BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

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ADD 3, MARCH 22, 2019 — ‘Twas not to be for the Syracuse men’s basketball team in the first round of March Madness in Salt Lake City. That game was lost before the first tipoff, when word came of senior center Frank Howard testing positive for drugs. The 7’2″ idiot, only coming off the best two games of his career and only on the eve of the season’s biggest contest, put himself before the team. Great leadership, Mr. Senior. Hand it to Baylor, though. As we predicted, they won from 3-point land. Now they get the privilege of losing to Gonzaga.

On Monday, THE PLANET resumes our regular M-W-F schedule.

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ADD 2, MARCH 20, 2019 — Two interesting things going on in Salt Lake City at the moment. Sen. Mitt Romney, no stranger to THE PLANET, gave what-for to President Donald Trump over Trump’s criticism of the late John McCain. Any man that can win major elections in The People’s Republic of Massachusetts and Brigham Young country has to have “it.” As for Trump’s comments on McCain, once again, the president’s penchant for speaking his mind stirs the pot. Politics can’t handle frankness, especially when it’s mixed with the honesty of one’s feelings. National politics, especially, requires the rhetorical filter so that one’s public remarks add up to many bland words but few sharp declarations. We don’t agree with Trump’s assessment of McCain, but we still love his refusal, perhaps it’s his inability, to ply it safe by tempering his words.

The other interesting thing in the Great Salt Lake is the Syracuse men’s basketball team appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament (what golfer Sam Snead used to call “toon-a-mint”). The Orange will win by playing shut-down “D” and getting enough on “O” from Ty Battle and uber-6th man Buddy Boeheim. Baylor wins by shooting out the lights from three-point range. As for the city itself, Salt Lake is a clean, well-lighted place (sorry, Ernie). Streets are sensibly laid out, and it’s easy to get around. It’s a little smaller in size that Syracuse but it still has that “small big-city” flavor. The 4,000-ft. elevation is not noticeable — unless you’re playing full court. That’s why Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim got the lads to SLC early in the week. March Madness is called the Big Dance, but we shall dance for spring, which arrives in the Northeast at 5:58 p.m. today.

On a final note, THE PLANET has learned of the death of a notable past Pittsfield political figure, with whom we had plenty of dealings. The family has asked for privacy, and we shall respect that until public word is either issued or leaks out elsewhere. We did want to convey our deep condolences and god-speed.

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ADD 1 FROM SOMEWHERE OVER THE SKIES TOWARD SALT LAKE CITY, TUESDAY 3-19-19 FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH — Thank you Thomas More, one of this site’ most valued participants. He referred us to an article in iBerkshires about the latest grad for handouts from the “gimme groups.” They’re after $1 million in Community Preservation Act money. Problem: There’s only a little more than $600K. THE PLANET predicts that among those who will get the dough will be:

• The pickleball courts at Springside Park.
• The group wanting design plans for the renovation of the Munster Mansion at Springside Park. Problem here isn’t with the house. It’s with the busybodies behind this push, who have turned an otherwise worthy affair into a tarpit of slimy politics. The roster includes the same tired names that are always trying to suck up with The Powers in town. Lord help us.
• Money for renovating the dugouts and new lighting at the Doyle Softball Complex on Benedict Road.

With all the problems facing the city, these are the items of priority. Taxpayers should remember that the pool of money for the CPAA comes from a 1% surcharge (“DON’T CALL IT A TAX HIKE” — Matt Kerwood) robbed from your pockets as attached to your property tax bills. You had NO SAY in that 1% added tax. Oh, sure, the pols will tell you that you “voted” on it, but that was that was never on the up and up.

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY MARCH 18, 20019) — Spring break is here, and THE PLANET will be on it. We shall board the break as one would do hopping a freight train, running to match its speed and jumping in the first open door we see. First a few open thoughts about matters of the day:

• If you’re posting a comment and it doesn’t appear immediately, don’t panic. It has been assigned to moderation. It’s part of improved security for the site to keep the contributions at the highest level we can. It’s not so easy on the internet.
• The shootings in New Zealand speak for themselves, of course, in the somber toll of dead and wounded. Senseless as they are, we can’t help but think it borderline miraculous that more of these don’t happen. It testifies that people are good at heart and also to the vulnerability we have as members of a society, networked as we are.
• Lowering the voting age makes no sense for a number of reasons. First that pops into THE PLANET‘s noggin? Young people’s lack of knowledge about government, the Constitution, and civics in general. See, the geniuses who run public school systems got rid of civics and also home economics, another vital core of knowledge, in favor of feel-good-about-yourself B.S.
• If anything, the voting age should be raised to 25, the age at which the human brain reaches maturity regarding decision making. Only “adults” should vote.
• As for the act itself, any election that fails to draw 50%+1 of the electorate should be deemed void. If we continue to pretend that low turnouts are representative, we will be stuck with the present form of one-party steamrolling that’s sunk the city of Pittsfield.
• Another reform: Every ballot should have a “None of the Above” option.
• Jason “JIV” McCandless needs $6 million additional dollars for Pittsfield Public Schools like Earl Persip needs a loaf of Wonderbread. Rewarding failure has become the norm for the school department, whose budget has destroyed city government’s ability to light its streets, keep those streets safe, provide safe roads, and other such items.
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  No contemplation for office should be without an ample supply of lawn signs.

   

   

• On April 1, nomination papers become available for anyone wishing to run for office. Papers come with a new requirement, that candidates must at all times display a “Kick Me” sign taped to their backs.
• Running for office in Pittsfield is like … THE PLANET isn’t sure what its like, actually, except that “it lies somewhere between the pit of a person’s fear and the summit of their knowledge.”
• The Red Sox won the World Series, then the Patriots won the Super Bowl. With both the Celtics and Bruins heading to their respective playoffs, is it just plain greedy to want a Foursome of World Titles?

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“Nearly every house that’s been a home has had the kitchen as its heart” — Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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