Dom sits at the coffeeshop, enjoying a cup of coffee and the afternoon sunshine.  Her mind had been heavy lately, and the noise on the streets was starting to give her a headache.  Glancing up at all the mobsters talking of days of old, member whoring, ranks, and other minor matters & she wonders if they ever consider the future.  It seemed to her that so many of them were stuck on what was and were not focused on what could be.  This thought frustrated her and made her sad.  It also made her wonder what would happen if.....

My fellow mafioso and mafiosa.  I speak in these streets today to bring up a few points about what I've observed lately and I have to ask you......

What would happen if.......

We were all arrested tomorrow and sentenced to death?  Forced to have our sons & daughters come over to these shores all as equal thugs, tasked with rebuilding the this great Thing of Ours?

I have a feeling that people would think of the past as history and as the present as the past, wishing we were all back to where we are today.  My point here is to not take for granted the present.  You never know when it will be ripped away from you and suddenly become the past.  I only think this way because my family lines stretch to before the original VDay Massacre many many years ago, and history has a way of repeating itself.

What would happen if....

The average lifespan of a mafioso was only a few weeks or so?

The complaints of rank being obtained by so many is a direct result of our lifespans.  It has nothing to do with the Crewleaders or Godfathers handing out ranks like candy, to anyone and everyone who obtains it.  It has to do with the fact that people are living much longer, and therefore the number of ranked men & women increases over time.  And honestly? I think most of you would agree with me when I say that we all work too hard and put in too much time to have our bloodlines dying every few weeks or so.  That would become discouraging & eventually keep people from coming back to our shores.

As far as the actions of those men & women?  I don't care who you are, you ultimately cannot control people.  If someone gets it in their head that they're going to do something, they're going to do it, and no one is going to stop them from doing so. We are not robots with control switches.  Our Crewleaders & Godfathers are tasked with attempting to keep everyone in line, but every tree has it's bad apple.  We simply cannot lay blame on them when their men/women step out of the boundries of the family and act on their own.  Frankly, when a mafioso ranked Made or above acts against the family law, they are as good as rogues in this woman's opinion.  As long as the Crewleaders & Godfathers act accordingly and swiftly when these matters arise, I feel some of you are not being fair by claiming the rogue actions are a leaders fault.  

What would happen if....

We never spoke to the new faces that come off the boats?  What if we let them flounder there, staying silent and pointing to the board that takes an hour to read? 

Granted, that board is awesome, and it helps people like me who likes to give a helping hand to guide the new people on the very basics;  But they need a friendly face & a handshake to make them feel comfortable.  Now, in saying this, I do NOT think it's right to just offer your handshake and immediately offer them an associates position.  This Thing Of Ours is an elitist group, let's face it.  We have high standards, and I do not think we should waiver from those standards.  New faces should be able to hold an intelligent conversation of sorts, have something in common with their sponsors, and be willing to work & learn.  You simply cannot establish this connection with someone after a few exchanged words.  Grooming our new faces should be one of the most important jobs out there, and those who are designated as sponsors should know what it takes to survive & eventaully become successful.  Speaking from personal experience, when you train a new face & watch them grow into something amazing, has been one of my most enjoyable jobs in this Thing of Ours.   

Dom takes a breath and sips of her coffee, then lights a cigarette, taking a long drag and blowing out the smoke slowly.

Look, I'm not out here to spark a debate, or get caught up in arguements.  I'm here, saying this, because this is what has been on my mind, and I wanted to share and get some input.  This is not addressed to any one person, it's addressed to any and all who are willing to listen with an open mind.  I'm willing to do the same, and will now do just that.

Flicking her cigarette ash off to one side and taking another sip of her coffee, she smiles, feeling better after getting that off her mind.

This is the basis of a good argument

Well you did talk alot here hehehe but one thing sure did strike my chord, That greeting new faces on this shore is the main task for allwho are given the privilige to sponsor.Todays rookie is tommorows ace and as this thing of ours sure as hell are an elitist group we do need new faces to prosper and succed to keep change a welcome guest at our shore.

Dom chuckles at Silvio_Dante's comment.

Well, if you feel the need to argue points, please by all means, do so.  I rather enjoy a good debate.  However, I am not throwing out accusations or arguements towards any one person or party.  Simply, speaking my mind.  It has been far too heavy lately, and this will make it lighter and hopefully help those who are stuck in the past come to the present.

Luigi_Trabotti, I apologize for my long windedness.  Like I stated, this has been on my mind for a while now, so it's built up to this huge release.  No perversion intended there, by the way.  As far as your comment, yes.  That was my point.  I'm glad you agree. Dom smiles and takes another drag of her smoke.

Dom I got a memeber in my familu that actually lived through Svdm as well. My family has seen many changes in this Thing of Ours, and will no doubt see many more.

I will be honest with you though. I have read the accounts of the fast paced days and if we all died tomorrow I would probably welcome it.

That however is just my personal opinion, I have long known that if you want something you got to take it.

Well, first of all - if I was sentenced to death, I'd hope I had a good lawyer who could get that penalty overturned.  I would hate to die in jail.  It sounds so boring.  I'd prefer to die in a war, going down in a blaze of glory. 

But if I were going to die...I would hope that my son would find the letter I've written for him.  While I don't have much to leave him, I do have some suggestions that I hope he would follow.  First, I'd tell him to avoid a life of crime.  Of course, assuming that didn't work, I'd provide clear instructions on how to make it in this world.  So, at the very least, he wouldn't have to start from scratch.

And lifespans of only a few weeks?  I remember a time when lifespans for the average person were much shorter.  It was survival of the fittest.  I'm not sure I see anything wrong with that.  I'd have to think about that one some more.

And while I'm on the topic of shorter lifespans...I don't necessarily agree with the point that high ranks are the product of longevity.  We definitely are living longer these days.  But it's my understanding that our rank is still controlled by our crewleaders.  So, the fact that there are a hundred dons wandering around (exageration to prove a point) is because they're leader has promoted them to that point.  And that's not an indictment of those leaders or  a statement that they are undeserving...as some probably are deserving...but rather an opinion that leadership determines who ranks, not time.

And just to address that last point - those new faces that come off the boat.  Let's first start with an understanding that most people who arrive on these shores are related to somebody that's been here before.  Those people don't need help finding anything.  But, just speaking about those who are new to this world - I assume your comment is in reference to the long standing discussions about member whoring - I don't think we should leave them out to fin dtheir way on their own either.  I think we should guide them.  Befriend them.  Take them under our wing.  But do it in such a way that is helpful and not self-serving.  Does that make sense?  The only reason most people approach new people is to get them to become their associate so they can make money and look good to their family.  Very often, their associates learn nothing and don't become successful in our way of life.  That's my thought on those who are new to our shores.  We should all welcome them and support them.  But we should not selfishly manipulate them or pimp them out to do our work for us. 

So, that's my two cents.  I appreciate you brining these issues out here.  They have weighed on my mind too.

Standing back listening to Domnizon Absolut pulls a cloth from his inside blazer pocket, wiping his head Absolut grabs a bottle of water from a street vendor. While Domnizon continues on Absolut drinks some water, as Domnizon finishes up Absolut caps his water bottle.

Domnizon you bring up many good points that I believe has been on many mafiosi mind's as well as weighing down on them as well. I often have dwelled on the fact that one day my time will come and I will have to send a letter home to my son that he will one day have to carry on my work as a mafioso if he chooses to.

Thinking more on the questions at hand Absolut focus's down on them.

If I were arrested today and sentenced to death I would do my best to leave my son with knowledge needed to give him a good future. Hopefully, my son would choose this lifestyle and come to these shores and meet with my business partners' offspring.

Drinking some of the cool refreshing water Absolut continues to think on the difficult questions at hand.

A life is something precious and everyone has their time; however, I don't see a limit ever being put on life.

Straightening his blazer Absolut smiles.

The final question I will not answer. Not because I believe either way, but because my bloodline and I myself have been very clear in past events how I already feel on the matter.

Nodding Absolut turns and heads off to a cool hotel.

Good day.

Hal, it's always good to see you my old friend.  I'm glad you stopped by.  I tend to agree with most of what you've said. 

But it's my understanding that our rank is still controlled by our crewleaders.  So, the fact that there are a hundred dons wandering around (exageration to prove a point) is because they're leader has promoted them to that point.  And that's not an indictment of those leaders or  a statement that they are undeserving...as some probably are deserving...but rather an opinion that leadership determines who ranks, not time.

On this note, I have to point out that the longer we live, the more time we have to prove ourselves to our families.  I don't know many out there wearing bold suits who just hand out a button without making sure the member is family worthy.  I disagree with those out there who feel that gaining the button is an easy task.  It is no easy task, to say the least. 

As far as new faces, I was speaking of those who are first bloodliners to this Thing of Ours.  I realize that many bloodlines return, and in all honesty, I also feel this leads to the overwhelming amount of Made and above.  Returning bloodlines already know what it takes to make their ranks, and they do it in minimal time. 

To the first question: I think it could certainly liven up some things around here. Nothing makes you feel more alive than having a brush with death. Plus, knowing everyone around you was going down on the same ship might loosen some lips. I find it interesting that in a world built on crime, murder, drugs and stealing, that people would become so upset over someone voicing their opinion. Especially when that opinion comes from someone from another city. FUCK the people in the other cities eh? We're all fighting for our slice of the pie, why tip our hats to the jerks trying to take ours from us?

To the second question: Again, invigoration! How much could be accomplished in just a few short weeks, how much of a mark could be made with so little time? Then again, mafiosos who already take this life too seriously could really push themselves to an early death. Also, as we live, our stories and feelings and loves grow with us. Is only a few weeks of raw, invigoration enough to temper the connections we would lose?

To the third question: Untenable. It would be completely unacceptable to watch young gangsters flail around the docks looking for work. Not only does it tend to get them killed, but it robs older gangsters and wise guys to share their knowledge and get new blood flowing in the veins of the families. Ultimately, it was a smiling face and a proffered cigarette that got me to stay on these shores and I look forward to keeping that tradition around.

Dom nods towards Absolut on his way by.

Great input there, sir.  Thank you for stopping by and sharing your points of view.  They are much appreciated!  I'm sorry I missed you prior to Hal's statements, I think you were both speaking at the same time.  As far as your opinions, I tend to agree.  Though I have to admit, I'm not familiar with your stance on the final subject.  The matter has been voiced upon so much lately, the noise is almost deafening.  My apologizes.

Dom pulls a smoke out of her sterling silver cigarette case and taps the end of it against the table, turning towards Bianca.

Bianca, thanks for stopping by.  I tend to agree with most of what you've said, but I have to address your initial statement. 

Dom pauses to light up her smoke, exhaling the smoke away from the crowd.

Granted, it is appealing to think of everyone on the same level, able to forge their own ways without fear of what the more powerful have to say about it.  However, those in power today will see their kin gain the same sort of power.  The people who are most powerful in this Thing of Ours today, are that powerful for a reason.  They have figured out the recipe.  Their kin will no doubt do the same.  So though we'd all be in some sort of eutopia for a while, things will eventually returns to the same status of today.  Does that make any sense?

As The Joker is wandering down the road he hears a speech. It is along the same lines as many of the street speeches have been recently but this one in particular caught his attention.

"Good afternoon, Domnizon>" The Joker shakes her hand before continuing. "Your first question is quite an interesting one - There will be those who have ultimate power in mind who feel force is the best way to come by it, others who feel that a silver tongue would be most beneficial, and others will attempt to combine the two. There are those who will form groups to survive and try to act civilly, those who would 'go it alone', and there are those that will go on a rampage just for the hell of it. I would like to think that most people would act collectively for the betterment of the world as a whole."

The Joker pauses for a moment in thought before continuing..

"Your next question is quite the complex one. There would be a lot of effects that lead from this... for one there would obviously be no godfathers - so there would be no true ruler of a city. This would lead to less bodyguards roaming the streets, due to a lack of money... let's face it, who can make obscene amounts of money THAT quickly? So... less bodyguards, less money, less time to train a gun, less order, less families - it all leads to a lesser world, in my opinion."

"Your third question is quite a simple one to answer, as we did stop talking to fresh faces. All it accomplishes is less people staying, less people seeing the wonders that are true to our world, which in turn all lead to less profit for all of us."

The Joker shakes Domnizon's hand once again.

"Thank you for allowing me to share my opinion here today, much appreciated."

Ava stands in the background, admiring Domnizon and her bold statements of truth.  "I am so impressed with your opinions, I don't think I have never heard anyone speak so eloquently and levelheaded about these subjects.  I do indeed hold you in high regard, Domnizon."

"As to your questions, I am quite happy with my present day conditions.  My mother also quite enjoyed her life, but was shot down with a bullet to the back.  I learned much from her experiences.  Neither she nor I knew anything of the old days people speak of now.  What you say about people and free will could not be closer to the truth.  That is one of the things that makes our world so wonderful, we all ultimately make our own decisions.  Hopefully, mobsters will use the wealth of knowledge from their crew leaders and others of high rank and longgevity. Obviously, sometimes they do not.  Sometimes it is a mistake, sometimes it is willful disregard for our ways."   Ava takes a deep breath before coming to the last point.

"As far as welcoming newcomers to these shores, if my mother had not been welcomed, in all liklihood she would have taken a bullet to the head after 48 hours.  She knew nothing of what was expected of her, and would have never been able to learn it alone before coming under someone's gun. Thank you Domnizon, for bringing this out into the streets for discussion."

Ava steps out into the crowd, happy to have expressed her thoughts and opinions. 

Sylvestro stands by the lamp post listening to everyone. He finally steps forward with his opinion, and a cigarette. He blows the smoke upward so as not to offend.

If my son and your daughter were destined to come to these shores tomorrow, along with everyone else's, about the only thing they could relish is a level playing field. I doubt any boy worthy of following me would pine for the old days though. And if he only had weeks to live compared to my months? Any mafioso who can see deep can travel far. He'd do alright.  My view on new blood isn't so popular. The first generation of mine to come to these shores knew what was expected of him because he took the time to learn a bit. I see no reason not to expect the same. Sam starts to lean back but stops and walks through the crowd to the red haired wise girl. I really liked what you had to say miss. You're real spunky. Sam tips his hat, turns and walks back to the lamp post.

Our Crewleaders & Godfathers are tasked with attempting to keep everyone in line, but every tree has it's bad apple.  We simply cannot lay blame on them when their men/women step out of the boundaries of the family and act on their own.  Frankly, when a mafioso ranked Made or above acts against the family law, they are as good as rogues in this woman's opinion.  As long as the Crewleaders & Godfathers act accordingly and swiftly when these matters arise, I feel some of you are not being fair by claiming the rogue actions are a leaders fault. 

You raised a lot of great points, and I found myself nodding in agreement along the whole way, but there is just one thing I want to touch on.  There are many situations where I personally do hold the upper structure of the family liable and ultimately place blame at their feet for the actions of their members.  We all know troubled youths.... Killed stray cats as a kid....  Set his sisters hair on fire....  Grew up into a teenager who would randomly push old women down steps for a giggle.  There are warning signs.  We are not surprised later in life when we see these kids all grown up on the front of newspapers "Missing children found decapitated and buried in backyard of local resident".  If a troubled member breaks the rules a few times, and the leader still resorts to small slaps on the wrist - I have a hard time not blaming the upper structure when the member goes on to commit even bigger problems.

I am always down for giving someone the benefit of the doubt and a second chance, but I have found through personal experiences that the people you give third, fourth, and fifth chances go on to ask for sixth, seventh... and so on.  People's sanity is the first to go out of the window once they are heated about an event, and everyone reacts differently.  However, when there is a clear and repeated pattern in their own lifespan and it is allowed to continually go unchecked with any real form of punishment - at what point do you just hold the CL for "knowingly and willingly" allowing other familes to be in a state of danger by their own member?

Dom smiles at the Joker as he shakes her hand.  Nodding in agreement with what he had to say, she smiled again at him as he went on his way.

Great points you made there Joker!! I appreciate you stopping by and making your point known. 

Dom turns towards Ava and smiles broadly.

Hello my friend.  So nice to see you out here in the streets.  Thank you for your input, even if you whispered it to me. Dom winks at Ava and waves her hand towards the empty chair at her table.  Please, sit & have a cup of coffee with me.

Turning in her chair towards Sylvestro's lamp post, she grins at her friend.

Sylvestro, I was wondering when you'd toss your two cents into this conversation.  And I have to say, I would agree with you if every mobster out there was a carbon copy of yourself.  You, my friend, are an above average mafioso.  It is hard for me to agree with all you've said based on that fact alone.  Granted, a new mafioso should work on his own to learn, but not everyone is as sharp & witty as yourself.  Some of them out there need a helping hand, and those are the new mafioso I am speaking of.  But you? If all we knew was wiped out tomorrow, I have no doubt your son would be one of the first to power. 

Dom turns to Hashimodo and offers him the other empty chair at her table.

My friend it's good to see you out here.  You've raised some very good points.  In all honesty, I thought about bringing this very subject up in my inital address, but I'm glad that someone such as yourself has put it out there in an eloquent way.  And here's my response.  First of all, let me quote you:

If a troubled member breaks the rules a few times, and the leader still resorts to small slaps on the wrist - I have a hard time not blaming the upper structure when the member goes on to commit even bigger problems.

This is something I agree with you 110% on.  There are times in which a Crewleader or Godfather are to be held responsible.  As they well should be.  We all know of one or two bloodlines out there who simply cannot get their poop in a group and act responsibly.  We all know the bloodlines that have been trained to be troublemakers, and they strive to do so. Why? Because they've been getting away with it for years.  This is the upper structures fault.  Personally, if I held any power, I'd be using those bloodlines as target practice.  Yes, this is bloodline hunting, but let's face it! Some bloodlines don't deserve to make it to gangsters.

 Crewleaders & Godfathers especially know who these people are.  Yet.....they continue to allow those bloodlines into their families.  Why???  Well I believe the answer to that question goes back to being elitists.  I look around these streets, and notice the cliques.  People who move together no matter what.  Sometimes a troublemaking bloodline is apart of said clique and therefore is allowed to commit the same mistakes over & over.  I don't feel this is right & in these cases, the Crewleaders & Godfathers are ultimately responsible, and should be held accountable for any and all actions of said troublemaker. 

But troublemaking bloodlines are not the only ones who go out and do stupid shit.  There are times when a perfectly level headed mobster pulls the dumbest move, and it makes you stop and ago what the?......these are the cases in which the bloodline, and not the leaders, should be held responsible and that is what I was referring to in my initial address. 

Dom smiles at the waitress as she refills her coffee cup and emptys her ashtray.  Lighting up another smoke and offering one to Hashimodo.

This is an interesting point you've brought up though, and I'm very curious to get some of the leaders opinions on the matter.

Gwarble listens to the various questions posed by Domnizon. He was one of the men who talked about days gone by, but he was sure he did so honestly. He knew as well as anyone that the days of yesteryear weren't all they are cracked up to be by people who had barely experienced them and he was well aware of the flaws in our business then just as now.

Interesting scenarios that you have outlined for us here Domnizon.

What would happen if.......

We were all arrested tomorrow and sentenced to death? Forced to have our sons & daughters come over to these shores all as equal thugs, tasked with rebuilding the this great Thing of Ours?

I have a feeling that people would think of the past as history and as the present as the past, wishing we were all back to where we are today. My point here is to not take for granted the present. You never know when it will be ripped away from you and suddenly become the past. I only think this way because my family lines stretch to before the original VDay Massacre many many years ago, and history has a way of repeating itself.

This would be terrible. I have devoted my life to this thing of ours and I've spent many long hours, days and months getting to the position I now occupy. This thing of ours has to continue, regardless of who is at the helm.

Would a new generation be able to do a better job than we are currently doing? I highly doubt it. The strong always rise to the top eventually; it is why so many of the same bloodlines achieve success time and time again. A blanket removal of Cosa Nostra across our cities would set us back more than enable us to progress.

(Difficult to answer this one in character. I guess we all know what you're referring to in terms of us all being ripped away, but as a character who only has one life, what sort of moron would wish for it all to change? As a player of this game for many years, well the answer is rather different. There are obvious flaws in the game that have already been discussed at length. If these had to be addressed and the game was reset accordingly, I would be all for it.)

What would happen if....

The average lifespan of a mafioso was only a few weeks or so?

The complaints of rank being obtained by so many is a direct result of our lifespans. It has nothing to do with the Crewleaders or Godfathers handing out ranks like candy, to anyone and everyone who obtains it. It has to do with the fact that people are living much longer, and therefore the number of ranked men & women increases over time. And honestly? I think most of you would agree with me when I say that we all work too hard and put in too much time to have our bloodlines dying every few weeks or so. That would become discouraging & eventually keep people from coming back to our shores.

As far as the actions of those men & women? I don't care who you are, you ultimately cannot control people. If someone gets it in their head that they're going to do something, they're going to do it, and no one is going to stop them from doing so. We are not robots with control switches. Our Crewleaders & Godfathers are tasked with attempting to keep everyone in line, but every tree has it's bad apple. We simply cannot lay blame on them when their men/women step out of the boundries of the family and act on their own. Frankly, when a mafioso ranked Made or above acts against the family law, they are as good as rogues in this woman's opinion. As long as the Crewleaders & Godfathers act accordingly and swiftly when these matters arise, I feel some of you are not being fair by claiming the rogue actions are a leaders fault.

There can be no excusing that the decision to promote ultimately lies with the head of the family, because, well, it does. I or one of my Bosses have the opportunity to reward someone or advance them higher up the ladder in this thing of ours, nobody else. Is the fact that anyone who follows the rules can live for many months a contributory factor? Of course it is, there is no excusing that either. In my family and now in my city we set targets for our members to have achieved before they can be considered for promotion and even then it is still at the discretion of the Boss in question to make the final decision. However, how long can you hold someone back unreasonably before you give them an opportunity to show they've earned it? I have held people from their rank for months and months until they met my requirement, but that is the way I am. I know some families do not adhere to a strict requirement system as we do.

You can't control people, but you can certainly impact upon their decision. I can count the amount of people who have embarrassed my family or city on one hand and I take great pride in that. I believe it is because they know the consequences for doing something stupid will be severe and they decide better of it. I also think it is because they can only achieve so much by taking action themselves before they reach a glass ceiling, rather than staying with their family and reaching the dizzy heights they strive for. Most rogues are lazy. They can't be bothered to put the work in or they don't have the ability to succeed within a family. With a strict adherence to requirements low down the chain, these people can never be bothered to commit themselves to reach a position where they can embarrass the family.

Ultimately, families in our cities take the actions of an individual with a pinch of salt. There are repercussions for having someone within your family attack another, but provided reparations are made to the aggrieved party, then business goes on as usual. We are here to make money and leave something better for our kids than we had from our parents. If things can be settled amicably, then they usually are.

What then happens if this person is a repeat offender that a particular leader has let slide? It really comes down to the power and thought process of the leader who is offended. If they are the powerhouse of the Cities, then they have a lot more options at their disposal than one of the minnows. They can demand action is taken and if it isn't they can take action themselves; this is the joy of power. The ball is permanently in their court and if they are dissatisfied with a particular family then they can take action to rectify the problem. This can range from a sit down or a warning, to a bullet or complete removal.

For the weaker family this isn't really an opportunity and it take a far more intelligent operator to survive as a weaker power than it does comparative to a stronger one. Sometimes you have to appease those who can end your stint as a family leader, even when you don't want to. As a leader, not just in this thing of ours, but in any walk of life, your ultimate duty is to the other members you lead. This is your responsibility and anyone who buys into this 'glorious death' principle is a fool. A glorious death is still death.

Many failed leaders do not accept accountability when they fall. Sometimes you have to accept you made the wrong move even if it is as simple as being in the wrong city at the wrong time. You don't always have to tell someone to go fuck themselves to incur their wrath. The problem is that most leaders don't know where they've actually made mistakes and go on with their head in the clouds and repeat them in future generations. With the nature of our world, dying isn't an issue, but not learning from that death is a major one.

What would happen if....

We never spoke to the new faces that come off the boats? What if we let them flounder there, staying silent and pointing to the board that takes an hour to read?

Granted, that board is awesome, and it helps people like me who likes to give a helping hand to guide the new people on the very basics; But they need a friendly face & a handshake to make them feel comfortable. Now, in saying this, I do NOT think it's right to just offer your handshake and immediately offer them an associates position. This Thing Of Ours is an elitist group, let's face it. We have high standards, and I do not think we should waiver from those standards. New faces should be able to hold an intelligent conversation of sorts, have something in common with their sponsors, and be willing to work & learn. You simply cannot establish this connection with someone after a few exchanged words. Grooming our new faces should be one of the most important jobs out there, and those who are designated as sponsors should know what it takes to survive & eventaully become successful. Speaking from personal experience, when you train a new face & watch them grow into something amazing, has been one of my most enjoyable jobs in this Thing of Ours.

This one is more difficult. As a Godfather of a city I am in a position where I can't associate with the common scum eager to make a name for themselves. Who are they? Who do they work for? I have to take precautions and insulate myself from the street level crime as much as possible. The feds would love to catch someone like me or my fellow Bosses with our hands in the cookie jar, so we simply can't afford to take the risk.

Personally, as this is a business, if my soldiers see a thief that has potential, then I'm glad when they take them under their wing. Our organization always needs fresh blood and these people may come to be extremely successful as time progresses. However, what I do not agree with is one of my soldiers standing with a sandwich board at the docks with 'Come join the Mafia' on it. Impress my men by showing you can do our kind of work. Get your hands dirty and then we'll see where it goes from there, not the other way around.

(This again is a difficult one. Sure we want to help the new players as much as possible but there is a limit before it becomes wholly ridiculous and contrary to being a mobster. I need to finalise a suggestion I have been working on that might serve as something of a compromise or be hated by everyone, but we'll see. It is great when someone grooms an associate for success and we don't want to stop that, but on the other hand we don't want people to just take on every associate immediately. It is a balancing act that I believe is better taken out of player hands.)