Charles Apple

80 years ago Saturday, the presidential monument on Mount Rushmore was declared complete. Not because workers were done. But because money ran out. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

Was reminded of this amazing memory; We were all walking back from a group photo in front of the 'Looney Tunes Cartoons' billboard on the WB lot, saw a tour tram and I told the guys "You HAVE to do this, you're all here, when are you ever gonna get a chance like this?" and it made that tour's day!

So, what you're saying is: They Claude their way to the top? www.nytimes.com/2026/10/26/t...

Halloween is Saturday. It's a time for fun, candy, streaming scary movies, carving pumpkins, dressing in spooky costumes, candy and ... did we mention candy? My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

#Bees #savebees #lovenature Before You Pull That Dandelion, Think of Her. 🌼 A tiny queen bumblebee may depend on that one little flower for the energy she needs to survive and start a new colony. What looks like an ordinary weed to us could be a lifeline for her. 🌿

60 years ago Thursday, "Good Vibrations" -- the song Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys had called his Pocket Symphony -- made its first appearance in the Hot 100. It would work its way to No. 1 on Dec. 10. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

I took a moment this afternoon to participate in oily voting. The line was very short and I was in and out very quickly. Mission accomplished!

Too true to be funny? Today's "Pearls Before Swine" by Stephan Pastis

Okay, this is genius. By @paulhydenews.bsky.social Humor: Grits, bugs and all the dirt on SC for newcomers scdailygazette.com/2026/10/12/h...

The week's most stunning photo is my by new Spokesman-Review colleague, @augustfrank.bsky.social. Wild art on today's local news section. "CRISP FALL FLOAT: Ducks paddle through the water as the Great Northern Clocktower is reflected in the water of the Spokane River on Wednesday in Spokane."

It was originally a love story between members of Jewish and Catholic street gangs and it was called "East Side Story." That evolved into "West Side Story," a play that won two Tony Awards. The movie was released 65 years ago Sunday and won 10 Oscars. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

They're paving our street this week. Yesterday, doing prep work, they busted a gas line and had to call for an emergency fix. I tried to yell at the guy for that but he told me it wasn't his fault. It was asphalt.

Rock 'n' Roll legend Chuck Berry was born a century ago Sunday. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review takes a look at his life, his career and his biggest hit singles.

My former Des Moines Register colleague @jeffzeleny.bsky.social

Saturday's "Zits" comic strip by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

The groundbreaking sitcom "I Love Lucy" debuted on CBS 75 years ago next Thursday. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review had some 'splainin' to do. And it did it pretty well, too, I hope. Baba-LOOOOO!

155 years ago today, a fire started on the southwest side of downtown Chicago. It would burn 3.3 square miles, destroy 17,500 structures and leave a third of the city's residents homeless. And no, it was NOT started by a cow kicking over a lantern. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

55 years ago Friday, "The French Connection" starring Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider as two NYPD narcotics detectives and based on a true story opened in theaters. It would win five Oscars. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

Today's "Mutts" by Patrick McDonnell.

Some stores inflate prices even more than their shelf tags say. It's a way to steal a few more cents from us all. And all those cents add up. Circle K. 7-Eleven. Family Dollar. Dollar General. They're stealing from us. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

I attended my first Catholic funeral service this morning. I understood maybe 5 percent of what was said and done.

70 years ago Monday, Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" starring Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner was released. It was the most expensive movie ever made, at the time. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

55 years ago today, Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, held what we'd now call a "soft opening." They'd hold a gala grand opening celebration three weeks later. My Further Review in today's Spokesman-Review.

Atlanta Hawks. Iowa Hawkeyes. Same difference, right? WhatEVER... www.mediaite.com/media/news/w...

Wrote about the decline and fall of SCOTUSblog, which used to be the single best resource for Supreme Court stuff, and (thanks to some intervening crimes committed by its co-founder) is now a weird platform for conservative pundits to talk about what a good job the conservative justices are doing

When ya gotta go, ya gotta go. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/u...