Sunday Newscape Magazine

Suppose, for the sake of discussion, you are an average middle-age woman with the everyday concerns typical of your kind, concerns such as spreading cellulite, a shrinking bank account and the possibility you will be the soggy, middle-of-the-night victim of a toilet seat that was left in an upright position.

Regrettably I have to retract my message from my previous column. Perhaps I was thinking too optimistically when I wrote “Pulling Together” as a way to inspire others to trust again. My message of hope could be considered just a blur as numerous headlines about corrupt politicians and sexual predators are front and center in every newspaper and on every news station.

Peter and Rosemary Grant, Princeton professors emeritus and winners of the 2009 Kyoto Prize for Lifetime Achievement, come to Arizona State University on Oct. 28 to join in ASU’s Darwinfest, as part of the Darwin Distinguished Lecture Series. Their talk about their work with “Darwin’s Finches” starts at 6 p.m. in the Turquoise Ballroom at the Memorial Union on the Tempe campus and will be followed by a book signing.