By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015) — North Korea has long been a source of fascination for THE PLANET, going back to childhood, when our war play alternated between fighting Germans and “Japs” in WWII and duking it out on Pork Chop Hill with Gregory Peck. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2015) — What are we to say about the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray while in custody of the Baltimore police? The curfew has been lifted, and the city has conducted “victory” celebrations. Victory for what? Who won anything? In […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, MAY 4, 2015) — The heroin epidemic ravaging the country, state, county, city, neighborhoods, and homes has produced a devastating, incalculable toll on individuals, families, and communities. As you drive Pittsfield’s neighborhoods, streets seem to contain a bit more trash. Houses appear more unkempt […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News Commentary Third of 3 Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, MAY 1-3, 2015) — On May Day, THE PLANET skips the parade of missiles and ballistics, intending, rather, to conclude our series on the circus crisis in Dalton. Interesting, those two words: “c-i-r-c-u-s” and “c-r-i-s-i-s” — how alike in […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Second of a 3-part series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015) — In Pt. 1 of this series, THE PLANET shared a behind-the-curtain look at what the Dalton Lions Club — actually, one toothless Lion, Dan McGinnis — did to impose censorship over the entire town. McGinnis […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary First of Three Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015) — On its website, Lions Club International lists several bullet points explaining its purpose. Among those: To promote the principles of good government and good citizenship. To take an active interest in the civic, cultural, social, and […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015) — While you were out, THE PLANET thought you would like to know: — Keeping the Fat on the Land: For a little while, somehow some way The Pittsfield Public Schools managed to survive a dreaded personnel crisis. After deputy […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2015) — The Founding Fathers wisely built into the framework of governance a separation of church and state. Having seen what centuries of corrupt Prelate Power did to Europe, they didn’t want religion to have institutional claim over the fledgling nation. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, APRIL 24-26, 2015) — Before we present the island solace of poetry, THE PLANET shares our two favorite quotes from the recent $120.8 million steamrolling of taxpayers by The Vested Interests. They come from two of Our Right Honorable Good Friends, councilors Jonathan […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015) — Yesterday, we published Ward 2 councilor Kevin Morandi‘s denial that (a) he had promised seniors he would be voting against the $120.8 million THS bonding and (b) he had been muscled into reversing his “nay” vote. The story doesn’t […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015) — Ward 2 city councilor Kevin Morandi checked in with THE PLANET responding to our questions about a couple of stories that came to light following the city council 11-0 vote to approve $120.8 million in bonds for a new […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015) — Last year, our right Honorable Good Friends on the city council engaged in some strategic thinking. They played “what if.” “What if,” they posited, “we should one day elect a mayor dedicated to the proposition of fiscal sanity? And what […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015) — It’s Patriots Day, a day only the Commonwealth observes. It honors the World Champion New England Patriots. Viva Kraft, Belichick, and Brady. … and Butler. Today we have education on our mind. Led by the Pittsfield School Committee, encouraged and […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS & COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDTION, APRIL 17-19, 2015) — There’s nothing for THE PLANET to clear the air, focus the mind, and calm to soul to more of reason’s logic than poetry. For this weekend, we invite you to enjoy the following piece from our pen. Also, […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015) — Allow THE PLANET to play philosopher and political scientist, a morphed character revived from the 19th century who still can hold court today. Democracy, so the introduction to old TV show The Defenders goes, is a bad form of government, […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TAX DAY, APRIL 15, 2015) — How appropriate! On Tax Day, The Suits got their Ca$h Cow with last night’s move to approve borrowing $120.8 million dollars, all on the shoulders of bedraggled taxpayers! But that’s not news. THE PLANET predicted this Done Deal […]
