BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, SPRING-IN-DEC. 17-19, 2021) — Having enjoyed the glorious Northeast weather, we can’t help but noticing the deadly, crazy weather in the Mideast and West, with snow measured in feet, tornados, and winds flipping 18-wheelers. Mother Nature and animals, sentient as they be, have just […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 15, 2021) — While hiking today, various thoughts did a time step, asking for air. THE PLANET thus responds: ORBIT BITS We had a record number of nominees for the Coveted Orbit Award (COA), some of which were of the joke kind […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 13, 2021) — Now for something completely different. UFOs. Unidentified flying objects. THE PLANET has no jokes to make here in this field so ripe for ridicule. We invite you to seriousness as well. You know it’s time to stop the laughing […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY [ED NOTE: THE PLANET is accepting nominees for out coveted Orbit Award. We shall make the announcement of our winner before Christmas. Last year, Charles Garivaltis took honors. Who will it be this time?] ———- ooo ———- (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION DEC. 10-12, 2021) — […]
PLANET VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION DEC. 8, 2021) — Allow THE PLANET to clean out the gutters today with tidbits that we either haven’t had time to develop or items too worn to not merit a full column but who’s nature calls for a shout. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ED NOTE: Nominees for The Coveted Orbit Award have been arriving. The list thus far includes Mark and Lisa Tully, PLANET correspondent The City I Hate, city councilor Chris Connell, PLANETeer Jonathan Mele, Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, and Merry & Bright, another PLANETeer. Do you have […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY [Ed Note: THE PLANET is accepting nominees for out coveted Orbit Award. We shall make the announcement of our winner before Christmas. Last year, Charles Garivaltis took honors. Who will it be this time?] (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION DEC. 3-5, 2021) — THE PLANET concludes […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Second of Two Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY DEC. 1, 2021) — Getting all December on you, THE PLANET wraps up this two-part series on words by taking up our next one. And the words is … Democracy. A couple of quick hits. In Word Association, the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1 MONDAY AFTERNOON — “Ding dong, the wic … ” Oops. Forgive us. (PLANET ASSUMES A ‘WALTER CRONKITE” GRAVITY): THE PLANET has received word that Deanna Ruffer will resign as Community Development director in early to mid-February. From the mayor: “Over the next month or so, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE BLACK FRIDAY WEEKEND EDITION, NOV. 26-8, 2021) — This weekend, our focus is on you. THE PLANET, and THE PLANET alone, affords its readers instant feedback opportunities in real time on the stories we post — and also on other issues and matters […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY [ED. NOTE: In the following column, THE PLANET uses aliases for the actual names of the students involved. We do have the identities of these students, but we have decided to withhold them]. ———- ooo ———- (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 24, 2021) — Clearly, SOMETHING happened […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 22, 2021) — Fifty-eight years ago today, 12:31 p.m. Central time, Dallas, Texas … THE PLANET need not say another word. Those who were old enough to remember can never forget. We take a moment. ———- ooo ———- Since THE PLANET previous post […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1 EVENING NOV. 19, 2021 — THE PLANET here, reporting that we have continued to investigate the Richmond Consolidated School firestorm. We have gathered new information with a direct bearing on all that we have reported thus far. We hope to share this new information on […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 16, 2021) — Recently, while back in the Berkshires, business took THE PLANET to Tyler Street. We hazarded the journey only after having filed for combat pay and venturing in with a full pack. Our words shall be brief, choosing to let […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 15, 2021) — Our recent two-part series drew lots of comment and opened a lot of eyes about the current state of the Pittsfield public schools. We received two letters not posted on THE PLANET but sent privately — freely, unsolicited, and […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OS SOLITUDE, VETERAN’S DAY WEEKEND EDITION, 2021) — THE PLANET is pleased to present this guest column by a former Pittsfield resident who now lives in France. If affords a look at a cemetery that honors the dead from World War I, located in Suresnes, France. […]
