Archive | Uncategorized RSS feed for this section
Article

LOTS OF JOBS INITIATIVES; PROBLEM IS THEY CREATE JOBS FOR THE CONNECTED AND THE FAT CATS

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 2015) — The news of Sabic’s exit has knocked the 2015 election out of the news and into next Tuesday — into Tuesday, Nov. 3. Not that this snoozefest has generated enough interest to warrant Bodoni Bold in neon on the marquee. […]

Read More
Article

PPDC A GONER, TOO … FOR SABIC IT’S BUSINESS; FOR PITTSFIELD, IT’S POLITICS

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY EDITOR’S NOTE: Tomorrow evening at the school committee meeting, supercitizen and PLANET VALENTI TV guest host Terry Kinnas will invite any candidates for that board — incumbents and challengers — to join him on PVTV. The show begins at 7 p.m. Thursday and runs for the hour. […]

Read More
Article

SABIC LOSS CHANGES THS CONSTRUCTION FROM UNAFFORDABLE TO SUICIDAL

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 13, 2015) — Even under the most harmonious of scenarios for a city strapped with debt, a shrinking tax base, a falling and aging population, $5 million lost each year through school choice, and a government addicted to spending, the timing for […]

Read More
Article

THAT GIANT SUCKING SOUND IS — WAS — SABIC LEAVING; 300 HIGH-PAY JOBS VANISHING FROM PITTSFIELD … RADIO DEBATES SLATED … plus … THE COMMENT LINE IS OPEN

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 9-11, 2015) — The news is as dour as it gets but only as consoling as the writing on the wall has indicated for at least a year, that is, such time as when THE PLANET first talked about the exit more […]

Read More
Article

TYER TWICE REFERENCES ‘RENAISSANCE’ IN DOWNTOWN WALK/TALK, BUT WE AIN’T SEEN MICHELANGELO, DA VINCI, or RAPHAEL

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 2015) — Picking up on yesterday’s topic of “revitalization,” mayoral candidate Linda Tyer held a moveable campaign event Tuesday. Cue Sammy Vincent and the orchestra: “A little traveling music, Sam!” The Lovely Linda, the press release goes, “began a walk of Pittsfield’s downtown. […]

Read More
Article

PASSWORD FOR TYLER STREET? ‘REVITALIZATION’ IS DREAMY, BUT WHAT’s IN THE GROUND?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2015) — If Tyler Street was an early 1960s game show, it would be Password. In Password, the word on the screen would be flashed for “those viewing at home” and the studio audience. It would be hidden from the players. […]

Read More
Article

BIANCHI, TYER AGREE TO DEBATE ON PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 2015) —  It’s on. THE PLANET will host a TV debate between the mayoral candidates beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 as an episode of PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION. It shall be the campaign’s most highly anticipated event, and with it being so […]

Read More
Article

WHY LOW VOTER TURNOUT IS NOW A GOOD THING

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, OCT. 5, 2015) — The message began this way: “After my cousin’s windows were shot out on Brown Street Saturday afternoon …” It gets your attention. “After my cousin’s windows were shot out on Brown Street Saturday afternoon, I wrote a letter to the editor [The […]

Read More
Article

WE HAVE WON INFLUENCE, THE HARD WAY … THE COMMENT LINE IS OPEN

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 2-4, 2015) — Welcome to The Weekend Edition, where we open The Comment Line. A couple months ago, a witty wag asked us “How is The Comment Line different from every other day, where people can freely post?” It brought a […]

Read More
Article

GUESS WHAT? THE PLANET TURNED FIVE! 1,300 COLUMNS AND COUNTING

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, OCT. 1, 2015) — Today THE PLANET begins our sixth year. This is column 1,300. What started out as a simple writing exercise (our equivalent of a daily workout) has blossomed in a way we did not plan, could not anticipate, and would not […]

Read More
Article

PPD MESS CLOUDS CITY, LOOMS AS AN ELECTION ISSUE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2015) — Here’s a comment from Irishman relating to last night’s city council meeting: Police union exerting its self serving protectionism and paranoia in regard to a rather innocuous special police provision … Obviously the police union is self-sustaining only, showing […]

Read More
Article

IT’S ALL CONNECTED

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 2015) — It’s all connected. Let’s explore. Revised Dress Code THE PLANET likes the attention the Pittsfield School Committee has given to the district dress code. We have long been a champion of a stricter code and, more importantly, enforcement of it. You […]

Read More
Article

DEBATES? SURE, BUT ONLY IF THEY PUT CANDIDATES IN THE HOT SEAT

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2015) — It’s not exactly “Man Bites Doberman,” but it is out of the norm for a two-term, incumbent mayor to issue a debate challenge to an opponent who has never held a public-service executive position. Last week, Mayor Dan Bianchi […]

Read More
Article

THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT BUDGET EXPOSED! plus SWEET POETRY … and … OPENING UP “THE COMMENT LINE”

 BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 25-27, 2015) — This week having put to rest the preliminary phase of the 2015 campaign season, THE PLANET provides this information for perusal. It’s the school department budget, in all its glorious multimillions, which doesn’t include the pay raises just agreed […]

Read More
Article

WANT TO ADDRESS BIANCHI, TYER, OR ANY OTHER CANDIDATE D-I-R-E-C-T-L-Y? HERE’S YOUR CHANCE!

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 2015) — Welcome to autumn. Today, THE PLANET begins with one of the best questions that can be asked at this point, a couple days after the preliminary election and nearly six weeks before Election Day in November. Romaniel’s question goes to […]

Read More
Article

PLANET’S EERILY ACCURATE PREDICTION CALLS IT: TYER SPANKS BIANCHI IN PRELIM WIN

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23, 2015) — Yesterday, THE PLANET predicted “under 20%” turnout in the preliminary election. Unofficial actual vote: just under 19% of the electorate (27,962 voters). We called it for Tyer and Bianchi, and they finished 1-2. Several times we assigned The Water […]

Read More