Planet Valenti

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2013) — “Hot enough for you?” Sure, the question is asked as an innocent and innocuous ice breaker, pun intended, but it begs an entry in Mad Magazine‘s feature that gives smart-aleck answers to stupid questions. THE PLANET‘s answer is, “No, […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2013) — Mayor Dan Bianchi, neither the first nor the last of the political big-time spenders, set an all-time record with his FY14 municipal budget, beating the record he set himself the year before. So much for innovative leadership in the […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI Arts and Entertainment (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, Tuesday, July 16, 2013) — Rape, the Musical! Or perhaps, The 51st Shade of Gray might better describe the first scene of Extremities,” with a first beastly then humbled male forcing himself on a woman. The remaining scenes resemble a cross between Venus in Furs […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013) — What makes a good temporal leader? This eternal question, so much a part of today’s vexing world, lies at the heart of Richard II, which opened Friday at the Tina Packer Playhouse at Shakespeare & Co. for a limited […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, JAN. 12, 2013) — This fall, students dining in public school cafeterias will pay an extra dime for their lunches — from $1.85 to $1.95. A dime doesn’t sound like much, but to hard-pressed families, it’s another ten cents per meal that will […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI Arts and Entertainment (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2013) — You could give director Eric Hill the phone book as a script; a month to block, cast, and adapt; three weeks to rehearse, and you’d end up with enjoyable theater, even with the Zs as the predictable ending. This […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2013) — Did you happen to catch at-large councilor Barry Clairmont‘s editorial in the Boring Broadsheet Monday? If so, you were treated to an informative read, one in which a Pittsfield politician actually dispenses transparency and truth.  If you didn’t, you […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2013) — It’s official, as THE PLANET predicted. There will be no drive-thru window for the proposed new Dunkin’ Donuts store on Fenn and First streets. At its last meeting, our Right Honorable Good Friends on the city council said no, […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JULY 8, 2013) — With a budget of $137 million, one that has grown at a startling proportionate rate well past the nosedive of the local and particularly the city of Pittsfield’s economy, Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski would figure that at least […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY AND THE WEEKEND, JULY 5-7, 2013) — Whimsy, when crossed with wistfulness, produces a healthy attitude toward the past. Seriousness, when crossed with regret, produces Jay Gatsby, the rich man who thought he could repeat the past. You can’t. That doesn’t mean to say […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, FOURTH OF JULY, 2013) — Happy sparklers and red-checked picnics to you on this sun-shiny holiday. In honor of this great day of Independence, observed in the good USA and in the hearts and minds of the Beach Boys, we shall suspend out […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2013) — Quotable quotes leftover from the latest school department budget fiasco. You won’t find these in Bartlett’s Famous Quotations: — “I thought we had a pretty lean budget.” — School committee chairman Alf Barbalunga. Comment: “Think again, Alfie.” This budget […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013) — THE PLANET has the smartest readers. Yesterday, the ever-observant Prof. Trzcinka commented that we have more fun with theater reviews than reviewing the dire theatricality of municipal budgets. That’s why the economics department at Indiana University pays Prof. T […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI Arts and Entertainment (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JULY 1, 2013) — Half the year is shot, and though the July breeze sighs of summer, it is “winter” yet in the Berkshires, and, like the past two, a rather warm one. Check that. This one is positively hot. The Berkshire Theater […]

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 2013) — These past few months, THE PLANET has watched with great interest and approval the new style of Pope Francis, a man we can call “militantly humble.” While cutting the regal papacy down several notches, he has elevated a new […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013) — With your kind indulgence, one more day, please, then a day or two of rest before we bring THE PLANET  closer to its familiar orbit, likely by the end of the week or the start of next. Today, let me share some […]