QUIK HITZ & HOT LIX: BLACK LIVES SMATTER, PVTV, TURKEY, FAN POOFS, and HON … plus … ‘THE COMMENT LINE’ IS NOW IN BUSINESS
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, DEC. 4-6, 2015) — Let’s close another productive week on THE PLANET with some Quik Hitz and Hot Lix.
- Most Black Lives Matter, but Some? Well … — In Chicago Black Lives Matter protesters blew whistles into police officers’ faces, destroyed a municipal Christmas tree, and screamed obscenities including “Fuck France” to demonstrate what “peaceful protest” in America looks like. On the same day, a white homeless veteran died after having been beaten with the leg of a rocking chair, Mace, and a hammer at a gas station. The beating occurred eight months ago in the Olney section of Philadelphia, leaving Robert Barnes in a coma. Those arrested in the beating — a 34-year-old mother, 24 year old woman, and three juveniles — were black. Black Lives Smatter.
- PVTV Delivers — If you watched PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION last night, you saw some amazing things and heard startling information. First, we had plenty of reaction to the GM/Delco film. It struck home only too familiarly with those who remember the last decade of GE in Pittsfield, when “workers” would sleep behind machines, drink on the job, falsify time cards, and the rest of it. Second, you heard from guest Terry Kinnas about the pay raises included as part of the new contract the city signed with the teachers union. Over the next three fiscal years, teachers will receive pay raises of 15 to 18% pay hikes. This is on top of an average salary of almost $65,000 a year, NOT including bennies. If you’re on Social Security, you got a 0% — zero, nada, zilch — pay raise. If you work in the Dreaded Private Sector, you also likely got nothing or next to it. Oh, and the city and teachers signed the deal Nov. 3 — the day after the election! Just another one of “Pittsfield conincidences.”
- Tayyipie Cuy Yi Yo — Recep Tayyip Erdogan sounds like a cowpoke’s cry when he’s driving the doggies. It’s not. It’s the name of the Turkish president. Erdogan wants to show Russian President Vladimir Putin he belongs at the grownup table in world diplomacy, but he’s about to get smoked by Putin, the best politician on the planet and THE PLANET (after The Generalissimo). Why the European Union would want to admit this Turkey of a country baffles the less mystic observers, including this one. Let Turkey roast until well done and crispy.
- Lions and Eagles and Nut Jobs, Oh My! — The nut jobs that ran on the field near the end of the Lions-Eagles football game on Thanksgiving were holding posters that read “Animal Liberation Now.” Let’s take a wild guess. These moonbats are gluten free, eat only organic, and make sure their coffee comes from beans grown on sustainable acreage. Oh, how we were praying for Chuck Bednarik to come along and place the punishment on these PC poofs with a Gifford-like hit.
- ‘Come See the Lipstick on our Pig‘ — THE PLANET received this note from a well-known downtown Pittsfield investor concerning Laurie Tierney’s editorial in The Boring Broadsheet, an article that prompted a two-part response from THE PLANET. Mr. Investor had this to say: “Tierney’s basic message of starting as individuals to be and do positive things will improve the City (downtown) is basically a good message. I don’t know Laura, but applaud her efforts for a opening a boutique hotel and wish her success in the endeavor. However North Street needs to begin with the business owners and their downtown association to work on the changes for the downtown. There needs to be reasons for people to come downtown. Too many people believe the downtown motto is ‘Come see the lipstick on our pig.’ Fancy high priced restaurants, boutique hotels, expensive theaters and cinemas and specialty shops cater primarily to seasonal tourists, the second home owners and local well to dos. This is no longer the main population of Pittsfield as we now have a growing number of folks who have little resources, parents of kids on lunch programs, former GE workers and their families, seniors on fixed income and many more that are becoming the City’s majority population, With the City’s stats at 10% below the State’s median income, what positives do these folks feel to stimulate the growth and beautification of downtown? How many middle income folks who loathe the spiraling taxes to build schools as the population declines, really care about a vibrant downtown in which they don’t feel safe or find businesses affordable for them?”
And with that, The Comment Line is open. Keep it smart. Have a great weekend, everybody!
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I work all night, I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay. Ain’t it sad? — Abba, “Money Money Money.”
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in any comment section are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment which violates its Rules of Conduct, and it is not liable for the consequences of any posted comment as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service.
Teachers 15% pay raises on top of regular raises for the last ten years.
I would suggest that people get their HOME FOR SALE signs before they are all gone and you have to make one out of a bed sheet.
Speaking about the school dept, Last week on the Gaetani show, he stated he sent a letter to the supt. asking for same information that kinnas got and was told that if he wanted that information it would cost him $6,920 dollars. This is factual as gaetani read the reply letter in its entirety from the school dept. For me ,this is the last straw. these sobs think that they can piss all over us and get away with it and they do The only thing that can change things in this city is a taxpayer revolt and i hope if Mr. Gaetani is reading this site, he would be the leader of this revolt. We can all post untill doomsday on this site but beyond doubt, we will accomplish very little. If there was ever a time for action it is now. Tomorrow is to late, as we will be weakened further and further by these gobs sigs and sobs
As someone who used to work in the PPS system and one who currently has family members there. I have no problem saying those raises are a joke and at this point it’s almost extortion. they are a FAILING DISTRICT through and through. It’s like giving participation trophies because they tried…millions worth
And don’t cry poverty. While that is a factor, there are too many tenured teachers in that system that are useless and coasting til retirement. I speak first hand
anonomously
Just to clarify, Mr. Gaetani did not request the same information. His request was more comprehensive and voluminous.
,Mr. Kinnas.. called Mr. Gaetani and you are right. He told me that what he is looking for is the certifications held by every teacher in the city. He claims that there may be as many as half the student body being taught by teachers who are not certified in the area they are teaching. He told me that when he was a teacher, it was school policy to allow a teacher, to teach 2 courses per day outside of their area of certification. In his teaching days, many teachers taught courses outside their area of expertise and he feels this policy was wrong then and is wrong now. The school admin. is telling him it would cost 6,920 dollars to get this info. Mr. Gaetani was wondering if you know about this problem and whether you could possibly find answers to his questions? For you people out there ..it is possible your children are being taught biology or chemistry or other sciences and math by non certified teachers. How do you feel about that? Mr. Gaetani feels every parent should know whether their children’s teachers are certified in the area they are teaching. Mr. Kinnas— Mr. Gaetani’s tel. # is 413-442-5466. He tried to find you but your # is not in the phone book, Mr. Gaetani would like for you to call him and work on this situation with him,
,Mr. Kinnas.. called Mr. Gaetani and you are right. He told me that what he is looking for is the certifications held by every teacher in the city. He claims that there may be as many as half the student body being taught by teachers who are not certified in the area they are teaching. He told me that when he was a teacher, it was school policy to allow a teacher, to teach 2 courses per day outside of their area of certification. In his teaching days, many teachers taught courses outside their area of expertise and he feels this policy was wrong then and is wrong now. The school admin. is telling him it would cost 6,920 dollars to get this info. Mr. Gaetani was wondering if you know about this problem and whether you could possibly find answers to his questions? For you people out there ..it is possible your children are being taught biology or chemistry or other sciences and math by non certified teachers. How do you feel about that? Mr. Gaetani feels every parent should know whether their children’s teachers are certified in the area they are teaching. Mr. Kinnas— Mr. Gaetani’s tel. # is 413-442-5466. He tried to find you but your # is not in the phone book, Mr. Gaetani would like for you to call him and work on this situation with him,////////.
Why doesn’t he just pay the $6,920? He is a multi millionaire after all, right?
I am in the phone book. I will call him.
C. Gaetani. Wants to rule the city but can’t figure out how to contact a guy listed in the phone book.
Another damn cop getting the preferential treatment. His Veteran status makes him eligible to access the State’s Valor Act. in lieu of prosecution. Really?
Only in Dalton.
Please realize that defense attorneys are highly paid and trained to come to the defense of their clients. Only those in the legal profession with very thick skins (and can still sleep at night) choose this career.
Who knows….we may all need one some day.
It amazes me how conservatives, in righteous indignation thump their chest and declare Terrorism in San Bernardino.. and attribute the cautious … assessment of all known facts before reaching a conclusion and not saying this was a terrorist attack by gov’t officials as “political correctness”….Can’t u see ur being played … (manipulated) If only conservatives (R) can declare this is terrorism, than conservatives understand the threat better than liberals, and the only ones that know how to defeat terrorism, so if u value ur life you will vote for us….. The Great Conservative OZ is working his magic on all u munchkins ….
This guy proves there are fools everywhere.
It’s political correctness run amok when neighbors see suspicious activity in the house of the suspects and don’t report it to the police for fear that they are not being politically correct since the suspects are muslim.
So if you say we don’t know the motive for Syed Farook you are willfully ignorant. They found an al qaeda bomb making facility in his garage. Literally, they were making the same bombs as those that tore through the Back Bay of Boston, from the same “magazine.” These were radical Islamic jihadis hell bent on killing you, your family, and anyone else who will not submit to Allah. It really is that simple.
These people want to kill any person on this earth who does not submit to Allah. Show me a Christian sect that does that. Or a Jewish sect.
Willful ignorance, and part of the problem.
Of course the responses are predictable and typical..
Somebody show me where I stated my personal conclusion that this was not an act of terrorism… ????
I have no doubt it is an act of Terror and his wife probably converted him…….However, gov’t officials need to be responsible and collect facts before they announce their conclusions on National Media..
What is so damn difficult to understand about that ?????
I change tact now to further illustrate this concept of collecting facts, not assumptions, before one reaches a conclusion. Lets take a look at the terrorist attack in Benghazi … (personal disclosure: I dealt with intel. in Iraq, so my statements are based on experience.), Information needs to be cross referenced, analyzed, and validated. That takes time. Also that time gets fudged up by false reports ……The public statements presented by Susan Rice that following morning was the info. to date. Not all depts. of the gov’t had finished their analyses. Some info. becomes invalid as thorough analyses discredit different sources…
I’m glad we have a Commander in Chief who thinks before he speaks.. If only Bush completed a thorough analyses of the Iraq WMD program we wouldn’t have invaded Iraq… however, I don’t that would have mattered…….
OK fire away !!!!!!
You speaketh too soon. Check CNN right now.
Voltaire is wise.
Beer Summit ring a bell? They should have had Chelsea do the talk show rounds, as her mom let her know via e-mail prior to Rice appearing on the talk show circuits to promote a YouTube video, that it was a terrorist attack.
So Voltaire, the Democrats come out with the blame on the video story regarding the Benghazi attack at first.. PUBLICLY on Sunday morning news programs, but you give them a pass saying that was the info at the time(obviously false when presented) and you crucify conservatives for thumping their chests and declaring terrorism in CA(obviously true at the time). At least you got one thing right, conservatives do understand the threat of terrorism better than liberals.
Dave, Dave , Dave,
You conveniently forget that Susan Rice was talking about the attacks and demonstrations across the region… And why are u so rabid about talking points…???? No questions on how we can prevent this from happening in the future…
You either didn’t read my entire post and don’t comprehend .. in either case I can’t help u see again my son …
Ask urself .. why the conservatives only concern are about the talking points ? What does that have to do with why we didn’t see this coming and how we can prevent it in the future.. Because the motive is purely political and that’s disgusting
Did you here Sturgeon this Morning, probably not, a student who was listening that Sturgeon was at a Broadway Play and that it was so crowded the people in the front looked like Midgets?
Jake this guy needs to be removed, this is a student radio station and not a vulgar comedy routine, nor should it be a platform for political personalities.
Did you really say midgets? I sure hope you are not sued buddy. Midgets lives matter too you know.
I saw sturgeon on pctv last night. This guy has the worst show on pctv. He made a fool of himself as moderator at the BCC mayoral debate. Where did this fool come from? he seems to love incumbents. HIs show is as bad as the Lou Markham show. I didnt think any show could be worst than markhams show but sturgeon wins the bobby prize. He should run for office and join the other fools who run this city. After all Pittsfield is a fools paradise.
Sturgeon is not stuck up. Hes a suck-up to the GObs and SIGs. Simple as that.
My brain is a little slow, but, what does SIG stand for.
Special interest Groups (ala teachers union, and other politically favored groups)
Of course he would suck up those groups. Isn’t his wife drawing a school dept. pension as a retired teacher and is he or isn’t he a retired, or disabled police officer ? His resume on linked-in is so voluminous and self contradictory with all the jobs he espouses he’s had, it would take ten old testament scholars years to unravel.
Surprised the Planet hasn’t mentioned the Liquor License Board, save the two woman, it’s a joke.
Dusty watch it at eleven tonight on PCTV. No needto make it up, he said it.
Ladies, yes he did. O n another topic, if we arm all citizens– what will happen at the OK corral when all the good guys and bad guys are shooting at each other and then the cops arrive. Who should the cops shoot at when they arrive?
The cops should shoot the Islamo wackos
i
ISIS is usually all in black…that’s their signature.
Sometimes their signature is red, as in blood.
Pittsfield politics has made things worse in Pittsfield over the past 4 decades! No downtown mall. No new ballpark. No more GE jobs. No more Sabic Plastics jobs. KB Toys bankrupt. Population loss. A shrinking tax base. Increasing municipal budgets. 70% of Pittsfield’s residents living in poverty and dependent on welfare assistance and social services programs. Multiple shootings and murders in Pittsfield this year of 2015 alone. A dead downtown full of crime. Useless political hacks!
What happened to Jimmy Ruberto’s “rolodex”? That one was a whopper!
What happened to Pittsfield’s bypass road? That one never happened.
I have a better chance winning the lottery jackpot than finding a $20 per hour, full-time job in Pittsfield. Those are terrible odds!
If you want a good job in Pittsfield, you have to kiss the behinds of the Good Old Boys club. If you speak out about all of the aforementioned issues facing Pittsfield, you will lose your job faster than you can snap your fingers together.
The lovely Linda Tyer is Pittsfield’s last hope for change. But she is closely connected to Jimmy Ruberto’s G.O.B.s! I am having difficulty predicting how the lovely Linda Tyer will do over the next 4 years as Pittsfield’s new Mayor. Will she bring change, or will it be Ruberto 2.0?
If you are looking for a clue watch Tyer on the donna todd rivers show. THey talked for an hour and said absolutely nothing. I call it tyered talk. I thought Bianchi was the pits but tyer makes him look somewhat intelligent. I have only 5 words of advise for everyone: Get out of town now. Once Tyer is mayor, you will not be able to leave because she will have picked your pocket clean. Only in Pittsfield can a person of Tyers caliber, be elected mayor. In the private sector she wouldnt be able to secure a secretary’s position and she was a secretary but a school secretary. Pray for Pittsfield. I give her two months and when she comes in with her first budget everyone will see what a mistake we made in this past election. Talk about gobs and sigs she is the epitomy of those monikers. LOOK at who her backers are: wall to wall gobs and sigs and sob’s. Who is the worst of this pack?–Tyer, Mazzeo, amuso, yon or Tully? Yes we are in big trouble
The lovely Linda Tyer promised change for Pittsfield politics over the next 4 years. She said she will bring everyone together around a round table and solve all of Pittsfield’s problems.
Is she qualified to be Mayor of Pittsfield?
I would say she is just as qualified as all of the other political hacks that have held the office of Mayor of Pittsfield.
I am having trouble predicting what the lovely Linda Tyer will be like as Mayor of Pittsfield. I am unsure if she will be a force for change, or if she will be another G.O.B. political hack. Time will tell.
Tyer Talk. Thats a good one, Dep. I recemmend that to the Planet as one of the “affishal” labels for next administration!!
“We must drive sustainable efficiency through strategic initiatives that deliver progress along a matrix of excellence.” — Tyer Talk
Quentin and Hackett. I used the word Tyred Talk. But, I do like Tyer Talk better. From now on its Tyer Talk. That’s all we get from her. Get it? My, My , we are having fun this weekend an getting some things accomplished to boot.
I hope “Tyer talk” does not mean a continuation of Pittsfield’s 4 decade long downward spiral.
Do not worry if you are in an Islamic terrorist massacre. Take your bullets in the name of security. You can RIP knowing the police will be along shortly after you die to pick up your body and arrange transport to the morgue, then notify your next of kin.
In order to have peace, we must take guns out of hands of the American people and give them to ISIL. Do not call them terrorists because that is offensive to them.
Banning guns will bring peace, even if you lose your life in a mass murder. This is the progressive democrat liberal agenda.
When seconds count the police are minutes away
I agree with you completely. The terrorists will always get the guns. The American people would then be even better targets for the terrorists who would still have the guns while more Americans would have to wait for police to show up to save them.
@Depressed for $15 dollars you can produce your own PCTV show, I’m sure you’ll have a higher viewing audience than the Planet, Bill Sturgeon, Donna Todd Rivers and Lew Markham and Gaetani or whoever else you single out to isolate and polarize and badmouth. It’s a little harder than you think putting on your own show but I’m pretty sure, you’ll just have some smart ass comment to make yourself look big and everyone else smaller, or will you take the challenge and entertain and inform us with your talent , brilliance and wisdom ?
You’ve listed 5 shows Mr. K. Two of the five are master TV personalities and three are lightweights. Care to guess which is which?
I hear that Ruberto is starting up a show and we will be subjected to his brilliance and wisdom. Maybe he’ll even bring his Rolodex on as his first guest.
Mr. Authority, I hope ruberto does have a tv show. Can’t you picture the fun Gaetani would have cleaning his clock? Are you reading all this Mr. Gaetani? Your next tv show should be very, very, very interesting. I can’t wait.
As The tax Lady was smiling and addressing the City Council at the tax Classification hearing, a gentleman sitting in the audience, shook his head, that said it all. if a home on my street sold for 150, does that mean my house is worth 150, also how much can be saved on an abatement?
Does yours have the same sq footage? Same rooms? Same size lot? Same condition? garage, swimming pool finished basement? Go to Zillow.com and you can get a general idea of the homes in your area.
By the tax lady I presume you mean Sue Carmel. She is an incompetent hack who has no understanding of finances and budgets…..which means shes perfect for the job of city treasurer of Pitts.
Think that job only pays $75,000, can’t expect high standards for that bargain price
Ron, was Coco ever involved with Cops on Top, hope not.
@ Dilly I’m not sure, I don’t think so. To the best of my knowledge that was Darren Derby’s event with a lot of help from other officers and agencies. Hopefully, they can still raise enough to meet their goal this year.
Ron
I’m glad you mentioned Darren Derby. I can tell you that if every police officer in this country was a clone of Darren Derby we would all have avoided the past few years of police misconduct and scandal in this country.
There was a stabbing at the skate park near PHS today,….not many details available yet.
Armed robbery about half hour ago.
Where?
Pittsdield
Pittsdield? That narrows it down.
I can’t wait till L T takes office, this will be the most curious Mayoral experiences in the History of Pittsfied for sure. Don’t quite understand the promises without bankrupting the City.
She’s having money trees transplanted to park square this spring.
Oh great. How much is that going to cost??
Excellent letter to the editor in Berk. Eagle by Mr. Gaetani. (help city landlords beat rent scammers) As a landlord, I will follow Mr. Gaetani’s suggestions to the letter. Just think, We could have had him as mayor instead of Tyer. Time will tell that the city of pittsfield made the biggest blunder of all time in electing Tyer. We will find this out sooner than later. I can only hope that Gaetani will stay on the scene. The city needs some one of Mr. Gaetani’s mind set. He is not afraid of anything or anyone. If he decides to drop back, the taxpayers of this city will have no champion to address the clowns who run this city. I am told he will be at next city council meeting pressuring the council to scrap the plans for the new THS, and how they can do it. HE also says he is talking to the Eagle about putting the question as to whether the city residents want the new school or not. He further told me that he plans to talk to Bianchi next week about using the city’s emergency telephone network to reach every citizen in this city regards to building a new THS. Good ideas M. Gaetani. Please please please stay engaged. The city tax payers need you.
Nota – you are correct – promises to end blight, more PO’s, end the provisional Chiefs, broadband, job creation, cleaner streets, cleaner parks, save St. Mary’s Church, fix potholes correctly, no more ice in the winter, etc etc all cost $$$
Planet People. A quote from Eugene Robinson “As long as there are as many guns in this country as there are people, As long as we don’t meaningfully restrict firearm purchases or keep track of weapons, we will have mass shootings and individual killings and gun suicides. Tragically, this is the choice we make.” Is this the choice you make? Lets start a national conversation about this before you or someone else is killed by a gun. If a person doesn’t ave a gun, he cant kill a person with a gun. What do you think?
There is a major flaw with this philosophy. France had banned guns, and look what happened there. The previous incident at the magazine, responding police had no weapons, needed swat response…too late. Even British police now carry weapons. Your major flaw…not comprehending the depravity of man, and the extreme evil of some. The world was in denial about who Hitler really was. Do not commit the same mistake about the religion of Peace.
The bad guys will ALWAYs get guns. Have a kajillion anti-gun laws. Go ahead. The bad guys will STILL always get guns.
How did outlawing drugs work? It’ll be the same thing with guns. Criminals will always have access to firearms. Gun control only effects non GOB people’
I agree. Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. That is what is happening now.
Mr. Ed. the police have guns. How has that turned out? They are rigorously trained, i think, and they kill innocent people every day. All I am trying to say, is that i do not want to live in a society that is armed to the teeth. If every one has guns, it will be the shoot out at the OK corral, every day. Do we really want that? Remember, the country is made up of millions upon millions of idiots and this is who we will be arming. Not good, Not good at all.
Planet People. A quote from Eugene Robinson “As long as there are as many guns in this country as there are people, As long as we don’t meaningfully restrict firearm purchases or keep track of weapons, we will have mass shootings and individual killings and gun suicides. Tragically, this is the choice we make.” Is this the choice you make? Lets start a national conversation about this before you or someone else is killed by a gun. If a person doesn’t ave a gun, he cant kill a person with a gun. What do you think?////
I think he is a A hole.
Eugene Robinson is a cliche spouting liberal who makes his own “facts”
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/05/07/gun-homicide-rate-down-49-since-1993-peak-public-unaware/?beta=true&utm_expid=53098246-2.Lly4CFSVQG2lphsg-KopIg.1
The Great Gaetani lives among us!
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_29203434/altercation-at-skate-park-prompts-shelter-place-at
As a result of the recent altercation at PHS skate park last Friday , which prompted Pittsfield High School students and staff to shelter in place for approximately 35 minutes. Superintendent Jason ‘Jake’ McCandless locking all the doors, shutting off all the lights and instructing students and staff to hide and remain as silent as possible, my question is. Will the administration remain forever silent concerning this violent confrontation, and why weren’t these student in school ?
That idiot MacCandless overreacted causing a lot of unnecessary panic. Two students were arguing over drugs in the skateboard park right next to the PHS. One pulled a knife and started hacking. Why were These two dunderheads not in school? It was obvious this was an isolated incident but the clueless supt. has to show hes “on the ball.”
35 minutes, my eye. I was there, it was almost an hour. It was called a shelter in place (usually for a medical emergency). It should have been a lockdown. Police were searching for an armed assailant that just stabbed another student.
The reason they were not in school is that the city refuses to close the skate park during school hours, and students slip out. So unless you have a full time monitor there…
If they could not catch the perp who stole the prom money how safe are the kids when a wacko gets loose in the school?
The ultimate GOB, Barack Obama gave himself armed protection for the rest of his life but wants to deny the average citizen the same.http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/10/obama-signs-bill-gets-secret-service-protection-for-life/
GOBama
I think pay raises for teachers and electric officials should go to the public to be voted on
To be voted on by people that do not know the difference between electric and elected.
Excellent idea painter.
Now that would be the easiest vote ever to be taken! Haw Haw..
From the Washington Compost
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/05/21/study-finds-significant-portion-of-mass-murderers-and-serial-killers-had-neurological-disorders-including-autism/
Really glad that my wife and I have our licence to carry concealed hand guns. We may be old but we will not be victim’s. Screw these little punks.
Paul.. I hope you and your wife get annual eye check ups. I would hate to be trying to deliver mail to your house and you mistake me for a terrorist. Have you thought about that? After all, I wear a uniform. Yes these gun issues are real. Ido not know what the answer is but i will continue to become informed. I agree with everyone, that this issue has to be solved in a way that saves the most lives TOO many people world wide are dying from gun shots. SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE.
You should buy a gun. You should learn how to use it. You should buy sufficient ammunition. You should get a license to carry, if you can.
You should do all of that now.
You should do it not just because President Obama and his administration are hell-bent on implementing some form of worse-than-useless gun control in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California on Wednesday. You should buy a gun because the government cannot keep you safe. You should buy a gun because the government may in fact attempt to disarm you in violation of your Constitutional rights. You should buy a gun because the media will lie to you about the government’s ability to keep you safe.
That is the takeaway message from this week’s spate of events.
Here’s why.
Obama Said You Were Safe From ISIS. On the day before ISIS terrorists attacked Paris, Obama said, “We have contained them.” On the day of the San Bernardino ISIS-inspired terrorist attack, Obama assured Americans that they were safe from ISIS. He told CBS, “ISIL will not pose an existential threat to us…The American people should feel confident that, you know, we are going to be able to defend ourselves and make sure that, you know, we have a good holiday and go about our lives.” He said that at the same time that one of the San Bernardino terrorists, Tashfeen Malik, pledged her allegiance to ISIS on Facebook. At the same exact time.
And we know that Obama manipulates national security information for his own political gain. His own former head of intelligence admitted as much this week.
Do you feel safe from ISIS?
Obama Said You Could Trust The Government To Screen Immigrants. President Obama has derisively mocked Republicans for wariness over the government’s ability to screen Syrian Muslim refugees. Obama says that we have a thorough screening process for Syrian Muslim refugees; he scoffed at GOP critics: “Apparently, they’re scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America as part of our tradition of compassion.”
One of the San Bernardino terrorists, Malik, was in the country on a K-1 visa. That visa allows holders to come to the United States to get married, and as Breitbart reported, the State Department says that the K-1 visa does require that the fiancée “must meet some of the requirements of an immigrant visa.”
Oopsies.
But don’t worry – these weren’t refugees.
Do you feel safe?
Obama Thinks The Government Is Great At Tracking Down Terror Leads. President Obama repeatedly assures us that the government is doing amazing work in tracking down anti-terror leads. Surely that’s true. That doesn’t mean you’re safe. The FBI didn’t have Syed Farook on a watch list or a no-fly list, even though according to CNN, he was “in touch with people being investigated by the FBI for international terrorism, law enforcement officials said Thursday.” The suspects were watching ISIS propaganda online.
Because the Obama administration doesn’t take Islamic terrorism seriously – climate change is far more important – they have a long history of ignoring terror information. As Joel Pollak points out, the Obama administration still has not exploited the intelligence value of information obtained during the bin Laden raid, and they left the Benghazi consulate completely open after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2012, risking intelligence assets in the process.
Do you feel safe?
Obama Thinks Taking Your Guns Will Stop Terrorists. Josh Earnest said yesterday that gun control was the best way to stop terrorists. Fox News’ Peter Doocy asked if Obama thought gun control could deter terrorism; Earnest explained, “Yes. The president believes that passing common sense gun laws that makes it harder for people with bad intentions to get guns, makes the country safer.” But we know that the San Bernardino terrorists bought their guns legally, then modified them in illegal fashion. They also had IEDs. California has some of the strictest gun control in the nation. That fact led Senator Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)2%
(D-CA) to declare, idiotically, that “Sensible gun laws work. We’ve proven it in California and we are not going to give up.” She said this the day after the shooting in San Bernardino that prompted the conversation in the first place – the day after a bunch of unarmed people were shot while waiting four minutes for the cops to arrive.
Do you feel safe?
Democrats Think They Can Disarm You Without Due Process. Two weeks ago, the media badgered Donald Trump after NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard asked Trump whether he wanted a Muslim registry. Trump thought they were talking about a registry of foreign Muslims – you know, like the kind of registry that could have helped gather information about Malik – but the media interpreted the question as one about monitoring of domestic Muslims. The media promptly labeled Trump a Nazi.
Well, over the past two days, Democrats have made it their chief talking point to blast Republicans for their failure to support removing guns from those on the terror watch list and no-fly list without due process of law. The New York Times editorial board used that vote to blame Republicans for San Bernardino. So did The New York Daily News, which headlined that Wayne LaPierre of the NRA was a terrorist. The Democratic National Committee tweeted that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)80%
and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)97%
“just voted against legislation that could have prevented terrorists from getting guns.”
Neither Malik nor Farook were on the no-fly list or the terror watch list. There are, however, some 750,000 Americans on those lists. It requires no show of evidence to put someone on the list. But according to the left, mere presence on the list means we can remove guns from you in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Yes, they’re coming after your guns.
So, do you feel safe?
The Department of Justice Thinks Its Top Priority Is Prosecution of “Anti-Muslim” Speech. On Thursday, the day after the San Bernardino terror attack, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said her “greatest fear” is the “incredibly disturbing rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric,” and then stated, “When we talk about the First Amendment, we [must] make it clear that actions predicated on violent talk are not American. They are not who we are, they are not what we do, and they will be prosecuted.” Any anti-Muslim “rhetoric…[that] edges toward violence” would be prosecuted, she said. She also said that Muslim parents should contact the federal government in case of “bullying” at school.
So after attacking the Second Amendment, the feds want to attack the First as well. Worth noting: Lynch also said that the federal government would investigate the Irving Sheriff’s Department for their detention of Clock Boy Ahmed Mohammed.
Do you feel safe from your own government?
The Media Don’t Care About Your Safety. The media keep parroting the administration’s lies about keeping Americans safe, but they couldn’t care less about that. Today, they demonstrated their willingness to enter the apartment of terrorists, without official permission, destroying evidence in their wake. As CNN ‘s law enforcement analyst said while watching all of this happen:
I don’t see any fingerprint dust on the walls where they went in there and checked for fingerprints for other people that might have been connected with these two. You’ve got documents laying all over the place; you’ve got shredded documents…You have passports, you’ve got drivers’ licenses — now you have thousands of fingerprints all over inside this crime scene…I am so shocked, I cannot believe it.
These are the media who will supposedly keep our government honest.
Do you feel safe?
I grew up in a home without guns. I am not a gun enthusiast; I own a Mossberg shotgun and a Glock handgun for home security.
I’m planning on buying more, now, however.
I don’t feel safe.
Let me guess… You’re someone’s quiet neighbor.
Totally agree with you. The Democrats are putting all Americans at risk with their nonsense.
Don’t forget about the guy In Adams planning an Isis inspired style attack. He was making a pressure cooker bomb and just purchased some serious riffles and pistols from the F.B.I. minutes before his arrest. The disturbing thing about this guy is, if you read the F.B.I. informants statement, is they met in Pittsfield and Springfield to make plans to buy the weapons.
When are you going back to the middle east? every one has guns there. You will be right at home. Write back and tell us all, how pleasant it is having to wonder who has bigger more powerful guns than your’s. Be sure to bring back a bushel full of weapons, when you return to Pittsfield. I will feel much safer knowing you are out there protecting me. By the way, do you have life insurance? When we are all armed it might come in handy. I think it might become mandatory. What do you think?
i’ll go to Israel where everyone has a gun and feel quite safe.
i would never go to any country full of islamofascists it bad enough dealing with Tricia Farley Bovier and her band of Fascists.
Here’s a little funny I heard the other day. A kansas state trooper pulls over an elderly lady. When he is asking her for her information he noticed a license to carry. He asked her if she had her weapon with her now. She hesitated and then said yes, opened up the glove compartment and pulled out a 9mm. The way she did it made the trooper curious so he asked if she had anything else. Out of her console she pulled out a 357 and out of her purse a glock. The trooper, quite surprised asked her what she was afraid of to carry all those guns. With a smile she replied…nothing!!
According to Raids Online there was two armed robberies in Pittsfield in the first four days of December. Were these mentioned in the newspaper?
Good question.
I doubt Chief Wynn knows or cares. He is too busy socializing with the two new mayors. Pittsfield Politics..Gob and Sig–Wall to wall. We are all in for a rude awakening once this bunch taxes (yes, I mean taxes) over the city. Pray for Pittsfield.
Here is a good one. A 44 old man came to the hospital in France, complaining of a weak leg. A CT scan and MRI was ordered. Result: it appeared the man didn’t have a brain or not much of one. Neurologist John lober wrote about a similar case in which a patient with an IQ of 126 and honors in mathematics, showed virtually no brain.Think I am making this up? Look up Dr’s Bill and Rich Sones, PHD’S. There is hope for all of us, even those who have no brain at all. I feel a whole lot better now.
It’s surprising that there is anything left to steal in Pittsfield.
We can gnash our teeth or hold our breath until we turn blue but the process of shopping from home using your computer will continue to grow. This is bad news for a mall that was built in an area the original developers never wanted to go to. First choice was Lenox, off Route 20. Second choice was downtown Pittsfield, present North Street. Third and last choice was where the mall is now located.
If the mall is on life support location is not the problem. It is something that cannot be helped and cannot stop. It is a common process in a capitalistic system called Creative Destruction. The old system dies and in its place a better more prosperous system arises.
The essential point is that with capitalism we must realize it is an evolutionary process. It is not a blame game. It remains to be seen if we are capable of handling/managing this process.
The problem is the area. The Albany area malls do very well. Population for Berkshire County is shrinking. Thank you to our four democrats in the State House and one in the State Senate for nothing.
Also many people do not shop locally, but run to Albany or Holyoke to do their shopping. Usually these are the same Democrats who urge everyone to shop locally, but who do not do so themselves. I always shop locally and definitely try to support the Berkshire Mall and all of our other local shops.
Pittsfield has put enough money into North street to build six malls. How is that working out?
There is no democracy in Pittsfield politics.
It is all a fix.
It is a one party (Democrats) split into 2 factions (Del Gallo’s: Jimmy Ruberto & the lovely Linda Tyer v. Wojtkowkski’s: Sara Hathaway & Dan Bianchi).
Top-down state and federal politicians all run unopposed for re-election: Congressman Richie Neal, State Senator Ben Downing, State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier.
The Good Old Boys club suppress citizen participation in order to serve the vested interests that are bankrupting Pittsfield.
The only way you can find a full time, living wage job in Pittsfield is to kiss the behinds of the G.O.B.
Pittsfield will reach its tax levy ceiling within 4 fiscal years and the municipality will go insolvent then bankrupt with the next decade.
Pittsfield will have a new Taconic High School with no money to fund it.
It all doesn’t matter because there is no democracy in Pittsfield politics!
Theft of 150 g why isn’t this dude going to state prison?
The players on the budget were all double talking high low north south, You get the drift….4.8 is to expensive for the taxpayer, especially with cold weather and car repair, medicine, increase electric. Next June start cutting, is will be mandatory. Once the school project gets rolling you will see added costs, kt’s not going to be pretty. It very well could be time to get moving.
It’s all Blooming ridiculous. A Common Ground With a Common increase. My ass.
Are we to assume that the new school will promote a higher assessment value of housing in the future, thus raising the tax rate again. I implore all who own homes to file for an abated value, if houses on your street are selling for less than your house is assessed for,then you’re paying to much. You can get the forms at City Hall.
Let’s congratulate LOw for questions concerning the Slumberland Farms expansion on first street and key questions like, Is there a parking spot in front of the Dumpster? And Cumberland Farms Being a good neighbor. Aleta’s hear it also for S lumber lands Lawyer who said a better policing is anticipated????
NEWS ARTICLE:
“Mayor-elect Tyer names two to office staff”
By Dick Lindsay, The Berkshire Eagle, December 6, 2015
PITTSFIELD – Mayor-elect Linda M. Tyer has named two women to help manage the corner office at City Hall when her four-year term begins Jan. 4.
Tyer announced Sunday evening that Roberta McCulloch-Dews will serve as Director of Administrative Services and Catherine VanBramer will be the new mayor’s executive assistant.
“As I promised residents during the campaign, it is my intent to restore their faith in government which includes assembling a team of the very best and brightest,” Tyer said in a prepared statement. “Catherine and Roberta are knowledgeable, energetic, accountable and committed to improving Pittsfield, and I am thrilled to have them as part of my team.”
McCulloch-Dews has recent experience in the mayor’s office as she temporarily filled in for Julia Sabourin, outgoing Mayor Daniel Bianchi’s top administrative assistant. In August, Sabourin gave birth to her first child and went on a 12-week maternity leave. Bianchi hired McCulloch-Dews to work a few days per week to handle office communications and other work normally overseen by Sabourin — experience McCulloch-Dews says will come in handy after Tyer is sworn into office.
“It gave me insight into the operations and constituents and what they needed,” she said in an Eagle interview. “It gave me a perspective I can build on.”
A former newspaper journalist of 15 years, McCulloch-Dews is the founder and CEO of RMDews Media, a company that specializes in communications, public relations, and social media services. She said her business will be on hold as her new position is full-time.
Prior to establishing RMDews Media, McCulloch-dews was the assistant director of communications and assistant to the president at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. She currently serves on several commissions and boards including the Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women, the educational group Berkshire Compact and the Elizabeth Freeman Center.
McCulloch-Dews is the wife of Warren Dews, regional vice president of audience development, sales and marketing for The Berkshire Eagle and New England Newspapers Inc.
VanBramer, the senior clerk in the City Clerk’s office, will continue to work under Tyer, currently the City Clerk. She has also held the role of clerk for several city boards and commissions including the Charter Review Study Committee, Ordinance Review Committee, and Human Rights Commission. In 2013, VanBramer participated in the Leadership Institute for Political and Public Impact (LIPPI), through the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts. She graduated last year from the Berkshire Leadership Program and now serve’s on the program’s steering committee. VanBramer also volunteers as a second-grade religious education teacher at St. Joseph’s Church.
Contact Dick Lindsay at 413 496-6233. rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com @BE_DLindsay on Twitter.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_29210535/mayor-elect-tyer-names-two-office-staff
Interesting that I did not see one comment on “Black lives smatter”. I was thinking of posting this section on Facebook but around here (Bloomington IN) this would get me let us say, animated invective….
Nice to see freedom of speech still reigns in the Berkshires
Correct! I included it in QUICK HITZ & HOT LIX because, first and foremost, it was something that needed to be said and second, to see if there would be politically correct moral outrage. I like the idea of posting this out in Bloomington. Put my name on it, and it may deflect the heat my way. Let me know if you want to do it.