It has been a busy few days across the country. Whoreable has taken a break from not meeting about creative ways to purge people and has instead taken up residency in the funeral home, together with her various underlings and non-purge purging accomplices. Meanwhile DougRoss has done a lot of crying in the funerals of people he stabbed in the back, EnricoCalabrese continues to cut down his own men upon demand and cowardly Hoth stands idly by letting it happen.

Of course, you haven't heard about any of that because our reclusive leaders instead choose to stay locked away from us, merrily taking your money in return for not protecting you and betraying their former friends instead. They can't even bring themselves to make a speech about why they felt the need to put a significant portion of our community into the ground so obviously, no mention as to why their own Consiglieres continue to bite the dust. The best you can hope for is an "RIP" (although Alexander_Hamilton doesn't even do that much) or a "No W/S required" eulogy.

I can't help with their reasoning for removing Whoreable and friends, but I do continue to have questions about why people join the leaders they are. I guess they all talk a nice game on their info pages, like look at this from Enrico:

Players of all ranges and dedication levels are welcome. This crew will be run as a family. I'll see to it that all my family members will be given the proper tools, information, and guidance to achieve their goals in this life. I want to see all those under me flourish and grow into mafioso that will be remembered around these shores.

Did Four flourish and grow? Did JackRyan? It should read more like this:

Players of all ranges and dedication levels are welcome. I need the cash. This crew will be run as a family, although in this family we treat our offspring as cash cows before putting them in the dirt. I'll see to it that all my family members will be given the proper tools, information, and guidance to achieve their goals in this life, provided those goals are getting to around 50 days before I shoot them/allow them to be shot and the information is their location, which I'll provide to the nearest hitman. I want to see all those under me flourish and grow into mafioso corpses, that will be remembered around these shores. They will be remembered fondly sooner than they expect, because I'll let them die whenever DougRoss decides is the right time. 

I could get on board with that message and I think a little honesty would go a long way. Still, I'm an old romantic at heart and I'd like to believe there are some people out there with positive experiences of their current family. Does anyone have any good words to say about their current family? Especially welcome if you have not been affiliated with that individual prior to this generation. If so, perhaps you can share with us a good thing that happened to you or something they have done to help you progress in our world? To the leaders, anyone out there capable of actually protecting their people? Anyone actually being a leader and not being beholden to coffeeshop gangs? Interested to know. 

I'll get the ball rolling with a positive story about Javier and the Medellin family. When he took me on he clearly explained his requirements and that he had an expectation of how I was to act as a member of his family. I appreciated his honesty and we had a decent discourse about what may or may not result in my execution. That is what you want from a boss, transparency. I have tried not to bring his family into disrepute and should he feel I have done so, I have no doubt he will put a bullet between my eyes. Unless of course DougRoss has a customary tantrummy shit-fit about something and gets to me first. 

Who's next? Why is your leader worth joining?

New experiences, new people. When your ancestors have been around for years it's easy to assume you know everyone, have set expectations and can't be surprised. It's refreshing to pull yourself out of the same pocket of people every once once in a while. Bet against your own survival and pick someone you don't know the history of, or haven't worked with your family. You're blind to whether or not they are likely to get you killed or waste your time, but unless you try, you'll never have that story told. My ancestors have met people they made lifetime (even transcending lifetime) bonds with edith that approach. 

You'll quickly find someone you might have always been passive or held animosity against is really just as relatable and driven as yourself, you've just never been on the same side. 

I, ah, finished talking without making my point, apologies. 

Im a believer in discovering a leader's worth before making decisions based on assumptions or hearsay. And if they're not worthy? Well, that's where we need to look at the 'baseline' of what is expected and where personal standards come into play.

Firstly, I'm a class A survivor of Whoreable's LA. She demoted me for moving from one crew to another within her city, therefore I left for CH and have been a lot happier here. The boss and hands are a lot nicer and more informative here.

I watched many people I respected die for no reason and with no explanation. I know it though; Whoreable was more paranoid even than Mikhail was.

Although I disagree with a lot of what you are saying Grin-04 I do admire your courage to speak freely of how you feel. 

Unfortunately this is not always how other people feel. 

I Can only speak for myself and my ancestors when I say that every crew leader I have worked for has welcomed me with open arms and encouraged me to strive and do well.

although my ancestors have taken a long break from the mafia life, I did manage to find some old notes about how much my great grandfather loved working for DeeSe7en. 

I also found some other notes from my family tree mentioning the following Crew Leaders 

Lust, Soseki, Tammy, Homer. I would be honored to work for any of these again.

As for the current World I have only worked for one of the Crew Leaders this is QueenFrostine who has been amazing. 

What I look for in a Crew leader is great communication and to ultimately make my time here an enjoyable place.

Although never working with the other crew leaders I do not believe what your are saying is correct. yes sometime Hard working members have been killed, for what might seem to you as un-necessary deaths. But did you ever ask yourself the question what if you saved many of your members by removing one.

I guess that's a life question

If you controlling a train that was set to kill 10 people but you could change the track where only one person would die, Would you change the track?

Being the generally lazy, disengaged soul that I am my faults and failings are accepted where I am.  Yes, I used an old family connection to get in but in the main my bloodline has so few previous alliances and allegiances that every time has been a new experience.  Sometimes it’s worked out well most times not so much.

On a broader theme though, I think people are finding a port in a storm that didn’t seem to set their last port on fire and most people get what exactly they are looking for…shelter.  Anything after that is maybe a bonus.

I have fallen into the trap of not answering your question though, why is Carol worth joining.  Her bedside manner?  Her years of sterling work tending to the needy of Chicago?  I appreciate the laissez-faire approach to my development and she’s happy to slap a little bit if it’s needed.

Between her and Senorita, that sort of thing is a definite bonus…

Tommy, I don't disagree with much of what you've said and have found many instances where exactly what you describe occurs. My concern today though are leaders seemingly misleading people to get them through the door before dropping them at the first sign of trouble, and in my opinion, the baseline is disgracefully low.

Dom, thank you for sharing your experiences. I hope Drake's family continues to be successful for you.

PoshSpice, you say you disagree with what I'm saying, but not exactly which part it is that you disagree with.

Do you not think Whoreable purged people?

Do you not think EnricoCalabrese continues to cut his people down?

Has Hoth not allowed it to happen?

Has DougRoss not cried in lots of funerals of people who called him friend?

Is there an explanation from our leaders as to why all those people died?

Has anyone explained why their Consiglieres have bitten the dust?

Which bit is wrong? I'm dying to know. My thirst for that kind of knowledge is exactly why I asked people to come out here and talk about their existing families and elaborate on the positive impact they are having. 

As to your, what's one life worth weighed against 10 example, you're missing off a fundamental part of the question as in an MR context we have seen, repeatedly, that no amount of purging will save you forever. History is littered with the corpses of the weak trying to appease the strong. So the answer to your real question, for me, is no. I wouldn't kill or let someone else kill one of my members who I didn't feel should die to prevent the other 10 from getting a bullet, because they will almost certainly get one down the road anyway alongside me. Better to choose the moment of your own demise if it is unavoidable or get out of the way and try to get your family to someone with a seat at the table prepared to vouch for them. I guarantee that if certain people say "PoshSpice is fine", then PoshSpice will be fine. Isn't it your duty as the patriarch of the family to protect your people? Wouldn't that be a better move than just wringing your hands like an absolute pussy, constantly looking over your shoulder, waiting for the time the other shoe drops? 

But if that is what is happening and people are so terrified that they will be cut down that they are sacrificing their own members to survive, shouldn't they be less fucking cowardly and at least admit that? I would have more respect for that than silence or false denials. 

Anyway, you seem to have about 10 passengers on your train, are you gonna start pushing people off soon to protect the others? Do you think appeasement is the way to go?

I appreciate Grin's kind words about his experience in my crew. Anyone can expect to be treated with the same transparency and respect here. Unfortunately, portions of his work here today were both factually incorrect and disrespectful. And while I believe it may be worthwhile to discuss the words and actions of today's leaders, and such discussions should happen here in the Streets, I believe they should maintain a modicum of respect.

I, too, would like to hear about the positive experiences some have had in our cities. I think it may also help newcomers better understand what sort of crew leaders they're joining.

I think you are missing the point Grin-04 Posh says while looking at his corpse

Its not that some of the things you are saying aren't true but i disagree with why you think they are happening, you make out like it is for no apparent reason.

My ancestors have on more than one occasion proved that we are willing to defend, retaliate and protect our members!

What I will ask to you offspring that may or may not be Grin-05 is how innocent are all of your ancestors?

Its easy to point the finger at others but have you never killed someone for a suspicion or a gut feeling you had that would have prevented future wars. actually you don't have to answer because I know a lot more about your ancestors pat than you know about mine 

Awww... I got a mention in the first speech!

Alexander makes a heart shape with his hands.

I didnt pay my respects at a crew member of mine who died? I wonder who that person was... mhhhmmm

I stopped listening when I realized I wasnt going to get any more mentions, but I assume "bla bla bla purging bla bla bla first is the worst bla bla bla"

Only bloodlines who didnt have ancestors 3 years ago in these shores will fall for your drivel. Everyone else knows what you are really about. 

You're not even funny anymore... You're making me miss the kukster *shivers*

I don't care about your ancestors, PoshSpice, I was asking about you. Are you going to protect your members, stand up for them or reward them and then shoot them down the road?

Don't really care about my own either, but happy to discuss them if you really want to. How far would you like to go back in the ancestor dick-measuring contest? It'll be quite a boring discussion as they are dead and you'll find plenty of explanation from me and mine about the reasons why we shot certain members of our families if you bother to look.

For clarity and as I said recently, I still don't have any issue with a leader deciding someone has had X amount of time to prove themselves and hasn't done so and gives them the boot as a result. That is fair enough in my book. This is, after all, a two-way street and I wouldn't expect any leader to go out of their way to vouch for someone who hasn't demonstrated themselves worthy of being vouched for. What I do disagree with is leading people down the garden path, telling them they are doing great, promoting them, rewarding them, and then shooting them or allowing them to be shot to save one's own skin. That's lame and a horrible lack of leadership.

Alexander, sad that you've taken this attitude, but not really surprising, victim mentality is hard to shake. I don't know what you think I'm really about, but as you've already confessed to not listening, I'll tell you again to make sure your understanding is sound. I'm asking for people's experiences of their crews and their leaders. Positive ones preferably, to show that there are some leaders out there who do look after their people and want them to have prolonged success. I know you don't come to the Streets much, but as a rule, if you aren't going to use those two hair holders on the side of your face to actually listen, it is probably best not to comment at all really. 

I thought we was having a proper discussion and you start trying to throw around insults.

I enjoy expressing my opinions as much as you do. and thought we had some sort of mutual respect for each other in that respect.

I have been proven wrong. I will not continue to amuse you in your future posts.

Thank you for your time

After re thinking what you said there I have came to the realisation I jumped the gun a little bit too quickly. I have took the time to listen to what you are saying and previously thought that you was personally attacking me accusing me of not defending my members. and maybe the measuring of dicks felt a little like an insult,

Some times the Girl power get to my head and I get get a little hot headed 

I will give you the time of day and actually listen to what you are saying but at the same time I feel like some of the Current crew leaders are under a lot of stress and like anyone will do what they believe is right at the time. 

Do we some times make mistakes? yes 

Will we know if the murders of some of the people were mistakes? probably not 

And If I am to talk about myself for a second, the answer is yes I will defend all of my members! that you can count on

Leaders are always under a lot of stress, that isn't an excuse for at best poor leadership or at worst outright deceit. Appeasement doesn't work. I'm glad to hear you'll defend your members though and hope to see examples of it when the nefarious coffeeshop gang leans on you to give someone an undeserved stomping. That would be nice.

Anyway, we digress. Who's leader has helped them out? Who's got a happy story of someone getting some sort of organisation with their crime?

The best crew I've ever been in was Billy_Mastrosimone's crew. Just a very active and friendly place. He protected his members so well that he risked him whole city for one person (And was removed by the soviets in the process).

RIP to all those who were killed by Whoreable aka Ms. Paranoia. Except for anarchy's crew, LA was a boring, non-friendly, tight-lipped place that was concerned only with its' leader's power

Cookiemonster listens to everyone before chiming in

I agree with what you are saying 100%. I'm trying to dick ride because I know a few people are going to think that's ok with me. I personally only had a few conversations with PoshSpice but my conversations with her seem very transparent and honest. I remember giving her my opening act before she allowed me into her family. We exchanged a few words. Now as a leader, She seems like she is for her people so I have no issues backing her up until the end. I haven't worked longer enough with her to get a indepth analysis but from what I can see I can roll with it. Now, I will try not to get off topic but PoshSpice does owe me some cookies so until that is paid in full I will continue leaving whoopie cushions in her office.

Cookiemonster walks away walking pass PoshSpice guarding his cookies from her