Mike’s Blog Round-Up

"You are right, I have always known about man. From the evidence, I believe his wisdom must walk hand and hand with his idiocy." -- Dr. Zaius, the OG Planet of the Apes.
By driftglass — April 4, 2026

On this day in 1968 the original Planet of the Apes hit theaters in like a bolt of weird, unsettling brilliance. It was smart science fiction that trusted its audience and then pulled the rug out from under them. Novel by Pierre Boulle, adapted for the screen by Rod Serling and anchored by Charlton Heston’s swaggering performance, it combined bold makeup effects, sharp social satire, and a script that kept getting stranger and more provocative as it went. And then came that ending -- one of the most jaw-dropping twists in movie history -- which instantly cemented it as a classic.

My one beef? "Planet of the Apes" beat "2001: A Space Odyssey" for the {Honorary) Academy Award for makeup. Which is nonsense.

The Mahablog: Bondi Gets Bounced and Other News.

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign: Spring 2025 vs. 2026: Lower Stakes, Less Attention, and Less Spending.

The Status Kuo: Trump’s No Good, Very Bad Day.

Attention space nerds! Artemis II Flight Day 2: Orion Completes TLI Burn, Crew Begins Journey to the Moon.

Round Up by driftglass of the Professional Left Podcast and Science Fiction University

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