BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 16-18, 2016) — Citizens of Pittsfield: Do you wish to voluntarily raise taxes on yourself? THE PLANET wants to know. Ward 2 city councilor Kevin “The Barber” Morandi thinks you do. He doesn’t think the shave he gave you at […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY SEPT. 15, 2016) — The stilettos will be out in North Street tomorrow night. No, THE PLANET doesn’t refer to the usual knife fights and stabbings. We’re talking shoes, pards. Women’s shoes, for as you no doubt know, tomorrow is the final Third […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTAY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 14. 2016) — One of THE PLANET‘s favorite pieces of music is Brahms‘ Academic Festival Overture, written by the 90+-year-old master for a university commencement at Breslau. There’s not a sour note in the piece. For the piercing shrill of the off-key, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY SEPT. 13, 2016) — Cars radiators overheat. Electronics with blocked cooling vents overheat. People do not “overheat.” The medically useless terms stands as another evasive euphemism coming out of Mrs. Bill Clinton’s dishonest campaign staff. Mrs. Clinton “overheated” during Sunday ceremonies in New York […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 12, 2016) — What does THE PLANET need to say about last week’s zombie primary? The election never came to life. “Undead” would be a more apt description. There were no winners. Two candidates outpolled the others, but no one wins when 80% […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION Sept. 9-11, 2016) — “There was an article that was written a week ago by somebody who was totally out of line because none of it was true.” Did the “acting” chief of the Pittsfield Fire Department actually say that? He did. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY SEPT. 8, 2016) — In the aftermath of the convicted felon hired become one of the rookie class in the Pittsfield Fire Department (PFD), several key issues have emerged. Before that, let THE PLANET repeat our support for the hire of Fred Conyers […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 7, 2016) — Ah, so much happening on THE PLANET and so too few days to share — but we press on, as always, a skiff against the tides. With respect to the controversial proposed appointment of Fred Conyers Jr. to the Pittsfield Fire […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY SEPT. 6, 2016) — Mountains don’t move, but Mohammeds do when they realize the summit proffers a destination better than the journey. Over the weekend, THE PLANET and Democrat state senate candidate Adam Hinds met over coffee (his iced and black, our black as […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, LABOR DAY, SEPT. 5, 2016) — THE PLANET here, checking in on your holiday weekend, the last “official” one of the fleeting summer. It’s hard to realize that summer itself has now left the long-passed spring lost in the affection of a fond memory. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 2-5) — On his website, Democrat state senate candidate Adam Hinds advertised Aug. 26-28 as the “Weekend of Action.” By the time the weekend was over and then some, his campaign had more “action” than it wanted. The campaign […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THOISDAY, 2016) — Ah, yes, the dateline. Guess it is the Curly Howard in us. Speaking of Goldilocks, THE PLANET has interesting new information on the crooked campaign of Adam Hinds, the talentless, hand-picked gofer-boy of the Machine bosses. THE PLANET has thus far […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY AUG. 31, 2016) — Let’s start with three political notes. (1) Christine Canning, Republican nominee in the state senate race, opened her campaign headquarters Monday night on North Street. If anyone doubted Canning’s seriousness, the highly visible HQ serves as evidence to the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, AUG. 30, 2016) —Last night, THE PLANET attended a debate between Democrat candidates for the state House: Machine candidate Tricia Farley-Bouvier, and intrepid challenger Mike Bloomberg. We didn’t fall asleep nor did we rely on toothpicks. Our shades worked just fine. Jonathan Levine‘s […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUG. 29, 2016) — A few weeks ago, fire alarms rang over the expected hiring at the Pittsfield Fire Department of a convicted felon. THE PLANET heard on good authority that the person in question ran into trouble with the law a few […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, AUG. 26-28, 2016) — The Committe to Elect Adam Hinds, conductor of Hinds on the Roof, the vertigonous fund raiser for The Chosen One for state senate, Democrat Adam Hinds, wants to ride out the illegality of a promotion on the city’s […]
