By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 16, 2013) — It’s easy to measure. You know THE PLANET has rattled the cages and shaken the walls as measured by the way the GOB apologists, particularly Dan Bianchi and his Stooges, have responded to our most recent criticisms and analyses of […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 13, 2013) — On Bill Sturgeon‘s radio show yesterday, the talkmeister asked Mayor Dan Bianchi why Bianchi refuses to sit down to an interview with THE PLANET. As you may recall, we have: (a) Invited the mayor to do this, given that […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 12, 2013) — Because of the great work done by school committee member Terry Kinnas, all of official Pittsfield now has a better understanding of the state’s requirements regarding transparency during meetings. Essentially, the core or heart of the Open Meeting Law […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11, 2013) — If you visit the city of Pittsfield’s website and click on the mayor’s link, you’ll find a side tab labeled “Mayor Dan Bianchi’s 2012 Accomplishments.” It is a ponderous list of breathtaking achievements. THE PLANET would like to share […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 10, 2013) — Dan Valenti‘s write-in “candidacy” for mayor can be seen as the “None of the above” (NOTA) option — rather, its equivalent. Or as Pittsfield bedraggled voters and taxpayers might phrase it, “Free at last! Free at last! O Lord […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 9, 2013) — Galileo again will be facing the Inquisition. Whether he should or not is a matter from jurists far more capable than we. Thus, history repeats itself, and thus, Pittsfield gets another round of great publicity, doesn’t it, by serving […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 6, 2013) — With President Barack Obama at the G-20 economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, you can bet he and his staff will try to lobby world leaders into support for an attack on Syria. You can also be sure the […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 5, 2013) — Some national issues hold such great import that even a site such as this, which primarily feeds off local fodder, must address it. This happens, of course, from time to time, and it’s happened now. THE PLANET speaks of Syria, […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 4, 2013) — As we begin another semester, we marvel at the predictability of certain aspects of Pittsfield’s poisonous politics (and, brothers and sisters, THE PLANET happens to be work on what may be a doozy of a humdinger, one that has […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY THROUGH LABOR DAY, AUG. 30-SEPT. 2, 2013) — Terry Kinnas, Pittsfield’s best public servant, filed four allegations of law breaking against Pittsfield school officials. Four times, state Attorney General Martha Coakley has agreed with him, upheld his allegations, and determined these officials to […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, AUG. 29, 2013) — Congratulations again to Terry Kinnas, Pittsfield’s most effective public servant. Once more (actually, thrice more), the office of state Attorney Gen. Martha Coakley has ruled in favor of Kinnas in three open meeting complaints related to the Reid Middle […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2013) — The item THE PLANET posted yesterday on the efforts of the Pittsfield School Department wanting the school committee to take up the idea of crew — crew, of all things — as a varsity sport hit a nerve for […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, AUG. 27, 2013) — As Pittsfield’s public schools continue to reel in an amalgamation of falling test scores, increasing drop out rates, graduates unprepared for college and the workplace, the growing problem of the misuse of technology and smart phones, and all the […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, AUG. 26, 2013) — In our previous column, THE PLANET outlined the lack of process in capital projects under Mayor Dan Bianchi, exemplified by the shoddy procurement and vetting work related to a proposal for work on a new gym floor at PHS. Capital […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AUG., 23-26, 2013) — THE PLANET has been Out West, young man, scratching out a living in Hollywood, Palm Springs, and Needles, via Syracuse, living and working fixing holes in scripts and the roof. It stops our mind from […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, AUG. 2o, 2013) — Let’s get one thing clear from the outset. THE PLANET does not have as its mission the breaking of news. We leave that task to the other media in town, particularly to the so-called “mainstream media,” which consists of […]
