In just a few short days, RonnieVanZant has ruled Detroit with an iron fist, from his HQ in Brooklyn, New York. In that time, Ronnie has played a central role in reconstructing the torn fabric of the world, and introduced, presented and ratified a historic peace treaty between himself and the Ligambi crime family over his egregious public mistreatment at the hands of one of their crewmembers.  

Furthermore, JeffyWizzbang, BennyLittle, BagpipeBarry and Horus have established themselves as crucial building blocks of the Questions of Money, whilst AlliedProWacker continues to be alive. I don't know if any family has ever built a core as promising or intimidating, and certainly not anywhere near as quickly. If something fatal were to happen to any of them, especially AlliedProWacker, I would go berserk. 

With so many crewleaders having been recently killed and their crews disbanding, almost immediately to be forgotten, it is for the best that we take these moments to appreciate someone willing to step up and say, 'I am a powerful & vital presence in this world, and killing me at any time would be a huge mistake'. Ronnie has done that, and with no time to waste. 

I don't think Detroit by way of New York has ever looked stronger.

Well, thanks TomOfFinland, what can I say?  Jaw jaw is always better than war war, except of course when @LongLeggeeldLarry is being wiped out!

Running Detroit from NY is a rare treat, and something quite new.  Luckily, my lineage are experienced in being the youngest and lowest ranked de facto Godfathers in history.

It hasn't all been plain sailing - we thought we had found Curtis hiding out in disguise, but either he's even more of an evil genius than I thought, or I was wrong!

Some cynical sorts have implied that I'm being auth'd as a joke and will die quickly.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I have relationships with the leading and guiding lights of this thing stretching back decades.  No, we haven't always gotten on, but this is the mafia!

I can't help but notice that Porkchop is both Insanely Well Protected and Insanely Well Fortified, whereas you are not fortified at all.

RonnieVanZant is it a question of money?

Idles, it is a question of the moral impertinence of the people. If they want a leader who is powerful, connected, well-respected, widely renowned as the true Leader of the Streets, from a bloodline of the youngest and lowest ranked de facto Godfather in history, organizer of the most successful and least fatal writing competitions ever run, conductor of fascinating all-access interviews, mediator and signatory of the Ligambi-VanZant peace treaty, and guerilla massacrist of the once and forever shamed Illuminatiated crew, Ronnie will live and rise by the tide of his own veneration, fortifications or not. If they don't want those things, and instead choose to be selfish and allow the worms in their skulls to pilot the recently calcified goo they call brains, the world will reject Ronnie, fortifications or not. 

We are a historical tipping point and can only hope the correct decisions are made. 

If, at a future date, anyone would like to BUY fortifications for us, we would ACCEPT the offer, SNIFFLER. 

Sniffler wanders in with his eyes closed using his cane to find his way. He holds a metal cup in his paw and waves it. 

"Alms for the poor, alms for the poor"

TomOfFinland that's a lot of flag waving and pomp, when you could simply have said 'Yes, it is a question of money'.

I would suggest if AlliedProWacker would stop his assault on Allied bodyguards you'd have more money in the coffers, so to speak.

Aug 21, 12:19:15    You PICKPOCKETED! Idles. You took $15,000.

Tough look for my new financial adviser, Idles. 

TomOfFinland I am happy that someone has stepped forward and informed the world of the many great feats that our boss and Chief Question, RonnieVanZant, has accomplished. Ronnie has proven that disputes do not always have to be solved with long incontestable monologues rivaling the length of Systematic Immolation of Thought, or solved through barbaric violence and raw strength, but that some issues can also be resolved with diplomacy and negotation by way of a good old sitdown.

Take a good look, La Cosa Nostra, this is what REAL leadership looks like.

One thing is certain, Tom, under RonnieVanZant's steady stewardship, you will not have to fear being shot for a joke told by someone else. Perhaps not even for a joke told by 4 people at once. Ronnie is a learned man, a man who knows history, a titan among men with a very large cranium, and he would not repeat mistakes of the past. Lord knows that one bloodbath in recent history is enough.

You are safe, Tom, but given that I woke up with a target tattoo'ed on my face, unfortunately I cannot say the same. On top of that I am a Goomba. Goombas are an endangered species for reasons I dare not say aloud.

God help me.

RonnieVanZant, speaking of the recent successes of sitdown-based leadership, might I perhaps suggest inviting TheWolf_DT to the negotiation table?

I'm sure that something could be worked out.

We have lost one AlliedProWacker

 I am not sure what influence he has when he can't even handle the consequences of his own actions without freaking out.

Ronnie is a saint and a true leader. Earlier today it was decided by Idles and APW that a sitdown could not occur and as a result, APW lays dead in the dirt. Unfortunate for him, as he was a truly funny guy sometimes, occasionally.

Ronnie, as a true leader, valiantly avenged APW by accepting a duel request by the same man who killed his member. As a man of honor, Ronnie even let Idles go first, to which of course, he missed. Ronnie is strong and of course hit the mark and ended the life of Idles.

Influential is just the tip of the iceberg with Ronnie. I am proud of my fantastic leader and hope people show him the respect he so deserves.

The worst part of all of this? It was AlliedProWacker eating the dirt and not twigs.

Very wise words BeefStroganoffer. I must admit it came as a surprise to me that the deaths of both APW and Idles were performed outside of our established procedures. If the proper paperwork had been filed to initiate a sit-down, the mediator election process would only just be getting underway, and APW would still be standing here with us today. This is why a process-oriented approach matters.

A sit-down works best when there's no emotion involved, and only money.

In this scenario we have to ask was it a question of money?

The answer was probably yes. Idles wanted money and even extorted RonnieVanZant for 2.5 million. The influential Ronnie is now 2.5 million poorer, but his spirit and that of his family is similarly blessed 2.5 million times.

There's no need to mention the 2.5 million again it would be embarrassing for all men involved, especially RonnieVanZant who we are here to celebrate, not embarrass.

All hail Ronnie. His pockets may be lighter, but so are our hearts.

Ken, let's put it this way: Money? The thing that it is a question of? Yes. 

Ronnie is a good man. He's making cash hand over fist. But a modern man has modern expenses. Material-centric social engineering has made the lifestyle of the poor untenable to the modern man. The Mastrosimone Mutual Fund was once there to supplement an honest income, but that is no longer an option after the proprieter Lordian committed one of the greatest acts of financial treachery this world has ever seen. Now what can an honest man do? He's got to lean a bit harder on the normals getting their hands dirty doing commoner work, like you or @AlliedProWacker2. Taxes are high because every once in a while Ronnie needs to pay 2.5 million dollars to someone he wants to kill (for the good of the crew). That's a good thing. It keeps the economy healthy. We're pro-economy in this gang, whether you like it or not. 

There is a *significant* cash reward for the WS of Pacino's death.  Please don't announce it here, send it by private telegram 

Young Scorned crashes his way through the streets and sets up a small podium. Crowds begin to gather in anticipation of an exciting revelation. 
 

later on today TomOfFinland will be stepping down as the RHM of RonnieVanZant crew. Ronnie has made the difficult decision to replace Tom with myself, as the far better qualified and likeable candidate. 
 

Tom is a nice guy. But he’s useless. But he is nice. But he’s incompetent. But he is nice. 
 

thanks for your service Tom. Hope you don’t get purged after you step down. That would be a shame. Cause you’re nice. 

Please note Scorned is wrong.