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| First Impressions: Part 1 | Started by: Cathy_Parks on Dec 28, '07 18:35 |
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Cathy Parks feels her muscles taughten as a cold wind whips through The Streets. She signals to one of her guys to turn on the engine of the car he was sitting in and then quickly sits herself on it's bonnet. After a few moments, the warmth from the engine spreads from her ass through to the rest off her body and she shivers with a satisfied smile. After blowing into her hands, she begins to talk to the few gathered, her breath unfurling white from her red lips. "So it's been a whole week since I put on my bold suit and donned a red fez. A whole week since I took over Philadelphia and started to build up my empire. But that's not what I'm here to talk about today - I'm here to talk about first impressions. "Now once a week at the very least, we get some disparaging or some constructive comments about civilians, thugs and gangsters in The Streets. And we are told how it's important they make a good first impression to the Leaders yadda yadda all important stuff." Cathy stifles a yawn. "But what we don't get a lot of, is first impressions about the leaders themselves. Occasionally we'll get some young turk who (through a rather extensively detailed diary conventiently left by their recently deceased mother/father) is able to comment on the current leadership - only to die 24-48 hours later. But even so when this is done, a lot of Leaders and/or members tend to feel slighted by it and deem it disrespectful because on many occasions it actually is. "Well since I'm a Leader myself, and privy to long spells of contact with each Family Head in the Six Cities, I thought I'd share my first impressions of the ones you call Boss in a respectful fashion. And also to invite you, the community to speak of what you think about the current leaders as well. "Now I'll be doing this in several parts (one for each Boss) since otherwise it would be a ridiculously long talk and I'm already freezing cold as it is, so I might as well start with the biggest family and the most talked about leader: Oliver_McTavish. "McTavish has the biggest family, so technically for me as a new leader whose numbers barely surpass 20, I thought he would definitely be the most intimidating of all those in bold.. "Honestly, no. He's easy to talk to and very humourous, but I do get the sense that he is an extremely busy individual during our conversations. On more than one occasion when we were talking about business, he seemed distant and preoccupied which got my back up somewhat. However, I'm the new kid on the block, so I understand that it'll be a while yet before I command the complete attention of someone like Signore McTavish. "His family of course is impressively big with plenty of high rankers - something definitely to admire. I've also had the pleasure of speaking on an individual basis to some of Badass Inc. and was more than impressed by their manners and their respectful nature. What's more, McTavish has inspired strong loyalty in many of his family, which also speaks volumes. So there are many qualities which this man possesses that make him to be an excellent leader. "But there are also some question marks regarding his personality and the Badass Inc. For indeed no person is perfect (although that Curley_Sue woman comes pretty damn close). For one, there has been a slew of Rogues that have come from his family which is rather perplexing for me as a new leader and begs a lot of questions. I won't lie, every morning right now when I wake up, I thank my lucky stars that some mook outta Chicago hasn't ended my life whilst I was sleeping. Is this happening because of McTavish's skills as a leader? I don't think so no. But it is a rather tense time for a small and vulnerable family. "So for my first impressions, I may not be intimidated by the man himself, but instead the Family who work under him. "And speaking of Family, the other question which has really struck me this week being a new leader, is why someone who is quite clearly so powerful keeps recruiting to maintain their ranks at close to 100? Surely the man who needs a whole seperate plane for his and his higher echelon's bodyguards doesn't need a headquarters brimming with members too? But what I gather from all this, is perhaps Signore McTavish is afraid of something. Or maybe it's the people around him that are the ones afraid - just a supposition. "So for my first week, there's been quite a lot to take in when it came to dealing with Oliver McTavish and his family. I've had some enjoyable experiences and a few questions raised too. However even after all of the above, it is very easy to see why Signore McTavish has made it this far: his interminably strong desire to take care and fight for his family and also the good people he keeps around him. "Next time I'll be talking about our favourite family from The Big Easy, Moretay and La famiglia di Soldati." |
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Ms Parks you asked "why someone who is quite clearly so powerful keeps recruiting to maintain their ranks at close to 100?" You have totally misunderstood the situation. Oliver doesn't recruit. He runs a homeless shelter. not two months ago I was on the streets panhandling, sleeping in a box under an overpass. One morning Oliver was stopped at a traffic light and I held up my homeless signed. The back window of the limo rolled down and the man inside signalled me over. It was the first time I'd ever seen Oliver. He said, Sir, yes he even treats homeless people with respect, anyways he said Sir, I can give you a fish and feed you for today or I can teach you to fish and feed yourself forever. I siad no thanks I don't like fish. he said I don't really have a fish to give you, it was symbolic. I said I don't even know what symbolic means, I ain't got no education. I been out on the streets since I was a kid. He siad get in and opened the door. I got in the car and was driven to the family HQ. There I sat with trainers and counsellors who show me how to make money selling drugs and ripping off 7-11s. Then Oliver said you can live here if you want. I was overwhelmed for the first time in my life I had a job and a roof over my head. Looking back, that overpass was so long ago. Even today as I drive over it, I have bittersweet feelings, but the feeling I get being part of something big makes my day. I wasn't recruited. I was rescued. |
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| Reply by: -canine- at Dec 28, '07 23:24 | |
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I think the idea that we "recruit" is quite a misnomer. We rarely, if ever, actively recruit any new people who show up in the streets of Chicago. If we are approached by anyone (especially if I happen to see it), they are normally given an interview that goes past the standard, "I need a family" "Okay *invite sent*", before they are cleared to become an addition to our family. In fact, since December the 22nd, we've only offered 7 invitations. A number I'm sure is dwarfed by other crews. Our HQ is OPEN, yes, but we are not out there nickel and diming for a full house. I find the viewpoint that we "recruit" to be odd at best, and only because if we closed our doors, we'd probably get criticized for being snooty and elitist. When you are the largest crew that exists, you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. |
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| Reply by: MolotovMcHugh at Dec 29, '07 01:54 | |
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| McTavish has no time for recruiting, he has more important things to deal with. Rumors in New York say that Chris_Moyles was heard talking to the Godfather of Chicago. In that conversation the Godfather of Chicago is claimed to have said that he is going to sent a fellow called Oliver an invitation for a serious talk. Now, the rumor, it is said that McTavish soon has to prove to his Godfather that he is ready and able to be granted the position of Don. | |
| Reply by: Joe_Dalton at Dec 29, '07 02:09 | |
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See my friend Joe, What we have here is false information. You see you never have to see the godfather to become a don. You become a don by showing the other dons that you are worth the position. It is only when you are ready to become a God Father yourself does the person receive an invite to speak in private with the cities current godfather. McTavish has been working his ass off to show that he is and will be the dominant family in Chicago and not in NY. |
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| Reply by: Luongo at Dec 29, '07 02:27 | |
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Lol i said Chris Moyles, who's the Godfather of New York, was heard talking to the Godfather of Chicago. Second I never claimed that mister McTavish is going to take over NY, I know he wouldn't leave Oprah alone in Chicago. That suggestion is completely your responsibility Luongo. Third i never had the honor to talk to my Godfather, let alone the one of Chicago, so I have no idea to who the Godfather of Chicago has been talking or for that matter has not been talking to. But my favourite cousin has a nephew called Vito who works at the most expensive and exclusive joint in New York. Vito heard from a local important figure that Chris Moyles was heard talking to the Godfather of Chicago, see my previous comment. I do believe that you as Capo, Luongo, probably will be better informed than the nephew of my cousin who's given the name Vito. But for McTavish I hope that the following isn't true:"You become a don by showing the other dons that you are worth the position." Because if that's the case he will never reach Don, because to the best of my knowledge at the moment there aren't any other Dons, Oliver will be the first, if granted. |
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| Reply by: Joe_Dalton at Dec 29, '07 02:53 | |
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Ms. Parks, Thank you for this project, I'm interested to see your first impressions of each of the family leaders. My first impression of you, by the way, is a good one, due to your efforts in the streets. That being said, I would like to contest an implication of your speech and suggest an alternative solution. You list, when considering the possibly negative attributes of Mr. McTavish and his family, a point about rogues and a point about recruitment. I feel as if MolotovMcHugh has discussed the recruitment issue as succinctly and illuminatingly as can be done, and I will waste no further breath on it. As for your other "question mark", you say that "there has been a slew of Rogues that have come from his family". You go on to reflect "Is this happening because of McTavish's skills as a leader? I don't think so no. But it is a rather tense time for a small and vulnerable family." In addition to your ambivalent conclusion regarding this question, you fail to offer other seemingly obvious reasons why a "slew of rogues" may emerge from this family, other than McTavish's skill as a leader. Let us question: what attributes must a family have that would result in a slew of rogues? Well, first of all, this hypothetical family would absolutely need to contain mafiosos which have attained a rank which allows them to do so, as a prerequisite. Now that the potential for going rogue is a possibility, what else would contribute to a large number of rogues emerging from the hypothetical family? Well, large numbers would certainly help; more members mean a higher likelihood that any rogue is found there. Following this logic, a family around for a longer time also increases the chance that more rogues will emerge from it. So, if we posit a hypothetical family in which a slew of rogues would emerge from, it would be a very large family, with large numbers of high rankers, which has been around for a long time. You yourself said "His family of course is impressively big with plenty of high rankers", and BadAss Inc. has existed for substantially longer than any other existing family. All of this points to the fact that, logically speaking, Oliver should have had a larger number of rogues come from his family at this time. Another major factor, of course, is leadership ability. A terrible leader would face betrayals and mutinies far more than a good leader, of course, regardless of the other factors. But where would we find an evaluation of Oliver that does not come from his own family, whose opinions are certainly those who matter most, but which could understandably be biased? Perhaps from the first impressions of a very intelligent woman who, when speaking about Oliver, said that "there are many qualities which this man possesses that make him to be an excellent leader." If it makes mathematical sense that the most rogues should be coming from BadAss Inc., and Mr. McTavish is professed to be an excellent leader, then I don't see how there can be any reasonable causes for concern or questions stemming from this situation. I enjoyed your speech very much, and I am glad that you spurred me to consider this question. It is nice to know that one's family is not merely spewing rogues out willy nilly into the world. |
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| Reply by: Keats at Dec 29, '07 03:49 | |
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| Oh my Keats, if I need a biographer I'm looking you up, brosef. I'd also like to point out as a small sidebar, that Mr. McTavish also shows the due respect to every other family when a rogue goes into play from our crew. He does so by tirelessly pursuing the knave until it is over. He does not ask for help, he takes care of what he views to be his responsibility. That, to me, shows tremendous depth of character and consideration. | |
| Reply by: MolotovMcHugh at Dec 29, '07 04:10 | |
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Given my slanted stride, I imagine everything I'm about to say will be looked on in a different light. Perhaps it will be a bright light; perhaps it will be a dim light. Perhaps it will be a night light- you get the point. I will begin by clarifying my own thoughts from what old Bossington has said here. Recruiting, to me, doesn't mean messaging people 'Hey, want to join our crew?' far from it. Recruiting is the taking on board of new members, whether they message you or the other way round is pretty irrelevant. You're raising your numbers of new members, whether that is through inviting people you've never spoken to or be it as a result of an extensive interview. Had she said whoring, then maybe that would have been slightly more concerning. From my own perspective, I don't see this behaviour of keeping the HQ as full as possible as odd, it is what I would do, should I be in Oliver's shoes. However, to see it as some sort of slight, as some of you have here is pretty ridiculous. Whatever spin you wish to put on it, everyone recruits. To advertise "HQ Status: Spots Available- 5!" in a leader's profile is recruiting, which is why I find the viewpoint that Badass Inc. recruit as pretty accurate. The fact that to you, "recruit" has negative connotations, I'm sure, had Ms Parks been aware, she would have incorporated this and phrased her first impressions differently. Moving on briefly to what Keats has said, as he has gone to such an effort, it would be rude to ignore it. Perhaps, although this is just speculation, Ms Parks didn't offer seemingly obvious reasons why rogues may have come from Badass Inc, because they were, well, seemingly obvious? The biggest family with the most ranked members are always going to be the most likely to have rogues falling by the wayside. One of the accusations levelled at Mr McTavish however, is that these slew of rogues are as a result of his leadership abilities. I personally would rather hear Ms Parks, a leader, who deals daily with Mr McTavish and his leadership qualities, discuss those qualities to dismiss this accusation, than hear her run me through as you so aptly named them 'seemingly obvious reasons why a "slew of rogues" may emerge from this family'. On a final point, although I, like everyone else, appreciate Mr McTavish's efforts when it comes to the rogues, surely Mr McHugh, when the rogue comes from you own organization, it isn't a depth of character and consideration that causes you to hunt the rogue, rather a sense of cleaning up your own mess? But like I began this response with, I'm sure this will be looked in a different light given my status within the R.F.C. I mean, big lolz, would I have come out here and disagreed with my Boss? Or would I have offered my own thoughts supporting her impressions? Or maybe I interpreted what was said exactly as I have described it. I'm sure you'll agree; it is one of life's mysteries. a1capon3 - Remember when I used to write one of these after everything I said? Good times. |
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| Reply by: a1capon3 at Dec 29, '07 05:43 | |
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| You'd be surprised, a1. One would think taking care of your own rogues would be as simple as cleaning up your own mess, but we've been approached in the past to "help" other crews who have someone going rogue (for the sake of not seeming petty I won't release names). THAT is why I find it admirable that Mr. McTavish and Mr. Axe don't quit until the job is done. | |
| Reply by: MolotovMcHugh at Dec 29, '07 05:56 | |
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| I find myself agreeing with a1capon3 far too much lately. It needs to stop. It needs to stop now. | |
| Reply by: CantBelieveItsNotEvs at Dec 29, '07 06:10 | |
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Facts please I will give one: 12/22/07 After this date there have not been any rogues. |
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| Reply by: Joe_Dalton at Dec 29, '07 06:12 | |
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Wooo hooooo, a whole week! Way to go! |
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| Reply by: CantBelieveItsNotEvs at Dec 29, '07 07:01 | |
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a1capon3, It's interesting to see you call my points obvious and unnecessary to be raised. I thought they were necessary, since Ms. Parks herself called the issue a "question mark", implying that information could assist in the answering of a question. Instead of this information, which you imply is self-evident to all, you say the point of contention lies with leadership qualities, and you would rather hear "Ms Parks... discuss those qualities to dismiss this accusation". Let me get this straight. Earlier in her speech, referring to Mr. McTavish, Ms. Parks says "there are many qualities which this man possesses that make him to be an excellent leader". I am assuming one of those qualities that makes him an excellent leader is not "the ability to inspire rascally rogues", and that Ms. Parks was honestly evaluating Mr. McTavish as an excellent leader. If other information isn't needed, then why is this a "question mark"? If Ms. Parks professes that Mr. McTavish is an excellent leader, why do you want her to discuss and reject a negative accusation? Why would you want her to discuss and reject this opinion that she previously stated she didn't believe? Also, shouldn't a first impression... I don't know... include the obvious? |
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| Reply by: Keats at Dec 29, '07 07:11 | |
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While we all enjoy a good bout of finger pointing and controversy, you're not going to find it here. Let me remind you all that this is about "first impressions". A first impression is about what someone might think had they not known more about the person or situation. In other words, there are no accusations or judgments being made here for anyone to get defensive over or support. This should be obvious from the fact that Ms. Parks stated that she didn't think the fact that many rogues coming from Badass, Inc. was a sign of poor leadership. It was a first impression, meaning someone who didn't know those involved might make some sort of blind assumption. Right, no accusations, judgments, or finger pointing going on here for everyone to feast on. Sorry to ruin your day. |
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| Reply by: KevinTheCat at Dec 29, '07 07:24 | |
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"Thank you to those people who have come to discuss my first impressions. "To elaborate further on my thoughts, let me start with the question marks regarding the rogues. "I ask you politely to put yourselves in my shoes. You have a small business steadily growing in Philadelphia. You are trying our utmost to improve the city and to bring intelligent discussion to the streets along with entertainment. Now as wonderful as this all is, you also need to look practically at my standing in this world - as it would be folly not to do so. "Are there any threats to your family that you need to be thinking of? And how realistic is it that these threats might escalate to the possible demise of what you hold so dear? "And since I was discussing my first impressions of Oliver_McTavish and Badass Inc., there are obviously going to be some question marks raised over the safety of your family due to the fact that we can all agree on, there have been several rogues that came from their ranks, and there will undoubtedly be more. To discuss my first impressions without bringing this matter up, would be a glaring oversight on my part. "And just because I question this matter, does not necessarily mean it is certainly going to have negative connotations. It is just that, a question. Not a slight, not disrespect. It is a matter that bears to be thought of because I want to look after my business here - which is why I brought it up in the first place when speaking on my first impressions. Now I believe my very thoughts when I first thought about the matter were something along the lines of: 1) Why is this happening and 2) Is it going to provide a threat for my family and how do I feel about that "I believe I addressed the second point in full in my initial speech. The first point really has two sides to it. To put them simply: a) It could be happening because Badass Inc is a large family who has been around for a long time, which given Signore McTavish's high rank and the stability, has the capacity for people to build a gun, rank and then go rogue - regardless of their thoughts on what Signore McTavish is like as a leader. And forgive me for not going over point a) in greater depth, I do believe that it quite patently obvious that it would be a factor in why these matters are happening. or b) It is due to the fact that there are problems with the leadership over in Chicago, which is causing disgruntled people to behave in such a manner. "And I addressed b) in my initial speech, stating that, I did not believe it was was due to Signore McTavish's leadership skills going from my first impressions. I have had the fortunate opportunity to talk to several members of Badass Inc, who left me with some very good impressions. And even speaking and dealing with the man himself in terms of business, I felt as though he really cared for his family. "And so I deemed that I had discussed the matter in full within my initial speech - not needing to give it further thought. And just to reiterate, even though it seems quite clearly point a) as to why there have been several rogues from rise from the ranks of Badass Inc, I still need to think about this matter as a leader and whether this poses any threats for Philadelphia. "I will say right here and now that, should I have come out here and reeled of a nice speech about what a swell guy Oliver McTavish is, without raising any questions at all, it would be quite worrisome indeed. To have done so, would imply that my head was in the clouds, or that I really thought that we could all hold hands and be the best of friends - which would mean that I and my family probably wouldn't last very long in this world. "It is imperative that I look at all sides of all affairs. But what is more, I wanted to be honest in my first impressions. And I believe I did that by coming out here to speak today. "And just on a final note. I have not discussed the matter of 'recruitment' again, because Signore a1capon3 has said everything that I would have deemed to retort with." |
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| Reply by: Cathy_Parks at Dec 29, '07 07:58 | |
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I wouldn't overplay the significance of Option "A" too much, either. First of all, Oliver hasn't been around that long. Longer than the others, sure, but two months is hardly a long reign these days. Also, there have been very many families with large membership who never saw a rogue leave their ranks. Going way back in time, let's look at two ruling families from the old days, Ganelon and Oberon. Both were the top families of their time. Ganelon had very few rogues. Oberon had quite a few. Both were good leaders, both had large families. More recently, we had Scotland, Anita, and Seyarah. Scotland and Anita had few rogues, Seyarah had numerous. All were good leaders with large families. So what is it then? Is there an Option "C"? |
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| Reply by: KevinTheCat at Dec 29, '07 08:30 | |
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