By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2015) — It’s in the can. No, not that way. And while we’re at it, leave Biddeford, Maine out of it. The granddad of a dear personal friend of THE PLANET‘s was born there. “In the can” is film talk for […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2015) — Let’s see. If THE PLANET had sympathies for the Islamic State, and if we wanted to begin a terrorist cell, there are two things we wouldn’t do: We wouldn’t take our ordinary sounding American name and change it to Ali Al […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2015) — THE PLANET told you before anyone else about how the bungled job of laying fiber-optic cable opened up a torrent of water that’s flooded the Pittsfield city hall basement. It’s been mythologized into this little musical ditty. It goes like […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JULY 13, 2015) — We will save “Kumbaya” for the Bible thumpers, the progressives, and The Berkshire Eagle. THE PLANET gives it to you straight: the “Rally Against Violence” conducted this past Friday at The Christian Center won’t change a damned thing. The rally […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, JULY 10-12, 2015) — Secrecy. Lockdown. Furtiveness. The dark, damp shade. The moldy, black cellars. This is the state of Mayor Dan Bianchi‘s #1 promise of transparency. Blindfold the people, pour hot war in their ears, and duct tape their mouths. Though he […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY —————————————————————– WORLD PREMIERE! TONIGHT! PC-TV CH. 16 Tune in tonight, 7 p.m., for the world premiere of A Film By Dan Valenti: In-CITY-ous: Pittsfield’s Crisis of Confidence It will air on Channel 16, for the hour. It presents a funny, biting, hard-hitting, and honest look — a […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015) — Linda Tyer took the hint. Linda Tyer came out smoking. Linda Tyer just announced she won’t play the “demure little girl” role in which Dan Bianchi‘s camp has cast her. Tyer’s Statement: Hitting the Right Tone After THE PLANET […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2015) — Going on three days, and still nothing from the mayor on the murder and mayhem Saturday night that left one dead, two dying, and two wounded. THE PLANET covered that yesterday. We will only add that Dan Bianchi‘s head-in-the-sand […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JULY 6, 2015) — Murder and mayhem: Welcome to Pittsfield. And how does it feel, Mayor Dan Bianchi, to know that you bear ultimate responsibility? Does it improve your beauty sleep? Instead of sheep, do you count bullet casings? What occurred over the weekend […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, JULY 3-5, 2015) — Time for some Quick Hitz and Hot Lix, THE PLANET‘s version of what we invite you to do each weekend, to address topics of concern to you. Yes, The Comment Line is open. Any and all subjects welcome. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015) — Somewhere between falsehood and fabrication, between fairy tale and fiction, between half truth and half ass, THE PLANET lost count of the costs for the unnecessary move of 40% of City Hall offices to 100 North St. The figure […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2015) — Is the other sneaker about to drop for the local daily once proudly known as The Berkshire Eagle? One must wonder in light of a report on the dismissal of three editorial employees at The Boring Broadsheet and the […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2015) — Those of you who still bother to read the latest drivel in The Boring Broadsheet “learned’ yesterday that Kevin Swail (rhymes with “fail”) left his post in the Pittsfield Highway Department for the cooler climes of Lanesboro. Stop the presses! Those […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2015) — There will be no Brien Center strike on July 6. That’s what sources are telling THE PLANET. Management negotiations with Brien staff have gone on for a fruitless year. The contract between Brien and SIEU Local 509 expired in October last […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 26-28, 2015) — One Thursday, THE PLANET enjoyed a long, leisurely breakfast at The Red Lion Inn with two of Pittsfield most loyal and successful native sons. Our deliberations, moreover, summoned the memory of a third favorite and famous son. We speak […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2015) — In the breach, briefly: Rosenberg and Guildenstern are Dead — Senate President Stan Rosenberg graced the Berkshires with his eminence yesterday, all aglow from the radiated rump kissing he received from assorted “players,” wanna-bes, and sycophants. Stan’s a Top Dawg […]
