubt, at least for a while.' If you see that your company has bad leadership that does not know what they're doing and is losing money, he emphasized that being proactive and leaving the company would be the best option for you. If you decide to start a job search, Thomas advised considering smaller companies. 'The amount of reward that I see for my clients in smaller companies is extraordinary,' he said. Other types of companies he recommended job seekers look into are well-funded startups, private equity-owned companies that have finished their initial streamlining, and private equity firms. He also emphasized exploring opportunities at companies that are in traditional blue-collar industries, such as HVAC. These, he said, have white-collar work as well. 'These are still businesses,' he said. 'They still have C-level staff, [like] CEOs, COOs, they have analysts … sales, [and] … directors of sales. They have all the same ingredients that banks and all these big, perceived white-collar corporations have, but you can make just as much money and have even better job security.' If you decide that you'd like to try to stay and avoid getting laid off, Thomas recommended talking to your boss or your 'skip boss,' which he said tends to be your boss's boss. 'It's really critical that companies communicate and be transparent with employees, but it's also important that employees show their fervor and passion and desire to help the company,' he said. Two-way communication, Thomas noted, can go a long way. 'Usually, if you have communication going from both ends, it ends up strengthening the relationship between the company and the employee, and both get through tough times,' he said. 'Both do. Employees do, and the company does. And yes, there should be a reward for the employee at some point in that equation, that they stuck it out — we'll get them back up to a higher level, give them an advancement, remember what they did.' Thomas gave an example of how you could approach such a conversation. Say you're willing to take a pay cut. In that case, Thomas explained that you could start by telling your skip boss or boss, ''Obviously, I would hope that you can keep me at my current pay rate.'' From there, you could continue that conversation with the dialogue, ''I want you to be aware that I'm one of the people you can count on to come to the assistance of the company. I understand what we are going through as a company and am willing to make a sacrifice in terms of a pay cut.'' Thomas added that while making this offer, you should also politely request that management recognize your sacrifice once the company gets back on track by stating, ''[I] ask you to remember my sacrifice as we begin to stabilize and rebuild.'' He noted that you should not explicitly state you'll leave if not rewarded. However, he advised that if the company doesn't reciprocate your help when conditions improve, then you should leave. More From GOBankingRates 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This article originally appeared on Roughly 1 in 3 Americans Would Opt for Pay Cut Instead of a Layoff — How To Safeguard Your Job While Positioning Yourself for a New One Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
55% of Workers Say Their Salary Is Less Than It Should Be — 4 Tips for Earning More in Your Career
Many Americans' salaries don't match their expectations. According to Resume Now's '2025 Wage Reality Report,' 55% of the 1,065 American workers surveyed indicated they 'think their salary is lower than it should be.' Read More: Consider This: Andy Thomas, the owner of Andy Thomas Careers Now, a full-service career and executive coaching firm that works with clients nationally, told GOBankingRates that he wasn't surprised by Resume Now's finding. 'I certainly hear that concern quite a bit,' he said. According to Thomas, if you're unhappy with your current salary, there are steps you can take to start earning more in your career. Thomas emphasized that many people 'put the blame on the company' for not getting paid more. 'In some cases, that's fair,' Thomas said. 'I certainly hear stories and I'm well aware of companies that could be paying more than what they should be, and are too worried about just bottom-line profits, and unfortunately, don't hold onto people very effectively by increasing salaries the way they should.' However, Thomas stressed, 'a lot of this ballgame is what the individual is doing to increase their worth and value perception within the company.' He pointed to an example of a step one of his clients took to stand out to management — regularly traveling by car for several hours from one city to another to meet with upper management (the company was not fully remote, but had a remote workforce in the client's city). Find Out: In turn, he said, management started 'talking about advancing her career' and told her 'about openings she didn't even know existed. She applied and was able to actually be interviewed for positions she would not have known about if she'd only stayed' in her area. Thomas advised to 'make sure you're getting together with your boss on a more regular basis, or the powers that be within the company. Don't wait for them to request a meeting.' He added that the advice applies regardless of whether or not your company has a physical location, and that you can arrange virtual meetings if necessary. That, he said, is called 'managing up.' It refers to updating your boss about what you're doing so that you're 'not micromanaged,' building the 'trust factor' with them and also forming 'a bit more of a bond because you're keeping them in the loop, they don't have to ask you.' Additionally, he recommended that you 'get to know' your boss 'a little bit personally.' You can land a higher-paying job by getting promoted at your current company or moving on to a new one. Thomas recommended taking a dual approach. He explained that in his role as a career coach, he helps clients determine when it's time to leave their existing employers. 'When to stay, when to go — that's a critical part of what I do everyday,' Thomas said. 'And so there's a way to do both roads at the same time, meaning we will make sure the company, quite frankly, is assuming we're perfectly happy and things are moving forward, although we may be politically trying to maneuver and give them the benefit of the doubt and hope our boss might get the word that, you know, we'd like to really see the improvement rather than just talk.' But simultaneously? 'We're doing the resume,' he added. 'We're working on the LinkedIn profile. We are scouting prospective employers. We're targeting prospective employers.' To advance your career, it's crucial to 'look at yourself as a product,' Thomas said. To do so, he advised starting by defining your brand. 'What makes you different?,' he said. 'Why are you better? Why should a company pay you more than somebody else? Why should a company even want to entertain interviewing you more than somebody else? You have to know your value. And part of your value is, what have you accomplished? What's your tenure?' Once you understand what your brand is, Thomas explained that it's time to 'shape your story' and craft 'your elevator pitch.' After you've developed your brand, Thomas recommended focusing on making human-to-human connections. He noted that Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) can reject qualified candidates who don't meet defined criteria. For instance, he said that an HR team can tell an ATS that a candidate must 'have four years' in a given 'title.' 'OK, you didn't have that title,' he explained. 'Guess what? You're rejected. Should you have been rejected? Not necessarily. You might have been the best person they could have gotten.' Moreover, according to Thomas, it's important to go beyond 'advertised openings' and to look at the 'hidden job market.' He advised considering which companies you're 'already a good fit' for 'as a candidate' and which ones you'd 'really like to work for.' 'You don't have to wait for posted openings in order to begin the familiarity process of getting the hiring manager ready to look at you and ready to hire you,' Thomas said. 'Sure, they're going to still go through normal hiring requirements. Sure, you're going to still have to fill out an application. Sure, they're still going to interview other people, but guess what? If you've already made an impression, you're already in.' More From GOBankingRates 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing 4 Things You Should Do if You Want To Retire Early 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This article originally appeared on 55% of Workers Say Their Salary Is Less Than It Should Be — 4 Tips for Earning More in Your Career Sign in to access your portfolio
