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New York Today: The Modern Mob | New York Today: The Modern Mob |
(35 minutes later) | |
Updated, 10:08 a.m. | |
Good morning on this majestic Monday. | Good morning on this majestic Monday. |
It feels like the ’80s in New York again, and not just because Donald J. Trump is back in the headlines. | It feels like the ’80s in New York again, and not just because Donald J. Trump is back in the headlines. |
Cement shoes. A John Gotti arrested. Members of four of New York’s five crime families nabbed on racketeering charges. | Cement shoes. A John Gotti arrested. Members of four of New York’s five crime families nabbed on racketeering charges. |
Mafia-related news is giving us déjà vu. | Mafia-related news is giving us déjà vu. |
That’s not surprising, said James B. Jacobs, a criminal law professor at New York University. “The New York mob is very resilient.” | That’s not surprising, said James B. Jacobs, a criminal law professor at New York University. “The New York mob is very resilient.” |
Organized crime has long been a part of the economic fabric of our city. The mob in New York grew out of a 1931 accord between skirmishing Italian factions brokered by Charles (Lucky) Luciano. | Organized crime has long been a part of the economic fabric of our city. The mob in New York grew out of a 1931 accord between skirmishing Italian factions brokered by Charles (Lucky) Luciano. |
These early wiseguys participated in loan-sharking and smuggling, and even ran many of the city’s gay bars — including the Stonewall Inn. | These early wiseguys participated in loan-sharking and smuggling, and even ran many of the city’s gay bars — including the Stonewall Inn. |
Times have changed. | Times have changed. |
F.B.I. raids in the late 1970s and ’80s decimated their numbers. | F.B.I. raids in the late 1970s and ’80s decimated their numbers. |
Italian neighborhoods have shrunk or disappeared, drying up a ready source of recruits, said Mr. Jacobs, and Italian-Americans have become more wealthy and moved to the suburbs. | Italian neighborhoods have shrunk or disappeared, drying up a ready source of recruits, said Mr. Jacobs, and Italian-Americans have become more wealthy and moved to the suburbs. |
Many of the traditional rules, like never ratting on your friends and keeping your mouth shut, have changed. | Many of the traditional rules, like never ratting on your friends and keeping your mouth shut, have changed. |
The business model has changed, too. | The business model has changed, too. |
Pushed out of politics and unions, New York’s Mafia is now dealing more in sports betting and credit card fraud, Mr. Jacobs said. | Pushed out of politics and unions, New York’s Mafia is now dealing more in sports betting and credit card fraud, Mr. Jacobs said. |
To relive the bad old days, you can visit the mob’s old speakeasies, haunts and hide-outs on these tours. Or stop by the Museum of the American Gangster. | To relive the bad old days, you can visit the mob’s old speakeasies, haunts and hide-outs on these tours. Or stop by the Museum of the American Gangster. |
Here’s what else is happening: | Here’s what else is happening: |
Today’s forecast looks cheery enough to make the darkest, coldest Mafioso smile. | Today’s forecast looks cheery enough to make the darkest, coldest Mafioso smile. |
Get ready for blue skies and sunshine, with a high around 88, and a clear evening complete with a delightful breeze. | Get ready for blue skies and sunshine, with a high around 88, and a clear evening complete with a delightful breeze. |
Did someone say amore? | Did someone say amore? |
• A lesbian couple is suing over New Jersey’s rules for fertility treatment. [New York Times] | • A lesbian couple is suing over New Jersey’s rules for fertility treatment. [New York Times] |
• Delta Air Lines said flights scheduled to leave Monday would be grounded over a system outage, but it remains unclear whether all flights had been affected. [Associated Press] | • Delta Air Lines said flights scheduled to leave Monday would be grounded over a system outage, but it remains unclear whether all flights had been affected. [Associated Press] |
• A man threatened to kill two New York police captains over restricted airwaves. [New York Times] | • A man threatened to kill two New York police captains over restricted airwaves. [New York Times] |
• Meet Nick Delpopolo, who was adopted from an orphanage in Montenegro and is now competing at Rio 2016 with the United States’ judo team. [New York Times] | • Meet Nick Delpopolo, who was adopted from an orphanage in Montenegro and is now competing at Rio 2016 with the United States’ judo team. [New York Times] |
• Ticket prices are skyrocketing for Alex Rodriguez’s final game with the Yankees. [Daily News] | • Ticket prices are skyrocketing for Alex Rodriguez’s final game with the Yankees. [Daily News] |
• A 12-foot-tall “T” statue supporting Mr. Trump was set on fire on Staten Island. [Staten Island Advance] | • A 12-foot-tall “T” statue supporting Mr. Trump was set on fire on Staten Island. [Staten Island Advance] |
• Can New York City’s biotech bubble be saved? [Crain’s] | • Can New York City’s biotech bubble be saved? [Crain’s] |
• The abandoned Pier 57 in Manhattan, which is being renovated, was an engineering marvel in the 1950s. [New York Times] | • The abandoned Pier 57 in Manhattan, which is being renovated, was an engineering marvel in the 1950s. [New York Times] |
• A 69-year-old athlete died while swimming in a Long Island triathlon. [CBS] | • A 69-year-old athlete died while swimming in a Long Island triathlon. [CBS] |
• Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “Left Behind on Billionaire’s Row” | • Today’s Metropolitan Diary: “Left Behind on Billionaire’s Row” |
• Scoreboard: Yankees demolish Indians, 3-2. Mets catcall Tigers, 3-1. New York Red Bulls tie LA Galaxy, 2-2. | • Scoreboard: Yankees demolish Indians, 3-2. Mets catcall Tigers, 3-1. New York Red Bulls tie LA Galaxy, 2-2. |
• For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Monday Briefing. | • For a global look at what’s happening, see Your Monday Briefing. |
• Chow down: Restaurant Week continues across the city. | • Chow down: Restaurant Week continues across the city. |
• A weeklong cross-country clinic for kids at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island. 8 a.m. [Free] | • A weeklong cross-country clinic for kids at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island. 8 a.m. [Free] |
• Join a discussion about race with the authors Mitchell Jackson, Daniel José Older and Emily Raboteau at the Strand near Union Square. 7 p.m. [$15 or $25] | • Join a discussion about race with the authors Mitchell Jackson, Daniel José Older and Emily Raboteau at the Strand near Union Square. 7 p.m. [$15 or $25] |
• Jack London’s “Iron Heel” is performed at South Oxford Space in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. 7:30 p.m. [$20 suggested donation] | • Jack London’s “Iron Heel” is performed at South Oxford Space in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. 7:30 p.m. [$20 suggested donation] |
• Catch an outdoor screening of “Minions” at Astoria Park lawn in Queens. 8:30 p.m. [Free] | • Catch an outdoor screening of “Minions” at Astoria Park lawn in Queens. 8:30 p.m. [Free] |
• For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. | • For more events, see The New York Times’s Arts & Entertainment guide. |
A Budweiser truck flipped over on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Expect extensive delays. | A Budweiser truck flipped over on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Expect extensive delays. |
4 and 5 trains are also running with delays. | |
• Subway and PATH | • Subway and PATH |
• Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak | • Railroads: L.I.R.R., Metro-North, N.J. Transit, Amtrak |
• Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. | • Roads: Check traffic map or radio report on the 1s or the 8s. |
• Alternate-side parking: in effect until Aug 15. | • Alternate-side parking: in effect until Aug 15. |
• Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry | • Ferries: Staten Island Ferry, New York Waterway, East River Ferry |
• Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark | • Airports: La Guardia, J.F.K., Newark |
Tony Bagels. Meatball. Fat Dennis. | Tony Bagels. Meatball. Fat Dennis. |
What’s up with mobster nicknames? | What’s up with mobster nicknames? |
They’re used to avoid real names being picked up electronically by the police, said Selwyn Raab, the author of “Five Families.” | They’re used to avoid real names being picked up electronically by the police, said Selwyn Raab, the author of “Five Families.” |
“Also since so many of them have the same first name, like Angelo, John, Bruno, Rocco — they have to distinguish amongst themselves.” | “Also since so many of them have the same first name, like Angelo, John, Bruno, Rocco — they have to distinguish amongst themselves.” |
Earning a nickname, however, is a personal affair. | Earning a nickname, however, is a personal affair. |
Take Vincent Gigante, for example, a New York mobster known for wearing a robe and pajamas around town. | Take Vincent Gigante, for example, a New York mobster known for wearing a robe and pajamas around town. |
Many thought his moniker, the Chin, came from his days as a boxer, or from his wide jaw. It actually came from a childhood pet name used by his mother: “Chinzeeno,” the diminutive form of Vincenzo. | Many thought his moniker, the Chin, came from his days as a boxer, or from his wide jaw. It actually came from a childhood pet name used by his mother: “Chinzeeno,” the diminutive form of Vincenzo. |
But like Voldemort, he was not-to-be-named. | But like Voldemort, he was not-to-be-named. |
According to court documents, Mr. Gigante had a rule: Members of his crime family could refer to him only as “this guy” while stroking their chins. | According to court documents, Mr. Gigante had a rule: Members of his crime family could refer to him only as “this guy” while stroking their chins. |
New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. | New York Today is a weekday roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till late morning. You can receive it via email. |
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Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. | Follow the New York Today columnists, Alexandra Levine and Jonathan Wolfe, on Twitter. |
You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. | You can find the latest New York Today at nytoday.com. |