DEMOCRACY LOSES, AGAIN … THE SUNS ARE RISING … plus … A POEM … and … THE COMMENT LINE IS OPEN; GO FOR IT
By DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, MAY 8-10, 2015) — THE PLANET begins with the numbers.
(a) There are more than 6,700 people who live in Dalton.
(b) According to town clerk Barbara Suriner, 4,578 are registered voters.
(c) The vote on defeating Item 22 at the town meeting on Monday, May 4, was 184-92, or exactly 2-to-1.
(d) This means that a little more than 6/10s of 1 percent of the total electorate weighed in on the issue — roughly 4/10s of 1 percent opposed and 2/10s of 1 percent in favor.
(e) In other words, 99.4% of the entire electorate either voted for the ban on wild animals for entertainment purposes or did not fight the measure.
Despite The Boring Broadsheet‘s large, thick, black headlines trumpeting this “triumph,” we can clearly see in it the abject failure of democracy. When more than 99% of the possible voters ignore a vote, how can we possibly call the results valid? We see low turnouts in election after election, but less than 1%? There can be no processional hope with a number that low. When you’re hitting figures like that, it’s over. Over.
The Old Guard led by the Lions Club publicity director did all they could to suppress vote and ensure that the most represented constituency on Election Night were the business people, town “leaders,” and other folks who succumbed to the fear tactics of Dan McGinness. Putting the item in the penultimate spot on the agenda also wasn’t by accident. It assured that late in the evening, the room would have been thinned out by then. For his work in subverting the democratic process, THE PLANET awards McGinness the coveted Dr. Josef Goebbels Award for Public Intimidation.
Mr. McGinness, we spit in your beer.
Government at all levels in America is broken. It does not work. Therefore, let us not remain smug and snug at the same time when we examine the results of sham elections. The only thing we elect is the tyranny supported by a small core of Vested Interests that steal most every election. There, we have just laid out the philosophical justification for revolution. Within a version of that game, terrorism is just another political strategy.
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Employment Opps with the Suns
THE PLANET typically doesn’t plug civic-type events, but we do make exceptions, as we do for The Pittsfield Suns baseball team.
The Suns are now accepting applications for 2015 Summer Employment positions online at pittsfieldsuns.com. Available positions include: stadium usher, front gate, food and beverage, merchandise and stadium recreation team. Applicants must be available from June 5, 2015 – Aug. 7, 2015, must be at least 16 years of age, and have a valid driver’s license to be considered for employment. To apply visit pittsfieldsuns.com and select “Apply Now.” Once the application is complete, select “Submit.”
The Suns will host a Job Fair at Wahconah Park on Friday, May 15 from 3 – 7 PM and on Saturday, May 16 from 10 AM – 3 PM. Interested individuals may submit applications and interview for Suns Summer Employment at that time. For more information about 2015 Summer Employment opportunities, please contact the Suns at (413) 445 – SUNS.
Finally on The Weekend Edition, we present this poem by Hart Crane.
EXILE
My hands have not touched pleasure since your hands, —
No, — nor my lips freed laughter since ‘farewell’,
And with the day, distance again expands
Voiceless between us, as an uncoiled shell.
Yet, love endures, though starving and alone.
A dove’s wings clung about my heart each night
With surging gentleness, and the blue stone
Set in the tryst-ring has but worn more bright.
Beautifully rendered.
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Feel Free to Comment on Anything, Everything
As for the Comment Line, it is open. Any and all comments on any and all topics are welcome. Advance the discussion or be gone. Be intelligent or beware. Use the privilege. Don’t abuse it.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
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“Just as my fingers on these keys / Make music, so the selfsame sounds / On my spirit make a music, too.” — Wallace Stevens, opening lines of “Peter Quince at the Clavier,” (1915).
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
Just learned that the 7WinterGrille (the old Mazzeo’s) has temporarily closed for “renovations”. Wasn’t that place beautifully renovated when they opened?
They said gift certificates can be used at Jae’s in Lenox.
My guess is that they are closed for good.
I don’t know anyone who ate there.
Dan I missed your Thursday show. Will it be repeated? I did not see a listing for it
DUSTY
It will be repeated tonight (Friday) at 6 p.m. and at 10 p.m. on PCTV, Ch. 16.
A possible educational, community service, and press coverage opportunity for mayoral candidate Craig C. Gaetani.
A Planet poster, Spagirl, recently posted that a Taconic High School trained job applicant advised that he wasn’t trained on a CNC machine because there were no vocational teachers able to operate it.
Mr. Gaetani has said that he is a licensed teacher and has designed utility plants, He also has said he can operate CAD systems and in turn CNC machines.
Why doesn’t Mr. Gaetani, hold class at Taconic and train students the CAD skills needed for utility design ? He could invite the press in a positive light and later ask these students to accompany him on a tour of the city water treatment plant to show the end product of such training. He has petitioned for this and as a vocational teacher, isn’t it more likely he would get access ?
Good post Horace Man! May 8, 2015. You can try to set up a meeting at my water plants and I will be pleased to take you and anyone else who would like to see our Krafta invented, designed built plants!
You will have to get permission from that dimwit Collingwood and Buffoon Bianchi. I am ready to go for it! I am excitedly waiting your reply!
Craig, Does this mean you will step up and teach some Taconic High Students how to utilize CAD systems ? Should we start with JIV and the vocational school administration ?
I won’t be teaching anything to anyone. It is time for a change in the city and that is why I am running for mayor!
I will send out answers to my original post.
Nuff Said ! True colors shown ! Votes Lost !
“When heard someone’s BOASTING, I could smell shit of bull from afar.”
Toba Beta, Master of Stupidity…..
Will you slip and fall and sue the city AGAIN?
No disrespect Mr. Gaetani but if you and Krafta were paid by the city to design and build these plants then they are not your plants but the tax payers.
I see former Berkshire Bank stooge got an award from do nothing appointee Kate McGuire and her stooge assistant director Kristine Hurley. Does do nothing even live in the City? Lafayette live down in Florida half the time, doesnmt he?
Frankly Dan, you are the first I’ve seen to put the thought, the seed if you will, of insurrection in public print. I increasingly see no alternative. It is a scary, profoundly unsettling thought, but the country, I fear, is too far gone, too deep in the clutches of the exceedingly ridiculously wealthy to be retrieved by either ballot or debate.
We is owned by China and Saudi Arabia.
I’m surprised 276 people showed up to vote for or against the elephants myself, plastic bags, Styrofoam cups, limiting our freedom of speech, building new high schools, police stations, duct tape my head before it explodes. Can I use your name as a reference for the Suns job ?
it wonmt be LNG before you have to have a Law Degree to become a cop. Where is the uproar to the Officer that was shot dead?
REDCATED
Why?
All I said was that Ron Makes 60grand in pension why does he need to work for the Suns?
So the Patriots and Tom Brady are scoundrels because they are deflagrate winners. Is this stuff for real? Is anyone who threw a spitball or a bushbuck pitch worse than a juicer? Do we dare not steal a sign from the coach or catcher for fear of breaking rules? Did the Babe drink a beer before a game or Ty sharpen his spikes to intimidate opposing players? Did The Barber give you a shave? Pete Carroll must be deliriously happy because headline stories are focusing off his gargantuan stupidity. Pete approved the dumbest play in pro football history approving a pass play one yard from a consecutive Super Bowl victory. And now the focus is on Tom Brady’s brilliance for his victory with a so-called softer ball. Oh come on. This is not tiddlywinks hop scotch. But pro football is now going to focus on 2 guys who blow up footballs. The game is played on the field guys. It is a tough game. You get your head smashed. If you are tough enough you survive and make 10 million a year, even if you weigh 300 pounds. And now we worry about a few ounces of air in a football.
Do people really get paid to write about this crap? Unbelievable
Current news has Alex Rodrigues breaking the” Say Hey Kids” home run record and, of course, he’s now a hero instead of a juicer and overpaid disgrace to the game. Where do Bonds, McGraw, Sousa, fit into this? Does any of it compare with air in a football?
Come on sportswriters, air in a football, you can do better than this. At least I hope so.
Good call Chuck!
CHUCK
As always, you GET it. Tom Brady’s brilliance = 4 rings. Earned on the field. All of your examples are spot-on. Batters have been doctoring bats, pitchers have been scuffing balls, home-team grounds crews have been “customizing fields,” QBs put footballs through a grinder pre-game, guys have been cut-blocking forever … it goes on an on. Compared to juicing, this stuff doesn’t even amount to tiddley-winks. And for the record, as the best pure hitter ever to come out of Pittsfield and one of its great all-around athletes, you were probably lights-out at tiddley-winks.
Thanks Dan and Jimmy Gee. Now how about the scariest rumor of all. The pinheads who rule the game are threatening Brady with a years suspension. Now this is not being politically football correct, it is stupid to even consider it. A suspension for what? For being a winner. Once upon a time that is what America was about. Work hard and come out on top. There was a reward for excellence. Now winners are threatened with suspensions and fines.. If you prevent great ones like Tom Brady from playing for something as stupid as air in a football this is tantamount to mediocrity and pro football suicide.
Everybody is focused on the alleged deflated footballs and the Pats offense. Well the Colts had regulation footballs and couldn’t score against the Pats defense in that game. It was the preparation, the defense and the running game that won that game.
Brady will be suspended for at least two games maybe more. Its not the cheating but the lying that destroys the game. The league had to pay for a multimillion investigation to show what Brady could have easily just admitted in January. It would have blown over but he didn’t. He’s great quarterback but a sleazy guy, certainly not at the same level as Lance Armstrong, but sleazy nonetheless. He leaves the impression that the Patriots will challenge any rule and undermine any standard to win.
There was no cheating and no lying. The Wells reports identified neither, in fact. There was no finding of guilt of innocence. It presented “probably” Brady was “generally aware.” What does that mean? That could apply to any QB from any team. All the report did was present competing arguments based on opinion from a non-independent report in which the prosecutor also acted as judge and from which no standard of assessment was given. Classic NFL under its hapless commissioner.
Sorry Dan you need to read the report. It builds a careful case against Brady and the two attendants, one of whom calls himself the “deflator”. Brady was not cooperative with the investigation and would not turn his cell phone over but the Patriots turned in Jastremki’s phone which was full of messages complaining about Brady not paying enough for taking the risk. There is no possibility (actually .4% which is .004 chance) that humans were not involved. I managed to get two Putnam portfolio managers convicted of securities fraud by using a .0025 standard). This is a slam dunk case and the NFL will move against him. Brady will be forever known as the great quarterback who is a liar.
I did read the report, CHUCK. Not impressed at all. It did not presents facts. It presented a competing set of arguments, being careful, as YAHOO! Sports’ football writer pointed out, not to present them equally. From Wetzel’s column: “When there were competing explanations for an action, the report picked a side and rarely, if ever, was it Brady’s of the Patriots’ …” Yes, the report says Brady withheld text and e-mail records, but it didn’t say what they were asking for or even if they were relevant. The bulk harvesting of texts and e-mails is illegal, as the 2nd District U.S. Court of Appeals just ruled. The investigation a set-up meant to justify the corner the NFL backed itself into when it made an issue of this in the first place. We are in the white-heat of this non-story now, conveniently broken at a time AFTER the NFL draft and BEFORE the season (and even camps, when there’s lots of news on a daily basis). Over time, this story will rank with The Bambino eating too many hot dogs.
Did both teams use the same deflated ball or do they only use the balls they provide? And how stupid is it that the league doesn’t provide and control the balls? They can certainly afford it.
Put Pete Rose In Cooperstown!
Pittsfield politics has high taxes, high spending, high debts, high population loss, high job loss, high levels of PCBs, very corrupt local politicians, poorly performing public schools, high teen pregnancy rates, high welfare caseloads rates, thousands of poor people with social problems, a dead downtown, high rates of crime, drugs, violence, and gangs.
No rational middle class family would move to Pittsfield. Thousands of people have moved away from Pittsfield.
Pittsfield politics sucks! Pittsfield is in a downward spiral!
“Pittsfield five-year report illustrates challenges city faces”
By Jim Therrien, The Berkshire Eagle, May 8, 2015
PITTSFIELD – The city’s five-year plan for the use of its federal Community Development Block Grant allocations highlights the stiff economic and societal challenges Pittsfield faces — as well as some of the ongoing collaborative approaches to meeting them.
Those challenges, said Community Development and Housing Program Manager Bonnie Galant, include more households living in or near poverty levels; few jobs for residents with lower education that pay a living wage; a “tepid” multifamily housing market and subsequent reduced rehabilitation of older dwellings; long lists for affordable housing units; an increasing elderly population; “significant youth and family risk factors,” such a substance abuse or domestic violence; and high rates of housing or business vacancies along the city’s gateway corridors.
Community Development staff members and plan consultant Rebecca Muller of GrantsWork gave a presentation Wednesday to the City Council’s Community and Economic Development Committee on the 300-page draft plan. The city is required to submit a strategic plan with backup documentation every five years to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as to create annual action plans for allocation of the federal funds.
The city’s action plan for fiscal 2016, beginning July 1, will receive $1,139,628 in CDBG funding, along with estimated carryover funding unspent this year, and income from loan or other programs, for a total of $1.7 million.
Galant said that, despite the challenges, Pittsfield has demonstrated a capacity to leverage other federal, state and special funding for “planning, economic development and public services.” And there have been “well-organized and collaborative approaches among social service providers” to meet housing and other needs locally, she said.
She said the city likewise “is poised to see an economic upswing as a result of its integrated approach to economic development and targeted workforce training designed to create new jobs that pay a living wage.”
Galant said the primary goals for use of the annual funding received through the CDBG program include providing safe and sanitary housing, providing a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities that primarily benefit low- and moderate-income residents.
In Pittsfield, the city’s plan has primarily focused on the Morningside and Westside areas of Pittsfield and the city center, comprising three census tracts, Galant said. This is based on household income, housing condition and availability and other factors, which HUD expects communities to document, along with the projected benefit of the programs funded.
“There are neighborhoods that really need this assistance,” Community Development Director Douglas Clark said of the targeted sections. “It really is a hand up and not a hand out.”
Among projects to receive CDBG next fiscal year are sidewalk and curb cut construction in the Morningside and Westside sections; helping to fund improvements to Westside Linear Park along the Housatonic River; funds toward city grants to agencies providing services to low-income people; funds toward Westside and Morningside neighborhood cleanup programs; funding toward owner-occupied housing rehabilitation projects and toward renter-occupied housing rehab projects; rehabilitation projects to improve access for the handicapped; temporary relocation funding for tenants when lead paint removal is done in their homes; money toward a major rehabilitation of the Riverview Homes affordable housing complex on West Street; small business loans and technical assistance grants; funds for demolition of condemned vacant buildings and for boarding up and cleaning up other vacant structures.
In general, the statistics on income, housing, homelessness, substance abuse, domestic violence, population make-up and related factors referred to in the report illustrate the difficult issues Pittsfield faces.
The cost of housing is a significant burden to a large number of residents, according to HUD affordability guidelines. The statistics included showed 3,520 renter households and 2,930 owner households paid more than 30 percent of their income for housing. Among those, 54 percent of renter households and 53 percent of owner households paid more than 50 percent of their income in housing costs.
The distribution of households burdened by housing costs was disproportionately located in the Westside and Morningside neighborhoods, among the elderly and disabled, and among African-American households and those of Hispanic origin, the report states.
The housing stats highlighted in the presentation show that there are 21,886 housing units in the city, including 7,804 known to be rental units. Within the three targeted central-city tracts are located 4,402, or 56 percent of all rental units.
There are 1,912 vacant housing units in the city, including 507 for rent and 297 for sale. More than 100 properties are on a watch list for continual review by city inspectors, the solicitor’s office and other officials for code compliance and safety. Those on the list could become candidates for condemnation and demolition.
On a positive housing note, Galant said the number of building permits issued from 2011-14 was up 30 percent over the prior three years, indicating more private rehabilitation efforts.
She added that initiatives to assist the homeless involving several regional organizations and the city are having a positive effect. The stats show that the number considered chronically homeless declined in recent annual one-day census surveys of homeless people.
Long-range plan strategies include helping to fund housing rehabilitation efforts and encouraging affordable housing, and continuing to enforce sanitary code and building code provisions and provide CDBG funds for demolitions.
U.S. census figures included also showed that the city’s elderly population of 65 and older comprised 17.6 percent in 2010, compared to the state average of 13.8 percent, and 43 percent of elderly residents lived alone, compared to the state average of 32 percent. That population is considered to have the greatest need for support services.
Statistics cited on substance abuse show that 1,751 individuals had 2,029 admissions for addiction treatment in Pittsfield in 2014. In addition, 65 percent of those were unemployed and 40 percent were under 30 years of age.
The number seeking treatment for alcohol was down from 65 percent in 2011 to 40 percent, while the number treated for heroin addiction was up over those years from 9.4 percent to 38 percent in 2014.
Concerning domestic violence, the Elizabeth Freeman Center indicated that Pittsfield residents accounted for 44 percent, or 402 of the center’s 536 clients, Galant said, adding that it is considered probable that many incidents of domestic violence go unreported.
Among other long-range key strategies cited by the officials were economic development proposals planned for the near future. These include the Berkshire Innovation Center at the William Stanley Business Park, a planned new Taconic High School with enhanced vocational education component; completion of the downtown Streetscape project along North Street; and improvements in the adjacent Tyler Street business corridor, including proposed development of the former firehouse on Tyler Street for a community center.
The draft five-year strategic plan and fiscal 2016 action plan can be viewed on the city’s website; click on community development under the city hall tab.
Contact Jim Therrien at 413-496-6247. jtherrien@berkshireeagle.com @BE_therrien on Twitter
Plan highlights …
• Sidewalk and curb cut construction, Morningside and Westside areas: $261,275 in CDBG funding
• Westside Linear Park improvements: $30,000 in funding to go with $1 million in state funding, $257,854 in city funds, and $204,287 in federal Brownfields Remediation Grant funds.
• Human service agency grants: $186,544 to go with $122,500 in city funds.
• Owner-occupied housing rehab program: $296,081.
• Renter-occupied housing rehab program: $100,000.
• Riverview Homes affordable housing units rehabilitation project: $25,000 to go with $13.6 million in total project funding for 120 units.
• Small business revolving loan program: $296,834 for program, administered by the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corp. as a sub-recipient.
• Demolition funds for condemned vacant buildings: $129,344.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/local/ci_28072220/pittsfield-community-development-block-grant-report-illustrates-challenges?source=rss
Pittsfield’s draft plan:
http://www.cityofpittsfield.org/city_hall/community_development/community_development_and_housing/docs/Draft_Pittsfield_Consolidated_Plan___2016_Annual_Action_Plan.pdf
I like the name “frame gate”. The rest of the NFL can’t figure out how the Patriots stay on top even though they never have a good draft position. If they suspend Brady they better add Luck and Rodgers. The colts balls were under the “legal’ limit at half time and Rodgers stated publicly he tells the ball boys to over inflate them. They better look at Peyton Manning to because he helped change the rules allowing QB’s to be able to “work” the balls to their liking!
I thought Gisele did Brady’s Balls?
There is still a ton of garbage all over the Coltsville area roadsides. Hubbard avenue is disgusting as well. Is it anyone’s job to clean this “gateway to the city area”? Isn’t this Mrs Tully ward? Thousands of cars pass through there everyday viewing this mess. What kind of image does Mrs Tully want her ward to give?
Can they get some Community Development Block grant money and pay some homeless people to pick this shit up? Why is the image of the city only important when some fat cat can make money building a park or planting trees?
Blame the Mayor, Dusty. Blight and trash, weeds, …. he is an incompetent ass.
Dusty,
Have you called your councilor to report issues that concern you? Also, anyone can report every issue directly to the city here http://www.egovlink.com/pittsfield/action.asp
The city does respond to requests through this link. I report issues all the time.
I guess I kind of felt like every person in the city has seen this trash including the councilors and the mayor. So I thought they would not need to be called about it but your point is taken. I guess if it is not in the mayors neighborhood it does not concern him so much.
Dusty,
I’m with the Friends of Springside and last month at our annual clean up Councilor Tully was there all day picking up trash, she also brought coffee and donuts for everyone. I suggest you call her. By the way, Ward 1 in Coltsville is only on the side of Dalton Ave where Cumberland Farms is. Everything else is Ward 2 including Koto and Tractor Supply.
“Ask not what the country can do for you, but what you can do for the country”. Big government is not the answer but the problem. If this is bothering you make a call out and I am sure you and some volunteers can tackle it. If you put the date out I am sure I could help and also get some volunteers.
Everywhere a traffic light you see cigarette butts and litter, not just Coltsville. Just like potholes we canmt keep up with it.
Discreet, this just reminded me of the time I was sitting on the porch with my mother at least 6 or so years ago and a private contractor street sweeper was going down our street. Just as he was passing our house looking to the curb to make sure he was close enough, he threw his cigarette butt right in the middle of the street! All I could do was laugh at the irony.
One of your posters summed up the circus fundraising: NotARedneck post
Here’s what I posted today as a general status post on FB. Before I post, I’m curious who decided or gave to rights to humans to do whatever they want on Earth? Anyway, here it is:
Here’s the funny thing, I ran 3 separate benefit events on 3 separate days for 3 separate beneficiaries. I raised approximately $17,000 without any sorts of performing animals being involved. These events were all in one day, in Pittsfield, and I think it went $8k, $6k, $3k if I remember correctly. So that’s pretty good. I mean, that’s actually AWESOME. So when I read that statement below in the photo, that the Dalton Lions Club has “raised almost $70k” (or just over) SINCE THE 1990s, I was somewhat taken aback. That would mean the following: it’s been about 20 years give or take for this circus event to have been held. Take $70k divided by 20, you have $3,500 ANNUALLY that they get after expenses. That means they have raised approximately $9.58 PER DAY, for a full calendar year. Hahaha, not only are they ignorant, they’re also shitty fundraisers!!!
This is just a bit ridiculous, but sadly indicative of our sad situation locally and nationally. Our host and blogger actually called for armed insurrection; taking to the streets! Yet all that is talked about is the inflation pressure of footballs?!? People are missing the point…or perhaps just ignoring the hard truth
I wonder if the “personal commitment” of Tom Brady that caused him to miss the White House visit by the Patriots was a visit to the Clinton Museum. “withheld text and email messages”…….hmmmmm. And I agree Mr G. compared to the other emails that were lost, this is not that important.
Holyoke schools have just been taken over by the state for lack of performance. Just like here in Pittsfield a brand new shiny vocational school was seen as the answer to the problems in Holyoke, but residents say driving through Holyoke is like being in a third world country. Holyoke is doing worse than ever. Their vocational school was built in 1989 and it is a very nice one, but unfortunately the problems there are poverty and cultural issues and these have not been addressed in Holyoke just as they are not being addressed here in Pittsfield.
So another Democratic controlled city is continuing to go downhill and Pittsfield will be next on the list as they are following the same game plan here that didn’t work in Holyoke to try to fix issues of poverty. That is of course after the Pittsfield schools give themselves big raises and pat themselves on the back for all they do.
The Holyoke situation warrants a closer look, no doubt.
Thanks Dan. Please do look into this. I have gone online to get as much info as I could about the Holyoke situation with the schools. Masslive has some articles. BB has none. Instead BB runs an article about a church in Holyoke, but no mention of seizure of the schools by the state. You would think that would be big news, but I’m sure BB doesn’t want to have others draw the logical contrast between what is happening in Holyoke and what could happen here.
No mention of it in the BB of course but just saying in their editorial how bad the city has become from the new report that just came out.
The city is so focused on the main part of north st. that they have forgotten the rest of the city. This area will never be Stockbridge or Lee ect…. They need to clean up all streets. They need to revitalize the city not just the downtown.
I 100% agree with you Pat. The tax and spend Dems have got to go! The revolution has to begin with the voters, and we need some fiscal conservatives to step up to the bat, in every ward and also in the at-large seats on the council. Not to mention the school committee seats. Please, are there any conservatives left in the city, perhaps retirees with time on their hands, who would be willing to run for elected office? Otherwise, this city will find itself dug deep into debt with no hope at all for revival!
True. Progressives are destroying cities across the country with their supposed vision of utopia. Using other people’s money to fund their vision, but not anticipating what to do when the money runs out. Encouraging irresponsible behavior in people because the government as big daddy will take care of you…all of this is bringing the country to its knees. It may even be too late. Holyoke is mainly made up of many immigrants and 50% of the children do not even speak English….more liberal policies that are failing.
The 7 winters grille closing is no surprise to me. I wonder who will not get paid this time.
Got Spice?
Dear Planet Valenti Followers:
I have seen such innuendos, lies and mean spirit directed toward me by people such as Jimmy Gee, Silent Dogg Wood, Larry, Linda, Paul , Quinton, etc…. All under pen names and I have to comment!
How am I suppose t contact you when you don’t say your real name! You are cowards! Everyone knows who you are! If you were honest you would say your name! It is so easy to be a coward under a fake name!
Those of you who use your real name I need you because you are not afraid to speak the truth! Mike Ward, Ed McClelland, Ed Shepardson, and Horace Mann. Please try to find out more about me!
On April 24, 2015 I posted my resume and it was 100% true! There were 14 paragraphs!
Paragraphs 1-6 was completely accurate.
Paragraph 7- I will answer some questions. The school that I went to was Fort Monmouth in Red Bank NJ. It is a school where people in the armed forces are schooled to become electro- mechanical cryptographic repair specialists. My MOS ( Military Occupation Specialist) # 31S30.
Even before we started at the school we were vetted by the CIA military Investigative Services and we had to pass a background check before getting a top secret crypto security clearance. The highest clearance in the U.S. Government. The same as Gen. Colin Powell. Yes we worked together in Chu-Lai Vietnam for almost 13 months.
Paragraph 8- I said I was a graduate of local colleges. What colleges are here? Give me a break! Stop being lazy! Try to do some research! You can’t find the Lenox Institute for Research? Call my colleague Lawrence K. Wang! He was a director of research and you can find tons of stuff on the internet. Get off your duffs and start doing research!
Paragraph 9- You want to see what I have saved the city by using our technology in the mid 80’s? Search the Eagle files 1981- 1987 and you will find over 250 articles to look at..
Paragraph 10- Perfect!
Paragraph 11- That damn auto correct misspelled a word. Maybe we should go after the company that manufactured it.
I am discouraged that some individuals would think that I would lie about my credentials. Everything that I write is about who I am, and what I have done.
Yes I have many suits and I will wear them when I deal with real people and not fake ones like the current city council and this mayor. I don’t want to dirty my expensive suits.
People in the city of Pittsfield that are over 65 know very well what I have done for this city. Younger people don’t know me. I can’t very well tell anyone what I hope to do as mayor if I didn’t tell them who I am and what I already did for the city which I love and I know I can make better for everyone who lives here.
I promise that I can make living here better, but I need you the taxpayers and ratepayers to vote for me in the community election. I am trying to do my part to make politics better for everyone. The more I see and hear the more I realize we get who we have in politics because we vote for the wrong people.
Please vote for me for Mayor! I won’t disappoint!
P.S. Horace Mann this is for you. I will read my award now:
City of Pittsfield
CRAIG GAETANI
Craig,
Jimmy Gee aka Larry and many other names goes to great lengths to conceal his identity. He lawyers up and threatens lawsuits against anyone who exposes who he is.
He always demands to know who peoples real names are so he can inflict damage in their lives. He has caused much trouble on the site http://www.topix.com. Been banned twice under the registered name “Praxis”. Here he just keeps changing his name. Dan Valenti has had to redact his comments many times.
He likes to call people out and meet them at local establishments which is where he slipped up and got his true identity exposed. Once he finds out a person’s real name, he causes damage to their reputation. Ask Glen Heller about this man.
His attacks on you have been noted. The man is a coward and a true sociopath.
He is here to cause damage to Planet Valenti. I won’t post his real name at this time because Dan may not let this post stand.
I wish you well in your bid to become Mayor. I truly believe you would help the city and the common man/taxpaying citizen of this once great city of Pittsfield.
CJ. You have my permission to use my real name!
Mr. Gaetani,
Please explain how is it that you have made this post under Tammy Ives name. Or Tammy Ives, please explain. Are you Mr. Gaetani’s campaign manager?
Good one Lenny! Your BUSTED Mr. Gaetani!
One nut job posting for another and forgets to change the posting handle. The post complains about not posting under your real name. What are we to conclude. Is Tammy Ives posing as Craig Gaetani? I don’t thing Craig owns a computer, no less know how to operate one.
Wang is Wong and Wong is Wang!
How many !!! Does one need at the end of a sentence!
Paragraph 10 – Perfect! I’m sure it is all perfect. Does anyone remember this “perfect” paragraph? I know I don’t. Nor do I care to be reminded.
Crazy is as crazy does.
Looking forward to the entertaining debates this fall.
Pummeling Pam
First of all you have to be somewhat nuts to run for ward councilor and two I’d rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not!
The I’ves have it.
LoL! Well the cat’s out of the bag we are friends however I am not the campaign manager I just help sometimes.
In following Craig Gaetani’s lead by conducting a cursory google search, found this interesting piece, but no answers to the questions regarding his resume’ that he refuses to answer. It seems Mr. Gaetani has a long and frivolous history of all sorts in district court and others.
In this particlar case the U. S. District Court, dismissed 6 of Gaetani’s 8 allegations against the Commonweath and others. There was no definitive finding on the other 2 counts, simply that based on his statements alone, there may be reason to proceed further.
Case 3: 14-cv-30057-MGM, filed 1/8/2015
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCOURTS-mad-3_14-30057/pdf/USCOURTS-mad-3_14-cv-30057-0-pdf
Okay so it’s obvious many people on this site do not want to vote for Gaetani. So don’t vote for him already. Not that your other choices are that great. Bianchi, please no way would I vote for him. Linda…no way I would vote for her as she is too progressive and proud of it. So as of right now there is nobody I would vote for as I’m not sure about Gaetani. If only Dan V. would run…..why doesn’t he?
Does anyone know when Paul Capitanio is going to trial… or is this going away too. In the corrupt City of Pittsfield.
Who knows…seems like they are hoping people will forget who he is before they dismiss the case. And what happened with the dog bite story? Is that still in the shadows?
Craig C. Gaetani; Not sure Tammy Ives, posting as you means by she (you ?) will now read your award ? What award ?
Also, as far as local colleges that you possibly could have matriculated from, there are, for your edification, 42 colleges within a 50 mile radius of Pittsfield.
Let’s understand, you claim to be a”honors graduate” of an army training school and no, a search of the U. S. secretary of education’s website of 6,900 accredited secondary schools does not include The Lenox Institute of Research .Also a web search of the U.S. patent office since 1976 shows no patents for your name.
I hereby declare and verbally state by mouth that I am a honors graduate of the McLaughlin Institute of Bar Stool Technology and Budweiser Consumption. Does this mean it is now reality ?
I believe the Lenox Institute for Research is where he worked. It’s
now the Lenox Institute for Water Technology (according to a Google search).
Mr. Gaetani, in your post above you admonish people to get off their duffs and do some research. With all due respect, it appears that’s what some posters did and it brought up some questions that they put to you. Your response appears a bit defensive, not unlike our current mayor when he’s asked to substantiate something he’s said. Also, to your original post, Jonathan Melle asked some pretty thoughtful questions about your vision for Pittsfield and how you hope to achieve that vision. I hope you’ll take the time to answer him.
Mr. Gaetani, asked me to verify the contents of his resume’. I can’t locate his resume’ published in traditional format, so:
I have known Craig for many years and as a young man he was bright and industrious. He played drums in several local bands and was a member of the drum and bugle corps, the cavaliers. he is a PHS graduate, served in the U.S. Army, had a management position with Krofta water groups in Lenox, he does have a working relationship with the respected PHD Dr. Wang.
As far as any other resume’ ascertians, please cotact Craig for any legitimate means of verification.
dear downtown dweller yes j. melle had many good questions that merit a response I have ben trying to find a number for him jonathan if you see this post please call me just about all your questions are answered in my announcement for mayor on april 3 2015 the conf lasted 3plus hours and spells out in detail what I plan to do when I become mayor I have been preparing the videos . they should be ready soon. I will post the dates and times soon so everybody can see them on pctv
Since when do you need an education to be Mayor? On another Note..The toilet on Wahconah Street, outer, ha ha, has been in the area for at least a month and is still available for the taking…just saying.
Well the toilet is not in my neighborhood! Jimmy Gee why don’t you go claim that! Janitors do need something to do after all. Now if it was metal I may have to take it.
Is this Tammy or Craig?
Why can’t we all just get along….Rodney KIng