#OddlyEnough: Pain Relief, The Venomous Way!

A Stinging Cure For Rheumatism

If medicines can’t do it, then a scorpion can in Cuba, according to a report.

Once a month for the last decade, Pepe Casanas, a 78-year-old Cuban farmer, has hunted down a scorpion to sting himself with, vowing that the venom wards off his rheumatism pains, says an AP report.

His natural remedy is no longer seen as very unusual here.

Researchers in Cuba have found that the venom of the blue scorpion, whose scientific name is Rhopalurus junceus, endemic to the Caribbean island, appears to have anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties, and may be able to delay tumour growth in some cancer patients.

While some oncologists abroad say more research is needed to be able to properly back up such a claim, Cuban pharmaceutical firm Labiofam has been using scorpion venom since 2011 to manufacture the homeopathic medicine Vidatox. New, exciting medicines for pain relief come out all the time, for example CBD which you can now get with the help of a cbdistillery coupon, but is scorpion venom a step too far?

Fans Board Flight To Click Boy Band

Young Korean fans of a boy band took to the air to click pictures and later got away with their bold act, says a report.

Korean Air Lines Co Ltd has said it will raise refund penalties after K-pop fans got on a plane only to take pictures of a boy band on the flight, then demanded to get off before it departed and got refunds on their tickets, according to a Reuters report.

The three fans of K-pop band Wanna One boarded the Seoul-bound Korean Air flight in Hong Kong, ignored flight attendants’ requests to be seated and instead took pictures of the 11-member band.

“The fact is there were passengers who falsely checked in on the flight to see celebrities,” a Korean Air official said.

The fans, in their 20s, got refunds on their tickets, excluding some penalties, but the rest of the 360 passengers had to disembark and go through security screening again, delaying the flight by almost an hour, the company said in a statement.

Bakers Upset Over Missing Candy Tips

Bakers are complaining that something is amiss with Hershey’s Kisses, says a report.

The chocolate candy’s trademark tips have been mysteriously missing from batches around the US, says an AP report. Bakers have taken to social media to complain that the lopped-off tops are ruining the look of their holiday treats. Without their points, the chocolate candies are left with flat tops.

The Hershey Company responded to the disgruntled bakers after hearing of a Facebook post by the Wedding Cookie Table Community group that detailed the problem.

Company spokesman Jeff Beckman says Hershey has donated baking items to the group as a thank you for pointing out the issue.

The Long Arm Of The Law

A prisoner in the US made the wrong choice while escaping and landed in a soup, says a report.

The jail inmate who escaped from authorities and tried hitchhiking along a highway didn’t enjoy freedom for long because the motorist he flagged down was a law enforcement officer, an AP report said.

Greenup County Jailer Mike Worthington told The Independent that 31-year-old Allen Lewis was being transported to face charges in another county when he told the officer his handcuffs were too tight.

The officer pulled over and Worthington said after one handcuff was released, the two struggled and Lewis got free.

The jailer says Lewis made it to a nearby highway and tried to flag down passing cars for a ride.

Marijuana Payment Lands Man In Jail

Police in Florida say a 23-year-old man went through a McDonald’s drive-thru and tried to pay for his order with a bag of marijuana.

News outlets report Port St. Lucie police say the fast food worker denied the trade and Anthony Andrew Gallagher drove off, only to return again a short time later. Police arrested him on charges of marijuana possession and driving under the influence, says an AP report.

It’s unclear if Gallagher attempted to pay for his order with drugs the second time.

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