Reditus walks up to a brightly lit stright corner with a crate to stand on as well as a box full of old documents and books.

I have recently uncovered some journals members of my family have left behind in the attic. These journals speak of bygone eras in which it was not knly a honor but a blessing to reach the Rank of Made. Not only did you have to prove your unending loyalty to your Family but at times you where even required to know a few people to vouch for you in order to get that precious button.

The journals also speak of days in which the streets where flooded with entertainment of all sorts, with leaders being constantly vocal and their members doing their best to show they had that little something extra.

In these days gone but hopefully not forgotten, the question was not when will I get my next Rank, it was have i proven my worth not just to my Family but to the entire community.

I believe that we have become to focused on the fastest ways in which to do things and that we should instead focus on the right way in which to do things. I welcome the communities input on this matter.

Reditus hops down of the crate and waits for the crowd to gather and ask questions and make comments.

McCall steps out of the shadows as a mysterious death cord sounds somewhere. McCall wonders where these strange sound effects eminate from but so far has been unable to track down the source. Someday though he'll find the schlub responsible and make him eat his own hands before dropping him of the 20th floor of the Empire State building.

I couldn't agree more reditus. things have changed considerably over the years, and what was once demed appropiate behaviour does not hold as much importance anymore. Don't get me wrong, the old ways are still here, there are those who still insist that things happen 'just so' but they are getting few on the ground. Such ideals as honour and Omerta are also on the decline. However many have assured me that change is inevitable, and that what we have gained far outweighs what we have lost, personally I'm not so sure though.

McCall steps back into the shadows, scanning the streets carefully for the phantom sound effect guy who has plagued him since he came to these streets.

Romeo sighs,

I must say it is rare I come to the streets and listen to a topic and respond like this but this time I feel I must. This is a horse that has been flogged Ad Nauseum, it comes about approx every two months and the same things are brought up.

"In the old days this, in the old days that"

Can we not live in the present and try and make the present better than the past, or must we forever be labeled as mobsters who spent our lives looking backwards?

The powers that be, either the gods or city hall have made permanent changes to this thing of ours which has resulted in the Golden Era we currently live in. Godfathers in most cities, people living to ripe old ages never before thought possible.

Romeo what is there much beloved rank and age going to do them years down the road, when a chain of Godfathers have lived and died?

Ask who STAE or Dick_Gozinya was and you will get an answer. These where people that not only accumulated rank, but eared it and gave us quite abit of entertainment along the way, especially in the case of Dick.

McCall listens to what Romeo has to say noding his head in contemplation.

Valid points Romeo, and to be honest its something else I've said as well, the same old topics pop up month after month on some kind of undetermined rota. However you have mentioned a 'Golden Era', does a multitude of aged gangsters truely represent a golden era, or does it merely devalue the achievement?

Reditus many years down the road people will be saying exactly what you are now, but instead of mentioning Dick and STAE they will talk of Deimne, the Rourke family and Iota. Why will they do this, it is quite simple the lives of their blood lines have been touched by the time like your blood line has been touched by a time 2 years ago.

I have read the family journal and I know my father was in Dick's family, the time of Anita, Scotland and Mickey Finn. To time is like sand washing through my fingers, every now and then I clinch tight hoping to keep it but alas it still passes by.

Romeo I understand that time passes on as it ever must, but is that reason enough to remove all the traditions of old? If that was the case then culture would never have came about in the first place.

I simply believe thqt ranking the sake of ranking needs to be removed and that we should return to the way of making sure every person that gets their button, earns it.

Are you implying that Crewleaders just hand out buttons like candy these days Reditus?

Because I can assure you that no one within my crew was handed their button for just being alive.

Galactus listens to what Don Falcon had to say.

In order for a leades to give buttons to different mobsters within the crew,doesn't his/her button have to be clear? He/she must achieve and accomplish different things for his button to be clear so I would say that the button was earned and that CL dont just hand out promotions.

Am I correct Don Falcon?

Ah, an appeal to tradition.  Though today may be different than yesterday, what's to say yesterday was better than today besides your fallacious argument?  Was it more profitable for crewleaders?  Were retention rates higher?  Were there fewer rouges?  A more stable environment filled with more capable people?  Surely there must be some objective benefit to the old system that eludes those who have cast it off in favor of the new one.

Please enlighten me.

Don Falcon, I do not mean that all or any Crewleaders randomly hand out a button. What I mean is that I believe that it is easier to attain a button than it was in years gone by.

Mostly in the lack of street activity, Made men where more active in the days of old.

Galactus then approaches Reditus.

Are you basically saying that the activity isnt as well participated in as back in the old days?

So you believe that making promotions easier to attain has resulted in decreased activity on the Streets?  You're going to have to explain how those two are related because I really don't get it.

Volatile, activity was once the major way of attaining rank. Once that was removed the streets have seen less and less activity. People come in hit a few hundred POs and Banks and run out only to do it all over again the next day. You never see them socialise or if they do its once in a million. Yet a few weeks go by and they have thier buttin.

Galactus feels the need to share something with Reditus.

Listen here,things aren't obligated to remain the same in this mafioso.If things do remain the same then we dont increase to the betterment as a whole.You compare the old days to the new days of how poeple participated in the streets and in activities,are you saying were not doing nothing as of right now?Thats kind of how your putting it.

We have alot of mobsters that are striving to be the best and for somebody like you to come out into the streets to say that things arent the same because of street posts,that kind of makes me curious.There are alot of people who you call "Young Terk's" that are in this mafioso and they dont tend to live in the past but they press towards the future because they plan on changes things one day,not for the bad but for the good.

Galactus then wipes his face of with a rag.

Galactus over-hhears Raditus talking.

Reditus,CL cant just give out buttons randomly,the mobsters much have their experience points which are needed(which is hard to complete at times),and some CL ask for extra requirements.So your assumption about handing out buttons are wrong,technically they are earned.

I have recently uncovered some journals members of my family have left behind in the attic. These journals speak of bygone eras in which it was not knly a honor but a blessing to reach the Rank of Made. Not only did you have to prove your unending loyalty to your Family but at times you where even required to know a few people to vouch for you in order to get that precious button.

I dont think that has changed still. I am sure most CL's will come out here and speak of the "requirements" they expect from Button men. Looking into my father's journal, not once was he given his button, but it was earned. I know for a fact that some...and yes emphasis on SOME, still require certain amount of posts/earnings/etc to get the button. Are these requirements harsh sometimes? Yes. Are they a necessary barrier? Yes. Are they always enforced? No...so we move to the next check point.

So checkpoint # 2...the vouching part. In a perfect world, usually before someone gets their button...the boss will usually have spoken to this 'potential family member' quite some times before the CL decides to bestow the button upon a member. Is that not sort of "vouching"? Because I doubt a member that keeps his head low and just earns (as you pointed in the bank loots and such) gets his/her button without actually networking. I know for a fact that the most driven/COHERENT mafioso's in our side of the jungle take it upon them self to speak to other high ranking members, not necessarily for the purposes of a button...but sometimes for education. Yes! I say education because we have seen our share of strollers come to the streets and sound not so sensible.

So bottom line here is, if its a CL with a decent head on there shoulders...the 'potential member' will at least meet one of the top two criteria's before they can be called Made. Does it always happen? I can't vouch for that, just because I have seen my share of CL's loose there heads because one of their Button men did or said something that they shouldn't have. In essence thats the CL's drive to filter the men from the boys.

The journals also speak of days in which the streets where flooded with entertainment of all sorts, with leaders being constantly vocal and their members doing their best to show they had that little something extra.

1) The streets isn't necessarily for entertainment, its suppose to be a medium of communication...how people choose to use that medium is a different story.

2) Take into account there are roughly 20+ bold suits now a days...versus the "glory days" as some would say. From what my father wrote his his journals there were only about ONE Don per city and his men. Today the mob has expanded its business to the extent that many don's are required to fulfill the demands of our current work load. Could One Don still do it? Yes. But emphasis on efficiency allowed for the evolution of the the "Don" title to "GodFather".

Yea I know I haven't answered your question yet. The point I am trying to make is, the words of a GodFather can and will change the dynamics of how the mob works...and since most policies usually are dictated from the top, the other Leaders can go along with the flow. Do I agree with a mute or shall I say, quiet Bold suit? Nope. But I remember reading in my father's journal that the first time multiple Don's were given a city (and yes that was a taboo) the community came out wondering why there were multiple leaders in one city...and quite simply the best answer was "Different flavors for different folks". So if you like to work for a Don that is vocal, you have that choice. If you want to work for a Don that is known for ranking/earning/RPing...etc. You pick and choose your style of family. And that includes leaders that choose not to make public appearances. Now wait just a second before half community starts bombing me on that comment. But think about it for a second, if the GodFather is the ultimate decision maker, then there isn't a necessity for one of his boss's to come out and make "empty" appearances just for the sake of "entertainment". A quiet leader that makes his visits to the streets at the appropriate time, in my eyes is fulfilling his role just as much, as one that enjoys the Hollywood Lime light...just as long as there is someone else speaking for that particular city at other times. Because communication between cities is vital.

activity was once the major way of attaining rank. Once that was removed the streets have seen less and less activity. People come in hit a few hundred POs and Banks and run out only to do it all over again the next day. You never see them socialise or if they do its once in a million. Yet a few weeks go by and they have thier buttin.

Woot! Back to the glory days. Back when our ancestors roamed the streets, things were much more dynamic, perhaps even primitive. Business wasn't this bustling and the margins definitely weren't this big. Hence every couple of weeks a Leader would decide to move on someone else...cause it was simple, survival of the fittest. It was about controlling as many resources as possible...today one city is big enough to suffice any greed/need. But to your comment of "Street activity being major for ranking". Its simple, since most of our ancestors only had a shelf life of a couple of weeks, you had to make a name for yourself as soon as possible. Because lets face it, speaking on the streets isn't just for our entertainment...but its a necessary yet optional way to grow up faster. Why that maybe so? Only the gods could really answer that. But men and women that enjoy the lime light tend to grow up faster. Hence back to your point...it was almost necessary to be vocal in the streets to get a buttons because time was short and growth was needed fast! Today we have all the time in the world to grow up. Some choose to grow up on the streets, other in the Business Districts and some are just down right addicted to the lust of bank heists.

Tither I commend you on a well thought out and spoken reply. Your answer was a prime example of what I wish to see from all those that walk the streets.

Galactus, just because someone has met the very bare minimum to be considered for a button, does NOT mean they have earned it. It simply means they are ready to now prove if they should be Made.

This OLD versus the NEW Is most certainly becomming a rather tiring topic.... Everyday now this is all we hear! Yes I made reference too it the other day. However, lets just get over it.

The tales of old should be kept quiet and shared in the coffee shops. The days are changing, no longer does it become a struggle to reach a certain rank or wack a certain number of players before we come to our fatal end. There is several things that I do not agree upon however, we accept it. We need to adapt ourselves and realise that their is a new breed of mobster walking these streets.

I can guarentee you within 6months of this speech, another speech with great similarities will be spoken and similar responses will be given.

Mr Levenstein, in the seven years my family has walked the streets, they no doubt seen every type of topic repeadly. There are only so many ways to discribe the color red after all.

What I mean by this is simple, old topics will be rehashed, especially in days where no news is the only news.