By DAN VALENTI

There’s Only One Right Call on the No Show Vote: “Rejected.”

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, Saturday, June 25, 2011) — It’s No Go on No Show.

That’s the verdict 99% of the 12 of 14 Pittsfield wards Chris “No Show” Speranzo represents, and 98% of everyone else. The other 1 and 2% consists of GOBs and their various toadies, apologists, and hangers-on. As you know, the Governor’s Council is considering Gov. Deval Patrick’s nomination of No Show to be clerk magistrate of Central Berkshire Court. The nomination drips of political chicanery.

Pittsfield attorney Rinaldo Del Gallo pointed out in a Facebook discussion that he “liked” Chris because he’s a “good guy.” Well, we’re ALL good guys. Hitler loved children and animals. Mussolini made the trains run on time. Alex De Large loved Beethoven. Everyone’s a “good guy,” but this hackneyed “argument” for excusing Pittsfield corrupt politics stands at the non-sequitur’s non-sequitur. It doesn’t matter is someone’s “a good guy.” We’ve had cheating mayors and city treasurers who are “good guys.”

Only one thing matters in the consideration of No Show for a lifetime post to a six-figure job as clerk magistrate for Central Berkshire Court: Is he qualified?

THE PLANET settled that in our previous posting. Consider the facts about No Show:

The Straight Facts on No Show

* He has never held a job in the private sector since graduating from college.

* He has never practiced law as a private attorney.

* He has never tried a case.

* He has never participated in a case as a prosecutor or defense counsel.

* He received his appointment as city solicitor from Mayor Jimmy Ruberto in what was obvious a patronage appointment. He did not distinguish himself in any capacity while on that job. He did not serve as counsel to the city of Pittsfield, therefore We The People, but as Ruberto’s private counsel, as seen, for example, in the way Speranzo took orders from Ruberto, who took them from assorted GOBs, in scuttling Jim Bouton’s syndicate from putting a team at Beloved Wahconah Park.

* He has a terrible legislative record in Boston.

* He is the only state rep who doesn’t keep the press informed of what he’s doing.

* He lied about seeking the magistrate’s job during his re-election campaign in 2010.

* He stole enough votes for his re-election, narrowly prevailing over Mark Miller’s challenge. The votes were stolen by virtue of his dishonesty with the electorate. If he had been honest about his chicanery, we could have respected that. We can accept liars who are truthful about their deceit.

Add it all up, and it doesn’t spell M-O-T-H-E-R. It can only spell one thing for the Governor’s Council: R-E-J-E-C-T-E-D.

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Colonials Split in Worcester but Blow Golden Chance to Sweep

The Pittsfield Colonials split a doubleheader yesterday in Worcester, but they blew a chance to sweep. After taking the lead 6-5 on Johnny Welch’s dramatic grand slam in the top of the seventh (the final inning in minor league doubleheaders), Matt Lyons — the closer who can’t close — coughed up the win by allowing two runs to score in the bottom of the frame. Lyons couldn’t get an out.

In the nightcap, the C’s pounded Worcester pitchers for 11 runs and 16 hits, winning 11-5. Chris Torrez, who’s had a rough go at the plate so far this season, went 3-for-4. T.J. Wenk for the win with 3.2 shoutout innings in relief. Mike Zenko got the save. Manager Jaimie Keefe would be wise to consider yanking Lyons and inserting Zenko as closer. One has it. One doesn’t.

The two teams play tonight in Worcester. Here’s the box score of victory:

Pittsfield Worcester
	11	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Pittsfield 2 0 1 1 1 2 4 11 16 1 Worcester 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 6 2	5

Pittsfield
#	Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
27	Katzman, E	1.0	1	4	4	4	0	7.20
12	Wink, T	3.2	3	0	0	2	2	0.00
23	Zenko, M	2.1	2	1	1	1	2	1.45
		6.3	6	5	5	7	4

Worcester
#	Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
19	Keeler, S	4.0	7	4	3	1	5	4.66
2	McDonald, M	2.0	3	3	2	1	2	4.50
10	Gedman, M	1.0	6	4	4	0	0	9.88
		7	16	11	9	2	7

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Only THE PLANET Keeps Taxpayers Informed on the Hoax that Masquerades as Public Education in the City of Pittsfield

THE PLANET has explained the hoax buried without and within the school department budget. The department submits a $72 million budget — 134% times the operating cost of the entire city of Pittsfield — claiming it is a $54.3 million request. They bury the remainder (health care, benefits, and transportation costs) in the municipal side. No one, especially not the Boring Broadsheet, lets taxpayers know, because there might be riots in the streets (although we wonder on that latter point, with apathy being what it is).

The hoax continues with soaring Special Education costs. Special Ed, once a defendable proposition when it provided assistance to kids who truly need help, has become a catch-all designation that dooms too many kids to Bleak House. Educators do this because too many of them are in love with money and not in love with their students.

Another scam involves the negotiating tactics of the teachers’ union. They pull two work-to-rule stunts during the year, get bent out of shape because for their hefty pay and raises they must work an extra eight minutes a day, and resort to fear tactics using kids as human shields in order to frighten parents and jellyfish politicians.

After bellyaching on the injustice of the contract offered by the city, the union overwhelmingly accepted an across-the-board salary increase as well as built-in step raises with $678,000. The two come to more than $1 million in pay hikes. Not factoring in the hikes, the average compensation for a teacher in the city of Pittsfield tops $80,000 a year. That figures includes a hefty benefits package that tacks on almost one-third to the base salary. For a 180-day work year, that’s pretty good money.

The teachers’ contract with the city has some terrible provisions for taxpayers, including this one:

The [SCHOOL] COMMITTEE shall not during the life of this Agreement adopt any policy, practice, rule, or regulation with respect to wages, hours, standards of productivity and performance … without prior negotiations. Such negotiations shall not compel either party to agree to a proposal or make a concession.

That clause is the blank check that has caused school department costs to jump the tracks.

THE PLANET recommends that the school committee fight for the deletion that clause as well as the provision of the contract that requires layoffs to be done on the basis of seniority and not merit.

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HAPPY WEEKEND. THE PLANET HAS OUR REVIEWERS AT JACOB’S PILLOW AND SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY TONIGHT. REVIEWS TO FOLLOW.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.