Article

THE RUMPUS REPORT: SNOW, GO, & BLOW … or … GONE WITH THE WIND

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 26, 2023) — Last night the Pittsfield city council heard a shaky Ricky Rumpus “um”ing and “uh”ing his way through a truncated Power Point presentation of his “snow job” on what went wrong during the Dec. 23 storm. Ricky’s a good engineer, […]

Read More
Article

SNOW AND FIRE: DAMNING PLOW-GUY VIDEO PUTS CITY’S FAILURE IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE … TOMORROW NIGHT, RUMPUS & FLAT TRY TO PULL THE WOOL OVER CITY COUNCIL

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 24, 2023) — A video. Content of video: TIME: Mid-afternoon. DATE: Received, Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. Time and date of the incident, unknown, though apparently recently. PLACE: Intersection, Onota and Linden streets, Pittsfield, MA. WHO: Reckless City of Pittsfield snowplow driver and a […]

Read More
Article

MIGOS’ TAKEOFF KILLED; RAPPER SHOT IN DICE GAME … THAT’S NOT ONLY AN UPWARD CAREER MOVE, BUT THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT … or … MOZART SCHMOZART

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 20-22, 2023) — Today on THE PLANET, something completely different, inspired by an  encounter on campus with one of today’s typical young scholars. The meeting preempted an additional PLANET CAT-Scan/autopsy of the most recent city council meeting, although, if you […]

Read More
Article

WHO’S BURIED IN GRANT’s TOMB? TAXPAYERS, TRUST US … YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 18, 2023) — At the most recent city council meeting  (Jan. 10) several interesting developments slithered from the agenda. The problem for THE PLANET: Which one to feature? We had: (A) An inadvertent admission by PPD chief Mike Wynn of how bad […]

Read More
Article

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY … AND MALCOM X, TOO

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 16, 2023) — Today THE PLANET recognizes Martin Luther King Day. The Comment Line is open. Be respectful. Show some class. If not, our beffed up Army of Robots will be on the alert. With that, enjoy the day. THE PLANET will […]

Read More
Article

SIR CHAZ BLASTS ‘MEALY MOUTHED’ MAYOR, COUNCIL FOR SNOW JOB (‘IF YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO GO, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW’)…or…RUMPUS REMISS & FLAT’S FLOP

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ((FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 13-5, 2023) — As we continue to tweak THE PLANET backstage, including the ads/v.subscription debate, we will be doing more construction “backstage” with the technical systems. This will involve the “comments” section. Not to worry. You will be able to […]

Read More
Article

TOO EARLY FOR KROL-MARCHETTI MAYORAL PRONOUNCEMENTS … plus … ONE-LINERS OF CITY GOVERNMENT

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 11, 2023) — We are a week and a half into 2023, months before candidates pull papers, and already we have folks making up their minds. THE PLANET doesn’t criticize in mentioning this. We’re only pointing out a neutral observation. With respect […]

Read More
Article

MORE HOUSEKEEING ON THE PLANET … plus … QUIK HITZ & HOT LIX

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 9, 2023) — More short bites, since there’s so much to report. First, a housekeeping note. THE PLANET thanks all who have responded to our questions about ads v. subscription. We are still asking for feedback on this question so that we […]

Read More
Article

TWO KEY QUESTIONS FROM THE PLANET … SHUGRUE TAKES OFFICE … & SHORT TAKES, INCLUDING CLUELESS, ‘BLAMELESS’ PETE WHITE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, JAN. 6-8, 2023) — Thanks to one and all for your good thoughts in welcoming THE PLANET back into your homes, places of business, and wherever in the nethers you may be in the reading. We were pleased with the number […]

Read More
Article

LIKE McARTHUR, THE PLANET RETURNED, BUT WE DO HAVE QUESTIONS

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ED NOTE: We are dealing with a technical issue with respect to comments. Please be patient. We expect to have it resolved in a moment. Thanks for all those who have notified us via email (danvalenti@verizon.net)! (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 4, 2023) — We said we […]

Read More
Article

IT’S NOT FAREWELL; IT’s ‘UNTIL NEXT TIME’ AS IN ‘AUF WIEDERSEHEN’

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 14, 2022) — Now that THE PLANET safely navigated through the electoral swamps of September and November, we have a special announcement to make. As of today, THE PLANET shall be going dark, as they say in Vegas. Our next scheduled column […]

Read More
Article

CRIMSON AND CLOVER: VETS, BAZAARS, ELECTION SCUTTLES, MAYORAL MUSING, and ‘HOUSELESSNESS’

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 11-3, 2022) — The election bore now over, time to empty the files of the clover. To the Vets: First up, THE PLANET acknowledges all veterans, with gratitude and thanks for their service and selflessness. Battle of the Bazaars: St. […]

Read More
Article

THE DARK SIDE OF YESTERDAY: ARMAGEDDON or ARMISTICE? DISRUPTION or DESTINY? WHATCHY’ALL THINK?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 9, 2022) — Yesterday. Okay. You voted. Or maybe you were smarter than that and didn’t vote. Either way, you once again got the results you deserve. Or maybe you got the result you didn’t deserve. The point is, the mid-terms are […]

Read More
Article

TOMORROW: THE VOTE … GET READY FOR A WILD RIDE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 7, 2022) — Tomorrow. Tomorrow is the first day in the final act of the worst presidency of modern times. THE PLANET doesn’t place the entirety of blame on Syracuse Joe Biden. He’s pushing 80, an old 80, and jokes aside, his […]

Read More
Article

QUESTIONS 1 (SHOULD YOU VOTE TO RISE YOUR TAXES?) and 4 (SHOULD YOU GIVE ILLEGALS THE VOTE) BOTH NEED A ‘NO’VOTE … Q2 (DENTAL INSURANCE) & 3 (LIQuOR LICENSES), WHO CARES?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 4-6, 2002, 2022) — With the mid terms looming, THE PLANET weighs in on the questions that adorn the ballot statewide. There are four of them. Your cheat sheet: Vote “NO” on Q. 1 and 4. Qs. 2 and 3 […]

Read More
Article

PART TWO OF ‘HOW THEY GOT THAT WAY’: ON THE RADAR, TYER … KAVEY … PERSIP

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Second in a Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 2, 2022) — Continuing with How They Got That Way, THE PLANET continues to uncover the manner in which certain of our public officials stumbled upon their careers in public life. HOW LINDA “FLAT” TYER GOT THAT WAY […]

Read More