CITY’S NEW WEB DESIGN IS STILL UNDER WATER … or … AMATEURVILLE AT ITS BEST
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 place you find a series of photos of The City Beautiful.
Many of the photos were taken downtown on Third Thursday, about your only chance of finding living souls as opposed to the Walking Dead who otherwise haunt the big byway. Other shots comprise the typical “Pittsfield at night” “Pittsfield at play” pastische typical of such Chamber-type propaganda. Oddly, there are no winter shots. From the photos, you’d think Pittsfield had San Diego’s climate. That’s what the unimaginative hacks call transparency: We can see right though it.
The photos are beautiful but rotate much too quickly. The result is a rapid succession nearly wipes out the logo and the side tabs. THE PLANET asked its resident geeks for their view. They gave the site a D+/C-: passing, but mediocre.
They advised fewer photos and no full-page photo rotation. The design works against itself. It wants to show the photos full screen for impact. All well and good, except that when you place the search engine directly over this rotation, the viewer mentally “blocks” the photos. The city’s designers violated one of the most basic tenets of web design: The landing page should welcome, not dazzle or distract, the viewer. People who go on the city’s website want information, not “bizzybizzy.”
As for content, it’s not much better. Click on “News.” Two stories are featured, both from Nov. 26, 2016. It case city planners missed it, we are now in mid-February. When you go to the calendar, only one meeting is listed for the entire rest of February (from 10th to 28th), a 7 p.m. Parks Commission meeting on Feb. 21. Where are the rest?
For example, the calendar doesn’t list a 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13 meeting at Herberg Middle School to discuss Pittsfield’s suitability as a home for 50 Syrian refugees. And why no mention of City Council or School Committee meetings? In fact, if you go to the council page and click on two links — “2016 Meeting Schedule” and “Meeting Schedule” — you get two identical pages of last year’s meeting dates. Go ahead. Try to find 2017 dates.
Gosh, do you think the city is trying to keep citizens in the dark? The only other logical explanation is that the web redesign was done by amateurs who likely charged a bundle. You know how it goes: Joe’s brother-in-law got the contract after rigged bidding.
The website may have a new look, but it has the same old outdated and useless information. You think in this digital day the city could produce a more recent roster of board and commission (B&C) members than Aug. 17, 2016. The list itself shows innumerable people whose terms expired in 2016, 2015, and even 2014. For instance, the web site tell us every member of the Cable TV Commission has long expired, as of Feb. 28, 2014. Are they dead? Replaced? In the Phantom Zone?
The B&C roster takes up 32 pages, so tell THE PLANET why only 16 pages have lists of names and why 16 pages are blank? Who does this stuff? Is there ANY accountability?
Tell us, Mayor Linda Tyer.
Tell us council president Pete Marchetti. Tell us, John Krol, Kathy Amuso, Melissa Mazzeo, Pete White, Lisa Tully, Kevin Morandi, Nick Caccamo, Chris Connell, Donna Todd Rivers, and Tony Simonelli.
Tell us Kathy Yon, Josh Cutler, Dan Elias, Pam Farron, Tony Riello, and Cynthia Taylor of the school committee.
Tell us how and why should ordinary citizens have faith in the government over which you preside? Why should they believe you, as their “representatives,” can or will do the next right thing in their name? Why should they believe you even care, when your actions — from the tiddly-winks of web design to the gravitas of budgeting — shows otherwise?
You can’t manage a budget, you can’t handle parking, you can’t plow roads, you can’t keep the city safe and clean … why, you can’t even, in 2017, put together a decent web page.
The sad fact is, if you live and love in Pittsfield, you are being overtaxed for the privilege of not only being underserved but taken for chumps. Dig it now or never: The Suits don’t care about you. They got theirs, and that’s enough.
Meanwhile, you know what they can do with their dot coms.
With that, we open The Comment Line. Have a great weekend, everybody!
—————————————————————————-
“The Internet is so big, powerful, and pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life.” — Andrew Brown
“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, written word, or information from any source other than PLANET VALENTI as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and PLANET VALENTI’s terms of service. All users of the services of PLANET VALENTI agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice.
Just wait until Ty Allen Jackson gets elected to the City Council. Al our problems will be solved as Tyer will be pulling his strings.
Looks like Kellyanne is In hot water. But she’s expendable.
someone just bought a template from Revize, maybe 20-30 grand up front, and then of course a recurring charge of several grand annually. Can’t expect work from people with fake jobs in a fake city
WILSON
The pity is, a great looking website can be designed for free, if you know where to go and you have a decent level of imagination and IT ability.
Agreed the City’s website is horrid.
Yup. It went from awful to embarrassing.
Ouch. This is real misstep for the mayor. Content is useless. The Sinai Academy is listed under schools! They closed their doors five years ago.
KOZ
Yes. The site is replete with outdated information. Truly an embarrassment and far too typical of a city that doesn’t care.
Is the site done by a relative of a city bigwig? As we know from history you do not need glowing credentials to get work for the city of Pittsfield. It is more about DNA and friendship with the elite.
Just like your matt
What’s up Dean Dong? Er, Richard, er DICK?
Poor matt
My street looks like a sheet cake with a layer of crumbs on it.
Not to worry. My weather graph shows another 10 inches coming Sunday night into Monday morn As soon as the private plow guy gets done with his residential route and does my street I will be able to get out sometime late Monday afternoon
Danny boy…typo in the header. Attention to detail big fella!
john aka shakes aka matt…enough. Dan goes a great service
JOHN
Thanks. It was no typo but a bit of a stretch by way of word experiment. By misspelling “design” we meant to reinforce how the city did a lousy job. There’s also a play on words, with the word “seig” buried in “dseign.” Probably a bit too much. In our internal discussion, we agreed that if someone pointed out the “Typo” and didn’t get what we were doing, we’d correct the spelling to avoid the distraction. That’s now done.
LOL…yeah, definitely a stretch. And I was an English major, a creative writer and a Joyce expert. Shoulda caught it. Thanks though
Pittsfields Behnke and Curtis should get in touch with Central Berkshires counterparts to ask them how to do what they do.
Pittsfields Mccandless should communicate with Central Berkshire Superintendent to advise him how to consolidate a school system.
Pittsfields Mayor Tyer should look into just hiring Central Berkshires administration and fire our incompetent administration.1 year later and the budget is out of control.Yon is a retired teacher from 10 years ago and do get some 52,000 per year…..4,500 a month compared to SS at 1600.
Maybe the City should hire a consultant to help the consultants who designed the web site. And hire another consultant to help decide who that consultant should be.
Riello get a retirement of 86 k and he has no worries about money.
The Pittsfield schools decline is under the direction of Joe Curtis who has spent million and millions on data led programs.
The Pittsfield school s are led by principles that were never qualified. They are all people who could not teach or had no desire to work with children.There is not respect inside the system that thrives on bad attitudes and grumpy administration.
To change the subject to your favorite publication the BB. I find a story this morning really offensive. A Canadian journalist in North Adams asserts “Were it not for quirks of birth and circumstance,” Joanna Slater said, “this could have been any of us.” referring to refugees. This prize-winning journalist, Slater just slandered the generations of Americans who sacrificed for freedom and Western values that she airily dismisses as “random”. The BB we grew up with would have never published such BS. The “journalist” went on to argue that in forty years there is no data to show refugees are terrorists. So how many Americans have to die for a Canadian journalist to think there is enough “data” to keep people out who are hostile to American values?
I should stop reading the BB…
The Progressives want to pour the refugees into the country. Hillary had every intention of doing that. What is their motivation? We have seen the examples of France and Germany and other European countries who have taken in many of these refugees and are now police states. What is their end game?
Do Progressives want to turn this country into a police state knowing this will give big government more power which is what Progressives have been pushing for all along?
The States who filed the suit and who won in court twice, with two Republican appointed judges and two Democratic appointed judges, are making the point clearly that there is no need to stop those with visas and green cards, and that it is absurd to think that scientists, graduate students and medical personnel are coming to kill. Many, including me, think that Muslims need to be screened more tightly but this ban is nothing more than throwing red meat to people who can’t think about risks.
There should be a rigorous and advanced screening for anyone that wants to purchase or possess a firearm because 1693 people have died from gun violence already in 2017.
For the most part they are gang members in democrat run cities. All new gun sale buyers are required to submit to an FBI background check.
That is a completely false and ignorant statement, and just to show you while yes, many of those do take place in cities (some run by democrats) here are the locations of the 77 murders that took place over the past 72 hours in the US:
Incident Date State City Or County # Killed # Injured
10-Feb-17 Tennessee Memphis 1 1
10-Feb-17 Indiana Gary 1 0
9-Feb-17 Georgia Covington 2 0
9-Feb-17 Washington Lake Stevens 1 0
9-Feb-17 Massachusetts Haverhill 1 0
9-Feb-17 Ohio Grove City 1 0
9-Feb-17 Indiana Indianapolis 1 0
9-Feb-17 Oregon Portland 1 0
9-Feb-17 Indiana Muncie 1 0
9-Feb-17 Illinois Peoria 1 0
9-Feb-17 Illinois Chicago 1 0
9-Feb-17 New York Bronx 1 1
9-Feb-17 Texas Corsicana 3 0
9-Feb-17 California Los Angeles 1 0
8-Feb-17 Maryland Baltimore 1 0
8-Feb-17 Maryland Baltimore 1 0
8-Feb-17 Pennsylvania Pittsburgh 1 0
8-Feb-17 Pennsylvania Mckeesport 1 0
8-Feb-17 Florida Fort Myers 1 0
8-Feb-17 Florida Jacksonville 1 0
8-Feb-17 Pennsylvania Bethlehem 1 0
8-Feb-17 Florida Boynton Beach 1 0
8-Feb-17 California San Bernardino (Muscoy) 2 0
8-Feb-17 Georgia Dallas 1 0
8-Feb-17 Ohio Cleveland 1 4
8-Feb-17 North Carolina High Point 1 1
8-Feb-17 Mississippi Clarksdale 1 0
8-Feb-17 Oklahoma Anadarko 1 0
8-Feb-17 Ohio Geneva 1 0
8-Feb-17 Arkansas Little Rock 1 0
8-Feb-17 Alabama Montgomery 1 2
8-Feb-17 Alabama Huntsville 1 0
8-Feb-17 California Oakland 1 0
8-Feb-17 California Santa Ana 1 0
8-Feb-17 Texas Houston 1 0
8-Feb-17 Mississippi Moss Point 1 0
8-Feb-17 South Carolina West Columbia 1 0
8-Feb-17 Indiana Brookville 1 0
8-Feb-17 Texas Round Rock 1 0
8-Feb-17 New York Brooklyn 1 0
8-Feb-17 Alabama Bessemer 1 0
8-Feb-17 Alabama Birmingham 2 1
8-Feb-17 Alabama Birmingham 1 0
7-Feb-17 Tennessee Rockwood 1 0
7-Feb-17 California Lemon Grove 1 1
7-Feb-17 Alabama Birmingham 1 0
7-Feb-17 Alabama Pisgah 1 0
7-Feb-17 Georgia Atlanta 1 0
7-Feb-17 Pennsylvania Philadelphia 1 0
7-Feb-17 Colorado Durango 1 0
7-Feb-17 Louisiana Shreveport 1 1
7-Feb-17 Colorado Denver 1 0
7-Feb-17 Florida West Palm Beach 1 0
7-Feb-17 Georgia West Point 1 0
7-Feb-17 Ohio Dayton 1 0
7-Feb-17 Kentucky Louisville 1 0
7-Feb-17 Georgia Roswell 1 0
7-Feb-17 Maryland Baltimore 1 0
7-Feb-17 New Jersey Newark 1 0
7-Feb-17 Iowa Des Moines 1 1
7-Feb-17 West Virginia Charleston 1 1
7-Feb-17 Tennessee Mount Pleasant 1 0
7-Feb-17 Texas Edna 1 0
7-Feb-17 New Mexico Albuquerque 1 0
7-Feb-17 Maryland Bel Air 1 0
7-Feb-17 Missouri Saint Louis 1 0
7-Feb-17 Virginia Richmond 1 0
7-Feb-17 Ohio Lakewood 1 0
7-Feb-17 California Novato 1 0
7-Feb-17 Arkansas Little Rock 1 4
7-Feb-17 District of Columbia Washington 1 0
7-Feb-17 North Carolina Stokes (county) 1 0
Shakes,
With all due respect you have not supplied any information to counter the point made by 12 Gauge. You have supplied a list yes I selected 6 at random and searched the cities local newspaper. There was an arrest in the Haverhill shooting today and the other cities when going to the local paper either it was gang related or something of the sort. One involved two men arguing at 3am in front of a “known drug location” I Went to each of the cities websites to both contrast said cities website with our gem and to verify who controls it D or R. While 6 is not a scientific enough sampling to either prove or disprove of 12 gauges claim a simple list isn’t either.
As for the City’s website we proclaim ourselves to be a city of the arts, and so far we have come up with a crappy at best website and a handful of utility boxes painted to be laundry detergent. If we are going to be a city of the arts and a community of the arts how is it we can’t have a city website that is intuitive, interactive and puts forth accurate, timely and complete information? Other cities do I just checked 6 cities websites.
Just sayin
Posted using voice to text technology
Interestingly enough the Peoria shooting was outside at night ( close to midnight) and shot spotter notified the police of the shooting along with a 911 caller. I am certain shot spotter is located in every bucolic neighborhood in the event either choir practice gets unruly or some mad man tries to run off with the proceeds from the Girl Scout cookie sales. They wouldn’t have that damn shot spotter in questionable hoods now would they?
Just Sayin
I cant post a link using voice to text yet here is the link
http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170210/man-shot-to-death-thursday-night-in-peoria
Right. The only fact he states is that new gun buyers must pass a background check. Then only verifiable fact I state is that 77 people in the US were murdered with guns in the past three days. Some are no doubt gang related and some are no doubt lily white men murdering their spouse.
Violence is a problem and disproportionate resources are applied to contrived terrorist threats instead of domestic issues that promulgate violence.
Shakes,
I am not certain where you are gleaning that information from but I happen to know it’s a bit different than you state.
You state “…Violence is a problem and disproportionate resources are applied to contrived terrorist threats instead of domestic issues that promulgate violence”
In a report from the Heritage foundation has done a study on this and I will link below for your reading enjoyment. But essentially to your claim from the executive summary “In the 50 years since that time, U.S. taxpayers have spent over $22 trillion on anti-poverty programs. Adjusted for inflation, this spending (which does not include Social Security or Medicare) is three times the cost of all U.S. military wars since the American Revolution.” Is it fair to assume that what you refer to in large part as the “domestic issues that promulgate violence” is poverty? Which can be broken down into subcategories from there. But adjusted for inflation in 2014 we have spent more than 3 times all of the wars since the Revolution and to what end? So are the resources expended thus far applied to a contrived terrorist threat(s) out of whack with the monies spent on the domestic issues that promulgate violence? I guess it depends not on economics but on personal opinion.
Just sayin
http://www.heritage.org/poverty-and-inequality/report/the-war-poverty-after-50-years
Just as whites can claim racism is not a thing and men can say there is no sexism yet refuse to pass an equal pay bill, those with means can cast dispersions to dehumanize poverty.
Shakes,
Your double ism attempt at deflection when your point was no longer defendable is kind of sad and telling of the larger situation. While I thought our discussion of societal issues was both informative and cordial sadly it has entered a place where if one doesn’t agree with the position that was put forth devoid of fact with no substance to support it then anyone who questions it must be an IST be it a racist, a sexist or whatever. Never fool yourself you can see what’s in a person’s heart or where they come from you simply don’t have that power nor do you possess the moral authority.
I can sit here and tell you a million things, you don’t understand my position and your position has to be right there is simply no other way a normal human being can see things differently than you thus he or she must be a racist a sexist etc. While you pretend to be able to see what is in other people’s hearts, thoughts and their values you put yours on full display.
Best my friend I wish you the best be well
No, your assumption that I meant welfare programs as what we should focus on to reduce violence is what’s sad. You are looking for ways to insult me, not have a legitimate discussion.
I don’t have to be right, but I’ve stated facts and called them facts. When you suggested some of my statements are opininions I’ve not disagreed. I’m not calling you a racist … what I can say, as a fact, is that the heritage foundation has a board that is not reflective of the US population. I can state factually that their studies are conjecture and self proclaimed ‘marketing’. The statistical tail can wag any dog.
If you want to ask any family member of the over 10,000 murder victims killed by guns in the US annually if they think radical Islam terrorists are the concern or if our attention should focus somewhere else. I’ll let those 10,000 answer be from their hearts, not mine.
How can Muslims from war torn countries where everything has been destroyed be properly vetted? The same countries that Obama had listed as the top countries for terrorists. There is literally no information on many of them. Not to mention ISIS saying they were going to infiltrate the refugees with radicalized individuals.
Pat, 5 out of those 7 Countries listed on the travel ban were drone bombed by President Obama, killing hundreds of civilians. Where was the outrage then?
Your government properly vets legal imagination Pat.Prove this is not true.Thank you
The cost of illegal aliens in US estimated at 113 billion per year. Time to get a handle on this major problem in our Country.
Citation?
Journalist = propagandist in today’s world.
matt you are fake news
Dick you are a Dick.
Matt you really are fake news
Dean you really are a Dick.
Steve Bannon is, by his admission, against American values and the US government. Maybe we should send him back where he came from.
Matt your new alt John Grogan is fake news
Hillary and Chelsea Clinton gloating over 9th Circuit Court immigration decision. If anybody doubts that this country dodged a bullet by not electing Hillary for president, this confirms it. The legality of the 9th Court’s decision is being questioned by everyone. Judge Scalia would have been brutal in tearing apart the decision of the 9th Court after he reversed it according to Joe Scarborough. Taking away the ability of the president to do as he sees fit to protect the country is exactly what this very liberal 9th Circuit Court is doing. This court is politicized and it should be following the law not making decisions based on partisan politics.
9th circuit completely ignored the law and took the political partisan route instead. Federal court judges are more politicians than judges.
True and this is dangerous for this country when judges become politicized.
Joe Scarborough has credibility because he represented a domestic terrorist that murdered a doctor?
The same Joe Scarborough that wasted millions of taxpayer’s dollars when he abruptly resigned 5 months into his 4th congressional term to “spend time with his family”. Or it could be that he wanted to spend time with the congressional staffer he later married after divorcing the mother of his children during that final campaign.
Sounds like an upstanding and credible constitutional law expert and a hell of a class act!.
Maybe he took a class in constitutional law while studying at the top tier UFlorida law school, when he wasn’t selling out stadiums with his band Dixon Mills.
Believe me it’s not just Joe Scarborough saying this.
Matt you have no credibility
Whatever you say, Dick.
Matt you are fake news
Dean you are a Dick.
9th Circuit Court has had there decisions overturned 83% of the time. They seem like a waste of space.
Citation?
Joe Taxpayer
http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/intelprop/magazine/LandslideJan2010_Hofer.authcheckdam.pdf
Reversed and vacated 80%
2010 data The data can be diced parsed excused as one sees fit
So of the 175 cases in 10 years, there were 108 overturned. So right away, you cannot do maths. Second, those are the cases reviewed, less than .2 % of the number of cases the 9th circuit terminated. If you cite an article, you should read it. Also, brush up on your statistics. Weak ass sauce.
I see your back to name calling always a way to win an argument. So first lets look at the statistics. Of the cases reviewed. No the cases not reviewed by the Supreme Court were neither overturned or vacated. The Supreme court cannot review every case by the Ninth or any other Circuit simply not enough time in the day.
As you should have been able to see from the post above I Clearly state overturned AND vacated.
Reversed107
Vacated 33
Affirmed 35
Since math seems to be so difficult 107+33=140 140+35=175 175X80%=140
You have two posts, with two numbers and two claims, and since your outdated citation clearly points out, the Supreme Court only reviews cases where a question of law is unanswered, for the 9th circuit, that is 15 one hundredths of a percent of the cases they handled over ten years. If viewed in comparison over all the appeals courts, there are
Matt you are a left wing nut
The 9th Circuit just hurt the Judiciary – bigly !! Our Judges are a joke and now political – bad move – should have kicked it back down to the trial judge – where it belongs…now we can look at decisions and not trust if they are decided on the law or for some political viewpoint – president a mess, senate a group of crybaby obstructionists, and now the judiciary – our fabric gets weaker and weaker…sad
The Progressives are trying to bring the country to its knees. Betsy Devoe can’t even do her job because of all of the protestors. The Progressives are trying to do a power grab and they are using far left radicals paid by George Soros and brainwashed college kids as well as others who have been fooled by them to do it.
Betsy DeVos’ first day of work in her whole life.
Citation?
spoken like a true enemy of good education
I’ll say it again… once this city hits receivership there won’t be any running from Karma. It’s inevitable. But, by that point Mccandless will be retired and on his way up to MCLA for schmooze position like all those before him.
I can’t wait to see the you know what hit the fan when they tear up the union contract and force the teachers to re-apply for their jobs.
Do you think the Polish Clubwill open before the end of the Century, or will the License Board continue to drag this thing on, and on, and on, and on?
Johnny’s and Lachs got screwed. Of course they did mt have Jesse or Tim and Steve speaking on thier behalf. Political should not be able to speak at these boards. T he license checker dropped the ball? Where was Carmen?
Seems there are an bunch of shootingswhen leaving bars here? You wonder why people stay out of bars.
The following news article is a must read! Massachusetts State Senators can receive up to 3 leadership stipends on top of their base salary of $62,500, plus their other benefits. That means some State Senators will receive over $50,000 in pay raises this year of 2017. Moreover, some State Senators also have private sector jobs.
– Jonathan Melle
News Article:
“Lawmakers may collect multiple bonuses”
By Frank Phillips, Boston Globe Staff, February 9, 2017
Not only are House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg getting 45 percent pay raises, but a slew of legislators are also set for a potential financial bonanza, thanks to little-noticed language in the legislative pay bill — and Senate rules.
The new rules increase the number of leadership stipends lawmakers can receive for extra-paying positions. Legislators can potentially take two — and even three — stipends in addition to their $62,500 base salary.
The complicated, 18-page compensation bill says legislators can take extra compensation for two positions “whether as a member of the leadership or chair, vice chair or ranking members of a committee.”
But the Senate seems to think it can push to three positions. A new addition to its rules state: “… no member of the Senate shall be compensated for service in more than 3 positions, whether as a member of leadership or as chair, vice chair, or ranking member of a committee.”
If that is true, some senators stand to make a killing if, as expected in many cases, they keep their same leadership and committee positions in this new legislative session. Those assignments are expected to be announced shortly.
Here are some examples:
Marc Pacheco, the Taunton Democrat, could get a $55,000 raise from additional stipends. As the Senate’s president pro tempore, Pacheco’s stipend will go from $15,000 to $50,000. That $15,000 was his only extra pay in recent years. But with the new rule, he can also now get a $15,000 bonus as chair of the Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. And with the new law adding a stipend for the vice chair of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy, he would get another $5,200.
If he holds onto the same leadership positions he had last session, Mark Montigny, the veteran New Bedford Democrat, could see his stipend for being an assistant majority leader go from $15,000 to $35,000. And his stipends for chairing the Senate Rules Committee and Senate Joint Rules Committee would each go from $7,500 to $15,000. That would add $50,000 to his pay check.
Jennifer Flanagan, a Democrat from Leominster, has chaired two committees: Mental Health and Substance Abuse; and Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities — positions that now each pay $7,500. The pay bill doubles her total committee chair stipends from $15,000 to $30,000. Before the Senate rule, she could collect only one stipend. She could also pick up another $5,200, the new stipend added to the position as Senate vice-chair of the joint public health committee.
Frank Phillips can be reached at frank.phillips@globe.com.
If you look at the many shootings in Pittsfield, look at where they are , Methusaluh,ohnnny’s Beach Club, many more. If all it takes is for a city official to speak on behalf of someone or get a high profile attorney, the you Don’t need a Board. At what point did Rock Bottom know about the suspension to suspend the suspension in lue of a charitable donation so that employees can still get a paycheck? Will the Gentleman at the door who was responsible for this mess be given the opportunity.
Big accident outer east, doesn’t suprise me, East St. Has speeding all day and night. No one goes the speed limit, the whole stretch .
Certainly hope that Mike Bloomberg will be joining Ty Allan Jackson in running for At-Large CC.
Some changes are needed!
Anyone that announces against any ward candidate will be elected if they simply say they are for a smaller school department through consolidation.Is it too much to ask that we do what every school department is doing.Schools need a consolidation plan.
Schools will be getting less federal dollars to run as the Trump administration goes forward .
Wrong. Any candidate for city council that declares they are for a smaller school system kills any chance they have of being elected. The Teacher’s Union will make sure of it. Same goes for running for mayor.
Big changes were supposedly coming when Hinds was elected but in a few short months we have seen how badly this had ended up. Whoever gets in even with the best of intentions is taken under the wing of those at the top and told that they are one of them now. Forget those who elected you. We are your true bosses now. It’s like something out of a horror sci-fi movie except it’s real life.
We want Joe!
Does it matter who’s elected anymore?
I’m beginning to wonder if it does matter who is elected. The progressives refuse to let go of the power they had for the past 8 years. They want to destroy the presidency of Trump so they can get back into power and boss us around with their social engineering nonsense and lack of caution when it comes to refugees and yes Russia. Russia and Putin wild under Obama and the in bed with the Progressives said nothing. They are drunk with the power they had for the past 8 years and want to finish the fundamental transformation of America and are mad because they have been stopped from literally destroying the country with big government.
You’re drunk on PCB’s and lead paint chips.
You Matt are fake news
Dean you are Dick.
When constantly finding issues with every decision or detail about the current government the integrity of the writer becomes in question. Even if one doesn’t agree with the overall practices of the current administration, a positive angle about anything would, in the long run, create more of a sense of trust. I’m sure you can find something positive to say about the mayor or city council. Uncovering real stories behind the truth is important and appreciated but can we every now and then try and work together and maybe help instead of promoting more hatred and division? The website is an improvement and I’m sure will continue to get better.
“When constantly finding issues with every decision or detail about the current government the integrity of the writer becomes in question.”
You must be talking about Progressives because this is exactly what they are doing with everything Trump attempts to do.
As for Dan Valenti’s column, Pittsfield is in such bad shape that he has plenty to criticize. If you read the column everyday, you would know that he is fair and the column isn’t about local politics everyday. For example, he had plenty of good things to say about Adam Hinds before he was elected. Now that Hinds has been elected not many of us here are impressed with his voting for a big 40% raise.
I even heard on Channel 10 this money a news reporter say that Ivanka’s line of clothing has been dropped by stores because they refuse to allow Trump to bully them. They reported this as fact. Now we have major news channels calling Trump a bully. Total lack of respect for the presidency and for the people who voted for Trump and it’s not even true. These stores were going to drop her line of clothing days before the president defended his daughter which any father would do.
People need to step forward and let Progressives know that people know their game are not going to tolerate them and their deceit. They need to be voted out of office for good.
I agree. I question my faith that God would allow progressives to even exist. Perhaps we can put them all on the Haley comet the next time it fly’s by our planet. (if they haven’t destroyed it by then….sons a bitches)
Pat….Donald Trump must respect the presidencey. He respects nothing but should start there.
I don’t know, if my kid’s line of clothes faced the kind of declining sales that hers did, I’d have a hard time whining like a little feeble child about it. Is that how you treat your little snowflakes?
Matt (shakes) you are fake news
Dean you are Dick.
you are matt and fake news
African Americans are both the purpatrators and victims of most of the murders committed in the United States.
The key word is Americans.
Again, lies.
Matt here ( shakes) is fake news
But you are a real Dick.
thanks for admitting you are matt
I’m rubber you’re glue, bounces of me and sticks to you. Grow up Dick.
Trump isn’t smart. Americans have to stop murdering Americans. Then worry about the other crap.
Trump attempted to do something about the high murder rate in Chicago, but Progressives started of course complaining about that. The mayor of that city didn’t ask for help was their complaint. Bringing in the federal government isn’t wanted in Chicago. Funny that they want the federal government involved in every other aspect of our lives, but not when people are murdering each other everyday. Supposedly the Democratic mayor of that city has everything under control. Really? They have no solutions of their own, but they just want to put down anything Trump suggests.
What did trump offer to do in Chicago? What is his plan?
to stop fake news like you Matt
What’s up, Dick?
First, he wants to meet with Mayor Emanuel and hear his ideas. Trump’s ideas are to give the people in the community hope for the future by improving their everyday living circumstances. This despair is part of what is fueling the violence. It’s not about just going to Chicago and arresting everybody, although it is expected that Mayor Emanuel will request more law enforcement personnel. It seems that Trump wants to use many different tactics to stop the violence. The people that live in Chicago are hopeful that something will change. They want the help. They want to live in peace.
So they move to Arlington Heights. Progressives like gated communities you know. They are terrible people and the Gates of Hell will be wide open for all of them, especially the ones involved it the women’s march.
Roads are greasy, surprised school hasn’t been canceled for tomorrow!, supposed to get a lot of snow.
I think this one is going to fizzle. My cookout will go on as planned.
You are the weather guy!
Then the FBI is lying. African Americans are about 13% of the US population but are responsible for more than half of murders.
This was a response to the Torch
Citation?
And 100% of the church’s child molesters were catholic, but we don’t hold that against them.
This Shakes is a dork.
FBI , look it up yourself
Typical lie.
Poor Matt (shakes) just cant accept the truth
I’ve accepted you are retarded and are a dick.
you are busted matt face it
People! There is a City Council meeting on February14,2017
at 7 pm. -they will discuss Sanctuary City proposed by “activist” lawyer, Renaldo DelGallo3rd (hired by Tricia) Also, they will push new garbage tax by Nicholas Caccamo.
Stay tuned for Berkshire Eagle Announcement by Mr. G.–very soon.
VK,
You mean the city council meeting including the DelGallo sanctuary city proposal is on the SAME night as the refugee meeting at Herberg?
You mean we just gave Covanta a half million dollars of TAXPAYER money…on top of what is included in our property taxes for garbage, on top of what we have to pay for taking larger items to the plant, they want even more money??? Seriously mayor??? And they are using poor Nick Cacamo to roll it out to the public??/
Just piss poor management at city hall. Every time we think we have the worst mayor possible another one comes along to take the title from him.
My thoughts exactly, heh heh! We throw Covanta all that money and now the city wants a trash tax? Gimme a break!!
School employee Joe Curtis has spent 10s of millions.
Don’t drive if you don’t have to. Heh, how’s the cookout? Lol …You got salt?
CNN reporting Louisville Ky. had 50 overdoes in 32 hours, or an epidemic. let it be Noted, Louisville runs a needle exchange program.
Good time to buy mortuary stocks. Get in on the ground floor as this problem will only get worse.
You are welcome
Q: What do you call 50 overdoses in 32 hours?
A: A good start.
People in the Berkshires have become winter whimps. Nobody knows how to deal with snow anymore. Everytime we get a snowflake everyone freaks out.
I’ve had more messages fromJake this week than all my friends combined.
One message?
You’re close Thomas.
The new Taconic will go online in 6 months at a cost of 125 million and the and Joe Curtis never allowed for full custodial staff in current budget.The building design firm recommended adding 10 custodians to keep the school from deterioration in the 1st year.Behnke wants to cut these positions because they have no clue what they are doing.
Two custodians should take care of it. Amsd a mop crew.
The School Department should outsource custodian positions. And transportation too.
can we outsource you matt?
Can you stop being Dick?
And teachers while you’re at it.
School department employee Joe Curtis has been on board for the complete downward cycle of the Pittsfield schools and he continues a dog and pony show always stating that the next new programs will bring success.How many times must a mayor smile and thank him for all his work when there is no history of him succeeding.Mr curtis has made all the wrong calls for so many years you don’t want to rehash what’s been going on with him since Eberwien was not renewed as Supe.
At some point even the 52 k retired teacher school committee president Yon will look at him and say Joe you have had time and money to show success and it’s over ,please work on consolidation.
2 hour delay works for nobody….either call it off or have school…..should call it off with 50 MPhil winds…..they are the 3 stooges of American education
Had a very successful cookout yesterday. So successful in fact that many are coming back today for leftovers and bringing their friends. If you are coming bring a windbreaker but NO UMBRELLAS . And don’t park on the road in case a snowplow shows up. There will be a shuttle from Park Square with pick up at 9 AM. We do NOT provide free needles so if you are part of that element, stay the hell home.
And before you leave the house please google FAKE NEWS
Hinds is on the radio talking about the middle east when he should be justifying his 40 percent pay increase.
School in Pittsfield during blizzard conditions
MONDAY 6 p.m. FEB. 13 Herberg Middle School: Meeting on Pittsfield as home city for 50 Syrian refugees. (tonight)
Santuary City Meeting 7 PM FEB. 14 City Council Meeting.
Pittsfield wants to pour refugees into the city where low income people are having trouble finding housing. See article in BB today. This will no doubt be just the first wave of refugees to this city and to this county. This same group has been hitting Springfield with refugees until the Springfield mayor and the public has finally said enough is enough. We are a poor city and you are pouring even more poor people in here. See article on MassLive.
Everytime anyone needs to know about the effect refugees will have on our city can be found on utube. Just type in Dearborn Michigan.
Paul:
Offer stands, ANYTIME you would like to visit Dearborn Michigan, please feel free. The population of Dearborn remains over 85% white-Caucasian. Dearborn is home to varied American companies, including the Ford World Headquarters. The University of Michigan has one of three flagship campuses in Dearborn. The videos you are suggesting are racist, and one can only assume that with your repeated mention of them, that you are also racist.
Pat, if you go to the temple and pray to Yahweh maybe He will save us as He did Jerusalem back in the Iron Age. The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold….
If you read the Dearborn, Michigan information suggested by Paul (above) you will see that rather than assimilating into the community, they are changing our culture to reflect their beliefs. That is troubling since people who come to America have traditionally kept some of their beliefs, but saw themselves first as Americans. Since our culture is so different from the Syrian refugees, that is a real concern.
I assume you’ll be at the meeting tonight Pat along with all the other posters on this blog, except Dan and myself. If you’re going in opposition you will have to identify yourself when you speak against it. Dan’s spies will be there and people should be able to figure out who they are.I really don’t understand why he has to force his spies out on a cold night as it is a public meeting.
NO ONE will speak against it in public…the very thought makes one a racist and hateful disgusting Trumpanzee –
the very behavior that landed that moron in the Whitehouse…
Hillary had every intention of increasing the number of refugees coming into the country and would have had no opposition from the media or her fellow progressives.
If the crowd is as big as it was last time, there is no way everybody is going to be able to speak. Herberg School is farther out in the city and the weather isn’t great so maybe that will cut down the numbers, but that would be sad because the local media will spin that as everybody is all for this since very few people showed up.
The fix is in. No one but he presenters will be able to express an opinion. Merkel in Germany is now going to pay refugees to heave the country.
Germany paid for the refugees once they entered the country and now is paying them to leave. That’s a lot of money. This country needs to wake up and learn the lessons from Europe so we don’t make the same costly mistakes.
Truer words were never spoken.
So the Westerm Mass Jewish Family Services wants to relo 50 Syrians in Western Mass, meanwhile Israel refuses to take in any – that would be 0….liberal suckers – fools
Seems like America is doing a lot of baby sitting for that country. Will we fight the war in Iran without their help?
Why do you think their pushing refugees To This Country,? Hell no, Israel doesn’t them. And 8 don’t blame them.
Aside:Seems to be a problem on Wahconah St. With the Kiosk’s the snowbanks in front of them need to be cleared!.
Trump energy level is way to Low, come on Don?It’s already getting to him. Where’s the Wall?