BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, 75th ANNIVERSARY OF PEARL HARBOR ATTACK) — For the first century, newspapers in America were essentially political screeds. This included emptying both chambers upon adversaries who were lied about, libeled, and labeled. The notion of objective “news” taking precedence over commentary and pamphleteering came in […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY DEC. 5, 2016) — Here’s some Christmas cheer from Forbes magazine, one you can be sure Pittsfield treasurer Matt “Kufflinks” Kerwood will conveniently miss. He’s another of the thousands who don’t read PLANET VALENTI! From Forbes: “Massachusetts now has a $67 billion budget shortfall, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, DEC. 2-4, 2016) — As readers of this board know, THE PLANET has been more than eager to serve as ombudsman ex-officio for The Berkshire Eagle. We have been occasionally on hand to point out the paper’s flaws, motivated by a […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 30, 2016) — Some “famous” actress you’ve never heard of says Thanksgiving was founded on a massacre and that the Dakota Access Pipeline is the result of nasty white, European-descent males inflicting their evil on helpless women, children, native Americans, minorities, transgendered gay […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 28, 2016) — THE PLANET had inquiries here and elsewhere about the actions at Berkshire Community College following the win by Donald Trump in the Nov. 9 presidential election. What, if anything, did the campus do? The queries came following news reports […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, NOV. 23 AND BEYOND, 2016) — There are times when we must surrender, though not in defeat. THE PLANET speaks of the triumph of life’s end, that sum of all our days awaiting each one of us as victory in demise, a fall giving […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 21, 2016) — The funny money continues to pile up in the city of Pittsfield, but taxpayers aren’t laughing. In a ridiculous effort to make a nearly-5% tax hike sound palatable, city finance director Matt “Kufflinks” Kerwood announced The Miracle of the Values. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY We begin with this advert. It involves a new book, CHASING WILLIE MAYS by Paul Kocak. Full disclosure: THE PLANET was heavily involved in the editing and revision. We also wrote the Introduction. If you like memoirs, you’ll love CHASING WILLIE MAYS. Full information here: Press Release (Kocak) […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 16, 2016) — While Donald Trump’s win did not surprise THE PLANET, the resignation of Pittsfield maintenance-building director Dennis Guyer did. Guyer left a managerial post with Jane Iredale Cosmetics to assume city responsibilities for mayor Linda Tyer, accepting the challenge of managing […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2016) — THE PLANET is back, like McArthur wading ashore in the Philippines. We spent our down time helping Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen Degenerate pack. You recall they promised to move to Canada if Donald Trump won the presidency. Hoser, we […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, ELECTION DAY, 2016) — THE PLANET‘s message is simple today. We phrase it in the imperative mode: VOTE! That’s your job, your right, your privilege, and your duty. Do it! Just friggin’ do it! We exercised the franchise on Friday. Before we filled out […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 7, 2016) — As a public service to those who have decided for whom and for what to vote, those not sure of their choices, those who don’t know if they will vote, and those who will not vote, THE PLANET presents our […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 4-6, 2016) — THE PLANET ends this tumultuous week with one of the final political presentations of Campaign ’16 — local style. We present statements from the candidates seeking district seats in the state House and Senate. Running for Senate, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY NOV. 3, 2016) — You know how THE PLANET feels about polls. They can’t never be taken at face value. Nonetheless, THE PLANET cannot ignore the most recent ABC-TV conducted by Langer Research Associates. It shows that Donald Trump has caught and moved narrowly ahead of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 2, 2016) — When you win election to public office, you have a responsibility to your constituents. When you win an at-large municipal post, that means everyone in the city. Hello, Sweet Pete White. White has been brave and bold posting on Facebook […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY NOV. 1, 2016) — It’s “the biggest scandal since Watergate.” So says GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump about the FBI’s reopening of a criminal investigation of rival Hillary Clinton’s use of a private server while she served as Secretary of State. The FBI has […]
