Archive | December, 2019
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FROM THE PLANET TO YOU: A HAPPY, HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NEW YEAR’S DAY, 2020) — As we close out the year and the decade, THE PLANET keeps it brief and confectionery. From all of us at this end to all of you on yours, Happy New Year. We hope you will continue to […]

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THE PLANET ANNOUNCES ORBIT AWARD WINNER FOR 2019

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 30, 2019) — THE PLANET closes the year by announcing the winner of our annual Orbit Award. There were many contenders and a few pretenders. After long and drafty deliberation, THE PLANET‘s Committee of the Whole and Hole has chosen POLICE REPORT. […]

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DELAY IN SENDING ARTICLES TO SENATE BEGS QUESTION: HAS THERE EVEN BEEN AN IMPEACHMENT?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION DEC. 27-9, 2019) — Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the impeachment of President Donald Trump has been the aftermath, what we might call the anti-impeachment. THE PLANET begins this exploration in the most unlikeliest place, one that House Democrats have […]

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AND SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY CHRISTMAS DAY 2019) — And so this is Christmas … It is a season borne in hope, developed in possibility, and rounded in occurrence. Christmas brings everyone back again, circle like, to Christmases past which, incidentally, provides the thematic subtext of Dickens’ classic. […]

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GUEST COLUMNIST: IN SUPPORT OF IMPEACHMENT

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 23, 2019) — One of the lessons imparted to THE PLANET years ago by the redoubtable Peter Arlos of Pittsfield and the indomitable Mary Flynn of Stockbridge was always listen to your critics. They both knew that in public life, one would […]

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CONNELL & CO. SCORE FOR THE KAPANSKIS, BUT TYER, KERWOOD OPEN RAW WOUND WITH WATER RATE HIKES.

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION DEC. 20-22, 2019) — Watching Pittsfield city council president Peter Marchetti preside over the group’s most recent hit-job (Tuesday 12/10), THE PLANET thought of a beached whale. Moby Dick? Well, half right. The disoriented gasping indicated a creature out of its […]

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PLANET PRESENTS FULL, UNEDITED TEXT OF PRESIDENT’S LETTER TO SPEAKER PELOSI

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 18, 2019) — On Monday, THE PLANET presented a guest column related to the Impeachment of President Donald Trump. Today, our guest columnist is the President himself. We print here the full text of a letter he sent to House Speaker Nancy […]

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DEMS HAVE ‘WEAPONIZED’ IMPEACHMENT: GUEST COLUMN BY DEREK HUNTER

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 16, 2019) — When THE PLANET or anyone other analyst speaks of democracy’s erosion, we refer to a process of cheapening a political and governmental system going back generations and assuming its virulent beginning with the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt. FDR instituted […]

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“ALL’s WELL THAT ENDS WELL” — IMPEACHMENT FARCE WILL END IN SENATE WITH ACQUITTAL

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION DEC. 13-5, 2019) — In case you haven’t heard, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee filed two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Committee chair Gerry Nadler and House speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke of the “solemnity of the moment.” Fittingly, […]

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CLAPP MYSTERY DEEPENS … PROJECT SCALED BACK BUT TAKING LONGER AND COSTING MORE … CITY CLAIMS ONE THING, PLANET’s INVESTIGATION SUGGESTS ANOTHER

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 11, 2019) — What in the name of Larry Bossidy is going on at Clapp Park? Or, as Casey Stengel said of his 1962 Mets, “Can’t anyone here play this game?” Parks are the toy box of the city. A healthy parks […]

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SNOW AND SNOW JOBs CONTINUE TO PILE UP IN PITTSFIELD

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 9, 2019) — The snowier it is, the more “behinder” Pittsfield gets. Parking and snow removal: Two fundamental services of city government that have now become Rubik’s Cube. You’d think by now the city would have figured out how to deliver these […]

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MAYOR, COUNCIL : ‘”UP YOURS” AGAIN, TAXPAYERS’

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION DEC. 6-8, 2019) — They did it again. They did it to anyone who owns property in Pittsfield — a home, apartment building, business, or set of 1964 Topps Beatles trading cards. If you own it and you’re not one of […]

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THE DEMISE OF PITTSFIELD: A RIBBON AT A TIME

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 4, 2019) — Just a reminder. Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice, our beloved chairman, has opened the nomination period for THE PLANET‘s coveted Orbit Award, the announcement of which takes place before year’s end. If you have one, let us know. Question: How does a […]

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LYING LIZ STRIKES AGAIN … plus … IMPEACHMENT: IS THAT ALL THERE IS?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 2, 2019) — While THE PLANET waits for reader reports of snowplow screwups, let’s look at the Democrats vying for the chance to take on President Trump in 2020, then a word on the House impeachment proceedings. We’ve kept our tongue on […]

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