THE PLANET TURNS 2,400 … plus … ANOTHER EDITION OF “QUICK HITZ AND HOT LIX”
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MAY 25, 2022) — Hark! What light through yonder porthole breaks? ‘Tis another edition of THE PLANET‘s Quick Hitz and Hot Lix. This also marks our 2,400th edition, good for about 2.4 million words, all for free. Enjoy it while it’ lasts.
FORECAST: ‘Vibrant and Dynamic’ — At 3:30 PM Monday, sharp-eyed Pittsfield police officer Ansy Jumeau, patrolling the parking lot of the Big Y Supermarket at 200 West St., arrested Myles Handy, 27, after spotting a non-holstered firearm. Police say it was a loaded, 9mm firearm tucked in his front waistband. Upon arrival at the station, several baggies containing what looked like crack cocaine were located in the cruiser where Handy had been seated. Subsequently, during the booking procedure, Handy was found to be in possession of additional such plastic bags. Handy was charged with carrying a firearm without a license to carry, possession of a large-capacity firearm, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, possession of a high capacity magazine, possession of ammunition without an FID card, possession of a defaced firearm serial number, possession of a firearm while under commission of a felony, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Handy, a black man, was arraigned yesterday at Central Berkshire District Court. Summer’s night. The fun’s just warming up. He is being held on $5,000 bail. THE PLANET previously reported he had been freed on bail. That report was incorrect. Sorry about the mistake.
Profiles in Leadership — Memorial Day headline from 2016: “Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer to Gangbangers: ‘I am not going to stand down while you terrorize our neighborhoods’” – May 31, 2016. Eight days earlier, it was: “Pittsfield Mayor Says She’s ‘Had Enough’ of gun violence, vows action.'” How’d that turn out? Flat, we’d say.
Scootergate Warming Up — Despite Flat and Rickey’s Rumpus not wanting anyone to see their embarrassing response to a Freedom of Information request on the Fonzi Scheme now known as Scootergate, THE PLANET has obtained the documents, stamped “TOP SECRET! KEEP OUT!! THIS MEANS YOU, BUB!! (our Z-Agents at work!). The city sent back chaff, little more than garbage. This “transparent” mayor has proven to be just that. You can see right through her secrecy. Question: WHAT ARE THEY HIDING? Look for a full report in The Weekend Edition.
The Tickers of Wackos — Another day, another mass shooting. Ho-hum. Last week it was a Buffalo supermarket, Tuesday a school in Uvalde, TX: 19 children, two adults, and the gunteen dead. The numbers may increase. In both cases, the shooters were 18-year-old males. The Buffalo punk was white. The Texas creep was a POC, a Latino. Diverse, inclusive, and equal, baby. Literally, DIE. More gun laws? Fabulous. Terrific. Outstanding … except for one minor detail. Laws don’t affect the human heart, especially not the tickers of wackos.
The Game of Pretend — The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) report has slammed the Boston Public School System. Despite year after year of record spending, the quality of education has deteriorated. Grade F. Sound familiar? If the DESE shredded Boston schools, can you imagine what it would do to the Pittsfield School Department and the school committee? Fortunately, thanks to our fearless state reps, no one knows that Pittsfield and the Berkshires exist, except South County from Memorial to Labor day. Huge pay raises for teachers and administrators, and hardly any bucks going into the classroom. The game of pretend continues. It’s for “The Children,” don’t you know.
Obi Wan-What? — Please give Star Wars the moth balls, mister. The boring franchise has been around since Thomas Edison invented the washing machine, yet the endless spinoffs continue. Latest is the Disney Channel’s Obi Wan-Kenobi miniseries. In this latest tale, Kenobi reveals to Barf Fader that he identifies as a 600-pound transgendered POC who has transformed The Force into Rice Krispie Squares.
“Jackie” — MLC suspended Josh Donaldson of the Yankees for calling a member of the White Sox “Jackie.” Baseball considered that “racist.” Guess MLB hs nothing better to do. The games are too long, too boring, and data has ruined actual play as much as money has ruined the game itself, and “the ballpark” has become a bad combination of strip mall and tourist trap, but the idiots ruining “America’s Pastime” think the biggest problem is one player needling another. Bench jockeys, where art thou?
R.I.P Roger Angell — Speaking of baseball, THE PLANET was sad to learn of Roger Angell’s passing. Angell was 101 and the game’s best writer. Period. There have been some great ones: Jimmy Cannon, Red Smith, Furman Bisher, Dick Young, and many more. Angell was tops.
DON Death Knell — Never send for whom the bell tolls. It tolls for Dead on North (DON). The Berkshire Bank office at 99 North St. closes Aug. 26. when operations move to 66 West Street. Downtown merchants have all but given up. By January next, look for one of the long-time North Street anchors to give up the ghost. DON. You didn’t hear it here.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
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“We will chase perfection, and we will chase it endlessly” — Vince Lombardi.
LOVE TO ALL.
Copyright (c) 2022 By Dan Valenti, PLANET VALENTI and EUROPOLIS MANAGEMENT. All rights reserved. The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. Those who leave comments own all the responsibilities that are or can be attached to those comments, be they rhetorical, semantic, or legal. Such commentators remain solely responsible for what they post and shall be and remain solely accountable for their words. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in, but not limited to, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. We serve as a marketplace of ideas, without prejudice, and available to all. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice and their use of/participation in this website. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.
Congratulations Dan on edition 2400. Without the Planet, we the little people would have no idea what’s up in Pittsfield due to the completely opaque mayor and asleep-at-the-switch newspaper.
LEN
I appreciate the kind words, LEN.
So Let’s Go Linda is in her 7th year of outta control shootings which are worse now than when she took over. Can’t blame Bianchi now Linda. You own the problem and you are a disgrace as a mayor. What are you gonna say if there is a school,shooting? That you’re not going to tolerate that either?????
Dan,
Thank you Dan for this public square. If gives us Kapanskis a little space to let off some steam.
JOE
You’re welcome. Relieving the pressure cooker is one of THE PLANET’s purposes. It is nice to be appreciated, my good man.
We are going to find out today that Salvador Ramos was a gender confused self-identifying queer (as in the Q in the LGBTQ alphabet mental patients). That he had numerous run ins with school officials and was under mental health care for a variety of significant disorders but was not flagged as such per Texas law because his mental health professionals either didn’t do their job or thought it violated his/her/its rights.
He’s a “victim.” Where he’s going, his skirt-and-tights-wearing days are over. Hope he’s got soap on a rope.
Yeah but he was ltbqt
Has anyone verified any of this or is it typical photo shopped crap from far right nutcases stirring the shit pot as usual?
It don’t fit the MSM/liberal controlled news agendas and spins.
BTW, Kyle was awarded 22 Million damages from Joey, Whoopie, and Your news source, The View.
is he an illegal too?
What is going on in the world? Everyone and everything seems unhinged. People running red lights and being rude, only thinking about themselves. When something tragic happens the politicians run in to push their agenda’s instead of sitting with the people grieving. It’s never wise to react on emotions, yet that’s all you see lately. Our overbloated government not giving a second thought to how badly they are screwing over the hard working tax paying Kapanski’s.
I like the bumper on my bumper stopping for the light.
And the answer is Covid Isolation caused by government mandated lockdowns resulting in record overdoses, substance abuse, suicides, homicides. Coupled with a total disregard by DAs for actually enforcing the law, and the government defunding the police and the cops standing down all because of black lies matter, Throw in the equity and inclusions bullshit and the coddling and freebies to the layabouts etc, and add it all up, and you have your answer.
Republicans represent Guns and corporations.They are led by a lunatic Trump and it require ignorance and hate to succeed.
cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo……
When are you putting a cop in every school Linda, or at least an armed guard, and making the school,department pay for it??? Enough of the woke bullshit.
STOP Selling body shredding War machines.Republicans can not be more stupid and bought
Donald Trump is the leader of the fascist republican party.They no longer believe in individual voting rights.Democracy is their enemy.They worship big oil company bribes and they go to the alter of the NRA.White supremacy is the lure and ignorance gives it power. Wed./May 25/2022
Look everyone its the new comic relief replacing Melle
This has got to be Jon Melle posting as TSC. Same MO: divert from the topic and repeat the same thing, time and time and time and time again (Trump this, Trump that).
Any chance TSC chance be warned about staying on topic? The Trump posts are getting really tiring.
Melle & TSC would both make excellent spokesperson’s for the Department of Redundancy for the progressive liberals platforms.
Communist propaganda
A little to early to be drinking.
Never to early for him.
cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo………..
You are just plain foolish. Get a grip, you make all these outlandish comments with absolutely no facts. Take a class in expository writing.
I shall.
I thought this younger generation was going to be so enlightened, all about peace and love and equity, diversity and inclusion. Instead, they seem more violent than any previous generation. In Pittsfield we have one shooting after another usually by younger people and the two latest shooters in Buffalo and Texas have been 18 year olds. We can’t have young people who just worship at the feet of big government. They need purpose and guidance in developing morals which has always been provided by churches, but churches are under attack in this country, specifically Catholic churches. Schools are all about pushing a political agenda and parents are being psychologically separated from their children by this political agenda which is leaving young people to be totally adrift and unable to handle life so they turn to violence.
No ,Red state kids are as dumb as Blue state adult FOX watchers
Young people are more violent than ever in this age of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our schools are political, our churches are under attack by the far left, and parents are being separated from their children by all of this woke philosophy.
Home school your children.
Yes,the republicans have made public schools the enemy.We agree. America is dangerous to be out in public.Cant even wear a mask.How could republicans protect children anywhere.
cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo………..
Were You the court jester, for the liberal sponsored/endorsed grade school “Tranny Hour”?
The gun Jeannie is out of the bottle. There are more guns than people in America. Guns don’t kill people anymore than cars do. Gun control is not the answer. Strong law enforcement backed by strong laws – possession of a gun illegally ought to be a ten year felony regardless of skin color or other such bullshit! Give the cop who caught the drug dealer at The Big Y carrying a gun a medal!
Biden wants to take law abiding citizens firearms. That’s like randomly confiscating cars and trucks, to stop accidents and drunk driving.
Why doesn’t he enforce the border where thousands of criminals, illegal firearms and narcotic drugs are flowing into America unabated?
Very well said Johnny. All these WOKE DA’s constantly dismissing the gun charges.
I don’t believe it’s the gun genie that’s out of the bottle, it’s narcissistic evil. My father and uncle use to tell me when they were kids growing up in North Pittsfield they would bring their fishing pole and rifle to school so they could go out before and after school. Don’t recall him ever telling me about mass shootings.
It was common during deer season for the older upperclassmen (15-18 year olds) to bring shotguns too school, to hunt on the way to school and on the way home. The guns stayed locked in cars/trucks or got checked with the principal.
They also had gun safety and hunter education courses.
It’s not guns that are the problem, it’s the many feral beasts roaming America that are now common, who have no morals, respect for life, laws or other humans.
So MT if you bagged a deer on the way to school did you just keep the bloody carcass in your school locker until it was time to go home? But even when I went to high school not very many kids had drivers licenses never mind their own vehicles so just what time period are you talking about?
Deer got, tagged, field dressed and hung in a tree, in that order. Later checked in at Hubbard St DFW, sometimes a days early studies suffered. After school they got butchered and put in the frig or freezer.
What you have suggested used to happen, tells a lot about Your (lack of) knowledge and mindset. Do you even have the skills to properly process and store meat from game animals?
You food grows magically each day at Price Chopper………
Back in 83 a couple drinking buddies and muself found ourselves out on the Serengeti looking for a meal. It was hot and dusty and yes, we were wilting under the relentless sun. I am not going to lie about that because I believe in telling the truth no matter how much it hurts.
In the near distance we espied a cloud of dust seemedly moving towards us, as clouds of dust are want to do on the Serengeti in the summer evenings. Long story short, it is a black tailed Zebra being chased by the biggest lion on the planet. (at that time) And like I said we were looking for a meal so, out of refles I imagine, I stuck my foot out and tripped the Zebra which was moving at around 66-68 mph with a tail wind. As it tumbled head over heels several times and knocking itself unconscious, my buddies, (used to be but not any more) pounced upon it and began cutting up the hind quarters for a quick barbecue.
Now, at first none of us knew the lion was behind it cuz like I said there was a ginormous cloud of sand and dust being kicked up by the ungulate. Welllll, when that lion (did I say it was pretty big) spotted me it decided to tear me a new asshole just because it felt I did not belong out there in his desert I guess. But I talked him out of it and eventually wound up giving him what was left of the zebra to take home to his family.
And MT, we never hung the goddamn zebra in any tree and it was just fine thank you. Don’t need to hang it in a tree unless you are just being a narcissistic wannabee looking for attention.
I see the only things you’ve hunted, are the roaches in your kitchen when you turn the lights on.
A zebra like that – only a fool would eat him all at once. Did you hear about the three legged pig?
Your classmates?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufmcubp2szg&t=176s
Believe it or not, Fizz: in rural America guns are not necessarily first thought as weapons. When carried for defense, which is rare, they are weapons. When brought to school for activity they are rifles. Read some CMP training materioal; rifles are never called a weapon.
Now, when congress-chiggers and actors start calling them weapons, that just changes everything. And when the mad – not fit to own a rifle – are fit to walk freely amongst us you have a sensation.
The children were torn apart by the gun.It was the weapon of choice.Stop selling assault rifles forever.You would have to be mentally ill to think its not the weapon
Lifelong Democrat here. I’m choking back my rage today at the politicans especially the Dems that are screaming about gun control today while Soros progressive DA’s like Andrea Harrington put gun thugs like Laquan Johnson right back out on the streets of Pittsfield. Where is the outrage?!!!
Been there too. I feel your pain.
Andrea Harrington dropped the ball again!
The Texas shooter exhibited strange behaviors prior to the shooting rampage including:
“Valdez also described how Ramos used to drive around with another pal and shoot people at random with a BB gun — and also egged people’s cars.”
“ PITTSFIELD — A 19-year-old man accused of firing gel pellets at bystanders in Pittsfield will see charges against him dismissed if he continues to stay out of trouble.
According to court documents, Judge Jennifer Tyne on Thursday placed Jordan B. Smith on pretrial probation until Nov. 10, after which all charges against him will be dismissed as long as he obeys all state and federal laws.
The disposition means Smith did not have to admit to any wrongdoing in order to resolve the matter in Central Berkshire District Court”
Ramos was 18 and killed more than a dozen people. Jordan B. Smith exhibited the same behavior wouldn’t have been smart to let him a record for his crimes so he wouldn’t be able to get guns in the future? All Andrea Harrington has done has let a future potential mass murderer skate and potentially get firearms in the future.
DONE
Agreed. Just a misunderstood kid who os a “victim” of poor upbringing needing another chance (is it his second, third, fourth, fifth …?).
The media loves loves loves these events. I bet the cost of plane tickets jump each time as reporters book their flights.
Dan, kudos on this 2,400 edition! Most of all though, THANKS so much for bringing the truth on countless issues that we would never learn the REAL truth on. Congratulations:)
News from Texas. This school shooting was a failure of law enforcement. Ramos has shot his grandmother and fired on police 30-45 minutes before the school shooting. He was being perused by police, crashed his vehicle, and escaped on foot while police dropped back in fear for their lives.
The school was on lockdown for 30 minutes prior to the shooting but the side door near the kindergarten section of the school was not locked or so easily breached he walked in.
If law enforcement had sent an officer to the school as per protocol or if the more competently engaged the suspect this would have ended much differently.
Law enforcement screwed up again and students died. Just like in parkland.
LAW
This makes an infuriating case even more so.
Local police didn’t even kill the shooter, they were holding back and forming a perimeter while an off duty CBP agent ran in and shot Ramos.
How fucking bad are the local cops and what kind of cowards drop back during a school shooting?
An off-duty Customs and Border Protection agent from an elite tactical unit is the hero who shot and killed the Robb Elementary School gunman before he could continue his massacre, reports said Wednesday.
The agent, a member of CBP’s Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC), rushed into the school while the shooter was still active and began exchanging rounds with the gunman, who was barricaded inside a fourth-grade classroom.
Yes, LAW, well stated. Police have been hamstrung and buffaloed by uberprogressives such as Handgun Moon, Flat Tyer, and our district attorney. The Texas massacre is an example of how the police must treat a shooter, particularly a POC shooter (as the texas teen loon was), as the “victim.” And “victims” have rights over everyone else, even if it means the brutal slayings of 19 fourth graders.
The police have been out gunned by the Republican Senate.George Bush said it was legal to sell assault rifles to kill elementary school children.Disgusting political hate.Stop selling assault weapons.Sick sick sick political party of death. T his has nothing to do with the 2nd amendment.There is one reason they buy assault weapons.They are bought to kill children .
And facts big mouth?
Because I know. You can wait for it to come out in the news. This was incompetence on the part of local law enforcement. Thank god for the BORTAC agent.
Looks like he shut your mouth for you. Everything he’s said is proving to be true and we got it a day before everyone else.
He totally lied . There was no police pursuit and there was no school cop on scene. Two local cops went right to the classroom door but didn’t have a key or the tools to enter. When a team of officers arrived with the equipment to enter, they did. It was a team and not one hero cop.
Here you go, eyewitness account by one of the victims parents
https://nypost.com/2022/05/25/police…killing-spree/
Thanks for the info, TRAPPER.
Link above don’t work, see below
Eyewitness account, by the Father of one of the victims.
https://nypost.com/2022/05/25/police-waited-to-enter-texas-school-as-shooter-went-on-killing-spree/
What is your basis of knowlege, about hot pursit and police backing off, Law Man? How about some facts
The reports directly from the BORTAC field office.
School resource officer (sworn officer name redacted) talked to the shooter, no gunfire was exchanged, (sworn officer name redacted) handed his weapon and keys to Ramos and left the scene.
The school resource officer (sworn officer name redacted) made contact in with CBP Agent (BORTAC) (name redacted) who immediately entered the school alone while local police were mustering an entry team.
Ramos was able to enter into the school via an unsecured back door that was previously under the control of the school resource officer (sworn officer name redacted).
Ramos proceeded down the center hallway and gained entrance to a 4th grade classroom with adjoining doors to another classroom. Despite the school being on lockdown for 37 minutes, both the rear door and the classroom doors were unlocked.
Keep it coming, LAW. The more we unpeel this story, the more surreal it becomes.
“There was at least 40 lawmen armed to the teeth but didn’t do a darn thing [until] it was far too late,” Jacinto Cazares, the father of 10-year-old victim Jackie Cazares, told ABC News.
A witness who lived across the street from Robb Elementary, where 19 students and two teachers were shot dead Tuesday, said onlookers begged officers outside the school to do something as bullets rang inside the building.
“Go in there! Go in there!” nearby women shouted at the officers who did not go inside, 24-year-old Juan Carranza said.
Local police, state police and 80 Border Patrol officers swarmed to the scene. Four of the 80 Border Patrol officers entered the school building and killed Ramos, according to a Customs and Border Protection official.
Carranza felt the officers should have barged into the school quicker.
“There were more of them, there was just one of him,” he said.
Yes. thank you, progressive Loons. The shooter was the “victim.” The dead children were merely props for his “difficult childhood.” This must STOP! What can we do. We can start in Berkshire Country by ousting D.A. Andrea Harrington in September by electing Tim Shugrue, who pledges to bring back a no-nonsense approach to law enforcement by granting more rights to true victims of the crud and sludge — human refuse — that is presently accorded all their “rights.” Time to get TOUGH!
The same border patrol the likes of AOC and other POS woke A holes want to defund or eliminate???
.
Here you go Friday. Maybe next time be thankful for getting info sooner than the rest of the world.
“Twisted killer Salvador Ramos was not confronted by a school safety officer as he entered Robb Elementary School “unobstructed” to commit his massacre Tuesday, said law enforcement officials, who rolled back earlier reports that an officer had engaged him.
Officials also revealed Thursday that Ramos had fired most of his shots shortly after entering the school through an unlocked door, leaving 19 children and two school teachers dead.”
Congratulations on 2400 articles. I love reading them and the longevity says a lot about you as a journalist. Great job!!
I was reading Josh Landes posts on social media. The Eagle no longer covers city council meetings being the reason. Right on cue, who steps up to the mike during open comments? The esteemed liar, Helen “Handgun” Moon. Guess what she wanted?
Helen quizzed the council why they didn’t cut the Pittsfield Police’s budget further.
In the wake of the school shooting in Texas, this shows how tone deaf and progressive agenda driven Handgun is. That agenda being defund and cripple the police. I’m sure DA Wrong Way was applauding this from afar.
If you remember, Handgun and Earl “Dumpster” Persip, were the biggest advocates in getting PPD out of the schools. Flat Tyer and Jumpin’ Joe went along with it. In fact, Jumpin’ Joe, spent over $50k on a “study” to back this up and make LOC feel good. No thought to the failing school system or the over inflated school budget, just cut the police.
Domestic violence and sex crime indictments are down because we have a DA who will not or cannot prosecute. We don’t have certain laws anymore. Therefore, we can cut the police budget. Makes perfect sense.
Too bad Wynn doesn’t speak out.
COPY
Yes. It is frustrating, and baffling that neither the police chief nor the mayor make themselves available not just to the press but mainly to We the People. Lots of fear and trembling out there, not among the scum and the crud but among The Kapanskis of Pittsfield. The chief but more especially his boss, the mayor, needs to come out of hiding, but you know what. It’s too late for that, especially for her.
It does seem that the chief, like Marchetti and the local media, is cowering in the shadow of the mayor. It is begging to seem like she has some pretty scary power so where is it coming from?
When Mike decided to give up civil service protection for the police chief’s position, he essentially knee-capped himself.
He’s not going to stand up to Flat Tyer. She’ll fire him and his “police consulting” biz won’t have the same ring to it.
Thanks MARK. THE PLANET appreciates your contributions as well.
We mere mortal citizens will be playing hockey in hell before any of our current federal, state and local leaders are held accountable for the many policies they have imposed on us for the sake of DIE. They insist DIE must happen in all aspects of our lives to make all
things equal.
Congrats Dan! 2400 is a biggie! Also I consider the time and effort unreal for everything you put into it with so many other things you have going on in your life from A-Z. And yes! I will enjoy it until it is no more.
J2S
I greatly appreciate this. Lots of things going for me right now, especially books. One out in February, one slated for June 30 release, and a third due at the publishers in the fall. It makes one appreciate our allotted time: Every days, 86,400 seconds. I try to use them well, wisely, and lovingly. This board is an example of all three. And yes, there will be a time when “it is no more.” Until then, we keep-a-goin’.
Avoid new Taconic major accident.
DPI is holding their annual meeting tomorrow at noon at the Boyd Quinson theater, and the public is invited to come hear ” dynamic speakers” ( their words,not mine) one of whom will be flat, in whatever sense of the word you bring to the word flat.
Flat Tyer is listed as one of the speakers and I don’t know what you’re doing for your lunch break tomorrow, but I say we show up!
Dan, congratulations on your milestone, and thank you for providing us with the community forum that we need.
Now let’s go pack the house!
Dan – Congratulations on yet another milestone! One drop a day will burn a hole in the rock for sure.
Apologizing for going off topic. Interview on It’s Pittsfield Tonight broadcasting (link below.) I explain the need to reduce the Mayor’s budget, starting with payroll and new hiring. We are in a recession – the signals are all around us. Pittsfield needs to start today (I raised this point in debate over borrowing from Enterprise Fund retained earning some weeks back) and plan for recession. That means protecting the economically vulnerable first, and reduce spending. INTERVIEW HERE!
I maintain: this proposed budget reflects bad decision making and City Council needs to assert controls. Not even a lot – 5% contraction and that’s a reasonable position for ’22-23.
We do it now and save, or we pay heavily in human and financial cost later. To me, going forward as though the economy is generating wealth for us is irrational.
Grateful for the nod, CK! And great work on the budget. Well laid out with dispassion, reason, and logic. THE PLANET agrees: a 5% contraction is more than justified. No to get five others on the dais to see with clarity and do the right thing.
So true Charles. Good luck getting any support from your banker colleagues. Thank you for your efforts but more realistic advice is for people who can, to just get out of Pittsfield. It is an elevator with snapped cables and anyone on board is going to suffer. There is a sad but inevitable time when one must pull the plug on the patient and move on. Realistically, Pittsfield is out of triage and has been moved to the beyond help ward. It is time to say goodbye to the memories of Pittsfield and start fresh elsewhere. Our families deserve better than to be caught up in Pittsfield’s death throws.
Thanks, Annulgas.
CK
The Kapanskis appreciate the efforts on their behalf. Keep at it. The only way to stop the fiduciary madness is to reel in the budget, spend the constricted money more wisely, and in the process boost productivity. It CAN be done, but to do so, the Big Spenders must either grow a conscience or be voted down. Lead. The. Way, CK.
Well said, GAS.
Thanks Dan. I have been around this berg a long time. Too long. And I have watched how the city hall power seemed to grow exponentially and the budget along with it. Coinciding with that is the cloak over what is going on. Has this mayor lately, or ever, had a public question and answer. I wish she could have an open and honest question and answer session with regular citizens and give clear, non rambling answers to whatever questions they may have.
I took a walk up to Onota lake along the concourse where the old bath house used to be and I came upon a wooden bench with a nice view of the lake. The boards were rotten and one was broken from the rot. So I would like to know how we have a quarter million dollars for a dog park, a half million for a pickle ball court, millions more for bike stuff at Springside and on and on, but a prominently place bench were an old man might sit and rest and view the city’s famous lake has obvious rotted wood. also I wonder why so many street signs are old, bent and faded. I saw one the other day that said, “CHILDREN AT PLAY” and it was bent over, faded and rusted.
It just seem like no one is in charge anymore.
Just one instance of why the “Bike Lane” was and is a mistake. A vehicle operated by an 80+ year old woman using the bike lane as a regular lane crashed into this vehicle completely spinning it around. Is the city going to wait till someone is KILLED before it’s returned to two lanes???
The person driving the car was making a right from the single “left lane”. The woman driving in the bikelane thought she was driving properly because the paint is screwed up and the lanes change.
Kufflinks should be fired and a
The mayor redacted immediately.
Wonder if he gave himself a ticket.
Parking in the bike lane, not parking within a marked spot, parking in a no parking zone/ loading zone.
This idiot pulled up and parked like that while the truck was backing into the loading zone. The parking guy had the nerve to beep at the truck who was trying to park correctly.
Typifies the hypocrisy of this administration.
Looks like he’s trying to load himself.
Both of them used that spot so they could get Hot Harry’s.
In Pittsfield the parking rules only apply to me and you.
What a crying shame! The Texas tragedy that took the lives of 19 children, the oldest age 10, and 2 adults, is generating national attention. Have you seen these explainers? They are good people who feel the pain, but they have one more thing in mind. That is, they still want to be reelected to their high-paying political office position. Of course, one never knows when a crackpot acts out an anti-social behavior. In this case, it slaughtered children. Not the first time. It won’t be the last. Here’s my point. Politicians don’t have the answer. Who does? I’ve looked at these things and others for 60 years. I have seen one man with the brains and cohones who at one time made a difference and has a reputation for positively impacting city problems. He really made a difference in lowering New York City’s crime rate when he was mayor of NYC. That man is Rudy Guiliani. Here’s my suggestion – which will get no place, I know. Put Rudy in charge of a national office to study and combat the issue of school violence. Fund this new agency with dollars from existing useless agencies. Something has to be done. Why not look to someone who has a record of success?
More words of wisdom from one of the elders! Thanks CHUCK.
All the way from California.
@harringtonforDA
BLOOP! @susiemcdonnell
3h
Replying to @chesaboudin @harringtonforda
Recall Berkshire County DA, Andrea Harrington
Gotcha22:
Better idea – get her a one-way ticket there.
I’ll pack her travel bag. Kids can fend for themselves. Cali will like her. Win-win.
somebody better do a well being check on Mr. Melle. He should have at least posted 10 times by now to congratulate Dan on his many columns, if notthing else.
You could be right…unless Dan in his wisdom gave him a temp ban
Transparency. I gave Jon a two-week ban. Being the honorable and well-intentioned fellow that he is, JM has honored it. He has proven himself a better character than some who were warned about their online behavior but didn’t abide. They are the ones who become permanently ostracized. JM has on the whole contributed a lot of useful material. THE PLANET has worked furiously to keep the comments section open based on our absolute belief in the First Amendment. While other local media have limited or curtailed real-time comment, we have done the opposite. We have installed security and monitoring systems augmented in oversight by human effort to keep the comments mostly above board, mostly advancing discussions, and also serving to a large extent as a simply outlet for blowing off steam. Say what you want about THE PLANET, and almost no one is neutral, but no one can accuse us of not doing our part with determined, resolute belief in our constitutional freedoms. At the end of the day, we will be proud of having sustained this effort, against all odds and with no outside help (grants, “free” money that the city gives away to cons and shady schemes) while at the same time keeping the site free and not going to a subscription mode.
Happy St Geore Effing Flyod Anniversary. That POS Obama had the audacitty to compare his accidental drug overdose death to the murders of 19 children. He makes me sick.
Kronick looked like the pool playing southern gentleman that Paul Newman beat in the hustler. Good job though Sir Charles
Barry is one of the puppeteers pulling Biden’s strings.
I think that Enigma is pulling Barry’s strings.
This Texas shooter spent a lot of time on the internet. Sadly, most young people spend a lot of time there and what they are learning on the internet isn’t good. Even though this shooter supposedly had a drug addict mother, he lived with his grandmother and grandfather also, but they couldn’t overcome what he was doing on the internet. He was talking about violence against his grandmother and the school. Tik-Tok and all of these similar sites are toxic. These internet sites have also been indoctrinating teenage girls into believing they are trans. These teen girls then get together with their girlfriends and before you know it, entire groups of girls who hang out together all believe they are trans. The activist teachers in the schools then finish the job and the teens go on to taking sex change drugs and even have sex change surgeries.
He looked up where he could buy an assault rifle to shred little kids
He was plotting with other violent young people on the internet who were egging him on more than likely. The Buffalo shooter was livestreaming his violence for his internet friends.
Big meeting in Davos, Switzerland of the globalist elites like John Kerry and George Soros. They want to make us all in charge of our climate footprint which is translation for THEY will be in charge of our climate footprints. They know we will be suffering from our sacrifices that we will all have to make to save the climate. What sacrifices is John Kerry making by flying that polluting jet all over the place and really all of the attendees at this highbrow conference did the same with their jets. The corrupt media in this country spent a lot of time explaining how these globalists in Davos are such nice people who are having conspiracy theories made against them because world domination is not what they are after, and if you believe these lies, the far left media will tell you more lies about the intentions of these globalists who meet regularly in Davos.
Did Mr Hienz 57 ever pay the taxes on his yacht?
Have any of the Trumps ever paid taxes in their lifetimes? Has donald released his taxes from 2016 as he promised he would do 6 years ago? No he has not and I wonder why. Draft dodger and tax doger all rolled into one big assclown.
Still waiting for your answer about confirming Bill Clinton as a draft dodger.
Yes he was.He like most people dodged it.Poor whites and black fought that war.The Trumps did not.
I’d try to see things from Your point of view, but I can’t fit my head so far up my rectum like You do.
You get lots of practice daily.
FELLAS
Be nice. Both of you are valued contributors. Rise to the occasion. Thanks.
What was Mr Hienz 57’s kids and : Biden’s (aka Hunter), Pelousey’s, and Romney’s kids doing working for Ukraine energy companies , after the 2014 coup that installed Zelinsky?
Why was quid pro Joe, allowed to extort the Ukraine (admitted on film by Joe himself), when he was VP under Sotero, and Hunter was taking in Millions from Burisma? From Hunter’s laptop from hell: “10% for the big guy…”
This is going to hurt Fizze…….it’s the truth.
“NO-GO JOE
How Joe Biden avoided being drafted into the military FIVE TIMES – receiving more deferments than Donald Trump”
https://www.the-sun.com/news/4053947/joe-biden-draft-deferment-more-donald-trump/
Old lady Kennedy probated her will in Florida even though she lived in mass so the family could avoid tax. And let’s not forget Kerry and his boat
A lie about mass shootings
There’s a stat out there about a majority of mass shooters being white. That’s untrue, mass shootings are defined as 3-4 victims injured with a gun. If using that definition a majority of mass shooters are POC. Of that majority, over 70% are black males.
With Texas we now have our first transgender mass shooter. The media is calling them a he, but it’s well known that this person was a transgender high school dropout whose preferred pronouns were she/they.
They should use the right pronouns.
It!!!!
Anyone else notice when it’s a YT they cry WHITE SUPREMACY!!!
but if it’s a POC it’s GUN CONTROL !!!!
Hey Linda, we all saw you and the school committee virtue signal about the national tragedy… why not do the same within your own town? How many guns have been found out local schools? How many people shot? No comment on the LOC in Big Y going to buy fried chicken to mix with his crack and a 9mm?
Arm yourselves. Teach your children to attack, not be sitting ducks
Great questions about guns in Pittsfield schools. Wonder why the mayor and Jumpin’ Joe Curtiss aren’t saying squat?
The far left is destroying our justice system and the streets are more dangerous than ever, but they want to take guns away from law abiding citizens. All of the elites are protected by high power guns, but we don’t rate that type of protection for ourselves. Whoopie Goldberg, Bette Midler, and other Hollywood types saying horrible things about citizens wanting to protect themselves with guns while they have their beefy armed guards protecting them. They are such phonies!!!