By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 11, 2013) — THE PLANET posts today in honor of Veteran’s Day. We offer this tribute to all who serve, particularly those who served and saw combat — all the men and women, in all times, in every war and conflict. This includes […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, NOV. 8, 2013) — The point of democracy is not harmony in communion but hammering out consensus. THE PLANET finds the recent calls for “harmony” in council-mayor relations to be at best poorly phrased and at worse a call for a clampdown on […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, NOV. 7, 2013) — On this “once upon a midday dreary” morning, we shake our heads and feel for our colleague Jim Therrien of the Boring Broadsheet. JT, you see, works for a newspaper that will fire you if you stray too far […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6, 2013) — THE PLANET offers you some quick post-election thoughts. We invite you to share your comments of the events of Election Day here. * BIANCHI ‘WINS’ FOR LOSING — We thank the couple hundred so who wrote our name in […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 4, 2013) — Tomorrow is Election Day, the day when the vast majority of citizens do not vote. Not voting has become the 21st-century equivalent of doing one’s civic duty. In fact, not voting has become such a part of democracy that […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, NOV. 1, 2013) — On Monday THE PLANET, presents our political endorsements for the municipal election in Pittsfield. First, though, we share a couple items that have made news recently. Both stories were broken, exclusively, on THE PLANET. The first deals with the plight […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DATE, 2013) — Along with education, the greatest safeguard of democracy and civil liberty is a free and active press. In Pittsfield, the press is free. It is not active. The mainstream media, “led” by The Boring Broadsheet and followed lockstep by the non-existent […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 29, 2013) — The most significant moment in at-large debate-cum-slumber-party last night at BCC was the sighting of Jonathan Levine, stalwart publisher of The Pittsfield Gazette, recovering from a serious medical setback. That gives you an idea of the z-z-z-z-fest offered last night […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013) — As usual, our readers were on to the news before anyone had a chance to break it. THE PLANET had word of Mike Supranowicz‘s departure from the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce before anyone else did. Not only that, but, […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, OCT. 25, 2013) — Leftovers from the Ward 6 debate: * Icing It — Joe Nichols and THE PLANET happened to walk into the studios at the same time. We found it fortuitous, since it allowed us an ice-breaking walk, going in. We met Joe’s […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, OCT. 24, 2013) — Coming off an extremely long day yesterday, THE PLANET dares to post some initial thoughts regarding last night’s Ward 6 debate between incumbent John Krol and challenger Joe Nichols. Yours Truly moderated from the PCTV studios live from 7 […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD #1, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 23, 2013 — THE PLANET will keep yesterday’s post up for another day, because it’s so serious as we head into another precast election. The city is playing around with an $80 million to $100 million budget. No one knows or if they […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, OCT. 21, 2013) — Now that the Boston Red Sox have extended the MLB season to its ultimate limit — The World Series — all other sports do not exist. The Patriots, Bruins, and Celtics, all within their seasons, will have to wait. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD #1 FOS, FRIDAY, OCT. 18, 2013, LATE — THE PLANET caught the red-eye back east, and we are delighted at the discussion ignited here by our observations. That’s the purpose of this site: to share news and information, offer commentary, and invite your responses. It’s a testimony […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 15, 2013) — Boston sports Sunday deserved the superlatives deliriously thrown its way by fans, media, and nation. First up at Gillette Stadium, Tom Brady and his depleted but stalwart B-men pulled off one of the most miraculous 4th quarter comebacks in […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, Oct. 14, 2013) — The recent announcement of the closing of four businesses in downtown Pittsfield surprised no one, except maybe Mayor Dan Bianchi and his motley collection of lackeys and apologists, who are telling us in what passes for “Campaign” 2013 of […]
