!!MAYOR KALINOWSKY?? KAL-EL TAKES OUT PAPERS FOR CORNER OFFICE!! … iBERKSHIRES RUNS DeBATE STORY … PLANET INVITES DIE OFFICE DIRECTOR, Michael Obasohan, TO A PUBLIC DISCUSSION … plus … NOTES FROM KROL-MARCHETTI DEBATE and a ‘WIN’ for PETER
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
ADD 2, 6/15 mid-afternoon — THE PLANET has heard from a reliable source that councilor-at-large Karen Kalinowsky took out papers this morning to run for mayor. This would mark her second time going for the corner office. First outing she got clobbered, finishing as nothing more than a footnote. Such is the fate of all “technical” candidacies. The difference this time around is that she has name recognition, a track record in office, and a greater possibility to sufficiently organize to make a competitive bid. Time will tell. She joins Peter Marchetti and John Krol. Craig Gaetani has taken out papers for mayor and Ward 6.
ADD 1, 6/15 late a.m. — Here’s Brittany Polito’s story of the first mayoral debate, sponsored and hosted by THE PLANET as published today in iBerkshires:
Pittsfield Mayoral Candidates Discuss Issues in Planet Valenti Debate
Krol, a former City Council vice president, and Marchetti, current City Council president, kept the conversation focused on the issues. Both… View More
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(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 FLAG DAY, 2023) — Last night at the city council meeting, a funny moment occurred at the Open Mic portion. Craig Gaetani caught councilor Jim Conant sleeping. Gaetani told him to wake up, but he was in such a stupor that he couldn’t get Conant awake until he chastised him a second time. It drew laughter from the crowd. He finally woke up and said he wasn’t sleeping. Right. That was yesterday. Today’s Flag Day.
June 14 elicits fond memories to THE PLANET. For four straight years in the early-mid 2000s, we delivered the keynote address in ceremonies at the Silvio O. Conte National Archives on Dan Fox Drive.
You remember Silvio. He’s long gone and sorely missed. Same with the Archives. In a way, the demise of both perfectly symbolize the fate of both AmeriKa and the city of Picklefield. The United States of America, world beacon of freedom and safe government, is long gone as well.
The hatred and division we see throughout the land brings about wise cynicism. Good societies that forget its founding values find themselves living in history’s cesspool and the future’s abyss.
Keep that preamble in mind as we address two recent local political developments.
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AN INVITATION
The first is an invitation, sent in response to our recent column on the Pittsfield office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE), calling it redundant and a waste of taxpayer’s money. We also questioned, Michael Obasohan, received an $8,000 pay raise, bumped to $96,000 plus bennies in the FY24 budget.
In Friday’s mayoral debate between Peter Marchetti and John Krol, we asked if they would continue DIE funding. Both said yes, claiming that it’s only been a year since the office was created, too early for a judgment.
Do you see the illogic?
If that is so, why did Marchetti approve Obasohan’s raise? Why didn’t Krol question it?
OBASOHAN: DIE office director.
A couple of readers of THE PLANET asked if we had contacted Obasohan, implying that we sandbagged him without giving him the chance to defend his office and pay raise.
On June 10, we sent Obasohan this invitation:
MICHAEL
I would like to invite you to be my guest for a 1-hour interview to discuss The DEI office in Pittsfield. As you may know, while understanding the stated objectives of the DEI initiatives, my view is that the office is not the proper vehicle for achieving those objectives.
Our discussion would be a meeting of conflicting views and a chance to shine light on our opposing philosophies. Such dialogue would be a good thing for the city and the public.
My taping schedule is flexible, and I am confident we could meet most any opening that you have.
Please let me know ASAP for scheduling purposes.
Many thanks,
Cordially,
DAN
As of press time today, we have not heard a thing. You know the drill. When the phone doesn’t ring, we know its Obasohan not getting back to us.
———- ooo ———-
DEBATE NOTES AND MUSH
If you haven’t watched the mayoral debate hosted by THE PLANET, here it is via room service:
Watch for yourself. We encourage feedback. THE PLANET assures you that the camps of both candidates are paying close attention.
Our reaction and come comments we received, in no significant order:
- Before we began, we saw a true example of “reaching across the aisle” as both Peter Marchetti and John Krol helped THE PLANET move desks and chairs for camera purposes.
- Who won? Marchetti. He held serve, or as in baseball, a tie goes to the runner. For Krol to win, he had to differentiate himself from his opponent. THE PLANET gave him several opportunities, Krol noted some minor differences but not enough to move the meter.
- From a Marchetti supporter: “[Krol’s] cheerleading rubs me the wrong way. It’s forced, all surface, no substance. He’s a lightweight.”
- Another comment from an interested observer: “[T]hese guys have so much pre-packaged campaign rap. They just cue up the closest match to the question and press PLAY. My biggest takeaway is that the gloves certainly haven’t come off yet. Wonder when that will happen?”
- The two candidates more-or-less agreed on the majority of issues — the need for mental health services, retention of the DIE office, and so on. The main difference? Style. Krol = rah-rah, enthusiastic … Marchetti = laconic, subdued. That’s not going to win for Krol.
- Another comment: “Peter’s anemic response in support of sharing his tax returns when he could have slam-dunked that answer following John’s awkward dismissal of the idea. John should have had a smooth, well-practiced answer to that question because it was discussed more than once on THE PLANET (and I think you even responded that you’d consider the question).”
- Marchetti was the most self-assured we’ve ever seen him in this type of forum. Is he finally finding his sea legs?
- Before we were on the air, Peter mentioned several people have said to him ‘Wouldn’t be great to have Krol as mayor and you [Peter] as finance director.” Wow.
- From a Krol supporter: “[Marchetti] openly admitted [Krol] has more charisma. Good way for him to lower expectations for himself and try to reframe the idea of what a good mayor is. A mayor needs charisma, energy and open optimism. How the hell are you going to turn this city around without that???”
———- ooo ———-
When do the gloves come off?
Can’t say, but we do know that during the broadcast, both candidates agreed to participate in periodic such “chats” with THE PLANET.
We shall schedule the next one for July. By then, we’ll know a lot more. If the gloves haven’t come off by then, perhaps we shall have to rip them off.
There are ways.
We shall be in touch with both campaigns to set up our next chat. We shall keep you informed.
—————————————————————–
“Political debate with liberals is impossible in America today because liberals are calling names while conservatives are trying to make arguments” — Floyd Fluticasone, Duke of Earl.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
Copyright (c) 2023 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 site — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice and their use of/participation in this site. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.
To be fair, the large bureaucratic managerial public pay raises were across the board in Pittsfield City Hall. Pittsfield is very top heavy with big public paychecks and public perks for the top city and (level 5) public school bureaucrats. On Beacon Hill, state lawmakers received not one, not two, but three big public pay raises on January 1st, 2023. The state and local career politicians and their managerial bureaucrats will all retire someday in the future with 6-figure public pensions plus perks that will cost taxpayers many millions of dollars over the several decades to come. Why do you think that people want to have political careers, and the managerial bureaucrats have public careers in state and local government? The answer: To CASH in at the public trough. Joe Biden has been in the Swamp for over 50 years, and he is a wealthy multimillionaire with two homes in Delaware, along with his wealthy family members who have used his political career to their advantage to CASH in. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly said last year in 2022 that she was only worth $115 million, but I have read that she may really be a billionaire with offshore accounts similar to many wealthy U.S. Americans. Lastly, the last time the federal minimum wage of $7.25 was raised was in 2009, which tells us everything you need to know about the corrupt career politicians and their bureaucratic managerial staff members in the government!
All of that JM and at the end of the day, if it’s Trump vs. Joe Xiden, in the 2024 Presidential election, who are you voting for?
Please stop with your recycled rants.
YOU VOTED for all of this. Remember? Mean tweets and ‘locker room guy talk’ offended you. You posted many diatribes on The Planet stating such.
How many taxpayer dollars are being delivered monthly to the Melle clan up there in NH. Pot calling the kettle …
Before Marchetti takes that pay cut he might want to buy a couple of shirts that fit. I was watching the video waiting for him to pop a button. It would have the velocity of Lee Harvey Oswald’s rifle.
First impression ….bullfrog trying to grow a beard
I had to go back and look and low and behold the Banker Belly was stressing those shirt buttons. Maybe the pay cut will force him to change his food consumption back a tad.
Gasbag lard-ass porker PEE PEE marchetti and fashionista Fatty Fatty Two by Four tyer can share their XXXX-LARGE PLUS SIZE shrouds.
Skål!
I’m not sure if I should bring sleepy Jim a pillow or some no doze. Would Pepe the gavel allow such gifts?
“Before we began, we saw a true example of “reaching across the aisle” as both Peter Marchetti and John Krol helped THE PLANET move desks and chairs for camera purposes.“
Totally believable as both have been rearranging the deck chairs on the Tyertanic as she sunk.
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/72054/Pittsfield-Board-of-Health-Considers-Looking-Into-Housing-as-Public-Health-Issue.html?fbclid=IwAR1qVU78ntg0kp0Kh-RFHyc4WtDl9bgNM0nh6mmctnCMvGxquYKagjHk3iE
Housing crisis in Pittsfield. Mayor tyer (along with that Pete fella) were in charge for almost eight years, so is this one more serious problem that snuck up on both of them while they were working on pickleball courts and many other expensive “fun stuff?” And how many more homeless people will be added to the streets?
And just where does the word gentrification come from anyway?
Did tyer work on anything that was really important in the last eight years or did she just party her ass off?
And how does gentrification line up with the DIE
It lines up with the iberkshires article
She certainly didn’t exercise it off
Perhaps homeowners aren’t able to maintain their homes due to the high taxes?
Why is Tyer trying to build a brand new homeless facility on West Housatonic?
I read somewhere that 65% of residents are on government assistance. We should not be concerned about providing more low income housing but instead looking at ways to lower property taxes and bringing industry & jobs to Pittsfield. The Tyer administration has failed in both areas!
Not sure you watched the Debate. Mr Krol agrees with much of Tyler’s proposals. Dan asked great questions. The 2 candidates agreed on most of them.
E,
Why do you support DEI?
E is a sycophant pittsfield swap varmint
Perhaps you should consider that, as in their past mutual support of Tyer and Harrington, they are actually on the same team? Should Pete win, will he have a prominent spot in the administration for Krol the nothingburger? And vice versa, if Krol wins, will he appoint Pete as Finance Director? That’s the vibe I’m getting.
Jim Conant needs to be replaced in Ward 4, he is useless!
If they were only just useless, but Sadly for the taxpayers, that shitty city council rogue’s gallery of diddlers (and before Kooky Kronick goes all spastic, diddlers, as in cheats, swindles, bunco artists, charlatans) are dangerous. More than once gasbag PEE PEE marchetti make it abundantly clear that the supportive 9-2/10-1 votes needed for tyer’s chicanery had already been tallied. All that was necessary was to officially foist onto the broken backs of the taxpayers. Also abundantly clear is the complete contempt tyer’s diddlers have for the taxpayers. It was obvious, and not for the first time, that not a single one of those rogue’s are capable of empathy as evident by their lack of any visceral stirrings to the sincere comments by the gentleman from Roselyn Drive. Juxtaposed their complete lack of empathy for the beleaguered taxpayers with their very obvious hostile visceral reactions to suggestions of eliminating wasteful spending on useless shit like DEI, more supervisory positions, and their hostility toward the gentleman who disagrees with their already decided plans for another yet non-profit to further decimate the wildlife, natural woods and wetlands of Springside Park.
Damn right in my opinion!
Gavel man makes sure that the 9-2/10-1 votes needed for many issues coming before the council already have been tallied well before the formality of going through the motions of showing up on Tuesday evenings to vote on the agenda (s) before the city council.
You coulda had Andy Wrinn, but he wasn’t connected enough. Doesnt numerous members of Conant’s family work in the school dept? Is it a conflict of interest for him to wake up and vote during meetings?
What a bum. Go back to sleep
And before dopey sleepy Conant was nodding out, dopey convicted dopehead Paul Capitanio was nodding out during his reign on shitty city council. Proving that only Pittsfield’s most illustrious inglorious bastards are qualified to run Pittsfield into the sewer of corruption that it is.
I still wonder if Paul’s DEA drug agent/PPD son-in-law ever determined just exactly where his drug addled father-in-law, Paul, got insider information about the highly secretive drug bust about to go down on Paul’s KINGPIN DRUG Dealer, highly secretive POLICE INFORMATION, Paul passed along to his KINGPIN DRUG DEALER.
Conant is slated to become director of sleep and naps
Probably, but not until the clowncil( or is it clonecil?) Forms a sleep and naps subcommittee and hires a consultant at the Kapanski’s expense to tell the Kapanski’s that it is absolutely necessary that we have a director of sleep and naps, who for a hundred grand a year plus bennies will produce an annual Snoozefest that will in no way be redundant but will in fact complement the current Snoozefest known as our city politicians.
Both of these Snoozefests are given the blessing of their oversight department, the DAV: Dept of Apathetic Voters.
I’ll sleep on it.
Sir Charles funny! But after you’ve slept on it, won’t that make you… … …
Woke?
Impeach Joe Biden!
https://thefederalist.com/2023/06/13/grassleys-17-recordings-bombshell-brings-bidens-and-burisma-back-into-the-spotlight/
Where’s the coverage of this huge scandal?
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/06/not-word-any-major-mainstream-media-greatest-political/
They are hiding everything. Deceptive Rachel Maddow is refusing to air anything on Trump defending himself. She will only air him heading into the courtroom because she says there is a cost for airing untrue things on her network. Really Rachel? Because you aired 4 years of Trump and Russia collusion. What was the price you paid for that?!? Jill Biden is accusing Trump outright of being guilty of this latest indictment. She said how can Republicans defend him? More proof that Joe is behind the taking down of his rival because Jill feels so free to speak her mind about his guilt and is encouraging others to do so. Horrible people!
All the channels are selective, that’s why you need to sample all of them to get proper perspective.
Isn’t that like multiplying zero’s?
You need to develop a thought process that allows you to arrive at logical conclusions. Otherwise, you will simply read the artifacts of AI generated news and think it’s real.
For example, Fox is developing a very compelling story that 10′ aliens have landed in LA and the police are searching for it. What is your thought process that allows you to doubt the veracity?
Biden as VP was not entitled to take & store documents in his unsecured garage!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/06/newsmax-host-takes-live-tv-show-seized-trump/
Whoever is elected mayor should pledge to live at the corner of Adam and First Streets. Near a big park, you can take a beat up scooter to work in two minutes flat, have lots of eclectic neighbors, and a true connection to how the City is doing!
Actually Mr Marchetti lived on Courtland place most his life. Courtand is near Morningside school across from the old Hess gas station.
Why did he leave that vibrant and dynamic location?
I don’t know!
He left because it’s a crap section of Pittsfield
But since he has been on the city council he has lived in a very nice quarter million dollar home quite far away from the noise and crime of the city. He is not suffering food insecurity, or having any trouble coming up with money for his property taxes like so many fixed income and elderly.
True or false?
False when he started on the Council he still lived on courtland. Actually his last run for Mayor he still lived on courtland.
Who are you? His mother?
“Why did he leave Courtland?”
>>”I DON’T KNOW!!!!!!”
There’s your proof. Elisabeth is his mother.
That is exactly what any mother, except for CIH of course, would say.
If we asked your mother if you’ve always been a kook, would she deny she’s even your mother. I don’t even know your mother, but I’m certain that’s exactly what she would do. Put de lime in de coconut, then you feel better, Put de lime in de coconut, drink ’em bot’ up, Put de lime in de coconut and call your doctor in the morning, or sooner!
Excellent idea! Go hither and ask!
Better still, Pittsfield’s next corrupt mayor should be relegated to the gated confines of Pittsfield’s posh lawless tent city centrally located in the Springside Park shanty town. Mayor krolchetti can drop his load right in the center of Pittsfield’s Jewel in the Crown tent city. Mayor krolchetti will be able to take advantage of all the creature comforts, e.g. the newly installed tyerkrolchetti Pumpball Picklepark. Something the taxpayers were told we can’t live without and were then raped to pay for. They should live among their own kind. As It’s said that those types are at their happiest when among their own kind.
Barry could visit on his 3am run
Dan, good luck getting OB to sit down and have a meaningful conversation about DIE. Flat Tyer will never allow it. You’d have a better chance photographing Dirty Barry Clairmont training to run a full marathon.
You would expose the fraud, waste, and abuse, of money that the DIE Office is costing the taxpayers and Flat knows it. And what do the taxpayers get out of OB and DIE Office for their tax money?
As I’ve stated on here many times before, it simply amazes me how these racial grifters (DIE, ROPES, BBEC) always enrich themselves and family (Cultural Competency Coach) but do and say absolutely nothing about the pink elephant in the room, black on black violence. Number one cause of death for a black male, 1-44 years old, is homicide.
Leading Causes of Death – Males – Non-Hispanic Black – United States, 2018 | Minority Health | CDC
Heck, some even take taxpayer paid vacations with family and friends (see previous), and their always ready and willing to tell me about “white privilege” or “white power literature in the suburbs,” but never offer a link or fact to back it up. Just their word of mouth.
OB would rather “train” city employees on the LBGFJB%$#)9* horsesh!t, instead of dealing with gun and gang violence that plagues Picklefield.
DEI Has Failed; We Do Not Need More of It | The Heritage Foundation
I would love to see the actual data of the recruitment and retention accomplishments since this position was created.
They added an adminstrative assistant plus increased the salaries for that department. That a one for one gain!
Given their undisciplined breeding habits, there will probably be a whole tribe of them by this afternoon.
Happy Birthday president Trump
“…my view is that the office is not the proper vehicle for achieving those objectives.
Our discussion would be a meeting of conflicting views and a chance to shine light on our opposing philosophies.”
No wonder he doesn’t respond. A little tact would go a long way. Basically you said you want to do away with his position and his office. Can you blame him for not wanting to jump into this fray?
JERRY
Yes, I can blame him. I am willing to hear his counter-arguments and perhaps be convinced that the office IS needed. If he believes in what he is doing, he will jump at the chance to do a show with me and show me how much in error I am. If he doesn’t, however, it means he’s refused the challenge. It’s a matter of integrity and commitment. He’s making $96K plus bennies, just received am $8K raise, all in taxpayers’ money, including your contribution via property taxes. Public officials have an obligation to be questioned. If he does not wish to do the show, fine. That’s up to him. But professionalism and common courtesy will let me know that. Thanks for the comments!
A liberal or race grifter allowing for a conversion with an opposing view questioning them?
C’mon man.
The Supreme Tzar Joe Xiden, proved the blueprint to dodge facts and opposing opinions.
Did you honestly expect differently?
And he he above all people will never go to prison. Council Grades
Conant Zzzzz
Kavey F
Persip D
Guiel D-
Maffuccio Zzzzz
Kronick A^
Machetti D
Warren C
White D
FUDD F
Pittsfield politics gives huge managerial pay raises to reward failure! Level 5 public schools, top 10 city for violent crime, 15 empty storefronts on North Street’s Social Service Alley, the soon to be 25-year-old polluted PEDA debacle with millions of dollars in always increasing debts and unfunded liabilities, the city government’s hundreds of millions of dollars in municipal debts plus OPEB unfunded liabilities….!
Ah, the gentleman’s C for Warren. Very good.
FUDD is a phony. Thinks he knows everything and he’s always wrong on collecting people
Where’s Karen?
I’ll give you that grade – A+. Couldn’t be better.
When a minority with a small vote plurality controls the vote here something is wrong with our democratic process. And it does thin down our democracy because it’s in reverse? It almost seems like a social ploy to include all these lunatics who’ve been disregarded whether it be lab or minorities and given the power.Again, by a small percentage of Voters. How the hell can the same group of 6- 5 get their way every single time on this Mayors charge?
I will vote for Trump. Count on that.
Who is FUDD?
Elmer.
Which councilor is that?
FUDD!
When the phone doesn’t ring, that’ll definitely be the DIE director not getting back to you to offer his counter-argument, (when, in fact, there is NO justifiable counter-argument) in an attempt to justify collecting his brownbag briming full of taxpayer $$$$$$$$$$$$ plus bennies all because he fits the single most important profile for those eligible to collect no strings attached, taxpayer $$$$$$$$$$$$$ for her Negroes ONLY program. So, you, Dan, and the fine taxpayers of Pittsfield Gotham City can stick your expectations of professionalism and common courtesy where you don’t let the SUN come down on you. And to think, these are same quarrelsome people who howled and bitched about WHITES ONLY drinking fountains.
Thirsty af
I meant, I use to think I were white until I found out.
“these are same quarrelsome people who howled and bitched about WHITES ONLY drinking fountains.”
My pop would totally agree with you. If not for you, we’d have no need for DIE programs.
Exactly Dan. Well said.
Come on Jere, the planet reached out to him and that’s the Bottom Line.
While this is off topic, please indulge me on not letting this one go by without mention. A snowflake is resigning from his post as a Lee School teacher after his class of sixth graders decorated their beautiful Butterfly artwork with swastikas. The snowflake of a teacher says he no longer feels safe among his classroom of sixth grade art students. So much for art being used as a tool for self-expression, or as a form of therapy, or to capture moments in time, historical events, social ideas and concepts, and political and social commentary, or just as a shock to the system. I personally don’t want a world without the artworks of Stuart Brisley, And for Today … Nothing, 1972, Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgement” Piss Christ by Andres Serrano, Robert Mapplethorpe, Marc Quinn’s Self, 1991, Fountain by Marcel Duchamp, everything by Caravaggio, and Picasso, the list is endless. I don’t want art censorship in any form. As the swastika is an ancient religious and cultural symbol, that shallow minded snowflake of a teacher in the Lee School district missed a moment for a teaching opportunity. I have a small collection of antique/vintage postcards and greeting cards adorned with the swastika, and I won’t be burning any of them.
How did he ever get to be a teacher if he is that thin skinned? Exactly where is this Utopian world that he apparently grew up in? I suspect the children will not suffer the loss of Mr Rogers, but my God, what does this teach a child? Run run run away from all perceived evils.
We have words, written and spoken which are apparently now causing real harm to people. But now, this guy has been hurt by pictures and symbols. What would the Vikings have thought about such weak minded sorts?
I would proffer that this shallow minded snowflake of an education did in fact successfully teach his students a lesson. But it was the wrong lesson. Perhaps if this simpleminded educator had used this opportunity to enlighten his budding artist students on the ancient history of the swastika, these juvenile delinquents would be less inclined to incorporate a symbol which represents Good Luck and Prosperity, among many other positive connotations, into their masterpieces. But alas, my fear now is that this wrongheaded simpleminded specimen of an educator has already been snatched up by the Pittsfield Public SCOHOL system of dysfunction. As for the Vikings, my hope would be that that would have treated this guy to a well-deserved premature Viking Funeral.
The Vikings often buried their dead with young virgins to serve them in their afterlife. That would be such a waste in this case. He does not seem worthy.
How do vikings fit into this? We’re still picking their nails out the ground they left behind 800 years ago.
And what else would you proffer?
My problem with the ‘art’ project is that it fails at the objective: learn to think in a way that enables you to make fine art.
Composition, Proportion, Contrast.
Once mastered, the young student matriculates to balance, form, and logical space. At the conclusion of a good art education, you should be able to compose an embarrassing design of your enemy in any position from imagination.
Nothing else matters. What the devil are swastikas on butterfly wings doing for the young developing mind!?
The teacher appears to be correct in his assessment. The school is a mentally hazardous environment.
Well god bless the kids when they walk into the real world with those innocent eyes. Talk about mentally hazardous.
The Real World has its work cut out for that multitude expecting the rules of nature to bend for them.
There are tombs in Pittsfield cemetery that are adorned with swastikas. It was a common symbol before the Nazis made it their own
In 2019 swastika tiles, original to the 1917 IU Men’s Gymnasium building, which predates the symbol hijacked by the Nazis, were removed from the Indiana University School of Public Health building. These tiles were installed in the entryways, an ancient Hindu custom. In my opinion the removal and defacement, the swastikas were sanded off and the tiles were put back in place, of these tiles actually gives them more negative power. Because of a brief horrific regrettable unforgettable moment in history, an ancient symbol has forever been tainted. Society has allowed the negative connotations associated with the swastika to eliminate an entire rich ancient and cultural history of the swastika symbol. The swastika represents one of humanity’s oldest and most consistently used symbols across nearly every human culture. So, obviously every trace of it needs to be annihilated for the salivation of mankind.
Yes it meant “good luck” and “well being” before the Nazi’s appropriated the symbol and tainted it forever. It is still used today in Buddhism and Hinduism. Also some Native Americans like the Navajo and Hopi’s used the symbol on blankets and other objects.
I am happy that the majority of contributors to this blogsite have a venue for expression of their views on society. I am even happier that the majority of US citizens support DIE and other programs intended to offset the bias against people of color as expressed by the minority. There is a reason why the majority continues to thrive: it is because it is the right thing to do. I can understand why PV bloggers feel anger and jealousy at the direction we are moving, but feel that it’s the only way our civilization moves onward and upward.
What “bias against people of color,” do you refer to K?
Fact with a link to back it up. Not your opinion. It’s meaningless without facts.
Bill Clinton established affirmative action programs and federal hiring laws in the 1990’s, that gave people of color hiring preference. That was OVER 30 YEARS AGO.
Universities soon followed. So much so, that Asians students won a lawsuit over the University of Texas, because they were admitting under qualified blacks over more qualified Asians students. White privilege K?
This is just one example of many throughout the years.
True. None of this is new and has been done before with no lasting results. Kindergarden just wants to set people up against each other.
You don’t know what I want, Pat. What I want to do is argue for my position and against yours, not to set people against one another.
I’m not sure how many times I have to have this conversation with you Markus. Ghost of G Wallace and CIH for starters.
George Wallace was a proud democrat
Care to comment K?
Starbucks ordered to pay white former manager $25M for race discrimination – KIRO 7 News Seattle
This is called a fact K.
And no, you’ve never had a conversation with me. You’ve posted your opinion and left leaning talking points, but never a fact.
I’m still waiting for the link to “white power in the suburbs,” that you mentioned a few posts ago.
Hi Mark, I don’t do clicks on this site. I have conversed with you ad nauseam. I’ve given that stuff before and you backed out. If you don’t believe white supremacy exists in this country then we can ‘agree to disagree’ as you said when you were backed into a corner a month or so ago. Just google it, for Christ’s sake and you’ll find it’s rampant. Just look at posts by Ghost of George Wallace.
You have NEVER given me a link to prove your fact(s) and I backed out.
I backed out when you kept giving me a run around with your word salads and topic avoidance.
Does white supremacy exist? I’m sure it does K. It’s just not at the level you and Joe Xiden like portray it is. Facts state otherwise.
Unfortunately, I know when I read the news on Monday, I can be sure I’ll read about multiple black on black mass murders/shootings in Chicago EVERY weekend. That I do know.
No problem. I can accept that.
Not all of us are Marxist like you.
I’m not a Marxist.
https://www.infowars.com/posts/top-fbi-deep-stater-who-played-key-role-in-mar-a-lago-raid-flips-admits-to-congress-fbi-illegally-searched-trump-resort/
Pittsfield continues down the shitter.
“A judge declared a mistrial in the murder case against Bronx man accused in the fatal shooting of David Green Jr. in November 2018“
I thought this DA’s office was supposed to be better. They tried a MURDER case against a guy with absolutely no evidence that tied him to the crime or the victim. The only thing they proved is that his cell phone was near or at the murder scene.
No eyewitnesses, no forensic evidence linking to the crime, no motive, nothing. Just a buttload of surveillance and data that proves the defendant’s location.
The fact that the deliberations even resulted in a hung jury is scary. At least one person on that jury found him guilty which is a sad reality of how stupid the Berkshire jury pool is.
And now they will re-try the case, with the same weak evidence.
Two interesting highlights – The victim was a drug-dealer with an illegal gun on him when he was killed. He was also the nephew of Shirley Edgerton herself. Maybe if Obasohan writes back, you can ask him if re-trying such a weak case is actually at the urging of the DEI Office.
Equal Opportunity Murder – a tangled web of Pittsfield’s finest.
.
Recently I reported for Jury Duty at the Berkshire County Superior Court. Not the first time in my lifetime that I have done this, but this time I was totally disgusted and angered at the experience. Majority of other jury pool attendees were basically still dressed in their pajamas, many looking like they had not bathed in days, just sitting playing with their cell phones, a couple of them even ordered Door Dash for breakfast. The room reeked of pot, during a short break I went outside for some fresh air and many of the jurors were blatantly smoking pot outside the door of the courthouse. Court Officers just looked on! How can someone get a fair trial if many of the members are stoned?
As all the jurors were to head up to the Court room we were told to put cell phones away. As we paraded up the stairs there was a woman videoing all of us as we passed by her. Turns out she was a relative of the person on trial for armed robbery. A few of us mentioned this to a Court Officer and his comment was “Wow, you are very observant”. Needless, many of us were not comfortable with our faces being videoed, but more upset with the lack of
support of the Court Officers. What exactly is the Court Officer’s job?
Whomever runs the Court House is not doing their job and needs to restore respect so that people can receive a fair trial. Just another sad state of affairs in our Country.
Court officers are all political hacks
Minus you, probably a jury of the defendant’s peers. Cell phones aren’t allowed in the courtroom and shouldn’t be allowed in the courthouse. Personally, I would consider being videotaped by a family member of the defendant on trial for armed robbery to be an act of intimidation.
That’s exactly how we felt, but the court officer just sat there with his feet on his desk looking totally bored. Evidently there is no supervision of these court officers.
Bring it to the attention of the judge. Because if you felt intimidated by being videotaped by a family member of the defendant on trial for ARMED ROBBERY, you were intimidated.
I did!!
He just dismissed me.
Dismissed your legitimate concerns, or dismissed you from jury duty? One would think that if a family member of a defendant on trial for armed robbery was videotaping potential jurors inside the courthouse, this would be a serious issue to the judge and the DA.
Sorry but Clown shoes Shagrue has a first Assistant that can ‘seem to win a trial the office is 4-13 in Superior Court that’s not a trend that’s a problem. He is a Divorce lawyer plain and simple. The other main issue is the Juror pool much like the labor pool in Berkshire County Worthless!
The Court officers here are worthless, The DA’s office is woefully understaffed. Cases waiting to be heard are in the thousands. Buckle up….. the Meth Mouth creatures that inhabit this city are taking over and filling the court rooms ..But hey they are all going to get a cozy bed and treatment at least that’s what Timmy and Bowler told us.
If only the deceased had gone on an all-expense paid holiday to African to explore his Kunta Kinte roots with his auntie Shirley and the rest of her tribe. And then secured a position within the Pittsfield Public SCOHOL system of dysfunction teaching a class of students who look like him on the Safe Handling of Illegal Guns and on the Successful Trafficking of Illegal Drugs, he’d probably still be alive and living the Afro-ameriKan dream. And as I write this, auntie Shirley’s nephew would be in the process of securing multiple VIBE grants so as to take over several vacant up street downtown Pittsfield storefronts from which to ply his illegal enterprises.
Who are the weirdos that left comments on YouTube?
When will we hear the “insurance policy” tapes of Biden taking bribes in Ukraine? Will Rachel Maddow push to have the tapes heard by the public? Will Jill Biden do it to clear her husband of any wrongdoing? Will the FBI stop protecting Biden? The answer to all of these questions is a big “No” and it should concern all Americans about just what is going on in this country.
I am so sorry for your loss Pat.
Marchetti and Kroll just repeat the same old stuff.Peter wants this retirement check bad and Kroll wants a high end job.We don’t need to help North Street building owners any more by subsidized rent with my money.We need to move on from that BS approach.No more cash for anyone .Do away with every new position in the last 5 years.Close PHS in the next 5 years.Get the kids out of the GE toxic swamp.These 2 are embarrassingly dull and unresponsive to the problem of money they take from the poor.Marchetti and Kroll have zero energy to control money.These 2 need a retirement check and a job.Sickening to watch them as ground hog day candidates.Cut the fn budget fellas.We need help.John and Pete are so unaware of reality. They are like Trump supporters on steroids.
Yeah, the krolchetti twins are MAGA boys
They are about as MAGA as the MAGA boys who roughed up Jesse. TSC is still upset about that.
Level 5 public School Committee Member Sara Hathaway opposed Ward 2 City Councilor Charles Ivar Kronick’s petition for an age requirement to be eligible to serve on the Level 5 public School Committee. I, Jon Melle, would ask: “What the Hell is the difference? Pittsfield’s Level 5 public schools are the definition of rock bottom! Over 650 students opt out of the Pittsfield (Level 5) public school district per academic year.”
Pittsfield Council Files Age, Term Limit Petition / iBerkshires.com – The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.
An observer followed the meeting with a running commentary. I was the happy recipient of this transcript:
“omg, these people are annoying! Youthism? How is it I can tell what they’re going to say and talk about by their clothes, before they even talk?
I’m not sure I agree with this proposal but having minimum ages for public office is enshrined in the constitution.
oh god here comes another one.
6:38: This is putting me in a really bad mood”
Yes, it really about the clothes.
School Committee-er Hathaway spoke with a great deal of hatred and rage which could not possibly be directed towards me since she never once spoke with me. No, not even a question such as, “Are you really certain about age 30? Maybe you shoudl consider a revision.” Nah, she rather skip the work and just starting hacking away with whatever rusty junk she had lying around.
Beyond the strawman arguments which were really unsuitable for a grown-up debate, an elected School Committee person has no business telling any other body who she wants to serve with her. As a self-governed people, the PEOPLE (currently defined as voters; the concept is subject to change) determine who will represent them, not the elected class of 2021. She was way out of place and quite arrogant. She ought to have kept her half-baked thoughts an internal beef.
I am very familiar with Bryn Mawr College and its Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Maybe that graduate could use a refresher course.
I’m going to agree with you, but only because Hathaway is the queen of half-baked kooks. And as much of an aberration as this may sounds, half-baked Hathaway somehow got herself elected mayor of Gotham City Pittsfield, where she promptly issued her now infamous proclamation in which she stated that crime was an aberration in her Gotham Pittsfield City. Perhaps your next petition should be a requirement of a psychiatric evaluation for all SCOHOL committee kooks.
Please consider this addendum, Dear God, please reconsider your threat, after that flood fiasco, to never interfere again in the downward spiral of the human race you created in your image, in their quest to destroy themselves. I welcomed your rain today and I look forward to it tomorrow. Amen!
Send me your draft petition and I’ll strip out the spastic offensive stuff and the acid and the sharp pointy things and submit it.
Would be the first public petition submitted under a nom de guerre.
Could you draft a motion for me ?
I have no idea what those imaginary spastic offensive stuff and the acid and the sharp pointy things are that you are obviously imagining. But I do know your track record on successful petitions is dismal, at best. I almost can’t wait for the Kooky Spastic Kronick v. the RED Headed Bozo debates.
Dear God, PLEASE reconsider your threat to never interfere again in the downward spiral of the human race in its zealous quest to self-destruct.
Batting average is pretty good actually. The fact I HAVE one is already a distinction. Let’s talk about these failures:
MAYOR Screwing Ward 2 from road work Petition: Yields roads fixed not no one could get touched for 25 years. Dry basements for Alden Street residents.
Squatter Camps: got the one on Lincoln removed, and permanently. It’s not coming back. Probably moved from Ward 2 to YOUR backyard. 🙂 (need a petition? Go ask Dina for it)
NO NEW SALTS!: That was a public announcement that the bosses were converting a screwup into a buyfest. Didn’t stop anything, but everybody knows now what happens. And the City got heavy on the pretreatment and Red Phone after that one. That’s a score.
MISC Petitions getting people no parking signs to assist their children with mobility issues and crosswalk markings.
Lots of residential fixes done by phone/email.
TONS of PittSmart tickets to remove dead trees, water drainage, potholes, etc…
COUNCIL Intetvention in behalf of quiiting BHS staff over covid vaccines
BUDGET: Revealed that the council majority would not trim even a dollar off the budget. RIGGED. Revealed some stuff about the School Committee quality.
CHARTER PETITIONS: You actually think it is easy to get ingrained pols to accept term limits South of 5? Don’t wait for 2024 to make it happen.
A failed petition, CIH, is one that dies a silent lonely death, like White’s modest plea to end speeding or all the other ones the others never bothered to write. Fact is, very few councilors even write petitions. They function as the ‘take in/hand back’ functionary for the Mayor. They are simply administrators.
The objective of the minority vote, one that will never find compromise of any form, is to reveal and to lead.
Keep trying, hurl more criticism, but your points are getting dull.
An impressive list, SIR CHAZ. You are loved and appreciated by the good folks in Ward 2 who have benefitted from your service.
These liberal left progressive types in the public sector don’t care about the high taxes as they’ll all be employed. It’s the working stiff that’ll have to pay for everything.
West and center accident. Get ‘em Disco.
And we wonder why we have level 5 schools
I continue to believe that Pittsfield’s best days are ahead of her. As I drive around the Pitt, I am impressed by the beauty and positive improvements I see. The Berkshires are an idyllic destination and Pittsfield is its physical and conceptual heart. No city is perfect and the Pitt has more than its share of problems. But the way I see it the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. The Eagle is a quality publication that has kept its head above water in a declining journalism market. This is especially true given its locally owned and run status. It is often noted that a major problem in today’s world is the disappearance of local media products. The Eagle happily runs counter to this trend (as does The Planet). I’m hoping for the rebirth of North St and the Berkshire mall. I feel the Pitt is poised for an upsurge, and while the cynical PV comments are a helpful part of quality improvement, it’s also important to focus on the positive as we move forward.
That is high quality sarcasm right there man…four stars
The Walton family is still the major shareholder of Walmart Inc.
With councilwomen K.K.entering the mayor’s race now it will add a new dimension to how the other two candidates campaign here on out.
I know Dan has skepticism but I thought Karen’s intentions at the city budget were stellar. She seems to have a common sense approach to ideas and comments from the rest of the puppets. I loved her comment Dan concerning free cash and importance there-of and we know it isn’t free.
She told the Mayor, if she wanted to keep the free cash then reduce the budget! She also went against the new vehicles for PPD which further signifies she was willing to go against her own’ as she was an officer herself. Dan,you have to come to grips with your intentions. If you want a Cabal please accept any and all candidates however they enter the race. To say candidates need to do this or that is totally against Democracy, and should be called a Cabal. We need something Different. This George Soros type of government ( donations) won’t work here either.
Remember That Mayor Tyer said new Police station and Blight will be a priority,that still exists,both.
Remember: Ruberto Rolodex Never Happened. It’s Ruberto who has ruined our City. Tyer was put in to continue his invisible brilliance. That’s where we are today baby.
She seems to be looking out for the taxpayers and isn’t afraid to state so. So far the other two have seemed to be a ok with not doing the same.
After we get a new police station we can turn the current one into a homeless shelter. The begging bums won’t have far to walk to the coveted panhandling posts.
She has no chance, but maybe she could hold their feet to the flames a bit.
Kinda what I was getting at.I don’t think the others will be able to keep up with agreeing on everything. She will force more attention to things they won’t always agree on.
She does have a chance. Tyers wholesale mismanagement of taxpayer money, combined with Marchettis aiding and abetting such behavior, has caused serious distress among most residents who are being hurt and looking as to why they have been hurt and by whom. Both Kroll and Marchetti wear the bright red badge of being tightly aligned and funded by the special interest agenda. And that self serving agenda has been feeding heavily on the taxpayers with zero concern for their survival.
Karen Kalinowsky running for mayor is going to awaken and give some hope to lots of people like myself who were not even planning to vote.
She is going to get heavy backlash from the Marchetti and Krol backers who do not want their cookie jar tampered with but I wish her the best and hope the stupid comments are few and far between because this is serious business.
Get in touch with her and help out!
The repairation were for intended the Indiginous People.
See monuments for massacres for Indigenous people.
Indigenous People.
Mass Acres
I’d like someone to ask this of the mayoral candidates:
Why has it taken more than two years to re-pave and put in new sidewalks on Tyler Street?
Do they find this acceptable? We are entering the third summer it has been under construction.
What are your thoughts on the current representation of Ward 2- Charles Kronick? He is running for re-election after his first term. And any thoughts on Mr. Kronick and his leadership in Ward 2?
&
Incumbent Charles Kronick, who has often found himself at the center of controversy over his first two years, has pulled papers for a second term.
Social worker Soncere Williams makes Pittsfield political debut in bid for Ward 2 city council seat | WAMC
Heaven forbid there should be controversy!
I think it is awesome to see a councilor who is not embedded and not afraid to challenge the elite self serving cadre which is eating Pittsfield alive. Go Charles.
THE PLANET agrees.
Kalinowsky brings the campaign out of Tyer’s hackorama Twilight Zone and back into economic reality. If the hurtin’ taxpayers come out to vote she’ll win against the krolchetti empty suit twins.
June 15, 2023
Hello Charles Ivar Kronick,
I read your post about Sara Hathaway’s comments to the City Council that opposed your proposal to institute an age requirement for the School Committee in Pittsfield politics. From what you wrote, she came across as negative of you and your idea.
The Sara Hathaway Hack over the years…
Sara Hathaway is not from the Pittsfield area, but she moved to Pittsfield after she was hired as a planner with the useless Berkshire Regional Planning Commission in the mid-1990s. In 1997, Sara Hathaway went to work for the then new “Democrat” “Pittsfield” State Senator (who really lived in Boston) Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior, whose late-father was also a Pittsfield State Senator many years ago.
When my dad, Bob, was a Berkshire County Commissioner, he called “Luciforo’s” Pittsfield district office, and Sara Hathaway rudely said to my dad, Bob, “What do you want?” During the Spring of 1998, Nuciforo tried to jail me by telling the Pittsfield Police Department that if I entered his Onota building North Street district office, his staff were to call the police and I would be arrested on the spot. My dad found out about this not from Nuciforo, but at his work in the Pittsfield courthouse.
In 2001, Sara Hathaway ran for Mayor of Pittsfield and she won her first and only term as Mayor. Of course, we all know all too well that Pittsfield is a distressed postindustrial city that is always in the top 10 cities in Massachusetts for violent crime. Mayor Sara Hathaway called violent crime in Pittsfield an “aberration”. Other Sara Hathaway statements include that “Pittsfield is a junky for state aid”. To her credit in 2003, Sara Hathaway correctly warned us about Jimmy Ruberto’s false political ambitions to oust her as Mayor of Pittsfield, which Mayor James Ruberto served in from 2004 – 2011.
Sara Hathaway is a member of the Pittsfield Democratic City Committee. Sara Hathaway went on to be a middle school teacher at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield. In 2006, Sara Hathaway took out nomination papers to be the Pittsfield Registrar of Deeds. But also in 2006, “Luciforo” had to step down from his elected position as “Pittsfield” State Senator because he was allegedly illegally double dipping as the Chairman of the State Senate Finance Committee while also serving as an Attorney for Boston’s Financial District’s big banks and insurance companies for the Boston law firm “Berman and Dowell”. “Luciforo” strong-armed Sara Hathaway, along with Sharon Henault, out of the 2006 state government “election” to anoint himself to the no show plum 6-year sinecure.
As the years passed, the Pittsfield Public School district tried to fire Sara Hathaway from her teaching position, along with several other middle-aged women teachers. Sara Hathaway and the other teachers filed various complaints. Sara Hathaway was ordered to be reinstated to her teaching position. Sara Hathaway also received an undisclosed financial settlement from the city during the Dan Bianchi administration.
In recent years, Sara Hathaway is a member of the Pittsfield School Committee. Sara Hathaway is politically active in Pittsfield politics. For years, Pittsfield’s public schools have received the worst rating from the state, which is Level 5. It is fitting that Sara Hathaway is a middle school teacher and a member of the Pittsfield School Committee because in my book, she rates as a Level 5 person, teacher and politician!
Jonathan A. Melle
I was not impressed by her thinking. Appeared to be out of touch with concrete realities, and also apparently unaware of 15,000 years of human civilization. I was disappointed, in fact, given her degree.
You go Karen! You have my vote! Common sense Karen, a breath of fresh air on the city council, fighting for the little guys.
This news has made my day!
As we speak barrels of new money is being poured into the Marchetti and Krol campaigns by special interests who are absolutely freaking out. Hopefully it will be reported and if so, one will be able to see the degree of panic.
We shall do our best to keep track with the money and file periodic reports on THE PLANET. Thanks, FIZZ.
Follow the money. Let us not forget that Bill Tyer, ward 3 candidate had put up his own money toward the race, AND has funded a forum to enclude all, and has gotten ALL mayoral candidates to be in one room and speak to the voters of ward 3, and beyond. Bill Tyer puts his wallet where his mouth is….