WORDS: THEY’RE NOT ALL WE HAVE … or … TALES FROM THE THOUGHT POLICE
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 7, 2022) — “It’s only words / and words are all I have / to say that I love you.”
So the brothers Gibb sang in the 70s, when John Travolta was invented and Robin found his falsetto, the powder-blue-leisure suit of vocalization (not the mobbed-up Frankie Valle version).
Thing is, words are almost never all we have.
In Latin, we say “Facta non verba” — “Deeds not words.” Trust THE PLANET on this one. We’ve made our living with words all our professional lives, writing, speaking, and teaching them. We created a life and a living juggling those 26 letters in the alphabet. Those 26 characters contain all of Shakespeare, all of the King James Bible, and every word from Archie Comics.
Remember the schoolyard joke? “How many letters in the alphabet?”
A: 26.
“Nope. 24. L&M got kicked out for smoking.”
———- ooo ———-
Today, in these woke-ly dangerous times — with thought control turning the corner to show its full, ugly face — L&M are back in, but N, R, C, and other letters might just as well be tossed for having acquired destructive superpowers. We mean “the N word” … “the R word” … “the C word.” It took a Ph.D. loon from the left — young, woke, and largely clueless with respect to life’s practicalities that prevail within the mature regions of reason and the adult realms of common sense — to prompt THE PLANET into pondering her lecture. We can’t use the actual words behind the N, R, & C, she says, because “they’re hateful” and “some find them offensive.”
This self-righteous She/They went on to list the words and phrases, in her view from the Mt. Holyoke Ivory Tower and Sarah Lawrence Thought Police Central, that can no longer be used.
Words (partial list):
Nigger.
Retard.
Cunt.
Dumb.
Psycho.
Powwow (offensive to Native Americans)
Tribe (ditto)
OCD (makes fun of the mentally ill)
Gyp (offensive to Gypsies)
Ghetto (stigmatic and bigoted)
Hysteria (sexist)
Moron (hurtful to the “developmentally disabled”)
Drunk (placing unfair blame)
Phrases (partial list):
Paddy Wagon (an Irish slur)
Sold Down the River (celebrates slavery)
THE PLANET will stop there before you lose your toast.
———- ooo ———-
Our argument is simple. By loading words with destructive power such that we must fear their use or pronunciation, we give them undue, unbalanced, and demented power. This creates exactly the opposite effect that the word censors claim to want. Take the word “nigger.” It’s free use would immediately identify the type of person who would say it, invoking all the well-deserved scorn we as good persons can muster.
Force it into the “N-word” closet, however, and the word becomes locked and loaded, unspoken by those stupid enough to speak it, billboarded by those who wish to pretense by the hyphenated phrase. Why else do you think a perfectly good word such as “niggardly” (synonym for “stingy” or “cheap”) has been retired or that a journalist was suspended for using it in its correct meaning in a story that had nothing to do with race?
THE PLANET closes with this, from almost six years ago:
Phoenix New Times, Amy Silverman, May 4 2016
I was still mourning the loss of the word retarded. I don’t remember ever using the word as a pejorative in my life, but I know I must have, because years after I stopped (upon the occasion of Sophie’s diagnosis), I would still find it on the tip of my tongue, feel myself craving it like a cigarette. Retarded is rich, satisfying in its cruelty. It’s a word that gets its point across, perfect when you’re describing a particularly devastating move by an Arizona politician or that guy who just cut you off in traffic. Sometimes there’s no good substitute — and yet it’s gone.
We are now six years further into Thought Crime.
Not good.
Not good at all.
Words can hurt or heal, build up or tear down, uplift or crush only in context. In the abstract, they have none of this power … until political depravity and personal selfishness load them with one-size-fits-all rhetorical ballistics.
——————————————————————————
“Memory is what we see from the window of a fast-moving train” — Sir Donald Turneptine, Knight of the Bath.
LOVE TO ALL.
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I am not a Marxist, Socialist, Communitarian, and/or the like, but I still do NOT understand why homelessness, joblessness, poor zip codes with violent crime, Level 5 public schools and severe economic inequality (where an elitist Mayor – Linda Tyer – of Pittsfield lives in a mansion valued at over $800,000 in a gated community within a few feet from the Hancock border where she parks her Lexus luxury car at night), poverty, classism, and so on is allowed, while racism, sexism, religious extremism and intolerance, political extremism and intolerance, disability status and mental illness mistreatment, and so on is rightfully not allowed.
Constipation is a huge problem in Pittsfield. Just watch the Petes this Tuesday.
Jon – Since you mentioned Mayor Linda Tyrant’s Lexus Luxury car, wonder if she ever drives around her pothole/craterhole filled City she is suppose to be managing!!?? Have yet to drive on one street in Potsfield without having to swerve into on coming lanes to avoid ruining my Economy car. Most likely that is why there were so many accidents in Potsfield yesterday!!
Hello Patrick Fennell,
The Ruling Elites are failures! The politicians are doing DISSERVICES against the American People. All of the economic and financial gains are going to the ELITES on Wall Street, K Street, the Swamp and other state and local coffers. Joe Biden spent well over $10 trillion in his first year in the White House, but none of the money went to the American People who need the federal money the most. Joe Biden still bills himself as the boy from hard scrabble Scranton, Pennsylvania, but he really took in more money from Wall Street and K Street than Donald Trump in 2020. On Beacon Hill, Governor Charlie Baker and the do-nothing state lawmakers in Boston are still sitting on billions of dollars in state government cash. Why? Meanwhile, the American People are paying for 40-year high U.S. inflation to survive in a very economically unequal economy. To be clear, all of the economic and financial benefits are for the elites, while all of the costs are borne by the American People. Once again, the Ruling Elites are failures!
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
I like open letter to Patrick Fennell first thing in morning
That cuz you numba 10 sick.
She is not in town much
You just goofy
He make joke.
Tooth o joke.
And here’s two more – you can’t call people homeless, or obese. Rather they are experiencing homelessness, and they have obesity. Totally Effing Insane.
Yes. Homeless is now “domicile deficient” or some such B.S. “Fat” became “obese” which is now “plus size” otherwise it’s body shaming.
I like to think of it as houseless and calorically challenged. Hip hopper.
Yup. And “they” changed the sizes years ago, downsized everything for women, so like an 8 became a 6, so we wouldn’t feel so bad about being fat. And now they are doing it for men. My man got a 34 waist pant, was swimming in them. Googled it. Well the 34 is really a 35. They call it vanity sizing. I call it crazy!
All ya all need is a full length mirror. Jump up and down naked two times quick, in front of it. If anything is jiggling all over the place, besides boobs on a woman, or nuts on a man, you’re too damn fat, plain and simple. Stop eating so damn much and stop blaming the government, food deserts, grocery stores, etc. As with most problems people wrestle with, the answer is staring them in the mirror.
SALLY
“Vanity sizing.” That’s one I haven’t heard. No one’s “fat” “corpulent” “overweight.” Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome Dan. Most women have known about vanity sizing for years. Men are just catching up.
No,I believe it is “curvy” as in the suspect was a curvy woman in her twenties.
LAUGH
Yup. “Plus sized” … “curvy” … not “fat.”
They “Thick”
“Yo mama so fat she went out in high heels and come back in flip-flops” — Flip Wilson
https://youtu.be/hZ2U0boOucY
Frankie!!
Yea, like 90 percent of the women on dating sites – they have all these categories now – athletic, few extra pounds, heavy set, curvy, etc, instead of just listing your weight. Thousands of women looking for a man, and they are almost all F A T, plain and simple. 1 out of 20 isn’t. And the photos , OMG,the first one is almost always fake and filtered. And how many photos of their faces do they think men want to see. How about one clear one, unfiltered war paint.
And I’m not bald, I’m folically challenged and want brownie points for a job because of it
And they are not drug addicts, they have “substance abuse disorder”
So that See You Next Tuesday, Stacy Abrams, another hypocrite preaching masks, but caught without one in front of children no less, , has obesity, but she is not obese? Is that right J99?
Yes. And you are guilty of fat shaming, Tell It.
Dan, if you collect nominations for The Craters Award, or some such thing, add Tamarack Rd to the list. 360 bucks to take the wife and kid to Bousquet for the day and ya blow out your front end alignment on way home, so there goes another hundred.
Crane Ave has a few good ones.
Tons of money for the airport and nearby Milltown properties but in Pittsfield roads are a low priority. Is the ward six councilor kissing the right asses? Could the airport manager use his clout? Does Pittsfield have a consultant for roads and if so does he or she have an opinion on potholes? If the mayor or Marchetti had to pay for their own car and repairs would they be more concerned about Pittsfield s abysmal roads?
FIZZ
Pittsfield’s version of “road rage.”
The way Pete White squirms around at council meetings I swear he has roid rage.
Gimpy short bus pee pee and that lard ass pompous BIG FAT gasbag PEEPEE are two of the worst hopeless retards, stupid, obtuse, and ineffective.
CITY
Since this column is about free use of words, even harsh and hateful ones …
Do you mean harsh and hateful like when a blogger used his own playground blog to call an overpaid impotent school superintendent a “war criminal” and it wasn’t even on a free words day. I just want to understand why the truth is considered harsh and hateful as opposed to just factual. The age of Fahrenheit 451 has arrived in a handbasket, and there’s no going back. It’s only going to get worse. Dr. Seuss has been banned for Christ sakes because fucked up depraved perverse-diverse word Nazi dictators/tyrants of United States of ameriKa believe they have a right to be everyone’s conscience. So, before the free word’s day runs out, please let me state another obvious factual truth, jon melle is a fucking retarded dummy, an absolute habitual embarrassment to your blog. I’ll just take a wild guess that Dr. Seuss books did not inspire even one serial killer…..or politician to become what they are.
Take the bowling ball out of your mouths Pete’s.
Lots of people aready freaking out about the mayors investment in front end repair business s. Did they get tax breaks too?
She might want to focus on rear end work.
And whoever designed Bousquets lodge needs to get off the weed pipe!!!!
No idea who designed it but you and I helped pay for it
And if ya fed the family ya woulda dropped another 100 good luck finding a table.
What’s the difference, for your wife, between you and your bonus?
She’ll blow your bonus but……..
MAGA means being able to utilize the words that help you elevate your ego.It is powerful to use the word that describe your superior narcissistic view of self.Demeaning words in a thoughtful dignified society have no place in language.To me the words describe the level of intelligence you settle for.Also it is always a liberal that points to the level of ignorance in society always begging the user that it’s possible to MAGA without certain words.The n word Is powerful for some whites who are missing it in their casual language and just can’t let it go…..We have a political party that wants a time maching that can go back to the 1950s where it was cool to hate in America. The Republican hate machine has one last chance to gain their white power back……Texas now wants chastity laws with fines of 10k on women.MAGA is so much about white men and their lack of confidence in dealing with people on level ground.
TSC
Most interesting analysis. Appreciate it.
Thank you for your daily hate tirade. I find the n word used more by black people. Constantly saying it’s their right and they say it with an A. I think TDS needs to be taken off for a little while due to his hateful racist speech he constantly spews
MATW that’s your mantra TSC
Make America Third World,
Saw that on FOX…..I watch FOX all the time but I’m not a groupie who gets scared of Democrats.
D-rats are not scary TSC, but most are just disgusting, vile, and have lost their morals scruples and values.
Almost the only people using the work “nigger” nowadays are blacks. That’s a fact jack.
Why do black people get to take ownership of a word and decide. Plenty of my n* are n*t black skinded.
espect what did you think I meant ?
Republicans want to own everything
Liberals want to sell/are selling, America to China
Ask TSC to buy you a drink and he’ll prove to be a niggard.
Where did you copy this from?
TSC, the red MAGA hats were a big seller, ……………
when are the liberals going to release the blue “Build Back Better” hats?
What a curiously curated list of slurs, and not a single Italian one. Is your mask slipping?
DUG
Fair point. If you read more carefully, THE PLANET cautions that we won’t dare publish ALL of the curated words. We didn’t want to “put you off your toast.”
Yup, not very inclusive!
The Polocks, Limeys, Frogs, Krauts, Chinks, Gooks, Kanuckys, Wetbacks, and Micks, are feeling butt hurt about it.
Wops, Italians are mobbed up, automatically. Actually, it’s an honor … especially for those of us who actually are.
If your name is Quinn you should be entitled to reparations from the Irish government due to the potato famine. Or, better yet, from the people who invented potatoes.
I didn’t know Al Gore was Irish.
I did not know you could eat the head of a fish. What is your point HT?
Irish need not apply.
How many Irishmen does it take to change a lightbulb?
Two.
Not exactly. 3. One to hold the lightbulb, and two to drink until the room spins!
good one!
Come on man
While we are on languages, this is an interesting observation of the behavior of the fake news MSM and politicians. (These are the same people who care nothing about Americas sovereignty and borders, but are screaming “Russian” again.)
“This is funny and crazy. At least I think so. Many of the U.S. pundits and politicians blathering away about the need to defend the Ukraine from Russian treachery are using the Russian pronunciation of Kiev. Until recently, the average American pronounced Kiev as KEY-EV.
Now I am hearing and seeing many of the pompous asses that infest the cable news universe calling Kiev KEEVE. (Click here to hear the Russian pronunciation.)
But Ukrainians have their own language and their pronunciation of Kiev is strikingly different from the Russian version. (Click here.) It is CAI-YEV.
You would think that the people who claim to be the most interested in defending the borders of Ukraine from the scary Russians would take time to learn a word or two of Ukrainian and especially know how to pronounce the capital of Ukraine in the language of Ukraine.”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/02/many-pro-ukrainian-pundits-politicians-us-using-russian-pronunciation-kiev/
You can say it either way, just don’t say tomato
Berkshire Eagle has a story about how some movie theaters are not doing well but the BEACON on North street is “flourishing.” So why are they not paying their fair share of taxes if they are “flourishing?”
So sick of subsidizing millionare business owners in Pittsfield but I guess that is how you become a millionare, by sucking off others. Sadly, the mayor and city council president in Pittsfield endorse this practice of the lesser haves paying part of the rich folk shares. Not really the democratic way is it?
Maybe it is their popcorn popped to perfection?
I went twice recently no one there. Are they getting Covid or apraxia? Sounds like a jingle there.
Looks like the Eagle panicked and killed the story, or at least hid it from the first look stuff. Must have hit a nerve over at the corner office where there is no oversight in such matters.
Two woke-ly terms that are a must-know given the city plans to hire not one but two “chief” diversity officers this year.
I just don’t get these diversity officers and/or office of equity, diversity and inclusion. Isn’t diversity in hiring, equity and inclusion the role of a human resource department or in the city’s case, a personnel director. There are already laws on the books-the Equal Employment Opportunity Act- that not only require fair, non-discriminatory hiring practices, but also require companies to inform minority communities that they have positions available and also require yearly reports that show minority candidates have applied or interviewed for positions and also that the company has made diverse hirings in recent times. So why must they insist that they are reinventing the wheel and force 60k or more do-nothing jobs on beleaguered taxpayers. It’s total BS!
“Equity” = “Stick ’em Up”
The problem is that you can’t create equity of ambition, effort, or common sense. Those are just three traits that allow one person to rise above another.
BCC add so many of these descriptive positions they had to add office space. Wonder what will happen when all the grant money dries up?
The reason is so they can recruit unqualified minorities for city jobs, and discriminated against the majority in the process.
Jee, I wondered what color you have to be to get one of those jobs?
White males need not apply
Big NFL kerfuffle these days. They be sayin that if the NFL players are 70 percent black there should be more black coaches. My question is, why are there so many black players allowed. Is it fair for players allowed to be overwhelmingly black? Is this fair to white players? Having trouble understanding the issue.
White guys can’t make the team.They suck.
Kamala like swallow
Melania and Ivanka Niki Haley
but apparently make good coaches?
And jus because dis so many black players dusn’t mean they have to new runninda team. Is suppose to be called free enterprise for a reason man. Why should they have to interview a black candidate if they don’t want to, for a job. Do they have to interview white players along with blacks?
Irish need not apply either, u less you are black Irish like that raciss DA iden made US attorney, Raciss Rollins.
In Pittsfield it is the color white
Speaking of downtown eyesores, what is the deal with the “Wright Building” that has sat empty and supposedly slated for redevelopment for over three years now?
In July and August of 2018, tenants that included Candle Lanes and the amazing Indian restaurant along with several residential tenants, were given their eviction notices, shooed out to make way for bigger and better things – allegedly, market rate condos.
Records show the building was sold by Cavalier in November 2018 to AC Enterprises LLC. A closer look shows that AC Enterprises LLC shares a business address with Allegrone Construction Co.
So what’s the spit? Another vacant, useless building on North Street? No this one isn’t burnt out and boarded up, but it looks awful. Another dark and dismal corner on North Street with zero signs of development. For shame.
There waiting for there government handouts. City State and Federal loot to be had.? Not there first rodeo.
Also, they want a new parking garage built where the old one was demolished.
You are probably more accurate than you think.
And George from the bowling alley died not too long after his livelihood and life as he knew it, ended.
Just browsed through tomorrow night’s City of Potsfield Clownsil meeting. Do these elected Councilors realize what their job is suppose to be? Find it totally amazing that not ONE of these elected officials have the hoo hoo’s to present a petition to question the Mayor and Bike Lane Morales about the condition of ALL the City streets. Also, not one of them attempted to question the half ass plowing of two inches of snow! What are they afraid of? Are they being threatened by a higher up if they even attempt to advocate for the hardworking taxpayers’s that voted for them? Or have they filed a petition and President Pee Pee is tossing the petitions that have been presented? Going on their third meeting and it seems to be total hush hush….why? If this is how the next two years are going to be, why even have a City Council, put their salaries back into fixing the potholes!
Great observation, M&B. Perhaps if THE PLANEt could invent more hours in the day, we could put some heat on this flacks. hmmm … Perhaps we will. What do y’all think: Start with the two Pee Pee Peters?
Start those engines!
Even the GREAT PLANET cannot alter the hyena’s stripes.
Bring it on MB and Co. And don’t be shy at the open mic. 20 seconds gets any job done up there.
Tomorrow’s agenda’s a rich and dense one indeed
From my FB page:
TRIGGER ALERT! Road Diet Mentioned
. , 0
People: You want to come to this meeting! Don’t let your concerns go unspoken!. Click link below for the contents, I give you the pages to highlighted items here. Only a sample of what’s happening.
:
AGENDA CLICK city link
Lost lines of text:
City Council Meeting 2/8/22 6:00 in person City Coucil Chamber
TOPICS
Water & Sewer Hikes 12%, retroactive to 1 Jan 2022. Pages 56-62
Bike Lanes are heating up. Solicitor Pagnotta gives response to Maffucio petition for brakes on redesigning traffic flow. Pages 82-91. Discover a new municipal term: ”Road Diet.” A worrying thought. Are we back to the “cars are obsolete” canard?
Thanks, Chaz. A 12% RETROACTIVE hike is unconscionable. The best chance for The Kapanskis is for citizens to crowd the council chambers, get vocal, and get in their faces.
What for.? If the finance committee goes along it will at council. But I heard the city solicitor DID say we can drive in the bike lanes.
Sir, I harbor no doubt that you are going to earn all of your pay, but just curious what is annual pay these days for ward councilor?
8,000. No perks.
Thank you sir. Truthfully I wouldn’t consider the job for any less. I imagine it will be a big pain in the ass.
No health insurance? No expense account for pencils and paper?
I stole my neighbor’s pen. Who then nicked the president’s. Don’t think I’d call paper a perk.
Do you get a laptop Charles?
City issues loaners. Configured to work with city accounts. Not unusual, and not a good choice for personal work. The person who owned mine prior had a drinking problem involving coffee.
Did you bounce over the health insurance Q?
Not bouncing. Is health insurance even a perk if it’s market rate? Not sure what you are asking.
Are you saying you are paying big bucks for your health insurance? Seems like most city employees think it is a great perk. Ask the school bus drivers.
ANN
85% is a great deal these days. Taxpayers pay 85%, employees pay 15%.
Getting a little personal here. I’m leaving the topic alone because it’s about health information. However, I am absolutely wanting your information regarding your knowledge and opinion on the health insurance in the budget. No, it’s not a great deal at least for a city councilor. I’m not union….
RE pens: Wrong answer? You guys are tough!
No free laptops?
I see so many young people in their 20’s and 30s riding bicycles on these icy snowy roads and sidewalks. It’s scary to watch. Next, they will be encouraging the elderly to do the same instead of driving and we will have broken bones and accidents all over the city. Or maybe they will tell the elderly they need to stay home from November to April.
mayor is probably paying them to illustrate how popular they are
Charles, first thanks for responding. Why should I bother going to the Open Mic and speak when the Mayor and Councillors do not respond to the speaker. Realize you are new, but I have watched taxpayers speak in front of the Council for years and they might as well be speaking to a wall. I have asked many times in the past as to why there is complete silence from the Council when a taxpayer is pleading their cause sometimes in tears and the Mayor and Council sit there with complete blank stares. To me the open mic is a complete waste of time. Sorry for my downer input, best of luck in your term. Maybe you can be the one that changes this bland non-functional council.
I agree. Marchetti looks like he is day dreaming of the French Riviera when someone speaks. How does he sleep at night?
Your speaking puts us on the spot and on notice. It tells the council that YOU are watching and paying attention. That firms the connection between the people and the council which needs to be tight. It further gives confidence for others to do so. As I said to myself, “well, he sure made a fool of himself. I can make an even bigger fool of myself!” and proceed do just that. “I guess they can’t revoke your soul for trying'”
Councilors are prohibited from responding to speakers at the open mic. We may only listen, take note, but not respond. Cuts both ways: 1) councilors may not rebut/insult the public, but 2) cannot further engage. Net zero, maybe good, maybe not good. Maybe that’s just soso. (joke)
I have generally found that when speakers make their cases at CCouncil, some councilors refer to them when the topic comes to discussion. But you cannot expect anything except for eye contact with the councilors – and as a public participant I make a point of getting it when I talk there.Further, if the topic is not on the agenda, it simply cannot be addressed unless an urgent petition from the council is made to put it on the agenda. Hard to do, and would have to argue why it wouldn’t wait for a subsequent meeting just two weeks hence.
Hope this helps.
Don’t know who the Councillors are that make these referrals, but I have known so many taxpayers that have gone to Open Mic, stated their cause and the only response they received was the once again elected Council President shutting them down rudely. The taxpayer walks away totally defeated. Why can’t the CC President state to the person at Open Mic that a certain department or commission would reach out to them? How about one of the Mayor’s assistants reaching out to them the next day? What I am saying is that the Council like the Mayor are totally unreachable. Also, do any City Councillors drive? Do they not notice the despicable road conditions? Why does a tax payer have to speak at a meeting to point out the road conditions to all of you? Is it or is it not your role to work for the taxpayers of the City. Just curious if you have received any calls about the road conditions and snow plowing issues in your Ward? Have you not noticed the state of the roads? Once again, thanks for responding and best of luck.
Can you imagine being a kid on a school bus with no seat belts bouncing up and down twice a day for several miles of the mayors elongated moonscape? How about 50 city vehicles plowing through potholes everyday adding to maintenance expense and shortening their lives? Can you imagine a cop car flying to a code two call losing a tire on the way to the scene? But I guess we can just buy new ones right? Isn’t that what we do?
And no one needs to go before the city council to tell them about the roads. Any fool can see a serious problem due to long time neglect. Parks are wonderful and back with bottomless cash. Roads? Not that important in Pittsfield. Why?
Just horrible management that would bankrupt any private company in a short time.
Maybe someone needs to go before that august body and give them three minutes of fire on that very topic. You know, M-A-K-E them pay attention. You know anybody who wants to have a little fun like that? Any recommendations?
Dan, I know what you are saying, although I have witnessed taxpayers many times attempting this only to be completely shut down by Marchetti while the rest of the Council just stares at their laptops……….
Thanks for bringing this up. It was difficult for me to find the announcement on the events page, to small and the color was strange, but I am glad I read the agenda. Our questionable mayor has submitted to hire a person to the DIE position who openly stated he backed the racist and terrorist organization BLM. Now why would we hire someone who would support carnage?? And looting?? I don’t think I recognize this city anymore!!
And just how many Indians is this Chief Diversity Officer going to supervise???? If the answer is zero, as I suspect, what is he going to be chief of?
Chief Stick it To Da White Man Joe
That’s a good one right there!
Can you say Chief? Isn’t that like the N word? Redman might be banned as well although white-man is vogue these days. As in, “that Goddamn white man took my stuff”. I am not even sure you can say tee pee anymore.
But while the Indians hunted buffaloes for food and their hides for tents the white man did come along and kill millions of them for sport. So whitey does look bad on that one.
Speaking of the Department of Public Works and Commissioner Morales, did you realize that his position is a part time gig?
The third largest city government department after fire and police, and its head administrator is a part-timer. No wonder the city looks like complete shit.
I have to wonder, did any city councilor actually read the FY22 budget?
Did they look at the pay hikes across the board for all? We’re not about standard 3-5% cost-of-living increases. We’re talking 8-11-13% raises for several positions.
This all after a year during which the municipal government was closed for a good part of the FY21 budget year. The year where everyone “worked from home” and charged taxpayers their regular rate to go the gym, and the lake, and work on their gardens.
The mayor has her methods to control an employee. Step out of line and there is almost zero paerwork to send your ass packing.
And imagine how satisfying it will be for your neighbors to hear those words spoken at the podium on PCTV. Your writing is very good, Auto Phil.
Hello Charles Kronick,
If I lived in my native hometown of Pittsfield Massachusetts, I would speak at open mic and sarcastically say that I, Jon Melle, hereby sign my financial life away to Linda Tyer and her rubber stamp City Councilors and Level 5 School Committee members. I will also sign away the financial lives of my past and present loved ones who live or have lived in Pittsfield so that the city can retroactively tax them from the Stone Age through February 8th, 2022. I will also sign away the financial lives of my present and future loved ones because I know that Pittsfield politics is a black hole that sucks in every tax dollar in the Universe. I would close by saying that the people, voters and taxpayers in Pittsfield have been so beaten down over the generation that Mayor Linda Tyer is second only to God when it comes to ruling Pittsfield’s greedy municipal government.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
Jon, good response, but you don’t need to add the sarcastic part as what you stated is exactly how most Pittsfield taxpayers are feeling.
I should have known better.
You can get tomorrow’s agenda by typing Pittsfield city council agenda
and I will give you the next days agenda right now. Nothing good has come of the latest council meeting as far as Tommy Taxpayer goes. The mayor and her minions have served up another bowl of freshly emerged stool matter for them.
One thing about Maffuccio though he will not keep quiet if he sees a wrong.Kalinowsky needs to hit the ground running like Warren. You have to speak up. Kronick seems interested and needs to follow through with his opinions. Like,who care if free cash isn’t a fund to deposit into. Tanya statement on free cash should be an accountability of why and where it’s being spender. Also,tell the finance director to stop overfunding accounts,plowing would be the acception.
Good analysis. Needs a few more meetings to shake out, but the early view is that Kronick is the most responsive to The Little Guy. He’s not afraid to engage with the commentors or readers of THE PLANET. The invitation is open to all 11.
Thank you for the critique! What do you mean, “needs to follow through”?
If it’s hitting the mark, well that takes practice, concentration,, discipline, and comfort. I will do my best. We learn in the school of hard knocks.
More government enabling of drug use by giving crack pipes to addicts because these pipes reduce the risk of different types of infection. Does this sound like enabling and encouraging drug use? Would the money be better spent on getting people off of drugs?
https://www.theblaze.com/news/biden-admin-to-send-crack-pipes-to-drug-addicts?utm_source=theblaze-breaking&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20220207Trending-CrackPipesBiden&utm_term=ACTIVE%20LIST%20-%20TheBlaze%20Breaking%20News
I don’t believe it. Contoured crack pipes? What’s next reusable needles?
What good is the crack pipe, without some Biden Bumps! Free crack for everyone.
Hunter Biden could be the Czar of the crack pipes.
Do you think the city council can ask what the hell has been spent at the water plants that will raise rates 12%
To pay for all of the water Pittsfield’s pot king uses to grow his marijuana at his Dalton Avenue buildings that stinks up abutting neighborhoods with dead Skunk-like Odors. Pittsfield’s pot king proudly states that Berkshire Roots is the largest pot growing operation in Western Massachusetts. But I really don’t know why the Lovely Linda is retroactively hiking the water rate by 12 percent. Your guess is as good as mine.
Does the public really like so many people walking around and smelling like skunks? It gets in clothing and makes public spaces smell horrible. I think we need some public shaming so people start caring that they are offending people. I believe that growing pot requires lots of water. Could that be the reason for hiking water rates?
I think the plan is to get everyone smelling like skunks and no one will notice the difference.
They are all there for the health insurance.The insurance is subsidized by taxpayers.All Fed State City workers get subsidized health insurance.Everyone loves it.All of America should also have it. Republicans are against everything that’s good for the American people.If the Republicans came out in support for national health insurance they would pick up millions of votes and help people…..at some point regressives must ask themselves why are we against everything that’s great for families.
I bet it was the poop testing kits for testing the covid-19 outbreak. These kits changed everything.
Trump did nothing.
Traitor Joseph Stolen is going to appoint #1 son Hunter as the Crack Czar.
“For racial equity”, this will make TSC real happy!
But, that’s racist and bigoted!!!
Where is the free open bar for the drunks?
https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/biden-admin-to-fund-crack-pipe-distribution-to-advance-racial-equity/
I read WAMC journalist Josh Landes’ news article about PAC Man Richie Neal’s record campaign fundraising numbers from K Street corporate lobbyist firms.
https://www.wamc.org/news/2022-02-07/neals-leadership-pac-reports-record-fundraising-with-backing-from-corporate-donors
The problem with PAC Man Richie Neal (D-Insurance Companies) really representing K Street corporate lobbyist firms in the Swamp is that it has nothing to do with the people who live in his large geographical Western Massachusetts Congressional District. The Ruling Elites are only serving money and power in the Swamp, while the people they are supposed to be representing have no real representation in their federal government.
Just like here.
Mr. Melle, you are quite the little niggler on this blog, with all your niggling. I am starting to understand all your thumbs down.
But is he niggardly?
He was no different in high school than he is now. Constantly trying to ruffle feathers and then use the picking on me bs.
Bet the taxpayer didn’t see this coming when he entered. Costly.
Go Generals!
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words shall never hurt me.
“Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees/
“God made the little nigger boy
He made him in the night
He made him in a hurry
And forgot to paint him white”
“Ten little nigger boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were nine.
Nine little nigger boys sat up late;
One overslept himself and then there were eight.
Eight little nigger boys travelling to Devon;
One said he’s stay there and then there were seven.
Seven little nigger boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were six.
Six little nigger boys playing with a hive;
A bumble bee stung one and then there were five.
Five little nigger boys going in for law;
One got into the Chancery and then there were four.
Four little nigger boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were three.
Three little nigger boy walking to the Zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were two.
Two little nigger boys sitting in the sun;
One got frizzled up and then there was One.
One little nigger boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were None.”
“Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo……
One the subject of words, I’m not retiring any of the allegedly forbidden words on the list, or the ones that didn’t make the list, from my vocabulary, even if I don’t use them. Just in the first week of Negro month, I’ve heard the word nigger recited in several movies, and honestly it would have been absurd to substitute another word for nigger. Personally, I did not say the word cunt until I was probably a good halfway through my life expectancy. I knew the word; I just didn’t say it. The word cunt had remained taboo for a long time. And then an occasion arrived when there was a perfectly good reason to use the word cunt. Any other word just wouldn’t have sufficed. Now it’s just another word when I need just the right word. I don’t have a lot of occasions to use it, but I’m not giving it up, because I just know I’ll need it again.
The word “nigger” is primarily used by blacks – just read the lyrics to CardiB’s and SnoopDog’s (among other black performers) rap music. Obscenity laced. Absolutely profane.
I suppose you ride in the back of the bus now?Common Man.
I find your limerick, or whatever it is, to be disgusting, and totally uncalled for.
The City council members are there for the healthcare insurance.They are not there to control tax dollars.Non of them can intelligently ask questions about spending elderly peoples tax money…..Why do we need this ?How much will it cost every year for ever? Have we maintained and taken care of everything we already have….Can we paint all street lines…Can we sweep streets on a regular basis……The mayor has 40 million and tons of new tax revenue…..now please take care of what we already have with this money.Somebody must stop this mayor from her addiction to raising taxes or the council is the real problem
Liberal ideas and policies at work.
The only thing that is going to stop this cabal from legally robbing unsuspecting citizens is a FORENSIC AUDIT!!! But, because there is zero oversight, either within the city or in Boston, nothing will change. The city council has the job of counter balancing this bad behavior but with the weakest council president EVER and mostly self serving puppet council folk the situation is hopeless. And anyone who can leave the city and does not will continue to have their family fortune carved up and distributed to special interest people.
Thanks for absolutely NOTHING Petes. Can you believe this guy is in charge of the parade? What sad irony is that?
February 8, 2022
Hello Patrick Fennell,
Sarcasm: I thought that when Smitty Pignatelli writes one of his endless lofty op-eds, it means that Boston is “working” for the taxpayers and people of Massachusetts and beyond.
Not sarcasm: Despite Smitty’s lofty op-eds (they are totally disingenuous by a self-deluded career politician), Smitty’s real public record in Boston is being a banal rubber stamp state legislator for the all-powerful Speaker of the State House who does many DISSERVICES to the people and taxpayers of Massachusetts and beyond.
After the Holyoke Soldiers Home debacle where around 80 Veterans – including from New Hampshire – died of Covid-19, it would scare the daylights out of me if Smitty and company ran my healthcare. Governor Charlie Baker has never apologized for his administration’s mismanagement of the Soldiers Homes in Massachusetts. Smitty and company never held the Governor of Massachusetts accountable for what happened there.
I like my VA healthcare, but I understand that there are holes in the VA healthcare system. Veterans are entitled to VA healthcare under federal law, but sometimes we have to fight the VA for our legal entitlements. Some Veterans even have had their cases versus the VA go before the U.S. Supreme Court. I don’t understand why the VA fights some of the Veterans they serve; it doesn’t make sense to me.
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
If you’re sick of Marxist Melle’s pen pal letters, let’s see if we can get him up to 30 thumbs downs!
February 8, 2022
Hello Patrick Fennell,
What do you think about the debacle at the Holyoke (& Chelsea) Soldier Home(s) under Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker? If Smitty & company really cared about public healthcare, then the do-nothing state legislators in Boston would have called Governor Baker and his administration into being accountable for the deaths of over 80 Veterans – including from New Hampshire – from Covid-19. Smitty Pignatelli’s lofty op-eds are nothing more than phony and empty words!
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
That’s all he has to do all day. Work? Forget it.
They have the killer of the latest homicide. Turns out a couple years or three ago he had a weapon assault charge and served little to no time.
Driving into the old St Joes parking lot and two idiots relieving themselves on the old school bushes. Let’s hear it for that grand bunch of elites that graduated there and doing nothing to keep the old high school from becoming what it is.
At current pace won’t be long until the Shittsfield name is fitting, and it looks like the liberal created urban utopia San Franshitsco, with more human feces than dogs feces on the sidewalks and discarded “free needles” completing the decorations.
Retail food going up 5 to 6 % higher according to Goldman Sachs. Now water rates here going up 12% retroactive. Does the mayor realize people can’t afford this. And does she realize she had an opportunity to possibly not even go this far with the water sewer plan on spending to save a few fine dollars now we’re gonna be paying multi million dollars for water quality water we already have that we don’t need all new.
Tyrant tyer banned the ghost of Dr. Seuss’ newest book “And to think that I saw it on NOTHING ON NORTH” before it was even penned. Too much factual actual vibrant shit for Pittsfield’s shifty-eyed mayor. Houseless/transient bums setting fire to vacant shitholes they’re squatting in, churches, and liquor stores, bums begging on every corner, a habitual offender’s METH nightclub of violations, …..hazardous road obstructions, parking meter Nazis trolling….
Yeah,Kelly,Perachi,Ruberto,Belanger,Blowcopio,Downjings,to name a few.
Lots of family as dead as the school itself now
Brass nuckles with a blade and the DA did not charge assault and battery with a dangerous weapon which carries 10 years in state prison????? You have got to be kidding us OD! Andrea Harrington is the biggest threat to public safety in Berkshire County.
PITTSFIELD — A city man who admitted to slashing the face of a longtime friend in 2017 has been ordered to serve 18 months in jail.
Michael Rose, 39, was sentenced in Berkshire Superior Court on Thursday by Judge John Agostini.
“I’m grateful you’re giving me this second chance,” he told the judge.
Rose was waiting for a ride from his friend on Nov. 17, 2017, to visit with his child, who was at that time in the friend’s custody, according to Assistant Berkshire District Attorney Megan Tesoniero. The two had been friends for 20 years.
When the victim noted Rose appeared to be intoxicated, he told him the visit couldn’t go forward that day and would need to be rescheduled.
Rose reached into the car to give his child a fist-bump and, with his other hand, struck the victim in the face with what appeared to be a set of brass knuckles with a blade attached, Tesoniero said.
He was indicted on one count of mayhem, but Tesoniero said, ultimately the evidence would not have supported the charge. And even if the case had gone to trial, she said, the state would have only been able to proceed as an assault and battery case.
Rose pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Tesoniero asked Agostini to consider a sentence of 2 1/2 years in jail — 18 months of which would be served directly, with the balance suspended for two years while Rose would be on probation.
She said the state’s recommendation was appropriate and within sentencing guidelines and took into account Rose’s prior record, which includes convictions on firearms, narcotics and assault and battery charges going back to 2000.
Rose’s attorney, Joshua Hochberg, asked for a nearly identical sentence, but one that would require his client to only serve 12 months directly, based, in part, on the amount of counseling and education he’d already completed while in custody.
Agostini adopted the state’s recommendation.
While on probation, Rose will be required to follow conditions including undergoing a mental health evaluation and having no contact with the victim.
Rose will be given credit for 199 days of time already served in custody.
He’s black so he got a pass under Harrington’s progressisve decarceration program. Any questions?
Pay attention class! Our district attorney’s priorities are reducing jail and killing bail, raising the age of gangbangers, decriminalizing heroin and instituting heroin shooting galleries. Quiz next week.
Congratulations to all the pieces of shit that represent us in Massachusetts. 700 hundred days of not going to your place of employment. You should all be working at a diary farm, milking the shit out of Covid.
Watching the City Clownsil meeting and President Pee Pee just clobbered Councilor Kronick for speaking on an issue. Maybe Councilor Kronick will now understand why the majority of hard working taxpayers choose not to speak at Open Mic. Us taxpayers DO NOT HAVE A VOICE!!
Marchetti just shut Kronick down again! Just had to take a recess to calm everyone down. How productive for the taxpayers of Pittsfield. NOT!! Meeting a a complete ClusterFruck!
M. Didn’t know a city council member from a city could also be a employee of a different city.
The damn needs work at the Ashley Plant? Big dig?
Persip and White like diversity unless it diversity of opinion. Then not so much.
Did we hear dumpster clearly tonight concerning the white vote against the diversity employee vote?