By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2015) — What’s up at the airport? Leave it to THE PLANET‘s readers to be on the ball and for members of The Secret Squadron to come in for the save. Last week, we got word that airport manager Mark Germanowski […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND EDITION, MAY 22-24, 2015) — On Tuesday, we voted. It is still an empowering feeling. Of course, we had something for which to vote. Some 39% of the electorate (619 out of 1612) turned out in Stockbridge to elect new members […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2015) — THE PLANET is not surprised that our politicians at the national level are owned — bought and paid for — by the unseen hidden Special Interests. These nefarious subverters of democracy use their incalculable wealth to hire $200-an-hour lobbyists — […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015) — Given the rough shape of so many Pittsfield roads and walkways, THE PLANET offers a suggestion on how we can turn the “lunar surface” into an “economic engine.” Every pothole in a road, every crack in a sidewalk is […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015) — How did Paul Capitanio learn of a pending drug raid so that he could tip off a dealer? There have been many comments about this pointing to Cappy’s son-in-law, a Pittsfield police officer, accusing him of being the leaker. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary First of Two Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015) — You know the story. Former Ward 3 councilor Paul Capitanio tipped off a drug dealer about an imminent raid. Capitanio’s stupid action put at risk the lives of police officers, continued the mockery he made of […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Comment (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, MAY 15-17, 2015) — THE PLANET ends this week on a consistent note: the update to the non-story of the year, “Deflategate.” We trust that at least some of you read between the lines all this week and realized that once we […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2015) — When you own the store, you get to carry whatever merchandise you wish. Even better if you are indifferent to making a sale or not. When you own the car and are behind the wheel, you decide where to […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015) — It has never been a better time to be a New England Patriots fan. Everyone is happy. Those who envy the team’s unparalleled success in an age of NFL Parity have “Deflategate,” Patriot fans bask in being World Champs […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OFSOLITUDE, TUESDAY, MAY 12,2015) — The NFL’s punishment for “Deflategate” has the markings of a pre-ordained conclusion. The league investigated for four months, and the best it could come up with was “probably.” For any other team, this “issue” wouldn’t have even made the local news. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, MAY 11, 2015) — Full disclosure: Since 1960, when the team first came into the league, THE PLANET has quaffed the Patriots’ Kool-Aid. We did thus drink through all the dismal early years, those 2-14 masterpieces, and we continue to do it now […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, MAY 8-10, 2015) — THE PLANET begins with the numbers. (a) There are more than 6,700 people who live in Dalton. (b) According to town clerk Barbara Suriner, 4,578 are registered voters. (c) The vote on defeating Item 22 at the town […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015) — Today THE PLANET applauds a small victory for We The People in our never-ending battle against Big Brother and the excesses of government. It gives one faint hope that in our continuing fight to uphold privacy and our Constitutional protections, […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015) — North Korea has long been a source of fascination for THE PLANET, going back to childhood, when our war play alternated between fighting Germans and “Japs” in WWII and duking it out on Pork Chop Hill with Gregory Peck. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2015) — What are we to say about the aftermath of the death of Freddie Gray while in custody of the Baltimore police? The curfew has been lifted, and the city has conducted “victory” celebrations. Victory for what? Who won anything? In […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, MAY 4, 2015) — The heroin epidemic ravaging the country, state, county, city, neighborhoods, and homes has produced a devastating, incalculable toll on individuals, families, and communities. As you drive Pittsfield’s neighborhoods, streets seem to contain a bit more trash. Houses appear more unkempt […]
