CLAIRMONT CALLS MAZZEO’s CLAIMS ON ‘100GATE’ ‘HALF TRUTHS’ … PLANET TO ISSUE TV INVITATIONS TO THE PAIR TO … NUCLEA HIRES CFO (WHAT INSTRUMENT DOES HE PLAY?)
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 25, 2014) — THE PLANET heard briefly from councilor at-large Barry Clairmont yesterday, still off on his Rocky Mountain hegira. Clairmont offered a quick reaction to the recent events concerning 100gate. Understand, at 11,000 feet, we consider any reaction a bonus. He called council president Melissa Mazzeo‘s Monday remarks “half truths. There’s truth in there, but much was left out.”
As you likely know, because THE PLANET reported it first, the mayor was scheduled today to sign the lease for 9,000 square feet of space at 100 North St. after failing miserably to make the case and constantly changing the alibi for it. We have had no independent or official confirmation that the signing took place — not that we would expect the latter, since the method of operation has been secrecy from the get-go.
An TV Invitation Will be Forthcoming to Our Two Right Honorable Good Friends
When Clairmont returns from vacation, THE PLANET shall be issuing personal invitations to him and to the council president to be guests on an upcoming episode of Planet Valenti Television. It’s interesting, but we got the idea independently and then received confirmation from none other than Chuck Vincellette, The Man From Mensa, who made the suggestion as a comment on this site.
THE PLANET wants to put Mazzeo and Clairmont in chairs facing each other and allowing them to engage in a free-wheeling and open discussion of the various issues that have separated them and polarized the city. Our intention will not to put anyone on The Hot Seat, though by nature and definition, that’s what it will essentially be. Rather, it will be to use our show as a conduit of and for information on behalf of the public and the greater communal good. Our invitation will be an indication of openness and transparency. If our invitation is accepted, rejected, or ignored, we shall learn an awful lot even before the first word is uttered.
We will accommodate both of our Right Honorable Good Friends to get an evening that will work for both of them. We will make it so that there will be no reason or excuse why the invitation is not accepted — other than an unwillingness to be questioned on live TV. THE PLANET shall keep you posted.
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Nuclea Brings in a Ringer as CFO or ‘But What Instrument Does He Play?’
Did you come across this press release from the folks at Nuclea Biotechnoligies? Read on:
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Nuclea Biotechnologies has hired Bern Whitney as its chief financial officer.
Whitney brings more than 30 years’ experience to his position at Nuclea. He has served as CFO, and as senior financial management, in numerous fast-growth companies ranging in size from pre-public entities to billion-dollar multinationals. During that time, he raised over $650 million of capital in initial public, follow-on, and debt offerings.
Highlighting the depth of his experience, Whitney’s previous responsibilities have included controllership, treasury, manufacturing and site operations, business development (mergers and acquisitions), corporate communications, information technology, legal affairs, and human resources.
He is currently a partner at FLG Partners, a leading CFO advisory firm, and has served on both public company and private entity boards.
“Bern brings a wealth of experience to Nuclea’s team,” said Patrick Muraca, president and CEO of Nuclea. “He will provide critical support for us as we continue on our path to commercialization. I want to thank Bob Pierce, our previous CFO, for his dedication and service to Nuclea.”
“I believe Nuclea is poised for success and I look forward to supporting them in their move from a R&D development organization to a commercial operation,” Whitney said.
Nuclea Biotechnologies is headquartered in Pittsfield with additional operations in Worcester and Cambridge, Mass. Nuclea has developed and is commercializing unique diagnostic tests for colon, breast, leukemia, lung and prostate cancer, as well as for diabetes and other metabolic syndromes. Nuclea also performs research leading to novel molecular oncology companion diagnostics for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
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Where are the Goods?
Of course, THE PLANET wishes Whitney and Nuclea well. The question remains, though: Why leave FLG Partners after less than four years? If you read his write up in the FLG Partners website, you would think … well, let’s just say you would think Whitney would be there for life. Why would FLG let a man of his talent go? The press release does not say when Whitney will assume his duties or if he will be living in Pittsfield.
You will also notice the part in the Nuclea release where it says that the company “has developed and is commercializing” various diagnostic tests. “Commercializing” is the key word. We read to mean that commercialization has not yet happened. The company has been the recipient of large amounts of public money, has if not? Correct us if we are wrong. Nonetheless, it has yet — at least to THE PLANET’s knowledge — to bring a product to market. Excuse us for having flashbacks to EV Worldwide. How many electric buses did they produce in Pittsfield after grabbing gigantic amounts of taxpayer funds?
THE PLANET went to the Nuclea website. We clicked on the links for “PRODUCTS.” This ominous message popped up: “In order for this website to work properly, and in order to evaluate and improve the website and our services [sic] we need to store small files (“cookies”) on your computer. If cookies are accepted, they can be deleted after termination of the session by the user through his/her browser settings. // If cookies are denied or blocked, the use of this website is unfortunately not possible. For more information please refer to our privacy policy. Thank you.”
THE PLANET does not “do” cookies. Not even with milk. It struck us an an extremely odd prompt. Not accepting the generous offer of cookies, we could not get further.
One product of Nuclea we do know about is the band Whiskey City. We wonder how whiskey and cookies work as a tandem and also what instrument does Whitney play?
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“When beasts could speak (the learned say / They can still do so every day), / It seems, they had religion then, / As much as now we find in men.” — Jonathan Swift, “The Beasts’ Confession to the Priest, on Observing How Most Men Mistake Their Own Talents,” (1732).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
I was there at the city council meeting on Tuesday evening to speak in opposition to “100gate” but the document to sign for public comment was removed well before the bewitching hour of 7.
Me too 🙁 So frustrating
Yesterday Allen was on here saying no one had the guts to speak up. The reality is, they took away the signup sheet for open mic so no one could speak.
The game is always rigged.
The Mazzeo/Clairmont he said she said is now irrelevant.
What might be a better show is Tony Mazzeo facing off with John Krol. No cookies allowed.
Interesting…the Nuclea products page discusses the acquisition of a company called Oncogene and has a bunch of products in test mode, ie awaiting commercialization. In other words, yes, there is no there there. However, the Nuclea products page directs you to the Oncogene products page, which apparently lists a couple of released products. http://www.oncogene.com/products The following hasn’t been updated for a while…but it offers some interesting info on Nuclea too http://nucleabiomarkers.blogspot.in interesting stuff!
http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Patrick-Muraca/79295796
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/headlines/ci_3579813
Both of these links mention St. Regis University, this concerns me because after quick search for that University turns up this.
“Saint Regis University was a diploma mill operation that was one of about 120 connected institutions operated by an American fraud ring from about 1999 until 2005, when it was shut down by U.S. government authorities.[1]
The Oregon State Office of Degree Authorization identified Saint Regis University as a diploma mill linked to 18 other front “schools”.[2] The school issued degrees based on “life experience” instead of requiring the taking of actual academic classes or a formal course of study. It sold both college degrees and high school diplomas.”
I just hope for the taxpayers sake everything is on the up and up.
Any truth to the rumors that Mary (Carrot Cake) McGinnis will be running for mayor?
Also, Donna Todd Rivers has been very active. I always felt that she would have been a very good addition to our City Council. Maybe she will try again.
My hope is that Mary (Carrrot Cake) McGinnis will throw her “HAT” in the ring. She has proven to have the best interests of the City at heart.
The more “Qualified” people the better.
I hope Mr. Clairmont and Ms. Mazzeo come on the show. What we need now is a good dose of openness. What better way than to appear on TV with DV?
What kind of “answers” do you expect to get from Mazzeo and Clairmont, or anyone else for that matter…Everyone is playing the I didn’t know or the there was nothing we could do card. How could they not know with so many people claiming they emailed and called city council members?. Dan, if you get any of them to come on your t.v. show, remember to wear your hip boots.
Outside of petty hostilities and one or two gotch you’s..Barold and TEs want the same things, come on Barold didn’t want new offices? It was a matter of where. Like someone said, they agree with each other. Mel turned these guys in K L C and repercussion should be in order. nd what about these raises, both men wanted them, come on. hell Barold even admittedmhe’s buddies with Lin. the thing we have here is the Planet, who is very clear on everything and where everything is transparent. Maybe this Carrot Cake Lady would be a good candidate for the Kapanski’s, she wouldn’t hurt.
Barold?
Yes who is “Barold”? Barry i presume but why “Barold”? Agree with you Amanda when you write “the thing we have here is the Planet, who is very clear on everything and where everything is transparent.” I do’nt agree that Mary Carrot cake would make a good candidate for mayor. Politics isn’t her thing.
Dan your page puts cookies on peoples machine, So when you say “we don’t do cookies” you really mean you do do cookies, just for others and not yourself. Your other option is to browse in incognito mode.
Every site you go to has cookies theirs just happens to let you know. It’s no big deal really. Who cares. Try this google “camping gear” and click on a few links. Then notice advertisements on future sites you visit. I bet they will be camping and outdoors type ads.
Regarding Nuclea, I’m offended at how much public money has been funneled to them without them releasing information on salaries and other compensation. The CEO is a professional fundraiser – I am concerned that he’s taking my tax dollars to pay his own salary, but is not /cannot actually sell anything. They have zero revenue and a lot of my & your money.
I made the a Jeopardy final question tonight, bout time! and thanks to another Planet rerun tuned in just in time.
I would like to ask Mrs Mazzeo if she knows what happened to the sign up sheet. Who is in charger of it? Seems like it should be her job but if not the people, the ones who elect people, and for whom this government is run, deserve an explanation.
I do hope Bianchi runs again because he will be humiliated by the lack of support. He seemed like such a good choice a while back but he seems to have been co opted by the underworld that runs the city and its finances. Perhaps he is just petrified himself and lives in fear of them.
He never seemed like a good choice to me and he’s played it out exactly as I felt it would be. Maybe it takes an outsider to see beyond childhood friendships.
Your right about Pat M almost every ass hat from sh—ty whisky city works there. Randy no clue no experience for a start.