BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY MARCH 4, 2019) — Apropos of nothing but dipping from everything: Rico — Watching Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen, it occurred to THE PLANET that he looked and sounded like former Red Sox shortstop-3b Rico Petrocelli if you took about 25 years off […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION MARCH 1-3, 2019) — THE PLANET watched enthralled as two unprecedented demonstrations of high political theater played out on the global stage. We refer to the second meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jung Un, as well as […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY FEB. 27, 2019) — Today marks THE PLANET‘s 1,900th column on this board. What started out as a simple writing exercise blossomed into Berkshire County’s most read site. It’s still an exercise that serves its workout purpose, and we still enjoy the intellectual […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 25, 2019) — This year, with ideologues such as Alexandria Ocascio-Cotez, Kamala Harris, and Bernie Sanders presidentially chirping from the extreme left-leaning branches, THE PLANET offers a few thoughts on a topic often mentioned by commentators on this board when debating the […]
BY DANA VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION FEB. 22-24, 2019) — Through the Secret Squadron, THE PLANET has obtained a copy of a soon-to-be-released press release from the mayor’s office announcing a dramatic new economic development project worth countless millions to the city. Here is the Good News Memo: […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY FEB. 20, 2019) — They blew it. Or perhaps the passive voice might be better, since “they” depends on your politics, hence: It was blown. Amazon’s pullout from Long Island City, Queens, will be a Harvard Case Study in the not-too-distant past. Why […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 18, 2019) — One of the most under-reported aspects of Amazon’s stunning pullout from its HQ deal with Long Island, Queens is how the left battled the left. When you arm wrestle yourself, you can only lose. You can only win. One […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION FEB. 15-17, 2019) — Last week, NFL Films released its fabulous “Mic’d Up” film of Super Bowl LVIII. These productions never fail to provide fascinating glimpses of men under pressure, from the Rams’ Aaron Donald psyching himself up before the game with […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY FEB. 13, 2019) — It wasn’t the best of weeks for embattled Democrats, not with the likes of Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Mich, and Alexandria Ocascio-Cortez, D-N.Y. screeching away. The two not-ready-for-prime-time freshmen reps resembled children pretending to sit at the adult’s table at […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY [EDITOR’S NOTE: Keeping in mind the warning we published last week, commentators are advised to keep their postings on topic, relevant, and free of diatribes and personal insult. If you go off topic, have a good point to make. Our first warning had a good effect, one […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION FEB. 8-10, 2019) — Our commentary on the inner workings at the District Attorney’s office led as we thought it would to more leaks, despite, again, Andrea Harrington promising Mach III and brimstone to watchdogs who drop a dime. Pressure cookers […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY FEB. 6, 2019) — On Tuesday, Boston hosted another Rolling Rally, revving the Duckboats for another celebration of a World Championship. This one was to honor the 6th Super Bowl title of the NFL’s Greatest Dynasty, the New England Patriots. This one’s the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY [EDITOR’S NOTE: We were hoping for the “market” to self-regulate through common sense, but we see now that Big Brother has to come in for the Lecture. To wit: The pointless back-and-forth bickering lately on this site has grown more than tiresome, amounting to an abuse of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 31-FEB. 2, 2019) — It didn’t take long before reports trickled out of the Berkshire County District Attorney’s office, led by newbie Andrea Harrington. Our new Hamilton Burger assumed office with the startling agenda of going after “crime” on the basis […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 30, 2019) — In early September, Pittsfield begat another bizzywerk brainchild of government in a welcoming event for the 20 or so people who would make up the Citizen’s Academy — and believe us: We mean “make up,” because the event proved […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 28, 2019) — One subject that needs to be added to the public school curriculum is money. THE PLANET first learned about money and how it works in grammar school. We had our first bank book in first grade. Today, it’s not just […]
