BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY FEB. 7, 2022) — “It’s only words / and words are all I have / to say that I love you.” So the brothers Gibb sang in the 70s, when John Travolta was invented and Robin found his falsetto, the powder-blue-leisure suit of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKED EDITION FEB. 4-6, 2022) — Some of the studies say yes and some say no. Does failing to prosecute so-called “minor crimes” result in greater public safety? The studies, usually commissioned and conducted in such a manner to give a desired result, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY FEB. 2, 2022) — THE PLANET knew the day was coming. Nonetheless, it still seems unreal. Tom Brady, the ageless GOAT, has officially retired. GOAT, not just for his position, but GOAT including every position. There’s a new No. 1, Tom Brady. Now […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 31, 2022) — On this last day of January, allow us some housekeeping as we clean out the garage of a few bit-sized items: GENDER-EQUAL PLOWING — We kid you not. With this weekend’s snow, Boston plow jockeys are boiling. Seems that […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN 28-30, 2022) — Any moment now, the rug may be pulled out from any one of us. As Frank sang, “That’s Life.” When we take this sense of personal entropy and apply it to world events, it can be dizzying. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 26, 2022) — First order of business, a housekeeping note, to the many who tried to log on to THE PLANET in the wee hours yesterday and couldn’t. Essentially, we had a traffic backup. Forgive the use of jargon, but by way […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 24, 2022) — Last week, THE PLANET shared news from the Pittsfield Fire Department. In fact, we broke the news of a strange car fire that eventually took the life of 69-year-old Barry Dunnels. Our transmission: ———- ooo ———- On Wednesday morning […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 21-3, 2022) — TFIG and the weekend, right? THE PLANET‘s not so sure. Everywhere we went this week, we sensed a general malaise out there in the vale of tears for which we should have to invent a new word […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD #1 — THE PLANET shares this breaking news from the safe streets of the city, from the Pittsfield Fire Department. On Wednesday morning at 0842 hours [8:42 a.m.] the Pittsfield Fire Department responded to 7 Second Street for a reported motor vehicle fire. Upon arrival Engine […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 17, 2022) — How are you celebrating Martin Luther King Day? THE PLANET will be watching one of Malcolm X’s last speeches, not long before he, too, was assassinated. Check it out on YouTube, Malcolm X at the Audubon Ballroom (42:15). Brilliant […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 14-6, 2022) — The actions of ultraliberal district attorneys across the country prove a concept THE PLANET has long asserted, that “crime” is a legal concept and nothing more. If legislators pass a law against a certain activity, doing that […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (Ed Note: This column was written prior to the council meeting to meet deadline.) (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 12, 2022) — The temptation to stay with national and world news notwithstanding, today THE PLANET turns it’s focus closer to home, what with Pittsfield’s “new” city council […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 10, 2022) — At his inauguration Joe Biden pledged to stop the “uncivil war” that has divided America. He called on all Americans to come together, turn the page, and move forward in unity. How that’s different than totalitarianism may come down […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION JAN. 7, 2022) — Sharing some thoughts while we watch the Christmas decorations head into storage: WOODSMAN, SPARE THAT SPEECH Those who suffered through yet another dreadful State of the City speech sat through enough wood to build Noah’s Ark 10 […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Second of Two Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 5, 2022) — Low interest rates. Sounds good, until you look at the harm inflicted. Modern economies exist because money moves around. THE PLANET gets that. What we don’t get, and perhaps it’s because we grew up around […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY First of a Two-Part Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY JAN. 3, 2022) — Leave it to the Bay State’s senior senator, the redoubtable Elizabeth Warren, to come up with it. For Liz, it must be the nation’s most pressing problem. Granny Clampett, when not going after Tesla’s […]
