BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 17-9, 2021) — Two things seem clear — seem, we say — about the controversial mountain bike complex an outside for-profit developer, with the aid of complicit city officials, wants to place in the center of taxpayer-owned Springside Park: (a) […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 15, 2021) — In a 7-3 vote, the Pittsfield City Council last night voted to shoot down a request by citizens for councilors to conduct a public hearing on the controversial Springside Park pump-track proposal. Councilor Tony Maffuccio, who introduced the petition on […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 13, 2021) — Today THE PLANET presents a guest column that compares Syracuse Joe with LBJ. It’s an interesting comparison that hadn’t occurred to us. THE PLANET still supports President Biden’s decision to pull out of Afghanistan. He’s taken a beating over […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1 9/10/21: Nothing on North (NON), Tyerville’s most “vibrant and dynamic” attraction, strikes again. A couple of NON’s denizens of the deep, who tried to burn down St. Joseph’s Church, have been nabbed. From the PPD, Lt. John Soules: On Wednesday Aug. 4, 2021 at approximately […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 8, 2021) — The Gr8 Shacktown Cell Tower Battle comes to a head Thursday night (Sept. 9). We think. Representatives from the city of Pittsfield will virtually “meet” (presumably via Zoom) from 3 to 5 p.m. to settle a dispute over the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY SEPT. 6, 2021) — A hurricane touched down in West Stockbridge Thursday night in the town hall gym. You probably didn’t hear it. That’s how local government likes it when they commit legal larceny. Hurricane Amy also goes by the alternate title of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Third of Three Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 3-5, 2021) — THE PLANET concludes this week’s series with an opening observation. We wrote these three columns as part of a field experiment we’ve been conducting. Our theory involves memory, remembrance, history, nostalgia, wistfulness, and […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Second of Three Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 1, 2021) — That the white-washed story of the Alamo (literally, white washed) on March 6, 1936 turned out to be farcical and a presage to America’s present culture wars doesn’t suggest that the nineteenth century ethos translates […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY First of Two Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUG. 30, 2021) — Those old enough to remember the 1950s can identify three icons that became cultural myths: Marilyn, Elvis, and Davy Crockett. What kid didn’t fall under Disney’s spell and want to heroically fight the Mexicans with […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION AUG. 27-9, 2021) — The Great “Debate” over the ruination of Springside Park in favor of a tiny minority of thrill-crazed bike tricksters (aka The Great “Done Deal”) is about to take an unexpected turn. Come on down, Article 97. What […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY AUG. 25, 2021) — On Afghanistan, THE PLANET thought of T.S. Eliot’s lines: We shall not cease from exploration / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time. Twenty years […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUG. 23, 2021) — Once in a while the management at the Berkshire Eagle “gets it.” For example, their recent article actually questioning the organizational chaos in downtown Pittsfield, where insane traffic patterns have put small businesses out of business, driven respectable people away, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION AUG. 20-22, 2021) — Time for THE PLANET to clean out the files. What Campaign? — Wondering about silence and absence: Silence on the alleged “campaign trail” and absence of electoral talk. For those who don’t know, Pittsfield is electing 11 […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY AUG. 18, 2021) — THE PLANET supported and still does the President’s decision to rip the Band-Air off and quit Afghanistan. Obama and Trump said they would do it but didn’t. Someone had to have the balls. It turned out to be Biden. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUG. 16, 2021) — Now for something completely different. THE PLANET has been receiving requests for an appearance by The Generalissimo. Well, THE PLANET heard you! They said of Francisco Franco of Spain, “Too much General. Not enough “issimo.” They say of our […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1 8/14/21: On July 28, 2021 Pittsfield Police Department patrol officers responded to a residence in Pittsfield for a reported home invasion. A subsequent investigation revealed that two men forced their way into a home with a firearm. The suspects assaulted a man at the residence […]
