Friday Files – January 17, 2020

A surprise in the leaf pile, a tiny Irish dancer, and more.

In Mexico City, Mexico, travelers on the Mexico City subway system often blame authorities for broken-down escalators at subway stops, but Metro officials have discovered another explanation. Somehow, urine is penetrating and corroding the drive wheels and mechanisms of the escalators that carry riders up from underground stations. Fermin Ramirez, the system’s assistant manager for rails and facilities, said riders appear to be urinating on escalators at off-peak hours and lightly used stations, “even though it seems hard to believe,” the Associated Press reports.

In London, England, online music giant Spotify launched a podcast for dogs left home alone in Britain, after its polling suggested most owners believe audio recordings help calm their canines. The streaming service has created a “soothing mix” of music, speech and sounds to de-stress dogs home during the day. According to the AFP, the playlists utilize the vocal skills of “Game of Thrones” actor Ralph Ineson and Jessica Raine, the lead actress in the BBC series “Call the Midwife.” The two offer “dog-directed praise, stories, affirmation messages and reassurance”, Spotify said as it unveiled its new “My Dog’s Favourite Podcast” offering.

In Harlan, Iowa, man has asked an Iowa judge to let him engage in a sword fight with his ex-wife and her attorney so he can “rend their souls” from their bodies. The man said in a court filing that his former wife and her attorney had “destroyed (him) legally.” According to the Associated Press, the couple has been embroiled in disputes over custody and visitation issues and property tax payments. The judge had the power to let the parties “resolve our disputes on the field of battle, legally,” the man said, adding in his filing that trial by combat “has never been explicitly banned or restricted as a right in these United States.” He also asked the judge for 12 weeks’ time so he could secure Japanese samurai swords.

A surprise in the leaf pile. If you can’t view the below video, try https://youtu.be/pXP2sgsfEPk.


Tiny Irish dancer. If you can’t view the below video, try https://youtu.be/h_3Iq_IxrhI.