BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MARCH 1, 2017) — Everyone knows THE PLANET‘s position about the egregious pay raises our “profiles in courage” on Beacon Hill gave themselves. We loathe the measure, for a number of reasons: It was the first matter taken up by the House and Senate […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 27, 2017) — Much has been made of President Donald Trump‘s pronouncements on “the media,” much of it misreported. President Trump never said the press was the enemy of the people. He said that “fake news” was our enemy, and he is […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, FEB. 24-26, 2017) — THE PLANET’s Right Honorable Good Friend, Jesse Cook-Dubin, Esq., president, stood silently by as Downtown Pittsfield executive director Kristine Hurley served her report to the dupable city council at its most recent meeting. Stick a fork in it, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY FEB. 23, 2017) — Sometimes the city of Pittsfield sticks it to The Little Guy directly in his face, like hocking a loogie at eye-level. It does this each budget season when, after salary raises galore for department heads and everyone in the school department, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ED NOTE: Be sure to check in with THE PLANET tomorrow. You’ll be the first to read about a tax hike of 400% to 600% the city of Pittsfield wants to impose on businesses and homeowners. They are trying to sneak this one through without fanfare. Rest […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 20, 2017) — Late last month, THE PLANET aired as comment and reaction this blisteringly funny exchange between Ron Kitterman and Heh Heh (not to be confused with Lord Haw Haw). RON KITTERMAN Dan, I know you don’t allow advertising on your […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION FEB. 17-19, 2017) — THE PLANET had a fun exchange Thursday with our good friend Mike Ward. Our Facebook chat centered on the topic of winter. Mike initiated it with this posting: WARD: There’s a difference between enjoying snow and wanting […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURDAY FEB. 16, 2017) — It all ties together. That’s the notion of “interbeing.” It’s looking at a paper bag and seeing the sun that grew trees from which the paper was made. With that in mind, let THE PLANET show how interbeing works in Pittsfield. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY FEB. 14, 2017) — If you think THE PLANET is going to shamelessly milk and rehash the astounding win by the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 51, you’re right. We can’t get enough a game all sorts of “experts” are calling the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, FEB. 10-12, 2017) — Thank Bog, Brady, Belichick, and Bob Buhl that the City of Pittsfield finally changed the look of its website. No longer do you call up the site and see Pontoosuc Lake inundating the PHS Dome. In its […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY FEB. 9, 2017) — A few inches of snow in mid February in New England and — panic in the streets!!! Rodan and Mothra spotted over Onota Lake. Stockbrokers jumping off the roof of the Crowne Plaza, while there still is a Crowne […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY FEB. 8, 2017) — In some places, citizens get a say in important financial matters. Not in Pittsfield. When The Suits rigged the game to approve a $121 million new Taconic High School, a key part of the scheme included blocking citizens from […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY FEB. 7, 2017) — Super Bowl LI was the ultimate game, played in the ultimate fashion, to serve up the ultimate in moral justice. And just like that, Tom Brady became the first QB ever to win the Big One five times. Ditto […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 6, 2017) — President Donald Trump continues to “dazzle the ass off the universe,” to use the great phrase of poet E. E. Cummings. In his second week in office, Trump kept up a frenetic pace of change never before seen in Washington. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, SUPER BOWL WEEKEND, FEB. 3-5, 2017) — Just what the city of Pittsfield needs: A central location that will attract hordes of junkies and drug dealers. That’s what the city will get when it establishes its needle exchange program. Little wonder why neither the mayor, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY FEB. 2, 2017) — With the discussion on how to save the city money, there’s no question about it: If the city is serious about it this time around, the coin has to come out of the Pittsfield School Department, which currently hogs […]
