Non-Infectious Otitis Externa Underneath Dead Skin Plug (Acetic Acid Discussed)

February 6, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Ear eczema

Introduction

Ear eczema can be an extremely irritating and, at times, painful condition. It can range from slight dryness of the pinna (the visible, projecting part of the ear) to extensive skin loss and soreness, as well as infection of the external and internal parts of the ear. Eczema can affect the entire ear including the earlobes, conchal bowl (the area outside the ear hole), the ear opening (meatus), ear canal (also known as the external auditory canal – the part of the ear that leads to the ear drum) and the ear drum itself (also known as the tympanic membrane). The ear folds, backs of the ears and the area where the ears meet the face are also common areas for eczema.

There are a number of causes of ear eczema and it is always best to consult your doctor if you think you may have it, in order to get effective treatment and prevent flare-ups. Several different types of eczema may affect the ear.

Atopic eczema

The ears and skin behind the ears are frequently affected in people with atopic eczema. As with other areas of the body, the eczematous skin here is dry, itchy and red or darker than a person’s usual skin colour, depending on skin tone. It can easily become infected, especially if the skin is scratched and breaks. A common site of ear eczema in people with atopic eczema is the junction between the earlobe and the face. Eczema in this area can cause painful cracks (fissures) in the skin, which can then easily become infected. Sometimes eczema can affect the whole of the pinna and track down the ear canal.

Seborrhoeic dermatitis

Seborrhoeic dermatitis is a form of eczema triggered by an over-reaction of the skin’s immune system to an overgrowth of a harmless yeast called malassezia that lives on the skin. People who have this type of eczema often have dandruff on the scalp and itchy, flaky skin with a yellowish, greasy scale in typical seborrhoeic dermatitis areas, which include the face (along the smile lines and eyebrows), centre of the chest and sometimes the eyelids and ears.

Around the ears, seborrhoeic dermatitis often takes the form of inflammation of the ear canal and along the hairline behind the ear (the post-auricular area), which can lead to painful fissures or cracks. It can sometimes be confused with psoriasis.

Treatment usually aims to reduce the overgrowth of yeast on the skin. This may include anti-fungal shampoos to wash the skin, and creams that may or may not contain mild topical steroids, such as Daktacort cream, to help reduce inflammation. Topical calcineurin inhibitors (Protopic ointment or Elidel cream) are sometimes used for this form of eczema, although they are not licensed for it.

Asteatotic eczema

This type of eczema affects older people. The exposed ear is vulnerable to changes in weather and temperature, which lead to dry, scaly and itchy skin causing asteatotic eczema. Aggravating factors include over-washing, cold or windy weather, central heating, low humidity indoors and air-conditioning.

Contact dermatitis

The external ear is commonly affected by both irritant and allergic contact dermatitis.

Irritant contact dermatitis comes about when the skin’s surface is irritated by a substance that causes the skin to become dry, itchy and red or darker than a person’s usual skin colour, depending on skin tone. Examples of substances that can cause irritant contact dermatitis around and inside the ears are shampoo, hair gel, hair spray, perm solution, hair colourant and perfume.

Allergic contact dermatitis develops as a result of your body reacting to a particular substance to which you are allergic. Everyday items that can cause allergic contact dermatitis around and inside the ears include the following:

Products used for the hair and scalp (for example, shampoo, conditioner, gel, hairspray, hair colourant, perm solution, hairpins and grips, hairnets and bathing caps). You might wish to try wearing ear plugs when showering and washing your hair, as these stop products collecting in the ear canal.
Earrings and studs, especially those containing nickel.
Plastic, rubber or metal ear appliances (for example, hearing aids and moulds, spectacles, head- and earphones, earbuds and earplugs).
Objects used to clean or scratch the ear.
Cosmetics and toiletries (for example, make-up, perfume and soap).
Topical medications (for example, ointments, creams and gels).
Allergens transferred to the ears via the fingers (for example, nail varnish and plant resin from poison ivy or oak).

Otitis externa

Also known as ‘swimmer’s ear’, this is an inflammatory condition of the ear canal. It can be caused by a primary skin problem, such as eczema, or by a bacterial or fungal infection. Having ear eczema increases your risk of getting otitis externa too. Other risk factors include swimming, sweating, high humidity and local trauma to the ear canal (for example, by using cotton buds or scratching the inside of the ear).

Symptoms include earache, skin becoming red or darker than your usual skin colour, depending on skin tone, swelling, itching and discharge from inside the ear. In severe cases, it can reduce people’s hearing due to swelling of the ear canal.

In suspected cases, dermatologists may seek help from the ear, nose and throat (ENT) medical team. To avoid getting otitis externa:

Keep the ear clean.
Avoid trauma, irritants and allergens.
Keep the outside of the ear dry – particularly after bathing and swimming.
Make sure any underlying contributing skin condition is well-controlled.

Ear piercing

Ear piercing does not cause ear eczema, but problems can occur later on as a consequence of wearing earrings or studs. Nickel allergy is very common and the chance of this developing is greatly increased if you have your ears pierced and if anything made even partly from nickel is worn in or on the ear.

If you definitely have a nickel allergy, wear only ‘hypo-allergenic’ jewellery or jewellery made from 18- carat gold, pure sterling silver, platinum or good-quality stainless steel. Foreign silver, rolled gold, white gold and gold plating should be avoided.

Pierced ears can become infected, particularly just after piercing. Make sure you go to a reputable ear-piercing technician to get your ears pierced, and wash the piercings frequently afterwards with the saline solution you were given by the ear-piercing technician.

Treatment of ear eczema

Treatment of ear eczema will depend on the cause and type of eczema, which will need to be diagnosed by your GP.

For atopic, seborrhoeic or asteatotic eczema, apply a medical emollient frequently to the affected areas. You may be prescribed a topical steroid for sore areas behind the ears, and in their folds. If you have seborrhoeic dermatitis, a topical steroid combined with an antifungal may be prescribed.

Topical calcineurin inhibitors, the brand names of which are Protopic and Elidel, are sometimes prescribed for ear eczema.

Apply your topical treatments by using a cotton bud to gently paint your cream or ointment on the affected area. Do not push the cotton bud into your ear.

If you have eczema inside the ear canal, you will need steroid drops, which will be prescribed by your GP or other healthcare professional.

If allergic contact dermatitis is suspected, you may be referred to a dermatology department to help find out what you are allergic to so that you can avoid it in the future. The dermatologist will usually recommend patch testing.

The usual treatment for otitis externa is antibiotic ear drops, which may also contain a steroid to reduce inflammation, itch and swelling. Sometimes a swab is taken to identify the most appropriate antibiotics – particularly if the condition does not improve. The ENT clinic may also clean the ear using gentle suction or irrigation (called ‘aural toilet’).

Cleaning of the ears and self-care

You can very gently wash the inside of your outer ear with water or preferably an emollient wash. You can also apply a damp cotton bud very gently to the bowl area of your ear but do not insert it into the ear canal. Never try to wash further into the ears – you can damage the skin of the ear canal by doing this.

After washing, dry your ears thoroughly. Using a warm (not hot) hairdryer is a good way to ensure your ears are dry. Avoid scratching the inside of your ears, especially with matches or hair grips – not only can these damage your ear canal skin or drum, but they may cause an allergic reaction after continuous use.

The use of ear candles is not advised as there is no evidence to suggest that they work, and they can damage the ears.

If you go swimming, use ear plugs. You can get custom-made ear moulds to fit your ears – they are like the moulds used for hearing aids. Ear moulds can be made and fitted at hearing aid centres. Larger chemists such as Boots provide this service, as do private audiologists.

Olive oil is sometimes recommended for moisturising around the ear pinna and loosening wax. However, medical research evidence shows that olive oil damages the skin barrier. Instead, we recommend applying an emollient to treat dry skin around the ears and in the entrance to the ear canals, and use refined petroleum oil (unfragranced baby oil) or sunflower oil to soften ear wax (but consult first with a healthcare professional). Water is not recommended, nor are wax softener products bought from chemists, as they may encourage the build-up of debris and cause more inflammation and irritation.

Infected ear eczema

Skin affected by eczema and dermatitis can become infected, usually by bacteria, especially if the skin surface is broken due to dryness and scratching. This is similar to eczema infections on other areas of the skin.

Ear eczema that becomes infected can encourage a build-up of wax, skin scales and hair in the ear canal, which can lead to blockage and cause temporary deafness. Infected eczema and ear infections can also come about when the ears are wet for long periods of time. For instance, if you swim a lot and leave your ears damp after swimming or washing your hair, your chances of an ear infection increase. Pressure from hearing aids and earpieces can also encourage ear infection, so try to ensure they are a comfortable fit.

Symptoms of infection inside the ear include earache, itching, pain, the skin becoming red or darker than your usual skin colour, depending on skin tone, weeping, swelling and an unpleasant smell or dirty-coloured discharge (often yellow or green) from inside the ear. If you have any of these signs, make an appointment to see your GP. Please note: ear discharge that is clear is normal if you have ear eczema, especially when eczema is active (weepy eczema).

You may be prescribed a ‘combination’ preparation containing a mixture of antibiotic and topical steroid for bacterial infections, or an antifungal and topical steroid for fungal infections. You should complete the course of treatment.

Aural toilet by healthcare professionals

A build-up of wax and flaky skin from patches of eczema can produce a lot of ‘debris’ in the ear canal. This can easily get infected, especially when water is present. So prevention of ear infection is key.

Manual cleaning of the ear by a healthcare professional is called ‘aural toilet’ and is often recommended to remove the debris and scale that can build up in the ear canal. It is done under a microscope, either using a pick or hook (Jobson Horne probe), or microsuction, an electric suction system.

Microsuction is also recommended if ear wax is truly impacted, and is considered safer and definitely better than flushing the ears with water, especially for people with ear eczema. Although many GP practices offer ear syringing and/or ear irrigation (an electronic machine for washing the ears) to remove ear wax, water-based methods are not recommended for people with ear eczema, unless it is very mild. Sometimes regular aural toilet is recommended (once or twice a year) to prevent wax and eczema debris build-up.

Aural toilet can be performed by aural care nurses/technicians, or sometimes by specially trained practice nurses. Ask your GP for a referral to the aural care service (provision may vary around the UK). Alternatively, this service may be provided privately by audiologists – your GP practice may be able to make a recommendation.

In summary

Ear eczema can be an extremely irritating condition and since it is difficult to look into the ears without specialist equipment, it is often hard to know what is going on, particularly in the case of young children.

If the ears become uncomfortable, don’t ignore it – it is always best to see your GP/healthcare professional, who can use a special torch to look inside. Often this will reveal the cause of ear discomfort and the problem can then be resolved, using one of the many treatments available for ear eczema and ear infections.

News

Inmates at ‘worst prison on Earth’ must abide by same strict rule as Trump looks to send US citizens there

February 6, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Inmates at ‘worst prison on Earth’ must abide by same strict rule as Trump looks to send US citizens there

Prisoners follow a very controlled life and must follow the rules

El Salvador’s mega-prison built to house up to 40,000 inmates is referred to as CECOT, meaning the Centre for the Confinement of Terrorism.

Miguel Sarre, former member of the United Nations Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture, described the prison as a ‘concrete and steel pit’, while many objections have been raised by human rights groups.

Attention on the prison have intensified after the Trump administration announced it had secured a deal with El Salvador to transfer foreign citizens who had been convicted in the US there for a fee.

The offer was made that CECOT would also take criminals who were US citizens or legal residents, though a US government official later said that there were not currently plans to send US citizens to the El Salvadorean prison.

That would be incredibly difficult to do on legal grounds, so for now the deal would appear to mean that foreign nationals in the US could be deported to El Salvador and imprisoned in CECOT.

Prisoners must follow strict rules. (MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)

It’s not a particularly nice place at all, with a series of strict rules put in place that inmates are forced to follow.

Every inmate wears a white shirt and shorts, and they have their heads shaved every five days.

At night, inmates are forced to sleep in conditions described as ‘inhumane’, as within the prison’s ‘modules’ over 100 inmates are kept in a room which contains two toilets, two sinks and 80 bunks to sleep in.

The beds themselves have no mattresses, meaning the CECOT prisoners have to sleep on hard metal, and besides 30 minutes of exercise, there is essentially nothing for the inmates to do besides read one of the two bibles in each of the crowded cells.

Mealtimes at the prison have been criticised as well, since inmates must eat with their hands and only get small portions of intentionally unappetising food.

Other than a short amount of time for exercise, prisoners have nothing to do all day but wait in their cells (MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)

CECOT is considered to be one of the highest security prisons in the world and very difficult to escape from, with the place criticised as somewhere people have been incarcerated without sufficient evidence to hold them.

Last year, when BBC correspondent Leire Ventas visited the prison, they noted the rows of prisoners with shaved heads stuck inside the prison some had called a ‘black hole of human rights’.

Ventas noted that the lights in the prison were never turned off and have only a few air filters to cool a place where temperatures inside can reach 35C.

AP reported that according to the El Salvadorean justice minister, prisoners held in CECOT would never be allowed to return to their communities.

Featured Image Credit: MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images

Entertainment

Hugh Hefner’s widow explained how Playboy mansion was like ‘prison’ where security ‘couldn’t let her leave’

February 6, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Hugh Hefner’s widow explained how Playboy mansion was like ‘prison’ where security ‘couldn’t let her leave.’

Crystal Hefner held back from speaking badly of Hugh for a number of years

From the outside, the Playboy Mansion seemed like a place of glitz and glam—not to mention money and sex.

Celebrities, including the likes of Rihanna and Leonardo DiCaprio, would flock there for the infamous parties with Hugh Hefner, who lived there with his own little flock of women.

But some of those who did spend their days and nights there have spoken out about it being a pretty dirty and ‘grubby’ home.

And his widow, Crystal Hefner, has made some pretty dark claims about life at the Playboy Mansion, as she explained how it was like a ‘prison’ where security ‘couldn’t let her leave’.

Crystal married Hugh in 2012. (Denise Truscello/WireImage)

In her 2024 memoir, Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy and Finding Myself, Crystal claimed Hefner had security in place to keep her in the home, alleging they were ordered to ‘detain her’ when she attempted to leave.

The now 38-year-old was invited to one of Hefner’s infamous parties in 2008 after sending in her photograph. She moved in soon after, quitting her psychology degree for the new lifestyle.

She wrote, “Once you went in, it was so hard to find a way out.”

Crystal went on to label the magazine publisher as being ‘on the extreme side of narcissism’ as she truly believes he ‘thought everybody really wanted to be there’.

As the name of her memoir suggests, the widow pretty much only said good things of Hefner and her time at the mansion, but she finally decided to open up about feeling ‘imprisoned’ in the Playboy Mansion.

Crystal made the claims in her memoir. (Raymond Hall/GC Images )

“When I moved into the mansion, I saw access and power and thought it was amazing. But then the walls started to close in on me,” she told The Guardian.

“I think broken women gravitate towards something like that. I still don’t understand why. I’m going back to school to study more psychology.”

Crystal went on to say the whole place had a ‘gross vibe’ to it, with the girlfriends having to be home every evening by a 6pm curfew.

Not allowed to work, Hefner would even make them queue up to receive a weekly allowance—’gas ‘money’.

Even with her being made the main girlfriend before the marriage, she eventually realised she ‘had no freedom’.

“Everything was based on Hef’s schedule, and I never got a say. Which is the opposite of the liberation and freedom that, supposedly, Playboy was meant to be about,” she said.

Featured Image Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Playboy

Health

Woman who ‘died’ of heart attack in A&E woke up 14 minutes later with a baby

February 6, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Woman who ‘died’ of heart attack in A&E woke up 14 minutes later with a baby

Natasha Sokunbi was ‘clinically dead’ while giving birth to her daughter

A woman who was ‘clinically dead’ for 14 minutes woke up to discover she’d given birth to a baby girl.

Natasha Sokunbi had been 37 weeks pregnant when she began suffering from chest pains and had trouble breathing, so she called 111 and was advised to go to the hospital.

Arriving at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in a taxi, the Stafford woman collapsed in the waiting room of a cardiac arrest.

While efforts were made to resuscitate her, her doctors were also working on saving her unborn baby, with Natasha being rushed into surgery and her baby being born by emergency c-section four minutes later.

Hospital staff spent over half an hour resuscitating her before putting her into an induced coma. She then woke up the next day to discover that she’d given birth during her near-death experience, with her daughter being called Beau.

Natasha Sokunbi went to A&E, where she collapsed with a cardiac arrest (SWNS)

“My heart wasn’t beating when the doctors delivered Beau. I was basically dead when they pulled her out.” Natasha explained.

“One team of medics was delivering her via C-section while another team performed CPR on me. The next thing I remember was when I woke up in intensive care and my husband walked over to me with a photo of Beau and said, ‘It’s a girl.’.

“We hadn’t found out the sex, so it was a complete surprise. I couldn’t see Beau straight away because I was still very weak and she was in the neonatal unit, but I finally saw her a few days later.

“I was really poorly, but the doctors and medical teams were amazing. They told me I’d been clinically dead for 14 minutes. They saved my baby, and they saved me.”

Natasha, 30, and her husband, Ayo, 29, had been preparing to welcome their second child when she collapsed in A&E on 3 December.

She’d not been feeling well ‘for a couple of weeks because of a chest infection’ and on the day she ‘died’, she took a taxi to the hospital after calling 111.

Doctors saved Natasha’s life and delivered baby Beau in an emergency c-section (SWNS)

Natasha remembered collapsing in the waiting room and falling ‘forward onto my baby bump’, and she also remembered the doctors performing CPR.

She could also’remember being in pain’ during the c-section, but then everything went black.

Ayo had been looking after the couple’s other daughter, named Love, when he got a call from the hospital and initially thought doctors were trying to tell him the baby had been born.

Natasha said she had heart problems and thinks the pregnancy put more strain on her, but she’s very ‘grateful to the doctors for saving me and Beau’ and praised the hospital staff as ‘all fantastic’ for helping keep her alive and deliver her’miracle’ daughter.

In recognition of their quick actions, the hospital staff involved with Natasha and Beau’s care were awarded with the Chief Executive Award, as Dr. Andrew Bennett called it ‘one of the proudest moments that this department really has ever seen’.

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Entertainment

‘Barking dog man’ has recreated his legendary growl in public 14 years later

February 6, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

‘Barking dog man’ has recreated his legendary growl in public 14 years later

“As soon as they saw me, they came BOUNDING over.”

‘Barking dog man’ aka one of Australia’s beloved icons is back in the news once again for – you guessed it – woofing on camera.

For those unfamiliar with this fine piece of digital history, ‘barking dog man’ is New South Wales grandfather Ray Graham, who went viral back in 2010 for doing an impression of a barking dog on national TV during an interview with A Current Affair news programme.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes this piece of footage one of the finest moments in news television as there’s simply just so much going on in a brief 30-second clip.

From the deadpan news reader addressing the serious issue of aggressive dogs terrorising a local neighbourhood, the ominous music which begins to play as a ‘warning dangerous dog’ sign flashes up on screen, and we’re not even at the moment where Ray recalls his close encounter with the dogs.

The grandfather then explains to reporters how the animals came ‘bounding over’ before erupting into the most unhinged bark you’ve ever seen, while his wife Kerry stands silently next to him, almost as the enthusiastic barks are something which occurs on a daily basis.

The moment understandably blew up on social media and Ray’s life changed forever as he was no longer a grandfather from New South Wales, but the internet’s favourite ‘barking dog man’.

I wonder if he practiced his bark before going live on air (Nine News/A Current Affair)

Nearly 15 years on from the famous moment and Ray still hasn’t lived down his barking outburst, with the 71-year-old being recognised on the street as late as 2019.

While most of us would probably hide ourselves away for evermore after going viral for barking on TV, Ray has been more than happy to embrace his nickname – even using his talent to regularly entertain the family.

In a TikTok clip filmed as recently as December 2024, Ray can be seen entertaining the family with his anecdote by recreating his speech word for word before erupting into the same, unrestrained bark.

His wife Kerry can also be seen in the background of the video, looking just as embarrassed as she during the fateful interview.

“His wife as soon when he says ‘as soon as they saw me’ hahaha,” one person commented under the clip, while a second joked: “Please tell me he does this at every family function.”

“Partner didn’t want to hear it because she hears it everyday,” a third added.

Reflecting on the moment during an interview with MailOnline back in 2019, Ray previously said the interview had ‘definitely changed’ his life.

“It’s amazing how it took off the way it did, because it was just a spur of the moment thing,” he said. “The funniest thing now is when I’m scrolling through Facebook looking for photos of my grandkids and I come across videos with my own face barking back at me!”

Featured Image Credit: (TikTok/chivesmate)

Entertainment

Friends fans are still debating one of biggest ‘mistakes’ in entire show 27 years later

February 6, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Friends fans are still debating one of biggest ‘mistakes’ in entire show 27 years later

Jennifer Aniston’s Friends character is still causing a bit of confusion

Friends fans are still debating what they believe to be one of biggest ‘mistakes’ ever made during the entire show.

Jennifer Aniston’s role as Rachel is still causing a bit of confusion because of the spelling of her name in the early episodes.

The One with the Invitation (S4, E21) first aired in 1998 and it shows an invitation to Ross’ wedding to Emily with Rachel’s name on it, and her last name is spelt as ‘Greene’.

And five years on in The One Where Rachel Goes Back to Work (S9, E11), Rachel’s last name is also spelt as ‘Greene’.

However, in The One With The Cake (S10, E4), when the erotic cake was accidentally sent for Emma’s birthday, it was addressed to ‘Rachel Green’.

As reported by the Metro, one Reddit user complained: “They go backwards and forwards throughout the show on whether it’s Green or Greene. It could very well be Grean for all we know.”

“Both spellings have been used, interestingly enough. I wonder if they just didn’t keep track of how they spelt it, or if they messed up somewhere and stuck with it, or if they actively decided at some point to change it?” another added.

(Warner Bros.)

Well, on the IMDb page, the character’s name is spelt as ‘Rachel Green’ and when Warner Bros. released press material, it was reportedly spelt the same way.

This comes after Aniston had an emotional response when she was asked about Friends during Variety’s Actors on Actors series.

Abbott Elementary star Quinta Brunson mentioned the show to her, and Aniston replied with a shaky voice: “Oh God, Don’t make me cry.

“You’re already crying,” Brunson, 34, replied. “Do you want a minute? We don’t have to talk about [it.]”

“I’m sorry, I just started thinking about –,” Aniston responded, as she was seemingly referencing her on-screen friendship with Matthew Perry.

(Warner Bros.)

The late actor died from ‘acute effects of ketamine’, aged 54, after he was found ‘unconscious in a stand-alone Jacuzzi’ at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023.

Perry used the ketamine drug as treatment for depression and anxiety.

Police said that there had been a ‘broad underground criminal network responsible for distributing large quantities of ketamine to Mr Perry and others’.

Following his death, Aniston shared a heartfelt post on Instagram, which read: “He was such a part of our DNA. We were always the six of us.

“This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be. He made all of us laugh. And laugh hard…”

“Matty, I love you so much and I know you are now completely at peace and out of any pain. I talk to you every day… sometimes I can almost hear you saying ‘could you BE any crazier?’

“Rest little brother. You always made my day.”

Featured Image Credit: Reisig & Taylor/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Community

Job expert explains psychological reason you should always ask for a drink in a job interview

February 6, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Job expert explains psychological reason you should always ask for a drink in a job interview

If you want the job you should say ‘yes’ to the drink offer, apparently

An unfortunate reality for many jobseekers out there is that for many of the roles you apply for you’ll never hear back again.

That makes the ones you do receive a response on all the more precious, and if you get invited to a job interview, it’s suddenly a very nervy situation as you’ve likely had to go through all sorts of applications to actually get this invitation.

With that in mind, you definitely don’t want to blow your chances by doing the wrong thing, like one person did after they fell for the ‘receptionist trick’.

It sounds like there’s all sorts of ‘tricks’ to navigate in job interviews if the hiring manager is in the mood to spring them on you, which sounds like quite the rigmarole.

Now, there’s another one to be aware of as an expert explained why you should ask for a drink during a job interview if one is offered to you.

“I really like the way you asked me for that glass of water, you’re hired.” (Getty Stock Photo)

According to employment coach Jackie Racine, if you go in for a job interview and the staff there ask if you’d like a drink you should ‘always say yes’.

Apparently, this will help with your performance in the job interview, and not because you’ll at least get a free drink out of it should you not end up getting the job.

The employment coach said there was some ‘behavioural science’ behind why you should ask for a drink if offered one, saying it played on the ‘Ben Franklin effect’.

“This theory suggests that when someone does a favour for you they tend to like you more afterwards,” Jackie explained, and in this case them doing you the favour of getting you a drink would make them like you more in the interview.

She said it would make someone think they must like you because they were doing this favour for you.

“We really like you as a candidate. At least I think we did, otherwise I wouldn’t have made you that drink.” (Getty Stock Photo)

Frankly, it seems like there’s all sorts of tips, tricks and pitfalls surrounding drinks when it comes to job interviews.

One interviewer has something called the ‘coffee test’ where he’d take interviewees on a tour of the workplace and always somehow end up in the kitchen having a coffee.

The test part would come through judging the prospective employee on what they did with their mug once it was empty, and the right answer was to take it back to the kitchen so it could be washed up.

Meanwhile, Steve Jobs would employ a rather different sort of drinks-based test by offering to take interviewees out for a beer so he could get to know them better outside the confines of the job interview.

Taking them out for a drink could get them to loosen up, and then he’d hit them with the questions he really wanted to ask.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Photo

News

Father who lost wife and daughter in American Airlines plane crash shares heartwrenching moment he realized ‘something was wrong’

February 5, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Father who lost wife and daughter in American Airlines plane crash shares heartwrenching moment he realized ‘something was wrong’

A father who tragically lost his wife and daughter in the American Airlines plane has revealed the moment he found out about the horrific crash.

GettyImages-2197504162 (1).jpg

The plane crash has now become the deadliest commercial aviation disaster in the US in over two decades. Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

As previously reported, American Airlines flight 5342, traveling from Wichita, Kansas, crashed while it was coming in to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29.

The aircraft tragically struck a military-operated Black Hawk helicopter and the wreckage of both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River.

It’s been confirmed that 60 passengers and four crew members were on the American Airlines flight while the helicopter held three military personnel.

Sadly, there were no survivors.

64 people were on board the plane, with another three soldiers in the helicopter. Credit: Kayla Bartkowski / Getty

One of the victims in the devastating crash is Andy Beyer’s wife, Justyna, 42, and their 12-year-old daughter, Brielle, who was a talented young figure skater.

The heartbroken father spoke about his loss in an emotional interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and recalled the moment he and his six-year-old son were waiting at the airport to pick up their loved ones.

“We were supposed to pick them up, me and my son, like we did for these trips all the time,” he said, sitting in front of a wall of family portraits.

The father and son had been texting Justyna and Brielle moments before their expected arrival. “The tracker said landed and the texts went from blue to green and firetrucks started going by and at that point, I knew something was wrong,” he said.

Moments later, someone confirmed that the plane had crashed. Beyer turned to his young son to break the unthinkable news.

“He started sobbing. He let out a gut-wrenching, ‘No!’ It really hurt. That’s how we found out before anything was really official. We already knew,” the dad recalled.

The bereaved man described his late daughter as “the most amazing gift,” a fighter who battled cancer at just four months old and grew into an incredible young girl. He also described his wife as his “soulmate” and “the most wonderful mother”.

Throughout the six-minute interview, the interviewer visibly struggled to hold back tears as Beyer explained why he felt it was important to share his family’s story.

“They, like all the victims, deserve to be remembered. They deserve to have their story known to the world,” he said. “Everyone dies, right? And they live on through our memories. And I want people to have a memory of them so that they live on.”

For several seconds, Beyer and Collins sat in silence. The anchor wiped away tears, finally gathering herself enough to respond.

“Thank you for doing so, Andy, and I think everyone would be really touched to hear from you, so thank you for coming on to talk about that,” she said, her voice unsteady.

“You’re clearly both amazing parents, Andy, and I just want you to know that everyone is praying for you and thinking of you in this moment. I know that doesn’t help, but everyone is really thinking of you guys,” she added.

Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty

The tragic crash has now become the deadliest commercial aviation disaster in the U.S. in over two decades.

The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the cause of the crash.

News

Apple issues official warning as first porn app is launched on iPhones

February 5, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

Apple is strongly against porn being available on its devices

Everything’s just so much easier when there’s an app for it. Clicking on a little icon and getting straight where you want to be without searching for it online, is our lazy brains’ dream.

I mean, there’s pretty much an app for everything now, almost to an extent our 2000s selves probably couldn’t have imagined. Except until now, there’s been one big thing in particular that there’s not been an app for. Porn, of course.

And Apple has now launched an official warning as people start downloading the first ever porn app onto their devices.

UK Apple users won't be able to find it. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

UK Apple users won’t be able to find it. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It might come as a surprise that the content is now accessible, given the tech company has been pretty consistent in not allowing any pornography on the App Store with a ban on ‘overtly sexual or pornographic material’.

But it’s not on the actual App Store. This is because of changes in the EU that means independent app stores are now possible, with their own views on what’s allowed.

Which also means it’s unlucky for Brits, as it’s only over in the EU where the porn app been launched on iPhones.

AltStore PAL has become the home to this first porn app, Hot Tub which landed yesterday (3 February). It’s described as an ad-free ‘adult content browser’ and has apparently made its way through Apple’s notarisation review for fraud, security threats and functionality.

Hot Tub is said to allow users to play videos from sites like Pornhub and XHamster.

Apple has a strong stance against pornography being available on its devices like this and would typically not approve the app, but that’s where the independent app stores come into play. And it’s meant the tech giant has spoken out against it being available.

Hot Tub has landed in the EU. (AltStore PAL)

Apple said in a statement to Forbes: “We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids.

“This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world.

“Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store.

“The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety.”

So, basically, had this app came through Apple’s official App Store, it absolutely would not have been approved.

Apple included in its statement that AltStore is funded by Epic Games and the CEO of that, Tim Sweeney, has since said on X that ‘the Epic Games Store doesn’t carry this app, doesn’t carry any porn apps, and has never carried porn apps’. However, Hot Tub’s developer Riley Testut calls it ‘an elegant, native porn app’ that’s ‘thoughtfully designed’ and ‘ethically made’.

News

BBC has made ‘one of the most depressing and scary films ever’ free to stream on iPlayer

February 5, 2025 - by USA Facts News - Leave a Comment

It’s not exactly a comforting watch

Ah, there’s nothing like settling down and unwinding after work by watching ‘one of the most depressing and scary films ever’… well, for some people anyway.

While you may be more of a Netflix rom-com viewer or a fun comedy in the evening type of person, plenty would rather opt for the darker side.

So for that lot, BBC made said film free to stream on iPlayer. Rarely ever shown on TV at all, it’s described as an absolute must watch but also something you’ll only want to watch once.

It's pretty unsettling (BBC)

It’s pretty unsettling (BBC)

In the least cheery plot you can think of, Threads lays out the days leading up to the whole world collapsing into nuclear war before plodding through the long years of misery which follow.

Released back in 1984, it has a whopping 91 per cent from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes and yet has only been shown on telly in the UK four times.

But now, as long as you’ve splashed out on your TV licence, you can stream it as many times as you like – even if it’s unlikely you’ll be watching it regularly.

BBC iPlayer does come with the warning of ‘strong language, graphic violence and disturbing scenes’, however, that still might not really prepare you for what you’re in for.

The streamer’s description of Threads says the film is a: “Grim drama telling the story of a nuclear strike on Britain through the eyes of two families, tracing the events leading up to the war and the decade of devastation that follows.”

And some would argue that still doesn’t do the harrowing nature enough justice.

The film dedicates a good hour to showing the dreadful life is for those who survive the nuclear blasts experience, with characters simply saying they wish they were dead.

There are plenty of images from Threads which will stick in your mind long after the film is over, perhaps the most striking of which is that of an armed traffic warden with his head bandaged.

It aired with a strong disclaimer (BBC)

Michael Beecroft was the actor who portrayed this traffic warden, and according to the BBC, he was recently tracked down by a documentary crew who wanted to find the man behind the striking visage.

His face soon became one of the most iconic images of post-apocalyptic drama.

Back when Threads was previously shown on TV, the BBC stuck a much longer disclaimer before it to fully prepare viewers for the horrors they were about to witness.

The likelihood is you’re now either desperate to stream the film or absolutely set on avoiding it. But either way, it really is billed as something we should all watch once in our lives.

Threads is currently available to stream on BBC iPlayer.