BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY OCT. 17, 2021) — Time to take a whack at the topical weeds that crop-up in the polymath’s garden. Cafe Memini THE PLANET recently had coffee on successive days on two well-known political figures. The politics discussed shall remain off the record, identities […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 15-7, 2021) — In 1984, Orwell labelled it “Thought Crime.” Today, we call it Cancel Culture. Differences without distinctions except in degree. Nazi Germany provided impetus for Orwell’s novel. The hysteria over a football coach’s expression of thought fed the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 13, 2021) — Democrats looking to weasel around the national debt ceiling are trying to drum up support for the minting of platinum coins “worth” $1 trillion. You read that right. This isn’t a joke. THE PLANET wishes it was. The minting of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Part Two of Two (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, COLUMBUS DAYOCT. 11, 2021) — Today THE PLANET celebrates Columbus Day, not Indigestible People’s Day, an apt time to conclude our Fearless Election Roundup (FER). Our FER will never be politically correct, only correct politically. On the hot seat: city clerk […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY First of Two Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 8-10, 2021) — To begin, THE PLANET sends an invitation to all candidates, plus campaign managers, workers, volunteers, and supporters, to send in whatever information you wish to this board. We shall do our best to see […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 6, 2021) — Try finding the hint of a campaign going on in Pittsfield. It’s not there. And that just how The Suits want it. Nonetheless, THE PLANET, as always, fights the odds and does our part. Here, then, are two new […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY OCT. 4, 2021) — Why aren’t there more Democrats like former West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, now a senator from the Mountain State? Manchin says he won’t support pairing his party’s irresponsible $3.5 trillion plan for new “gimme group” spending with a bipartisan […]
PLANET VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 1-3, 2021) — Is it just THE PLANET or … — Are Greta Thunberg and Chucky the Crazed Doll the same person? — When Greta Thunberg talks, does anyone but the most gullible “wokes” listen? — Wasn’t Thunberg one of the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 28, 2021) — This is the 2,300 column since THE PLANET began 11 years ago. Nice round number, and for the occasion, we present this special edition. We call it: JUST BECAUSE Enjoy. Remember. Ponder. ———————————————————————- “You can’t go broke taking a […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 27, 2021) — The Dems are in a dither. The Republicans are loving it. A financial crisis looms. Other than that, not much is happening on Capitol Hill. Seems as if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, ignoring the pleas of the Squad and […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 24-6, 2021 — You didn’t hear it at the time because they didn’t want you to know. THE PLANET knew about it. Recently we got the confirmation. More PEDA failure. Yeah, that’s about as newsworthy as another James Taylor trifle […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 22, 2021) — The world finally and definitively lost its mind with the dawning of Modernity. It could not have happened before that. Our technology hadn’t yet been developed to enable our species’ desire to kill itself, the one that yet may […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 20, 2021) — THE PLANET finds it curious that liberals enjoy it so much when government at any level raises taxes. Conservatives love it too, but at least they have the courtesy to say they don’t. Truth is, whatever party gets in, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 17-9, 2021) — Two things seem clear — seem, we say — about the controversial mountain bike complex an outside for-profit developer, with the aid of complicit city officials, wants to place in the center of taxpayer-owned Springside Park: (a) […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 15, 2021) — In a 7-3 vote, the Pittsfield City Council last night voted to shoot down a request by citizens for councilors to conduct a public hearing on the controversial Springside Park pump-track proposal. Councilor Tony Maffuccio, who introduced the petition on […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 13, 2021) — Today THE PLANET presents a guest column that compares Syracuse Joe with LBJ. It’s an interesting comparison that hadn’t occurred to us. THE PLANET still supports President Biden’s decision to pull out of Afghanistan. He’s taken a beating over […]
