BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN 28-30, 2022) — Any moment now, the rug may be pulled out from any one of us. As Frank sang, “That’s Life.” When we take this sense of personal entropy and apply it to world events, it can be dizzying. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 26, 2022) — First order of business, a housekeeping note, to the many who tried to log on to THE PLANET in the wee hours yesterday and couldn’t. Essentially, we had a traffic backup. Forgive the use of jargon, but by way […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 24, 2022) — Last week, THE PLANET shared news from the Pittsfield Fire Department. In fact, we broke the news of a strange car fire that eventually took the life of 69-year-old Barry Dunnels. Our transmission: ———- ooo ———- On Wednesday morning […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 21-3, 2022) — TFIG and the weekend, right? THE PLANET‘s not so sure. Everywhere we went this week, we sensed a general malaise out there in the vale of tears for which we should have to invent a new word […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD #1 — THE PLANET shares this breaking news from the safe streets of the city, from the Pittsfield Fire Department. On Wednesday morning at 0842 hours [8:42 a.m.] the Pittsfield Fire Department responded to 7 Second Street for a reported motor vehicle fire. Upon arrival Engine […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 17, 2022) — How are you celebrating Martin Luther King Day? THE PLANET will be watching one of Malcolm X’s last speeches, not long before he, too, was assassinated. Check it out on YouTube, Malcolm X at the Audubon Ballroom (42:15). Brilliant […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 14-6, 2022) — The actions of ultraliberal district attorneys across the country prove a concept THE PLANET has long asserted, that “crime” is a legal concept and nothing more. If legislators pass a law against a certain activity, doing that […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (Ed Note: This column was written prior to the council meeting to meet deadline.) (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 12, 2022) — The temptation to stay with national and world news notwithstanding, today THE PLANET turns it’s focus closer to home, what with Pittsfield’s “new” city council […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 10, 2022) — At his inauguration Joe Biden pledged to stop the “uncivil war” that has divided America. He called on all Americans to come together, turn the page, and move forward in unity. How that’s different than totalitarianism may come down […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 7, 2022) — Sharing some thoughts while we watch the Christmas decorations head into storage: WOODSMAN, SPARE THAT SPEECH Those who suffered through yet another dreadful State of the City speech sat through enough wood to build Noah’s Ark 10 […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Second of Two Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 5, 2022) — Low interest rates. Sounds good, until you look at the harm inflicted. Modern economies exist because money moves around. THE PLANET gets that. What we don’t get, and perhaps it’s because we grew up around […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY First of a Two-Part Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 3, 2022) — Leave it to the Bay State’s senior senator, the redoubtable Elizabeth Warren, to come up with it. For Liz, it must be the nation’s most pressing problem. Granny Clampett, when not going after Tesla’s […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 27-30, 2021 FOR THE WEEK) — As we wrap up 2021, a heads up for this week. THE PLANET shall be taking it off in favor of a hegira to parts unknown and largely off the map. It shall be a time […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, 2021) — At the Fortress, many are stirring, including the mice on this Christmas Eve. First, THE PLANET and MRS. PLANET extend warm and loving greetings to all the PLANETEERS, Z-Agents, spies, gumshoes, secret agents, and members […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ED NOTE: On Friday The Weekend Edition announces this year’s winner(s) of the Coveted Orbit Award (COA). Sources tell us the decision has been reached. Stay tuned. ———- ooo ———- (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 22, 2021) — What do you get for a country that has […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 20, 2021) — In a recent roundup column, THE PLANET had the following item: DONUTS AND IRONY Speaking of Fenn and First, on the opposite corner rests in peace the vacant lot still owned by Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owner Cafua Management, the […]
