BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, FEB. 11, 2016) — When we think of photographs of WWII, the immortal picture shot by AP‘s Joe Rosenthal on Iwo Jima comes to mind. For THE PLANET, however, one sticks out even more. I first saw it as a young boy in […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 10, 2016) — As we were saying … Isn’t that Convenient? — Here’s a screen grab that might interest all taxpayers in danger of losing their homes, all seniors on fixed incomes who got 0% increase in Social Security COLA, and anyone […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 9, 2016) — Yesterday we outlined the simple mechanics behind Pittsfield’s looming financial meltdown. The main culprit? The school department, which consumes between 70% and 75% of the entire municipal budget. Despite the cash glut, each year sees the PSD with declining […]
BY PLANET VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, FEB. 8, 2016) — Kathy Yon must go. Let THE PLANET keep this simple. Pittsfield finds itself in a financial pinch one or two missteps from a full-blown crisis. It resulted from a generation of administrations, city councils, and school committees taking care […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, FEB. 5-7, 2016) — And now for something completely different! www.DonaldJTrump.com – FEBRUARY 4TH 2016 – JOIN US FOR OUR NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY EVENTS Dear Dan, With just 5 days until the New Hampshire Primary we have some very exciting Donald J. Trump for […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, FEB. 4, 2016) — There is a star-bursting rumor circulating with respect to Pittsfield regarding GE‘s recent decision to move its corporate HQ from Fairfield, CT to Boston. THE PLANET has heard it cross-referenced among several key sources for a few weeks. One of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3, 2016) — Do you hear the one about the “anti-freeze” leak. It, or a reasonable facsimile thereof, sent noxious-smelling fumes through Taconic High School yesterday. Kids by the dozens texted their parents, but the school kept everyone in class … … […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 2, 2016) — As you know, yesterday THE PLANET invited JAKE and KATHY and KRISTEN and JOE to appear on PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION and respond at this website to our criticisms. Guess what? The phone rang! It was JIV, getting back to us! […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, FEB. 1, 2016) — Being on the road and off the computer for a few days does wonders for the disposition. Working on books also Trumps many other ways of making a living (“Here’s another clue for you all …”). Fortunately for readers […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, JAN. 29-31, 2016) — With the calendar hitting late January, it can only mean those three words, “pitchers and catchers.” THE PLANET quotes Chico Esuela, “Baseball been beddy beddy goot to me.” Likewise, Chico. In the 11 years from 1979 to 1990, THE […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 2016) — THE PLANET “gets” the candidacy of Donald Trump? Let us explain why The Donald has taken this presidential campaign season by storm — and we mean storm. TRUMP #1 — “That Individual” As Steven Colbert revealed during his recent interview with Trump, GOP bosses […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27, 2016) — Time to clean up the odds and ends in the writer’s notebook. THE PLANET brings you Four on the Floor, a.k.a., Quik Hitz and Hot Lix. IF THIS BE ‘PROGRESS,’ … — Remember the old GE slogan? “Progress is […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JAN. 26, 2016) — Now playing on a college campus near you, the hit musical “The Death of Men.” This laugh riot of happy hits and snappy patter explores the fun and games of political correctness with respect to gender and sexuality, the laff […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JAN. 25, 2016) — Through our sources, THE PLANET has obtained recent internal memos regarding The Battles of the Boards. At stake: Control of Community ReStart, a “good will” agency that has lost sight of its mission to help those in need in favor […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, JAN. 22-24, 2016) — Yesterday, we beat all local media in breaking the news of Mayor Linda Tyer‘s latest appointments — Matt Kerwood as finance director, Denis Guyer as buildings and maintenance main man, and Michael Taylor as personnel chief. Today, we […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JAN. 22, 2016) — On Dec. 15, 1960, pitcher Frank Sullivan was involved the Biggest Trade in Baseball History when the Boston Red Sox sent him to the Philadelphia Phillies for Gene Conley. Why was it the biggest? Sullivan stood 6’7” tall, with […]
