April 3, 2023

Monday, April 3, 2023. Annette’s News Roundup.

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Joe is always busy.

President Joe Biden dropped in for brunch at Philly’s Parc.

As Joe Anderson finished his lunch at the K’Far Cafe Philadelphia Saturday, the West Philly resident received an unexpected message from a friend who was eating at the Parc: “President Biden is here.”

Just a short walk from the Parc, the University of Pennsylvania student threw himself off K’Far to join a seething crowd outside the Rittenhouse Square restaurant. Excited, Anderson hunched his shoulders to squeeze between the crowd for a perfect view of the President as he exited the French bistro.

“I would have gotten a table if I knew he was coming,” said Anderson, who stopped at the Parc for a drink before heading to K’Far.

Less than a month after unveiling his budget proposal during a speech in Northeast Philadelphia, Biden was back in town, arriving at the Parc around 1:15 p.m. He was in town to see his granddaughter Maisy’s art show at the University of Pennsylvania. according to the White House traveling press pool.

Biden ordered a brunch favorite — pancakes, according to a viewer.

About an hour and a half after their arrival, Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and their family stepped outside and were serenaded by students from the Curtis Institute of Music singing the national anthem.

“They were very excited to see the President and to really celebrate this moment in a way that only Curtis students can do,” said Curtis spokeswoman Patricia Johnson. (Philadelphia Inquirer).

An aside. Dr. Jill Biden and Billie Jean King were at the record setting NCAA championship in Dallas yesterday. LSU beat Iowa 102-85.

First Lady Jill Biden waves from a suite before the NCAA Women's Final Four Championship basketball game between Iowa and LSU on Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Dallas.

Tennis and women’s sports great Billie Jean King is on the far right. An unidentified student is in the center.

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Kamala is always busy.

The Vice President speaks out for LGBTQ+ rights in Ghana. Touch to watch. 👇

Ghanian President Nana Akufo-Addo Backtracks On Cruel LBGBT Bill After Kamala Harris Spoke Out.

This week, Vice President Kamala Harris embarked on an African tour that included a highly anticipated stop in Ghana. The country is currently under a tremendous amount of scrutiny in light of the “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Value” bill, which would jail those who identify as LGBTQ.

In addition, the bill would also legally punish people who advocate for LGBTQ rights. On Monday, which was Harris’ first full day in Accra, she shared that her and Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo discussed human rights. Now, it seems that Akufo-Addo is trying to backpedal. During a joint press conference, Harris said:

“I feel very strongly about the importance of supporting the freedom and supporting the fighting for equality among all people, and that all people be treated equally. I will also say that this is an issue that we consider, and I consider to be a human rights issue, and that will not change.” In response, Akufo-Addo stated that “substantial elements” of the anti-LGBTQ bill being considered by its parliament “have been modified.” (The Root).

Trust a woman who cooks.

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Colbert and his audience on Thursday with an opinion on Trump’s indictment.

Touch 👇 and turn up the sound.

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Victory in Virginia. Another.

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Tomorrow - Tuesday - is Election Day in Wisconsin and in Chicago.

If you live in Wisconsin or Chicago, Vote.

Do your best to get out the vote. Call someone!

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The redder they are, the sooner you fall.

Life expectancy in America.

How long you live could depend on where you live. Here are the top 10 states with the highest life expectancy, and the bottom 10.

One more thing. Longevity as a winning theme for 2024?

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Sometimes Chocolate is not sweet.

Toxic Chocolate.

If you have a sweet tooth, you may have read studies talking about the health benefits associated with eating moderate amounts of chocolate. But our research has found a potential health risk in popular chocolate products that’s been flying under the radar – many chocolates contain toxic metals like lead and cadmium.

No level of lead is safe for children. Lead exposure has been a significant public health issue for decades. Lead is linked to a variety of neurological impairments, including learning disabilities, seizures, and a lower IQ. Developing fetuses and children are especially vulnerable to lead exposure because their brains are in critical growth and development stages.

No level of lead is safe for children. Lead exposure has been a significant public health issue for decades. Lead is linked to a variety of neurological impairments, including learning disabilities, seizures, and a lower IQ. Developing fetuses and children are especially vulnerable to lead exposure because their brains are in critical growth and development stages.

Cadmium is also known to cause reproductive harm. Cadmium can cause damage to the kidney, liver, and bones, while also impairing neurobehavioral development. Children are more susceptible than adults to exposure from low doses of cadmium over time.

As You Sow has conducted independent laboratory testing of over 469 chocolate products for lead and cadmium. Based on the results of our testing, which found 285 of the 469 chocolate products tested contain lead and/or cadmium above California’s MADLs, we filed legal notices with over 20 companies, including Trader Joe’s, Hershey’s, Mondelēz, Lindt, Whole Foods, Kroger, Godiva, See’s Candies, Mars, Theo Chocolate, Equal Exchange, Ghirardelli, and Chocolove, for failing to warn consumers that their chocolate products contain cadmium or lead, or both.

Test results on Chocolate area available in the “As You Sow” study, available for the first time and searchable by brand, chocolate type, and year.here.

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National School Walkout on Wednesday. #StopGunViolence

Pass the word.

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Hillary is interviewing Speaker Emerita Pelosi today.

Read about it below 👇.

Register here.

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This 👇 happened all weekend and is happening tonight too. Men’s NCAA basketball championship.

Why the Final Four will look different on TV this year: Meet CBS’ Mark Grant.

Grant will make history at this tournament as the first African-American to direct the men’s Final Four. (CBS believes he is the first African-American to direct a major men’s sports championship on broadcast television.) Three years ago, in Nov. 2020, Grant directed the Chargers-Broncos game on CBS alongside producer Kimani Morales, marking the first time that an NFL telecast was led by an African-American executive producer (Harold Bryant), producer (Morales) and director (Grant). That Grant is part of these firsts is a testament to him but also a massive indictment of the historical lack of diversity in these positions.

“I’m very proud to be the first Black person to direct a (major) championship in any sport if that’s the case,” Grant said. “I’ve worked very hard to get to where I’m at. But at the same time, if my career ended before I got to direct the Final Four, I would have felt like I have opened some doors for people where they can look up and say, ‘I want an opportunity like Mark Grant.’ I’m still the only Black director at CBS. It’s a very, very difficult job to get whatever color you are. It’s one thing to be the first, but you don’t want to be the last. You don’t want to be the only. It’s time for me to not be the only in my field.

“Please understand I’m not criticizing CBS. But it’s going to be great when somebody else comes along to be a director that looks like me. I will be very proud of that day and feel like I paved the way for him or her. … Whenever the time comes, it’s going to be nice to know someone’s following my footsteps.”

One more thing. How on earth does CBS (and other stations too, I suspect) continue to have just one person of color directing sports! They probably feel self-satisfied that they did the right thing by finally promoting Mark Grant. Just the step, guys, first step.(New York Times).

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Beauty knows no age.

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Scientists have a new theory for Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer's May Not Actually Be a Brain Disease, Expert Says.

My laboratory at the Krembil Brain Institute, part of the University Health Network in Toronto, is devising a new theory of Alzheimer's disease.

Based on our past 30 years of research, we no longer think of Alzheimer's as primarily a disease of the brain. Rather, we believe that Alzheimer's is principally a disorder of the immune system within the brain. (ScienceAlert).

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First, the Oliviers. Next, the Tony Awards.

Winners of the London stage 2023 Olivier Awards.

Film stars Paul Mescal and Jodie Comer scored prizes at London’s Olivier Awards on Sunday for their first-ever West End stage roles?

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LONDON — The winners of the 2023 Olivier Awards, handed out Sunday for achievement in London theater, opera and dance:

New Play: “Prima Facie”

New Musical: “Standing at the Sky’s Edge”

New Comedy: “My Neighbor Totoro”

Family Show: “Hey Duggee The Live Theater Show”

Revival: “A Streetcar Named Desire”

Musical Revival: “Oklahoma!”

Actress-Play: Jodie Comer, “Prima Facie”

Actor-Play: Paul Mescal, “A Streetcar Named Desire”

Actress-Musical: Katie Brayben, “Tammy Faye

Actor-Musical: Arthur Darvill, “Oklahoma!”

Supporting Actor-Play: Will Keen, “Patriots”

Supporting Actress-Play: Anjana Vasan, “A Streetcar Named Desire”

Supporting Actress-Musical: Beverley Knight, “Sylvia”

Supporting Actor-Musical: Zubin Varla, “Tammy Faye”

Director: Phelim McDermott, “My Neighbor Totoro”

Original score or new orchestrations: Richard Hawley and Tom Deering, “Standing at the Sky’s Edge”
Theater Choreography: Matt Cole, “Newsies”

New Opera Production: “Alcina” at the Royal Opera

Outstanding Achievement in Opera: William Kentridge for “Sibyl”

New Dance Production: Ivan Michael Blackstock’s “Traplord”

Outstanding Achievement in Dance: Dickson Mbi

Set Design: Tom Pye, “My Neighbor Totoro”

Lighting Design: Jessica Hun Hang Yun, “My Neighbor Totoro”

Sound Design: Tony Gayle, “My Neighbor Totoro”

Costume Design: Kimie Nakano, “My Neighbor Totoro”

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theater: “The P Word,” Bush Theatre

Lifetime Achievement: Derek Jacobi

Special Award: Arlene Phillips

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