A list of curious facts

One: Young ladies of a marriageable age are partying like it’s 1899. Yes, débutante balls are back. The recent Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris is an annual invitation-only gathering for 20 or so “well-born young women from around the world.” That includes Apple Martin—whose impeccable genetic lineage includes Papa Chris and Mummy Gwyneth. Even Demi ki beti Scout made the list. 

Happily, none of them are looking for husbands—which is a relief in an internet era that has given us trad wives. At least these ladies lounge around looking fabulous—as opposed to slaving over hot stoves with eight kids in tow. You can see the glorious line-up above—in the lead image. (The Guardian)

Two: AI makes everything better—including the Death Clock—which can predict when you will die. The new version uses an AI trained on more than 1,200 life expectancy studies—and supposedly offers a “pretty significant” improvement. But here’s the bit that cracked us up: “For an annual subscription fee of $40, Death Clock will both suggest ways to improve my habits and show a clock counting down to my estimated death.” Oh, and you can share your death date online. Technology is your friend! (TechCrunch)

Three: The earliest known country music recording has been found. It’s an 1891 tune by Louis Vasnier—titled ‘Thompson’s Old Gray Mule’. And most unsurprisingly, Vasnier was a Black man. Something the Country Music Awards may consider the next time they diss Beyoncé. You can hear the original recording below. Yes, it’s terribly scratchy. (InsideHook)

Bonus fact: Sticking with music, did you know Southeast Asia’s version of Bryan Adams is a Danish soft rock band—named Michael Learns to Rock. Much like Bryan bhaiyya, they are waaay more popular in cities like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur than back in their hometown. And they’ve been at it for more than 30 years. You can watch them rocking Singapore below. (CNA Lifestyle)