So now I have been here and traced a few old cousins I was given a key to an old lockup in The Loop in old Chi town. So quick as I could I popped myself down there and went to see what delights I could find. When i got there....Nothing...nothing but some old newspapers and a rusty old gun. So not knowing what else to do I started flicking through these old cuttings. Its amazing how we could all learn something from our forefathers.

Let me read...from Jan 25, 1914...

THE COUNCIL CRUMBLES


The council was on an inevitable path to disbanding after the death of Greyswandir. People that were calling for its destruction in the streets were only calling louder with more support. A council that said they made all decisions as a whole was in fact a farce and the death of Pallmall's members and Greyswandir were proof.

The Gazette was provided information that stated The Council did not in fact make all decisions as a whole. On at least two separate occasions the decisions were made without all members input.

Pallmall was given permission to keep his headquarters after Uncle Nicky died. A spokesman for The Council came to the streets and explained that Pallmall was told that he could only have a maximum of 50 members when in reality Pallmall was not informed of this clause. His crew was then reduced to below this number by the killing of various ranks.

Following this "group" decision it came to light that a member of Greyswandir's crew was shooting at active unsponsored members of the community. The council then issued a warning and Greyswandir said he would abide by it. Grey's second in command, Benito, took it upon himself to clean up a "mess". Versace and Red-Scorpion were informed of this and took it upon themselves to make the decision to have him executed. Yellowgil, Aikon and others were not involved in the voting that resulted in the execution of Greyswandir.

Following the execution of Greyswandir, versace felt it was necessary to kill Aikon, fellow council member representing the city of Las Vegas. He said that Aikon betrayed him. Instead of speaking to Aikon himself he believed rumours and hearsay. Now the family of Aikon has left the cities as a result of the corruption that is apparent in the ranking leaders.

Shortly after the death of Aikon, an unknown killer shot down versace in cold blood. The people in the streets and coffee shops rejoiced.

After the death of versace, Blossom was the first to step down from the council saying, "In my eyes it is something that needs to be redone from the ground up and until then, is not a worthy enterprise. Each leader takes care of their own city. Corruption is something we do to politics, not to ourselves."

Scarin was the next to step down from the council, clearing up some of the accusations that have been made towards the Acting Godfathers. In regards to the use of the coffee shops for Council meetings she said, "The places in question do exist, however they are not used for council meetings. People from within these rooms may tell the godfathers their opinions. However each godfather could choose to take those opinions to heart or to use them to make their decisions. I, for one can honestly say I used my own judgement and not others when inside the godfather meetings. The council meetings, two of which I have sat one, were in rooms controlled by members of the council. Was there outside influences (PMs) at this time? I can say I didn't have any of this happening with me and I can only speak of myself."

In regards to the events of Saturday she said, "As far as I have been told there were only two godfathers present at the time that the order was made. One of which was for it, the other against it. So in my mind this it was not a council decision. Who's was it? I wasn't there and can't speculate. But there were five appointed council members, two present and only one voted for it."

The last issue she addressed before taking leave of The Council was whether or not The Council was indeed intact. She said, "After thinking over the recent events, I will no longer be a part of the council. This does not mean I am giving up my godfather title. However I can not be apart of something when I do not agree with the way things are handled. I will still work closely with all the crewleaders and respect them all. My concern will now be New Orleans and my crew. If there is a time when the godfathers or leaders need to meet I will go. I will take my title and use it like the godfathers of old have."

The leading speaker for The Council, took to the streets and announced that The Council was no more in a speech directed at those who heckled the leaders' attempts at bettering the world in which we live and said, "Now the council was a great concept. It eliminated things like Auths that the other ruling crews (acting GFs were titles that were used for the Council) were nto happy with. It gave the GFs a place to discuss and iron out issues that arose.

So now that The Council has commited its assited suicide. I concentrate on my own city Philly. I will be undertaking my own auths in Philly."

The cities are enjoying a time of quiet and mourning over the loss of many comrades in arms. Is this a step forward towards success or the beginning of a road to disaster? No one can answer that question, only time will tell.

In the past this is how the cities were run, leaders communicating about important events but running their own cities. This could be a return to the way things were run last year when the cities were at their height in both survival rate and population.



Now i'm not one to tell people what they should do, but the first paragraph in this old article strikes home to me alight recent issues. These people aired their unhappiness in the streets. This gained support and as Leaders made moves that contridicted their previous statements, WE THE PEOPLE stood up in the streets and caused the death of this 'council'.

People standing out for what they believe and making change happen....

*The old russian man stands up from his table and starts applauding.*

A lesson in our rich history, and it was very well told my good sir. Sadly few of us learn from our past, believing that we can avoid the mistakes of earlier generation. But not many of us are capable of that, allowing history to repeat itself.

*He takes of his hat, placing it at the table, while grabbing hold of his glass... and walks towards the center of the room, close enough for CarraigRealta to see the tears in his eyes*

I was a toddler during those times that you described, but I still remember fragments, not much but enough to remember a few good man raising up to become fine leaders. Leaders whom I had the privilege to work with and learn alot from.

*The old man raises his glass*

 In memory of Mark69, Karlos, k-9, EB, TeQ, and anyone else that fell victim to Uncle Nickys reign... zazdorovje

As someone whose bloodline only came to these shores quite some time after these events occured, I would say that I find hearing such tales extremely interesting.

I've heard a number of stories handed down through the grapevine and, each and every time that I am able, I like to sit down and pay close attention.

The problem with learning from anything is that the desire to learn must be there in the first place. If nobody wishes to learn, then words such as yours unfortunately fall on deaf ears.

It is my hope that out here, amongst the masses of our world, some mobsters may take a moment to listen regardless of the age of their lineage. Too often, I fear that people take this place for granted, forgetting that once upon a time, our world was different in so many ways and it was the mobsters of old who shaped and formed our society into what it is now.

Certain time-honoured traditions are very gradually being eroded away or forgotten about; certain revolutionary attitudes are nothing more than a slight spark within those who whisper to themselves, 'I wish I could change something.' To you, I say this:

While you sit there wishing, others around you are doing the very same thing. You are not alone. You're simply being too quiet, holding your light under a bushel.

Do I mean that you should come out here, all guns blazing (literally, in the case of rogues)? No, I do not. There is a method to the madness of mutability. Do your research, ask questions and learn how to plead your case, then come out here and plead it. If you simply feel that you can't, then approach someone that you think can.

What do you wish to change? Above all the meniality that we have all had to participate in at one point or another, what leaves you feeling truly dissatisfied? What stops you from saying so? God knows, if any member of my family were unhappy with some aspect of their lives, I would want to know. I would want to help where I could. They aren't just there to make money for my city - they are my family. My city is my family. And if my family, the very people I lead, become dissatisfied, then any success we enjoy becomes ill-fated.

Ms Delaney, while I do agree with most your views here, I do think that there is a constant desire to learn and a constant desire to bring about change. People just feel that changes can be brought about by other ways than coming to the Streets but rather in the coffee shops and in other sites such as the much fabled hideout called 'Skype' and therein lies the problem, in my opinion.

In the example cited by Mr.Realta, I would like to ask how old each of those crime syndicates were. While my bloodline hasn't been around anywhere near the time when those events occurred, I can say with a large amount of confidence that those syndicates were nowhere near as long lived as the current ones. Of course, that shouldn't make any difference... shouldn't it? Well, I think it should. When the average time-frame for a syndicate to survive was that short, people had an urge to distinguish themselves so as to go for maximum glory in the shortest possible time. A drive that most of us could not hope to match. However, when you are assured of having an extremely long life provided you aren't a retarded mong(well, in some cases, even if you are a retarded mong with the right amount of power and connections) people, as a whole, have become complacent. They have become happier with just waiting for their turn rather than to jump and seize the ring.

Furthermore, Street presence doesn't seem to be a prerequisite for change anymore. Change is now brought about by whispered conversations and secret meetings. Which I do not have a problem with, to be honest. Secret plans cannot be broadcast to the general public. What I do not understand is whether that was all that kept these Streets going. In my opinion, no it wasn't. There was much more that kept the Streets alive.

A Street presence does not seem to be required at all to succeed these days. All you need is either a large gun or a large other worldly bank account both of which generally means an Insane level of protection which means you can't be killed by almost 90% of the existing populace. If people can come that far without using their vocal talents even once, well why should they even try to do anything more?

I'd like to read another small article from this dusty old print...

*shakes dust from paper*


MAFIOSO FURIOUS WITH TWO LEADERS

It seems that the two crews that were authorized by Uncle Nicky and Sky Witch- had most people confused.

"Who are those two?" asked one former Mafioso.

"We had never heard of them before and they never made their appearance known to the street" said another.

"I wake up today to find 3 new-ish leaders, Captain_Kirch, Phattony and PhatalError... Now Captain_Kirch I have no problem with, she is as vocal as anyone... But Phattony and PhatalError... who are they?" -Father_TeQ

Our kind, on the streets asking questions about auths?

Holy Shit are they mad?

No, they cared and it showed.

I believe the Teq family are always more the exception than the rule. 

They have always spoken their minds no matter the situation.

Sometimes we can look at the past through rose-tinted glasses, the problems of the present plagued our families in the past, however they are highlighted more due to the longevity of our lives. Amazing what science can do these days.

Yes I remember those days when I was a nipper. They used to question who was authed and that was their rights. The auth in turn would have had to come out here and explain themselves otherwise they would have got axed not long after.

It's strange, could it be this thing of ours thats afraid to speak up? Or do we not have those kinds of mobsters anymore?

I find it hard to believe that we don't have those kinds of mobsters around anymore, if anything we have more of them... it's just that they fear for their lives more than anything. Though this kind of stuff is not life threatening and it's like a boundary had been placed on it.

I can't say I'm any better, I have kind of gotten lost in all these things that happen, that I have never even tried to ask any questions. I was never one to critizise when I was growing up but I did remember looking up in awe at the likes of Father-Teq who would stand up and ask questions.

All-in-all it was those in power that dictated the standards of other cities leadership. It was a rule of thumb, that you don't auth your friends, you authed those that could clearly put a sentance together in the streets rather than hiding away. Though can they then be blamed for something that got lost in history? Was it not our job to show them the way things worked back then?

I think all those that remember that rule of thumb should come back out to the street and promote it until everyone is so sick of hearing it that it happens.

An interesting archive to share with us Carraig, thanks for digging it up. It does raise and pose a few interesting questions for us to ponder. Questions that were relevant then, are relevant now and will be just as relevant in the future.


Do the people, the ordinary five eights, have any power?
This is always an interesting topic. In an organisation such as ours, respect and money flow uphill while orders and work loads flows down. There is a certain level of respect that is demanded and given based on rank, position and authority that has been one of the tenants of this thing of ours for a long time. With that in mind, it's easy to lose sight of what's really important and where true power lies.

The reality of the matter is that a leader is only a leader if people are willing to follow. Otherwise they're just a person, potentially with a big gun and maybe a few bodyguards, out for a walk. No man is an island, I'm clearly loving the clichés today, and without the correct following behind them anyone will lose the strength they need to hold a position. It's simply a fact of life.

Individual strength is obviously important but shear force of numbers can (and has) overthrown even the mightiest leaders, in the past and I'm sure will again in the future. So yes, the people have the power and the ability to make change, that's beyond a shadow of a doubt. Whether that's through the strength of their voices on the streets as in the example given or through the strength of their arms, a large community working together can be almost unstoppable and nothing is unimaginable for them to achieve. It's the leaders responsibility to ensure that they have the loyalty, respect and following of those beneath them if they ever want to succeed in this life of ours.



So, does this mean we should be running to the streets, ranting and raving, questioning each and every decision?
Of course not. Someone can if they wish, but it's a sure fire way to end up dead.

People must pick their battles. If it's something they care about enough, if it's something they're willing to lay down their life for, then by all means they should go wild with it. If however they're kicking up a fuss for nothing more than attention, it's clearly a bad decision that will end in death.

Otherwise, the topic must be broached with the due care and attention required to address it in a respectful and meaningful way. Regardless of what may or may not have happened in the past, there's no reason, right or expectation that a young whelp should be able to abuse a senior member of cosa nostra without potential reaction or repercussions. In fact, this was the way it worked in the past and is the way it works today. Whether people exercise that right frequently enough, that's another matter.

Everyone is unique. People will set about in achieving their aims in various different ways. Some will try to exact change from the outside, shouting in. Some will try and exert change from the inside, influencing decisions and changing opinions through either words or actions or possibly a combination of both. Some, well, some men just want to see the world burn. This is just as true for the associates and grunts doing the donkey work as it is for those in esteemed leadership positions.


So, does that mean a leader must be active and vocal on the streets?
I assume this is the real question that most will be asking when reviewing the old documents. It's a question that has been asked frequently since this thing of ours came to be and I'm sure will be asked long after all of us are gone.

The answer? It's subjective.

For some people, a vocal leader is an absolute necessity. They need that type of personality, that type of presence, that type of person who can bring calm to a storm or light up the world on fire with nothing more than their words in order to inspire them. For others, it's irrelevant. As long as the person can achieve the requirements of leadership without being vocal, that's all that matters to them.

The truth is, we are all different. We think differently, we act differently and we go about achieving our goals differently. I might be a strong believer that inspiring people and winning the hearts and minds of others is best achieved through a soap box and a passionate rant, it's certainly one of the most effective and efficient ways of doing it, but that doesn't mean that anyone who thinks differently is wrong. It just means they have a differing point of view.

As long as the leader is a leader, as long as they achieve the loyalty and respect they require to do their jobs, as long as they inspire their family to be willing to follow them into the depths of hell if it's required, isn't that what's really important? I'd much rather see our world filled with fantastic leaders that act in a way different to myself than one which was full of pseudo soap boxes with the singular aim of people trying to be seen often enough to qualify for a position. It isn't about how often a leader may voice their opinions either, in my humble opinion, it's far more about what they can achieve when they do.


My own opinion on it? In order for our world to survive, we must ensure that we keep the streets active and vibrant. It's the life blood of this thing of ours and is essential to this way of life. Is this the responsibility of our leaders alone? Of course not, that's down to each and every one of us. Should our leaders be at the forefront of a push for such a thing? Some already are and some never will be. That's the case now, was the case in the past and will always be the case.

Yes we can learn from past..we cross diff... characters footprints and knowledge that gives you more ''realizeation to the game and what is best in certain circumstances..

We live in a different world to our ancestors, CarraigRealta. The line in the sand became a lot shorter than it used to be so some off us are not as active here as we would probably like to be. It IS getting better though... the current crop of powers have brought the streets back closer to what they were. If your bloodline had been around just over a year ago I think they would've seen how bad it had become. (When people were killed for comments in OOC).

It is TOTALLY dependant on who is deemed to be in charge. If they have a relaxed attitude to street speaking you'll find the chains loosened. There is usually someone out there to 'push boundaries' when it comes to what's being said so we all know where the proverbial line in the sand is. Some still overstep the mark, most don't.

All I can say to you Carraig is... it could be worse.

The good news Countdown, is that "... it could be worse" is very different to "... it can't be better".

Regardless of what things were like 1, 4 or even 10 years ago, this is our time. We, the community, decide on what happens with our streets. Leaders certainly have a role to play, they are the ones leading after all, but even without that catalyst we can each do our part in improving the standards and driving the content.

To be honest, Mr.Realta, the latest snippet that you have brought forward is, in my opinion, quite misleading. People came out and questioned? well, how many people actually did it and let Uncle Nicky know who they were. One person from all those people and that of course, a member of the TeQ bloodline, well known for speaking its mind regardless of possible repercussions. Well, we have a TeQ now as well and in my opinion he has made quite a few statements in his existence that were more inflammatory that the aforementioned one.

As for the others, a 'retired' mobster and someone else both of whom will remain nameless? Well, we still have people like that. People who will sit in their secret coffee shops or even in their 'Mob Mail' and cry about a change but not do anything themselves.

Of course, I could be wrong as my blood does not have any journal entries from this time. Now, moving onto the actual topic raised by this snippet.'Do we need leaders who are active in the Streets? Is it a must for every leader to have a Street presence?'. My answer to both of those would be yes. Yes, we do need leaders who are extremely active on the Streets and I do believe that it is a must for every leader to have a Street presence.

Allow me to clarify. I agree with Satanta when he says that everyone is unique and have different ways of inspiring their underlings. Which is why I believe that we need only a few(maybe 50% or more) of our CLs to actually be active in the Streets, commenting on almost every topic being brought up and just making their presence felt. However, I do not feel that the first time somebody see's a leader, it should be him/her going 'I am so glad to have been given this shot at running a crew'. That feels wrong to me, on a very fundamental level as people, me included, are bound to ask, either secretly or publicly, 'Who the fuck is this guy?'. A small amount of Street presence would go a long way in stopping people from making such statements.

So, in conclusion, a small amount of Street presence would be appreciated from our leaders. Yes, I understand that I am not in a position to dictate their behavior but it is just a request. However, expecting everyone to be active to the level of say Ms.Delaney would be foolishness.