Archive | January, 2018
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LATEST CITY HIRE TO ADD NEW JOBS: A CON JOB AND A SNOW JOB

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 31, 2018) — So, Pittsfield has yet another economic development “expert” who’s going to be the “quarterback” of mayor Linda “The Lounger” Tyer‘s “Red Carpet” plan for stirring up new business in the moribund city. Stop THE PLANET if you’ve heard this […]

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AS CHICKEN BONE TUCKS TAIL RE: PLANET’s DEBATE CHALLENGE, N.A. COUNCIL MOVES TO STIFLE RELEVANT FREE SPEECH

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 29, 2018) — As most of you know, in our last column, THE PLANET issued a public debate challenge to North Adams city council president Keith “Chicken Bone” Bona. The topic: His move to acquire the unilateral power to bar citizens from attending an […]

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IN NORTH ADAMS, BONEHEAD BONA CRAPS ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT; PLANET THROWS DOWN THE GAUNTLET, ISSUING DEBATE CHALLENGE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 26-28, 2018) — The U.S. Constitution, one of the most seminal foundational documents ever drafted, has been amended 27 times. The first revision stands by far as the most important. The freedoms articulated by the First Amendment spell out what […]

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FUNDING DEAL: D.C. FOOLS LET THE GAMES CONTINUE

BY DANVALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 24, 2018) — THE PLANET extends congratulations to all involved in negotiating a bipartisan agreement to end the federal government shutdown. The temporary funding measure expires on Feb. 8, four days at The New England Patriots Invitational — what used to be called The Super Bowl. The […]

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GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN? WHAT GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 22, 2018) — Government shutdown? What government shutdown? THE PLANET asks with a straight face, did you notice? If not for 24/7 cable “news” and the dimwad of social media, you wouldn’t have noticed a blink, unless of course you were one of the […]

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COUNCIL SHOWS A PULSE ON TOTERS, POTHOLES … NOT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION CARES

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1 UPDATES, 1-19-18 LATE P.M. — There are two items to share in relation to today’s Weekend Edition: (1) Thanks to the responders to pointed out THE PLANET’s error in swapping Ward 1’s Helen Moon for at-large Mr. Persip. Moon cast the responsible vote on the toter plan, not Persip. […]

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BAD ROADS SIGNIFY EVEN WORSE POLITICS

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 17, 2018) — Minefield. Surface of the moon. Grand canyons. Beirut after the Smart Bombs. Eater of wheel bearings. Destroyer of front ends. Yes friends, it’s time for a roundup of Pittsfield roads. Calling all Road Scholars. It’s an odd phenomenon, puzzling […]

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A ‘RACIST?’ WHO’S TO SAY?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 15, 2018) — Linda Tyer is a racist. Earl Persip is a racist. Dan Valenti is a racist. Milt Plum is a racist. They are of a race, the human race (a sprint, so the ish-ka-bible tells us in Genesis, won by […]

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OFF KEY, DEEP SEATED, AND ‘NO EXTRA COST’: A WEEKEND REVERIE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, JAN. 12-14, 2018) — Have cities lost their mind, or is it just that satire is no longer possible? OFF KEY — Topping the list is The Tyer’s Administration‘s latest thrust into public art. The Artscape program plans to place pianos throughout […]

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SPRING STREET SHOOTING ANOTHER TYLER FAILING

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 10, 2018) — With the recent thaw in below zero temps, THE PLANET deems we can justify thoughts of spring. “Spring” — a word that harbors hope, the breath inside the seed that waits for a slight warming of earth before the green spear […]

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‘STATE OF THE CITY’ HARANGUE PROMISES AN EXERCISE IN FUTILE FICTION

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 8, 2018) — Tonight, early evening, the most anticipated event since the city’s charter in the 18th century, and certainly since Pittsfield’s incorporation in 1891, takes place. Mountains quake, Angels tremble, and the twiglight of the gods once again finds sunrise. And […]

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CPA, ‘COMMUNITY PICKPOCKET ACT,’ MERELY LATEST TAX SCAM

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 5-7, 2018) — THE PLANET heralded the warning in September 2016 and after in print, cyberspace, radio, and TV, continuing to November’s E-Day. Our efforts, alas, came to naught, going up as they were against the concreted apathy that yearly enables The […]

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THE GOOD AND BAD OF ST. MARY’S DEVELOPMENT

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY JAN. 2, 2018) — As THE PLANET extends a Happy Always to you, let us resume our mission of sharing the news you don’t and won’t get anywhere else. Former churches, for example. You’ve no doubt head that local developer David Carver plans to […]

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