PLANET TO DEBUT IN ‘THE COURIER’ … NEW TIME SLOT FOR PV-TV … plus … WE CALLED IT ON TRUMP, BUT NOW IT’s SOBER TIME
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, JAN. 13-15) — As we count down to Inauguration Day, let THE PLANET share a couple program notes.
Valenti 2×4 011317First, beginning this week, look for the print version of PLANET VALENTI to debut in Pittsfield’s finest weekly, The Berkshire Courier. Each week, we shall deliver fresh content to a growing readership that has figured out if you want local news and commentary designed to keep you barefoot and perpetually dumb, stay clear of The Boring Broadsheet. The Rutberg Rag has failed to bring the paper once known as The Berkshire Eagle into relevance. From its well-conceived but poorly executed redesign to the dreary moors of the shrinking news hole, The BB — of RR, if you prefer — continues to fail the community. Instead of a crusading daily, Pittsfield is stuck with an sycophantic house organ.
The Courier, on the other hand, publishes a lively, eminently readable newspaper now made more vital with the arrival of THE PLANET. We shall bring our journalistic and writing values with us:
- A writer’s first obligation is to the truth
- The first loyalty of any newspaper is to citizens, not politicians or The Suits.
- Journalists must remain apart from and independent of the people and events they cover.
- Readers must be given a forum for public criticism
- The free marketplace of ideas welcomes legitimate opposing viewpoints.
- News and commentary must be comprehensive (otherwise, switch to TV), balanced, proportional, and fearless.
Look for The Berkshire Courier, a free weekly, at news stands, stores, and other locations throughout Pittsfield.
Second, for those of you who turned to Ch. 16 at 7 p.m. last night and didn’t find PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION, be aware of our new time slots. Beginning immediately, PV-TV can be seen in its first run at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday evenings. Re-airing of the show will be Monday 12:30 a.m., Wednesday 6:30 a.m., and Thursday 12:30 p.m.
The move reminds THE PLANET of a remark made by Terry Kinnas on the upcoming show, which will air 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17. In a discussion of the disastrous stranglehold the liberal loons have on Pittsfield politics, Terry mentioned that Pittsfield Community Television is, too, another arm of the Loyalists to the Status Quo.
THE PLANET Called It for Trump
Alone among local media and ahead of most national and international outlets, THE PLANET had Donald Trump winning and by the eerily correct electoral margin.
THE PLANET has been refining our proprietary polling method since first learning about the inner workings of polls in graduate and post-graduate work in Syracuse, beginning in 1975. The most difficult and intense course we ever took in 20+ years of formal education, our course on polling included a sub-course, “Statistical Package for the Social Sciences” (SPSS), showing us not only how to gather and crunch data but how to read the data supporting any poll. Since Carter-Ford in 1976, we have never been wrong in a presidential race.
We’ve been asked for our methodology, including tempting offers to rent it, but what is ours remains ours, since we never fancied being the next superstar pollster. Besides, our services to campaigns of that order will only come mercenarily, should it come at all. We have no interest providing in-kind contributions to office bids that control hundreds of millions of dollars … or two cents.
Thus, the Nov. 9 results that stunned the world came as no surprise to THE PLANET. On the heels of Trump’s victory, many expected us to gloat and rub it in but got the opposite. Trump’s win came with the rush of sobriety imposed upon us by the realization of the awesome responsibility that lies with the new Commander in Chief.
Trump ran to win. Now he must govern. One has to be subdued. To be otherwise shows you just don’t “get it.” We speak here of the traitorous troublemakers who, even before the new president takes the oath, plot to thwart his efforts. We speak not only of national figures in the Democratic Party but also the local loons who gave us an autarchic “Four Freedoms” rally replete with despotism, oppression, and tyranny. “Four Freedoms” indeed, eh Frank Farkas?
For those keeping score at home, Farkas chickened out on an invitation to join the PV-TV panel in our post-mortem of the fascistic event for which he was chief sponsor.
With that, THE PLANET opens The Comment Line.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
———————————————————————————–
“When dictatorship becomes a fact, revolution becomes a right.” — Victor Hugo
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views expressed in the comment section or opinions published within the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not those of PLANET VALENTI or endorsed in any way by PLANET VALENTI; this website reserves the right to remove any comment that 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.
The Eagle missed the Boat when they could have offered The Planet a position. I truly believe a that Nationaly Known Author,Journalist, and Radio Host with local connections would have been a win win for the Paper.
Appreciate the nod, NOTA.
No matter how the news media publishes it, the facts remain that Pittsfield politics is in a downward spiral! Thousands of jobs have been lost in Pittsfield. Once jobs are lost, they are never coming back! Moreover, thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield and Berkshire County. Pittsfield is aging out. Within the next two decades, Pittsfield will lose the last generation of Senior Citizens with financial security to attrition. Pittsfield’s is known as the welfare capital of Western Massachusetts. Only North Adams is doing worse than Pittsfield’s depressed local economy. But at least North Adams has Mass MoCA, while Pittsfield has PEDA. The worst part of it is that Pittsfield’s politicians make things worse by raising municipal taxes by around 5% every fiscal year.
As for Donald Trump, he compared our nation’s Intelligence agencies to “Nazi Germany”. Donald Trump wants to cut federal taxes while the federal government currently has hundreds of billions of dollars in annual budget deficits. Donald Trump wants to put up barriers to international trade in the name of protecting domestic jobs, which will only start “trade wars”. Donald Trump has named many Goldman Sachs bankers to his administration. Donald Trump supports a nuclear arms race with Russia. The list goes on and on. He is NOT starting off on the right path!
– Jonathan Melle
Blah, blah, blah.
Dan, why did they change when your show is on? Who was the bone head who did that? Who can we complain to? How did the crap show that was on get your spot?
Just go give Marchetti your affections. He will move DAn back
PVTV can do a pre-game show now.
Why the change? It wasn’t explained. Who did it? Not sure, probably Matt Tucker. To whom can you complain? Matt T and Bernie Avalle. How did that crap show get on? Who knows? Maybe they don’t want viewers in that time slot for some mystical reasons known only to progressives!
I can’t wait for Spring. The return of Ernie the hot dog man is the surest sign that Spring has sprung. And I understand that this year Ernie will be selling Farkas Franks made from pure bologna.
Great news that you will be in the Courier Dan.
As far as Trump goes Dan please tell me what you see as his strong points. How do you see the lives of the middle class being improved by Trumps policies? Please be realistic.
Please tell me what Obama and the progressives did for the middle class? Did they have business friendly regulations to encourage companies to hire? Did they care about the displaced workers who lost their jobs due to technology getting rid of their jobs? Did the progressives have a plan for helping these people? Did the progressives even care when they were social engineering everybody as their main focus? Progressives biggest concerns were and continue to be forcing the bathroom bill to all of the states and stirring up racial tensions. Not a recipe for job growth in my opinion.
You realize that it is the evangelicals pushing the bathroom bill and defunding Planned Parenthood, which is not an abortion clinic but women’s health services.
Is it any wonder that working Americans want to give another party the chance to fix the problems in this country when the progressives are all about stirring up racial tensions and forcing the bathroom bill on everyone?
Pat are you going to be the blog designee to make excuses for Trump for the next four years? Sure sounds like it.
I’ll be the first to criticize him when he needs it. Give the guy a chance.
Do you think he is right to disrespect American intelligence people?
They were about WMDs in Irag
We don’t know where this crazy Russian story came from. The intelligence agency may or may not have put it out to the public. If they are innocent and not politicizing everything, then Trump should apologize.
HH
Thanks about The Courier. We’re glad to be there.
Trump’s strong points:
1. He’s not a politician
2. He’s not Establishment Washington
3. He has great business savvy.
4. He surrounds himself with good people
5. He says what’s on his mind.
6. He avoids the sanitized, “nothing” statements that politicians love making. Their white bread. He’s multigrain.
7. He’s an astute dealmaker.
8. He understands finances, debt, and leverage.
9. He’s “hungry,” that is, ambitious.
10. He’s pragmatic
As for the lives of the middle class, they can only be improved by a better economy, more and better jobs, a curb on federal spending, and, most of all, tax relief.
Thanks Dan. Do you see any negatives?
in response to #8, yeah, he understands that he just doesn’t have to pay people!
Mayor Tyer will take an extra 230 dollars from elderly taxpayers in Pittsfield. The only thing she can do for them is try to convince them to sell and leave for florida.Oh yes…Trump is nuts.
Now that Trump won and companies are looking to expand it US we should find out in short order how worthless PEDA is.Amazon will hire 100,000 workers in this country.
Never mind PEDA is Mayor Tyer making cold calls to warehouse types like Amazon.
Crosby and PHS cost millions every year in repairs just to keep them open.Mayor Tyer just get a committee outside of school department to come up with a plan of consolidation for you to present to the school committee.
Really?
Like Amazon, and every other distributor wants to be located in a town that is 15 miles from the closest highway.
Have you been partaking in legal weed? It sure seems like it.
Pittsfield’ competitive disadvantages are non competitive workforce and no highway access.
SHH
You’ve just named two of the biggest obstacles. Four others are the dysfunctional politics; the institutional incest; the drifters, gangs, and drug scum who have invaded the city, and $700 million+ in untaxed property of “not-for-profit” agencies and companies.
There are competitive advantages too. However, when MassDOT dropped the Pittsfield Spur from the turnpike planning, it doomed the region for the post GE era.
Of all the ridiculous items this administration is constructing and an aside,is the Community Preservation Act, ( pickpocket act) where was the outcry with that insidious new added tax????incredible citizens would vote for that, we’ll see how this one plays out.
Really?
The majority won. We lost.
As Trump supporters say…suck it up.
Obama and the progressives ignored Russia and Putin for 8 years and let them do whatever they wanted. In the final weeks of his presidency Obama attempts to get tough with Russia only because he and progressives think that country interfered in the election. They make fun of Trump for not being tough on Russia when he isn’t even president yet. The hypocrisy is overwhelming.
I am proud to say that I think Obama is one hell of a man and he can be my president anytime.
I think Obama would have been a better president if he didn’t allow the progressives to take charge of him. He should have been a president for ALL of the country not just the progressives.
He would have been a better president if the republicans had not said (from day one) that they were going to be an anchor around his neck so that he could not accomplish anything meaningful. And that is exactly what they did. It makes me sad to think where this country might be now if they had just helped a little instead of trying to make him look bad at every turn. Very un American.
Thank God the Republicans stopped him or Obama would have done everything on the Progressive to do list which would have been even more of a disaster for this country.
Turn the channel.
Fox news all day long,you can’t hide it.
Trump said as President of the birther fake news he was not a citizen and not legitimate.
Exactly Pat, Obama was a pussy concerning Putin and his shenanigans.
are you suggesting that Trump was grabbing Obama?
Great news Dan. Courier best paper in County be very large margin.
Thanks, JT!
DV great to see you back where you began…back in newsprint! I love the Courier. I think adding you will greatly bolster their Pittsfield (and area) products. Still for me nothing beats The Planet.
Now all we need to figure out where to get a Courier and the times adjustments of the PCTV xhannel maze, right now the replacement shows on the Planet Hour are not so watchable.
H
You can get The Courier in numerous locations: Price Chopper and other markets, Palmer’s and most convenience stores, many restaurants. Actually, they do such a great job with circulation that it’s hard to miss.
The Courier is a feisty little paper, and it just got feistier!
Glad to know that our President elect paid Russian women to urinate on beds while he watched.
Class act!!
Don’t believe everything you read. Jan 20, time to take the trash out.
Hes a disaster waiting to fleece america.And hes nuts.
The taxpayers in town are paying the Mayor and Council to crap on them.
Fake News!!!!
Fake News!!!!
Fake news will be said here to excuse Trump for everthing
With Obama and the progressives, the media just covered everything up. The media needs to grow up.
Boy George,how did that leak out?
Can’t wait to read Dan in the Courier. I’ll get a copy today.
Thanks, PAT!
Pat, where?
I got my copy at Price Chopper in Allendale today.
What a treat ! Welcome return to newsprint, Dan.
The Berkshire Courier is a great weekly and it just got better.
CHUCK
Many thanks. Breakfast soon, by the way!
Pretty soon you will see three sets of kids from three different mothers running around the White House, a first.
Anything is better than Obamass. Think of all the poor interns getting sexually assaulted if Hillary got in.
Hello…Trump is a bigger pervert than Bill…you guys think he’s clean and truthful
School Committee, ask Monica where Bill like to put his cigar. The Clinton’s are in a league of there own when it comes to vile acts, sexually or politically. Why is Hillary looking for Obamass to pardon her?
What was Mrs Clinton convicted of?
That’s Fake
Obama wasn’t a skirt chaser, Michelle would have kicked his ass ,anyway.
Dan,
Conrats on The Courier gig and thanks for the post on the state of the sinking ship address – the mayor forgot to mention all the shootings and the od’s and the drifters and the downtrodden.
The “State of the City” address was a double dose: First, it wasn’t not needed. Second, if you ARE going to give one, say something ballsy. Don’t just mouth cliches’ that amount to nothing. It was a sad performance.
Trump is a liar and he is an amazing liar.
Your funny school committee, Obama and Hillary are two of the most dishonest people in politics. President Trump would have to lie everyday for 4 years just to meet there monthly quota. Why bash Trump, you should redirect your anger at the Democratic Party for not giving other candidates a chance to get nominated. Not sure Trump would have won if the Dem’s ran a real primary.
Agree…Trump voted in because progressives spent all their time on the fringe.I’m glad this wack job is in.Trump is a walking nervous wreck who whines and pouts.
Last thing you want in the oval is a dirty old ,man.
What do you think Bill Clinton was?????
Guilty
SO, I’ll live in Denver and get a job when I get there, because I am a millenial and that’s what we do, how I pay for it is another thing????
….Fake news….Obamas not a legitimate president….Head fake guy..Trump
School Committee are you and Jonathen Melle the same person. You might want to seek help for your anger and delusional thoughts. Hillary lost and Mr. Trump is our 45th President, grab some playdoo and curl up in a ball listening to that shit band U-2 and James Taylor, grab some popcorn and watch a Merril Streep movie. Watch some fake news on CNN, but it won’t change anything.Trump won, stop crying I put up with 8 years of Obamass, the bar is set so low its below grade.
Same old ass clowns every night in this City causing disturbance, one and done should be the theme, redundant arrests have got to end.
Remember when Lothrop and Clairmont were clamouring about increasing the pay of the Mayor, one of them said if the pay is raised that would attract a better quality candidate? What exactly were the current Mayor’s qualifications!? After watching the first ever State of the City, I’m convinced the fix was in from the very beginning. The Administrative Assistant also has questionable merit on the pay scale as was voted in by the City Council to try to employ that position at the top tear of the pay scale.A lot of people are hurting out here, these two positions and hundreds of other should reflect the current economic decline, set the example, not add to it. ll position in the current City employ should be reduced, especially the top Adminiistrators, it’s out of control.
Excellent points made here, MH.
50 years ago when I could stay awake past seven P.M. I was a regular at the Friday night special at DelGallo’s Restaurant. Those nights were informative, educational and entertaining. I got to meet some of the great luminaries of our time . Sil Conte every now and then, Ted Kennedy. Pete Miller and Abe Michelson plus many more. Abe I only met once and among the things that really impressed me was that even Pete Arlos showed reverence toward him. He and Mr. Miller were very down to earth people. I recall clearly Remo proclaiming that the salary of the mayor had nothing to do with the quality of the candidate. That statement seems to have proved true over and over again.
Great post, TM. I never met Pete Miller or Abe but wished I had. I was fortunate enough to have a close relationship with the other Pete. The Aging Greek God was like no other person in politics that I’ve ever met, and I’ve known LOTS, from Presidents to dog catchers. Luther “Gus” Bliven was the Abe Michelson of The Syracuse Post-Standard. Gus was dean of the Albany press corps, and I couldn’t get enough of picking his brain. Gus was with The P-S for a remarkable 68 years, 1930 to 1998. Gus died on 2-24-2001. He was 85. R.I.P. Gus.
Abe used to car pool to Boston with Duffin and Joe Scelsi…..I wonder if their was lots of talk or lots of science.
Abe used to car pool to Boston with Duffin and Joe Scelsi…..I wonder if their was lots of talk or lots of science.
The schools business department on first street with Behnke making 120k has 9 other people in it….schools also adding entire new program at ried school with new employees.Mccandless pays no attention to taxpayers flipping the bill.
THEY know that the Mayor and council are afraid to cut anything to do with kids.Your screwed in Pittsfield .A failed city is described as having housing prices going down and taxes going up,that’s Tyers Pittsfield.
As usual, The Planet NEVER Sleeps! Lol
Correct-a-mundo!
Just heard a shots fired casesings found on the ground somewhere, didn’t need shots pot for that.
Where? What time?
Right about the time posted, itmll be in the eagle in about a month. Stay tuned.
Congratulations. Will still be looking here every morning.
With The Planet and the Courier I have all the local news I need which enabled me to cancel my subscription to the Eagle a paper that has gone downhill since the new owners.
Now that The Courier runs The Planet its like a confirmation of my move. Both give the best coverage, both free of charge. What a great service from both.
Thanks Courier thanks DV.
Actually, we thank readers like you, ALLENDER.
In a different context, maybe the Planet should run the Courier.
The Courier, with Kameron Spaulding and Terry Cowgill, have an excellent editorial staff. Now the Eagle … it would be fun to have those keys for, say, one year. This city wouldn’t be the same.
So disgusting that the progressives are trying to blacklist LL Bean because somebody on the board of that company was a donor to the Trump campaign. These nasty tactics to destroy companies and put people out of work have to stop. These blacklisting attempts are weakening this country and shows once and for all that progressives put party over country ever time.
thanks for letting me know!
You vote with your wallet Pat and this is not new.
I will never buy a GE product because they poisoned my city.
Are you and Shakes going to D.C. to riot with the rest of the moonbats?
From what I’ve read nobody is going to DC and Trump is hoping for a riot.Trump is a walking nervous wreck and he is getting obese.
Many buses going down from Pittsfield and many towns. The democrat moonbats will be out in force and they will riot as only democrat moonbats can……that nut from Great Barrington might even bring a chair and sit in a DC road. Don’t forget the chant….democrat moonbats love to have some kind of a rhyming chant……they love chants….Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton will be happy to help……something like “dump trump he’s a chump give us money to prime our pump we need funds to remove donald the lump” democrats love to chant as they march
Do you know that if you lose a stitch even after fifty years, Bean will replace the item, no questions asked, great company, great product.
Exactly Hewton, just like here, the truth and nothing but the truth!
My belt is from Bean. So are my jeans. Great company.
Otto’s is featuring Frakas Franks serveed with LL Beans this week I think Pete White will give his review.
Lib’s need a little LL Bean love, a belt in the mouth and a boot in the ass.
PREDICTION!! !Texans make it close with Pats tonight!
Pats cover, on to 6th straight AFC Championship game. Tom Brady’s 11th, nuff said.
Brady had a so so night and they still crushed em. Go Pats.
Pats 13 -0 on Saturday night. Houston won’t even score.
ooopsiee
Patriots win! Patriots win! Patriots win! On to record 6th straight AFC championship game!!!!
DV
I read yesterday that the city of Syracuse is in the process of installing shot-spotter
Rep. John Lewis says the Russians got Trump elected and Hillary defeated and he will not attend the inauguration ceremonies. Trump defends himself and who can blame who. NOBODY tampered with any voting machines and this is a fact. Americans ignore what Russia says and THAT is a FACT. Donald Trump won fair and square. This type of disrespect, and that’s what it is, days before the ceremonies is disgusting. Many people were unhappy about Obama’s election, but nobody went to these extremes before the swearing in ceremonies to show this kind of hatred.
I’m sick of hearing Democrats talking about impeaching Trump before he is even sworn in as president. Mike Pence would make a great president as well so they wouldn’t gain anything from any underhanded behavior. The sour grapes needs to end. Progressives are not gaining any supporters from this type of behavior. They are losing when it comes to public opinion of their behavior. It just reinforces the belief that we voted for the right candidate. The Democrats need to look inside themselves to find the answer to why they lost. The election was a rejection of progressive policies as much as it was a rejection of Hillary.
Pat..Trump won.Stop
The aim of the new President should focus on the three things that Don PPP campaigned on. Jobs should be the first. The problem is to carry out that order of a full and robust agenda with having to answer who is the Presiden, not how was he elected for the next four years. With that being said, fundamentally, Trump’s overall plans will cost trillions.I’m not worried about how he got elected? Did Putin come to you’re door and demand you vote for him? Let’s get real, where is the funding going to come from, as he tries to put (no pun intended) all of his agenda into place.
I agree with you on that point. The country is already so much in debt. Trump is going to need to use his business skills in ways they have never been used before to solve these tough economic problems.
Trump lost money many times over.The only thing that made him money was being A male Kardashian…His brand makes money his business skill are awlful.That’s why you’ll never see his taxes.
It will be the Boys and Pats. Green Bay has no chance today.
Don’t know May, Pack is hot.
Good call May H and agree with the Cowgirls and the Patsy’s. The sissy bowl.
If I gotta catch a Taxi, Al B.runs for City Office I will be the first in line to vote for him. aN ASiDe…I seen Utopia at it’s finest, a man dressed in rainbow colors with a robe was hugging the tree near the old Pop Corner, it made me even more happy.
Middle class income tax cuts,rebuild infastructure with jobs bill starting with cities like pittsfield first.Tax the wealthy,put business owners who hire illegals in jail for mandatory 1 year.No more illeagals.
This is the year of the tax.
The pick you’re pocket tax is illegal. Where is the uproar?
Another major fire today (Corner of Dalton and Tyler) and our city still wasn’t equipped to handle it. Had to get help from neighboring towns.
What the hell is going on in this city? This structure wasn’t higher than 3 stories. What would they do if it had been the Crowne Plaza?
What is wrong with our Fire Dept.?.
I’m sick of this crap. We pay tons of money for a full time fire dept. They can’t handle basic run of the mill fires without calling mutual aid. Hell, maybe it’s time to go all volunteer. What the hell, thats who we call anyway.
A great many cities in America, many larger than Pittsfield, successfully employ a volunteer FD.
Mutual aid is to cover stations, not necessarily go fight fires.
So why spit in the face of Firefighters? this is The Mayor’s problem and Chief. …..Give Covanta a half million and fight fires with no equipment, aren’t these companies like fire regulated to be equiped? If what you and heh heh say is true, then what exactly is the problem?
Great point. Pittsfield will spend $200K for a second-hand firetruck but give Covanta $565K to pay for investments the private company should be making for itself. This is fiduciary abuse.
Good call again Nota!