Tempe   

Rob Reiner was one of the most beloved entertainers of the last fifty years. His films The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally represent cinema Hollywood just doesn’t make any more for the big screen: small character dramas that explore our capacity for kindness and growth as humans in the most outrageous or most ordinary of situations. We will look at the comedic timing, gentleness, and genre-bending nature of these two films to help us understand why Reiner’s work remain eminently watchable and memorable.

Spices once drove exploration, shaped empires, and transformed cuisines. In this flavorful session, we’ll trace the ancient spice routes that connected continents and cultures—from pepper and cinnamon to saffron and turmeric—while tasting examples that reveal how geography and trade influenced global cooking. Along the way, we’ll discuss how colonization, preservation, and modern culinary trends continue to shape the story of spice today.

When you or your family members decide how to spend your limited budget of time and money every day, are your choices rational or irrational? Classical economists assumed that we make well-informed decisions, rationally designed to optimally maximize benefits. Behavioral economists amassed data suggesting our decisions are often shockingly irrational and oversimplified. Evolutionary psychologists suggest a third view—that our decisions are neither ultra-rational nor fecklessly irrational. Please join Dr. Douglas Kenrick, President’s Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University, to learn more about how evolution made us smarter than we think.

Join Dr. Hendrickson (an erstwhile quantum mechanic) for a journey into the strange world of quantum physics. This branch of modern physics focuses on light and very small particles, which behave very differently from familiar, macroscopic objects. This is not a class in metaphysics (the philosophical study of time and space) nor will we cover quantum mechanics, the mathematical, how-to side of quantum theory. Instead, we’ll be tourists admiring the view, with no prerequisite knowledge of physics or math required. Please note that parking is the responsibility of the member.