Archive | November, 2011
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TWO PLANET EXCLUSIVES!! WE BEGIN A LINE-EDIT OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s ANNUAL REPORT … plus … MORE QUESTIONS SWIRL IN A HAZE OF METH: PETITION ON CLINIC RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30, 2011) — At the invitation of Pittsfield superintendent of schools, Howard “Jake” Eberwein, THE PLANET went online to review the latest posted annual report. It’s a 76-page document, full of interesting facts, suppositions, and assertions. As a way of continuing to […]

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CHRISTMAS TREE AND HOLIDAY CAROLS (NO WISE MEN, NO VIRGINS, BUT PLENTY OF ASSES) … THE CONS AND PROS OF METH CLINIC … plus … DR. JAKE SHOWS UP AND ADMITS PLANET WAS RIGHT ON BUDGET ANALYSIS…

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary —————————————————- Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, NOV. 29, 2011) — In keeping with the hurry-up nature of the season, which has been rushing you along into Bing Crosby Christmas since the day after Halloween, THE PLANET tells you that the annual lighting of […]

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SUPT. EBERWEIN ANSWERS THE PLANET, TOUTING CITY’s ‘OUTSTANDING’ SCHOOL DEPT. … WHY STIMULUS MONEY SPENT ON SCHOOLS HURTS THE ECONOMY … and GIVE ME LIBERTY OF GIVE ME METH: KROL PETITION AIMS TO CUT METHADONE CLINICS OFF AT THE PASS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 28, 2011) — In case you missed it, Pittsfield School Supt. Jake Eberwein sent THE PLANET a lengthy commentary in reaction to our recent series on city schools. Several posters commented on his message, and Eberwein has, to his credit, engaged them […]

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PLANET GIVES YOU THE TRUTH ON UNFUNDED LIABILITIES, HOW THE PROBLEM IS WORSE THAT REPORTED, AND THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s CONNECTION TO THE IMPENDING DISASTER

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, “BLACK FRIDAY” NOV. 25, 2011) — No. We shall not buy a single item today. We choose to keep our souls intact, to stay out of the consumeristic tidal pull, and enjoy a day for itself (and not for what we can buy). We […]

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A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, FROM THE PLANET … plus … OUR CONTINUING EXPOSE OF ‘THE GAME’ BEING PLAYED IN THE NAME OF PUBLIC EDUCATION (CLUE: ‘It’s not about ‘The children’ … It’s about ‘the money’).

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, NOV. 23, 2011) — First item of business is to wish everyone reading this website a happy, healthy Thanksgiving Day. On the air this morning at “Good Morning, Pittsfield” with my Rt. Hon. Good Friend John Krol (unanimous winner in […]

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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s $82 MILLION CHUNK OF PITTSFIELD’s BUDGET YIELDS PRECIOUS LITTLE IN RETURN … PLANET PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON THE CHICANERY … plus … WILL IT GO ‘ROUND and ‘ROUND? MANY HOPE SO FOR THE BERKSHIRE CAROUSEL PROJECT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, NOV. 22, 2011) — How top heavy is the current school department in the city of Pittsfield? Consider this: Today, there are a little more than 6,000 (6,016) students in Pittsfield public schools. A generation ago, there were more than 12,000. Nonetheless, despite […]

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!!BULLETIN RECOUNT CONFIRMS LOTHROP WIN IN WARD 5!! … PLANET FORCED BORING BROADSHEET’s HAND ON ARMITAGE … COPS AS THUGS NOT ACCEPTABLE … WARD 5 RECOUNT TODAY … plus … THE TRUE COST OF RUNNING PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 NOV. 21, 2011 Lothrop Win Holds Up in Recount This just in from city clerk Linda Tyer: Jonathan Lothrop‘s six-vote win over Joe Breault in the Ward 5 race has stood, as THE PLANET predicted, and J-Lo is now officially re-elected. In the recount, Lothrop […]

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CUSTOMER IS KING AT CARR’S … MORE ON MONDAY’S WARD 5 RECOUNT … plus … JOSH CUTLER COMMENTS ON THE ELECTION TALLY: A LOOK BACK, A LOOK AHEAD

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, NOV. 18, 2011) — With BJ’s Wholesale Club being the lastest Big Box to further erode the market base for the dwindling number of Mom and Pops in the area, let us salute one store that exemplifies the battle. Carr Hardware has been […]

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COUNTERPOINT: THE CASE FOR J-LO AS COUNCIL PREZ … PLANET PREDICTS NO CHANGE AFTER WARD 5 RECOUNT … & THE EV WORLDWIDE CON KING SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, NOV. 17, 2011) — Nothing is ever as it seems in politics, especially the inbred nature of Pittsfield politics. “Inbred” in this case refers to the narrow confines of the city when it comes to connections, links, and this-one-knowing-that-one … to say nothing […]

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MORE ON ‘THE INCIDENT AT MAZZEO’s’ … plus … PLANET RECOMMENDS SHERMAN AS NEXT COUNCIL PRESIDENT … and … COUNCIL SHOULD ADOPT A NEW RULE BOOK

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2011) — For whatever reason, my Right Honorable Good Friends councilors John Krol and Jonathan Lothrop have drawn the ire and the fire of many Dan Bianchi, Melissa Mazzeo, and “Alternate” supporters. It’s an interesting phenomenon to observe, and it appears […]

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STOREFRONT AFFRONTERY or WHY THE BORING BROADSHEET HAS LOST ALL CREDIBILITY … plus … TOWN OF LEE TAXPAYERS HOSED, SAYS THE STOOLEY … PLANET LAUDS MARCHETTI DECISION … and PLANET HAS SCOOP ON ‘THE INCIDENT’ AT MAZZEO’s

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD #1 11/15/11 Sherman Adds to Our Understanding of ‘The Incident at Mazzeo’s’ If you scroll below to the last item, you will see the disclosure of an incident that happened on Election Night at the victory celebrations for Dan Bianchi and Melissa Mazzeo. John Krol, Barry […]

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PLANET !!EXCLUSIVE!! … STATE’S SHOCKING LETTER REVEALS DOUBLE-DEALING OF PITTSFIELD’S SCHOOL BUILDING NEEDS COMMISSION … YOU WON’T READ ABOUT THIS IN THE BB!

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2011) — John Krol, Sally Douglas, Paul Raverta, Carmen Massimiano, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Lou Costi, Peter Marchetti, Floriana Fitzgerald, Patrick Mele Jr., Cheryl Bethel, John barber, Ernie Fortini, Kathleen Amuso, Jake Eberwein, Lisa Buchinski, JoAnne Soules, Keith Babuszczak, Frank LaRagione, Guy Pannesco, […]

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!!UPDATE ON PLANET !EXCLUSIVE!, COMING MONDAY … RECOUNT ISSUES BRINGS TO MIND KEY QUESTION: SHOULD VOTER PREFERENCE COUNT THOUGH THE MACHINE SAYS NO … and … MEET BARRY CLAIRMONT, AT-LARGE ELECT AND INCOMMUNICADO WITH WE THE PEOPLE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, SATURDAY, NOV. 12, 2011) — We take this break from a most enjoyable weekend to let you know THE PLANET has been hard at work. On Monday, we shall share contents of a letter the city of Pittsfield received from the state. […]

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MARCHETTI SHOULD NOT SEEK RECOUNT BUT BREAULT SHOULD … DID THE POUNDS KEEP PETER FROM THE CORNER OFFICE? … KINNAS WIN ON SCHOOL BOARD THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FOR TAXPAYERS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, NOV. 10, 2011) — With everyone trying to gleam cosmic significance over tomorrow’s date of 11/11/11, THE PLANET finds soul in everything we see, touch, hear. In short, the transcendent is where you find it. Even in elections, you find people caught in […]

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!UPDATE! PLANET WAS FIRST WITH ELECTION … BIANCHI WINS MAYORAL TILT … CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR FOR MARCHETTI … AT LARGE, IT’S SHERMAN, MAZZEO, COTTON & CLAIRMONT … IN WARDs: MORANDI, CAPPY, CONNELL, LOTHROP (MAYBE) … KINNAS TOPS SCHOOL COMMITTEE, KING OUT, EVERYONE ELSE IN

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 FORTRESS, WEDNESDAY NOONEY, Nov. 9. 2011 This morning THE PLANET has been busier than a fly swatter in an outdoor farmer’s market in Honduras, and most of it, believe it or not, non-political stuff. Nonetheless, we wanted to at least drop in on you today […]

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THE PLANET PRESENTS SOME FINAL, ELECTION DAY THOUGHTS. HAPPY VOTING OR NOT!

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, ELECTION DAY, NOV. 8, 2011) — As we get to put to bed another municipal election campaign, we present these final items for contemplation and “ommmmmm”-ing while you do your laundry. BIANCHI WINS! PLANET CALLS IT FIRST — No chance of “Dewey Beats Truman” […]

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