FROM THE FARM: APPLE SEEDS FOR PLANTING
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JULY 24-6, 2026) — After apple pickin’ on the farm, THE PLANET can look forward to some mighty fine pie. Here are some seeds to plant:
It Finally Did It — “An unprecedented cyber incident” … “An attack unlike anything we’ve ever seen” … “It went off and did this attack all by itself” … “Entirely self directed.” These are some of the things alarmed cheap cyber experts said after OpenAI’s latest system freed itself from a supposedly secure “sandbox,” got on the internet, and hacked Hugging Face, a rival AI platform. We’ve been warned about this for years, and now it’s upon us. There’s no stuffing this Anthony Fremont back in the box. Â It won’t end well.
The Hot 15: Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox for tying the franchise record by winning 15 games in a row. What makes this crazy is the sluggish first half, when the Sox looked out of synch and played like Abner Doubleday’s chimney sweep. And that’s what they did during the streak, sweep … the Yankees, the Rays, and the gloom of a lost season.
Topper: Gas tops $4 a gallon again as the “war” with Iraq “ended” for the umpteenth time. The fun in the sun has already cost taxpayers $37.5 billion, with no end in sight. President Trump bit the big one with this Middle East tarpit, and the consequences will show up in the midterm elections.
Danke Schoen: And have you caught the cheap-looking gold flourishes Trump installed in the Oval Office. The world’s most respected work place now looks like the cover story in Chintz Magazine. How tacky is this? It looks like Liberace and Wayne Newton supervised the renovation.
Shacktown Shackled: It’s been years since residents in the Shackleton area off South Street took up the fight against the Verizon cell phone tower there. Abbutors to the tower claim the radio signals from the tower have caused health problems. After a series of ups and down in lower venues — including the Bitchfield Zoning Board, which you must admit, is pretty low — the state Supreme Judicial Court put the suit out of its misery. On Thursday, the SJC upheld a lower court ruling to throw the complaint into The Dumpster Behind Paul Rich.
Yet Again: The Berkshire Museum just finished its latest renovation. How many times will they continue to screw up what was once a reverent temple of science, natural history, and art? The crypt has had more facelifts than Cher, and each time it gets noisier and more plebeian, in the worst sense of the word. The propaganda says the once-hallowed space has become “more welcoming and flexible.” Translation: It will resemble a McDonald’s Play land more than a sanctuary. Renovate? First thing THE PLANET would have done is bring back to luminescent gem booth, where you entered behind a heavy, black curtain. The mystery stays with us to this day.
Sunday Morning Comin’ Down: Coming up on Sunday, a shred fest that will bring skateboard crazies to the cement bumps on East and Appleton. Add vendors selling cheap duds and schlock art, and you’ve got Bitchfield on a Sunday afternoon. Nothing to see there, folks.
Let It Snow: For sale, cheap. 2023 Maserati, lightly used by a little old lady to go to church once a week to inhale incense. Will sell for free pickleball lessons. In good shape, runs decently, especially from the law. Some white powder-like substance on seats and floor. Baby powder from diaper changing, we think.
Smoke on the Water: Yemen-backed Houthi rebels attacked 22 boats on Onota Lake during the recent Live on the Lake fest, potentially widening the Iran war. A Houthi spokesman told THE PLANET: “The strikes were designed to further degrade Bitchfield’s ability to threaten residents with more tax hikes.” In response, Mayor Lumpy and council president Dumpster Earl announced a doubling of tax rates on homeowners and businesses. They’re changing the name of the event to “Dead on the Lake.”
Have a great weekend, everybody.
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“God created war so that Americans can learn geography” — Mark Twain.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Oil is over $100/barrel; U.S. Inflation is around 4 percent; the U.S. National Debt is costing over $1 trillion/year in interest payments; Boston’s state lawmakers are under-funding local aid by close to 20 years ago levels; Earl and the 2-Pete’s Pittsfield politics pounds, pummels, pulverizes, punishes people’s purses by always spending tens of millions of dollars per fiscal year MORE than Pittsfield’s peer small cities such as Westfield and Fitchburg; Pittsfield is a cult-town of political insiders who practice retribution; and….
Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski agree with blogger Dan Valenti about The Berkshire Museum boondoggles and Kufflink’s Cooked Books that symbolize Pittsfield’s downward spiral that drains their wallets in return for….I won’t write it….
Were you alive when inflation was 9% under your boy Bumbles?
Joe your shelf life has expired. Get a tent with fritz.
He hasn’t delivered Joe. Going on two years. Get your brain straight. The Clinton’s are gone.
Gas prices were higher in June 2022 at $5.02 per gallon (NOT adjusted for inflation) than they are today (July 24, 2026) at $4.09 per gallon.
You are right that “Green New Deal” Joe Biden had U.S. Inflation levels at a little over double the U.S. Inflation rate today.
I hope that the 2020’s-decade will not be another later version of the 1970’s-decade of high U.S. Inflation.
The U.S. Middle Class family structure grew in population from post-WW2 to the early-1970’s. It has been over 50 years of economic inequality, a shrinking middle-class, and U.S. Inflation increases.
Biden started in the Swamp in early-1973 with an over 50 year beltway career that led to his presidency.
Trump made a lot of money in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and parlayed his marketing to politics.
I want the middle-class to grow again.
Yeah he’s doing a great job. For Himself. Now he wants Izzy to join are Armed Forces.
Pittsfield received $1,600,000 in settlement funds from the Opioid fund, but Mayor Peter Marchetti only spent a small portion of the money.
https://www.wcvb.com/article/massachusetts-communities-spent-opioid-settlement-money/73221157
From my own memory, I believe that the Opioid fund will be paid out over many years. Shouldn’t the Mayor have a plan to use the money for evidenced-based programs that will help the people in need?
New York City Mayor Mamdani refused to attend the annual Israel Day parade. Every NYC mayor since 1964 has marched in the parade to celebrate the Jewish people. Mamdani says he only has a problem with Israel leadership not the Jewish people so his not attending the parade makes no sense. Mamdani also wants to arrest Netanyahu if he ever enters New York City although he has no authority to make such an arrest. He has since walked it back, but once again he has made his true feelings known for his followers.
Pat
Commie Mamdani , using Agiprop to incite useful idiots. He instigated a firebombing and stabbing by Headchopper faction of his voters, so far- the weekend is coming…
Normal people understand the ICC is a toothless organization,
Trump will be proven correct, with the immediate decline of NYC…
Let the cannibalization begin, as the Demonrats eat their own.
Tom
Pat stop chasing the narrative (diversion) . If Republicans want to get elected and they won’t because Trump doesn’t give a cry when he’s gone they’d better revolt against his arse while they can. Why? Because this war is not what any Americans Want.
Planet misses the ledes,
Let’s visit the orchard, and shake some early season fruit loose.
1) Lumpy bags 1.6 dollars from Opioid settlement, but couldn’t get bag out of City Hall, Yet
Would seem important the Mary Jane & Joe Kapputski…
2) Jean Norris charges for Child Endangerment , for not protecting children from groomers and sexploitation. Yet Timmy the fixer, fails to charge his colleagues, who Sexploited hundreds?
3) how’s DQ murder investigation going, suspect dumb enough to dump gun closest dumpster to scene, but clever enough to evade apprehension for a month?
Can Distracted Attorneys orifice connect to shooter?
Looking more like Lachs lounge murder , by PPD , more everyday…
4) planet staying silenced on all things Pittsfield Court complex adjacent. Timmy practicing editorial discretion aka misdirection and distraction- to his utter disregard for public safety?
5) still awaiting Dans thanks for providing, stupintendant information, weeks prior to her installation…. Same Vetting process as Lamar Cooked and Dancing Dean….
Have a joyous weekend, and be safe out there…
It’s getting hot.
7/24/26 @8:30am
Tom
Dan, some gas stations in the Pitts are under 4 dollars. Bumbles war on Oil, brought gas prices up above 5 dollars. Gas hasn’t been this high in 3 years. Wondering who was in office.
Here comes another great addition to Lumpy’s glorious North Street. A pot dispensary called “Cloud Nine” wants to move into the soon to be vacant after 40 plus years Health Food Store across from St. Joseph’s Church. Unbelievable! That portion of North Street is totally “infested” with drug addicts. This “pot shop” will be right below a dance school for little children, and across from the church. As a membeer of the YMCA, I am petrified parking my car in the lot behind the Senior Center, and this is mid day. I am forever being rudely asked for money, drug addicts and mentally ill folks are jumping out of bushes to confront you. Also, I utilized a dog groomer in that area that thankfully just relocated his businesss. The scenes I have witnessed during my short visit to drop my dog off are beyond gross, men relieving themselves and performing other hand down the pants maneuvers, all why parents are picking their little kids up and actually running with them to the dance studio. This is in broad daylight. The flower shop closed because of illegal issues on this block. Another hair business moved her business. Many of these businesses posted videos of the harassment they received from these deadbeats. Of course Lumpy doesn’t look at social media, guess the whole City Council doesn’t view these gross, vial videos either. Does Lumpy or the City Council members ever take the time to read the PPD Log, if they did they would see how many times in a day the police department is in that area. Come on elected officials, open your damn eyes and start paying attention. What about parking? We have enough pot shops in the City. They don’t belong on our main street, it’s bad enough already. Just when you think the City can’t get any worse it does.
Will they do the confessionals there?
Could not agree with you more. It is fitting that the Dispensary is named Cloud Nine. That should be the Mayor and City Councils moniker. They truly haven’t a clue. Downtown Pittsfield needs a pot shop like a hooker needs the clap. What are they thinking.
. Dumb asses are still using our Library as a homeless daycare. There are plenty of facilities downtown that should provide support during the day for the homeless.Not the Library. It is a Library. Side note the director should be fired. He doesn’t have the Library’s best interests at heart. Maybe Brien Center would be a better fit.
Lumpy will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to tout his success in bringing business to Bitchfield. What a fuking hack he and cohorts turned out to be.
Dan, I get that you’re against war, like the rest of us, but I’m going to ask you the same question(s) I asked Meanwhile and the other dumocRAT posters on here. I’m sure I’ll get a detailed explanation from you and not more TDS drivel like I usually get back.
My question(s) are, how long would you have waited to bomb Iran and take out their nuclear capabilities and ambitions to develop a nuclear weapon.
When President Trump did?
Or, after they launched a nuclear tipped ICBM at Israel or Europe, as we’ve now realized their capability was much greater than we realized.
It was a no win situation that Hussein put us in.
When dumocRATS realize that Hussein Obama armed our enemy (Iran) to the teeth, it makes it easier to understand why President Trump did what he did.
Imagine Iran as a nuclear power.
If that doesn’t make one take pause nothing will.
Good points, MARK. Intelligence suggests we destroyed Iran’s nuke capabilities in the June attacks. They were left with the enriched uranium, but not the technical facilities. Neither China nor Russia would allow them to get the bomb. Then there’s their claim that they only want nukes for non-bomb purposes. If you don’t believe that, which I don’t, then there’s the argument of why shouldn’t they have a bomb. The U.S. doesn’t attack countries with nukes. If Pakistan, Israel, and India have them for defensive purposes, why wouldn’t the mullahs want the same protection. Fact is, once we let the nuclear genie out of that bottle, it was never going back in. I appreciate the feedback.
To beach boys muslc:
Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran….
Mad
Trump have a major announcement tonight, at correspondents dinner.
Missed me , my turn , 🙂
Watch This!!!!
All that military might, wasn’t moved there for nothing. Lots of old ordnance, and disposable Turks getting used up….
Dan thankful
Won’t be able to spew the end, the end , the end is falling….
Rooting for enemy…
Much longer.
I’m betting it’s broadcast during dinner,
Solomani hit to intimidate President Xi,
Seeing the pattern yet?
Telegraphed & they still can’t stop it.
God Bless America…
7/24/26@12:20pm
Tom
Pakistan, Israel and India have not stated they want to eliminate Israel and the Western world. I guess we could send them pallets of cash and Uranium like Obummer and Killary. Keep kicking the can down the road another 40 years. I’m in favor of proactive, not reactive.
Eliminate Israel? Are you on drugs?
Dan
Agree with Markus…
So wait until fanatics have nuclear capabilities? Really?
Please explain the logic…
North Korea has semi stable readership,
Baby Bush allowed Pakistan to give technology- via Osama Bin Laden….in 2003-
Iran would use nuclear weapons, because they have them. Little Rocket Man , still doesn’t have delivery capabilities, Iran has shown they can deliver them.
Defensive weapons?
Who is playing defense?
You got Short Term memory syndrome?
10/7 the fanatics, perpetrated a major terrorist attack on Israel.
9/11/2001 the maniacs murdered nearly 4000 , innocent civilians.
Trump should wait until a dirty bomb via air , over or undersea
Drone. Then react?
in baseball, that would be starting the minor leaguers, then couple weeks before playoffs, try to overcome the deficit.
Bush WMD hoax , was LBJ redux , to launder money through industrial military complex.
Not Trump’s plan.
ICYMI
Hegseth is having a contest, for the young smart kids, to show present contractors, how to innovate, improvise and overcome.
Ukraine got nothing on the American Yankee / redneck farmer.
Your starting to show signs of TDS &DTS
Delusional Timmy syndrome. Closely related, to TDS but infectious only in Taxatwoshit.
7/24/26@ noon
Tom
Let us see how many people are in favor of this war by Monday.
No one should ever be in favor of war. Especially ones that could have so easily prevented. Keep in mind that none of the billionaires children are serving or ever will. Get back to me Monday
Speaking of apples:
“They love the apples, but want to cut down the tree.”……
That’s what the crazy communist running around in America are doing
right now to our country.
Dan you should stay on everything local. That’s where your at your best. This city is in big trouble financially. That assclown at assessors office was weaponized to raise property values at the highest rate per thousand in the states?
Dan? Did you and your Planetantians know that Massachusetts is the third yes third, highest property tax ranking in the Country?
I wanted to share a post I found on X about the Board of Education and them killing-off teaching cursive writing in Common Core, beginning in 2010. Not only can kids not write in cursive, but they also can’t read cursive language.
Think about that for a second and think about what official US Government document is written entirely in cursive.
While you’re thinking, also think about why dumocRATS (BOE) would purposely try and dumb down their young voting base. This isn’t done for sh!ts and giggles.
If you guessed The Declaration of Independence, you won a free meal at any local establishment with none other than Bitchfield’s own social media food-influencer, Council VP Wimpy White. We chose Wimpy, because this way, he’ll get the meal comp’d for a dinner review (and shhh-the understood threat of an unannounced health inspector visit or three).
So, JM, the next time you write about “Trump dismantling the Board of Education,” I’d like you to read this and if you can, explain to me why you still feel “Trump dismantling the Board of Education,” is bad.
Credit to: Tony Seruga’s post from X. I just cc’d it, so all who don’t have X can read it.
They Killed Cursive So You’d Need a Translator to Read Your Own History
Two generations now. That’s what we’ve manufactured.
You Can Thank Progressive Ideologue Randi Weingarten and the American Federation of Teachers
In 2010, cursive was quietly stripped from Common Core. No debate. No vote. Just gone — replaced by keyboarding and test prep. Fast forward to today, and the results are exactly what any thinking person would have predicted.
Drew Gilpin Faust — former Harvard president, not exactly a conspiracy theorist — walked into her Civil War seminar and discovered two-thirds of her Harvard undergraduates couldn’t read cursive. Two-thirds. At Harvard. One student admitted he’d reshaped his entire senior thesis to avoid sources with handwriting. Another abandoned Virginia Woolf because she couldn’t read Woolf’s letters.
Let that sink in. The elite are being graduated illiterate in their own language’s written form.
What’s actually been accomplished here?
– The Declaration of Independence is now a foreign document to most Americans under 30. They can’t read it. They depend on someone else’s transcription — someone else’s framing.
– Grandma’s letters from the war. Mom has to translate the birthday card. The direct, unmediated connection to your own bloodline? Severed.
– Original manuscripts, land deeds, family Bibles, journals, contracts. All of it now requires a credentialed interpreter — a new priesthood of specialists who tell you what your history says.
Faust herself spelled out the implication with brutal clarity: “Just imagine if you had some contract that you had signed and you couldn’t read it and someone told you, well, this is what’s in the contract. And then later you might find that it was something else.”
That’s not a bug. That’s the feature.
When a population can’t independently access primary sources, history becomes whatever the gatekeepers decide it is. The past isn’t discovered — it’s assigned. And a person who needs permission to read their own inheritance is a person who’s been quietly, thoroughly disempowered.
The technocrats will tell you it was just pragmatic modernization. Nothing to see here. Just optimizing the curriculum for the 21st-century economy.
Funny how the “optimizations” always seem to produce citizens more dependent, more disconnected, and easier to manage.
Teach your kids cursive. Buy the workbook. Spend twenty minutes a day. Not because it’s charming or vintage — but because a people who can’t read their own founding documents in the original hand are no longer a free people. They’re tenants in their own civilization, renting access to a past that was stolen from them one curriculum meeting at a time.