Barney Bellomo, Steve Crea

Where did both of these guys grow up? Im talking their teenage years/ high school?
I know Barney became involved because of his father,mhow did Crea get involved?

Good question.

I'd also be interested if anyone has any back story (cough cough PB *cheesy grin )

pb will know much more than me but I think barney went to mon. scanlon hs. he was a hustler on the move back then. he got mentored by sally kos dad in the drug biz. took him and ralphie off the street to more high end deals. he used to drive sammy black. tony and chin saw his potential and groomed him for the spot he holds today. he used to hold court in a deli, I forget which street, pb knows what i mean for sure. back when he used to sell. he is probably 80-90% legit these days. property and heavy equipment rentals. he has a bunch of guys all around him who own construction companies, restaurants, jewelry stores... he owns a big building off west side highway. he must be worth 20 mil thru his family.

"Cant do it, Sally."

Not this time. And I just couldn't resist the cheesy "Godfather" reference (Tom to Tessio) .

Let's just say that my pal Skinny's post is about 65 to 75 percent accurate, which is a huge fucking compliment on a board like this. Barney did go to Scanlon, then did a year at McAllister mortuary school, where, believe it or not, he showed a genuine interest. It certainly wasn't to learn how to dismantle a fucking corpse. But then came the pull of the streets.

Just one minor correction to my boy Skin. Sammy Black was MUCH more instrumental in Barney's rise than anyone else. Barney wasn't just his driver, he was like another son to him. He's still like a brother to Sammy's son.

Sammy was the future. If he didn't drop dead so young he'd be boss today with Barney in the two spot. No doubt in my mind. That was the plan if anything ever happened to Vince, and it had Vince's stamp of approval. But you know the old saying, you make plans and God laughs.

And Ralphie was never much of a street kid. Not really. He was loyal, a great earner, and capable. But not a street kid in the truest sense.

The deli and all that other stuff I can't get into. But as far as LEGITIMATE holdings, he owns everything from construction companies to apartment complexes to a strip mall in a VERY pricey part of Florida. Very big on real estate. Put it this way, he knows as much about real estate as Stevie knows about construction. And that analogy speaks volumes. He's ninety percent legitimate since his wife passed, closing in on 100 percent.

Forget the ghost stories and the mugshot that makes him look like Count Chocula. This is a VERY bright guy that we're talking about here. I mean, were talking about. I'm out now, unless I see something ridiculously stupid written about the man.

Cheers mate. You're a treasure.

Any back story you can share with Crea?

Thanks PB but please give background info on Crea .. Where did he grow up? Who was he under, how did he start out? If its public knowledge of course..we would appreciate it.
Without this knowledge, the board becomes stagnant and relies soley on books and assumptions. Lets not let that happen. this is why posters such as yourself and a few others are so valuable.

I've posted about Stevie ad nauseam over the years, as any longtime member here can attest to, and I don't care to post about him right now for personal reasons.

Unfortunately, we have a troll/stalker here who is absolutely Hell bent on making my life miserable even though he KNOWS that my almost 86-year-old father has been ill for some time now. He has a fascination with Stevie, and I'm just not willing to post about him right now. But if you use the search function, you'll find many posts that I've made about his entire "career," including where he grew up.

Thank you in advance for understanding, and welcome to the board. Oops, I just looked at your avatar, and it seems that you've been here for over two years. But I also noticed that you only have 128 posts, so that was an easy mistake for me to make. But welcome to the board anyway .

Good.to see.you posting again. Next time you are up top let me know and we can go to the place I emailed you about

You have a PM, Cheech.

My 2 pennies. These two guys have alot of indictments on them in the past. PS lotta reading. That guy cefulo he's a dope guy but super low key as the boss of a family for awhile. He did get indicted for kickbacks from a NASCAR track on Staten island that never happens I think. One place I no they do that is new Hampshire I hate car racing and I take a Honda accord over any American car same price read same price.

Anyway.

PB can you send me your pmac translator please.

Mine just broke.

You can borrow mine, Sonny...

There's no NASCAR in the northeast except from my fox sports shity chaneel up new Hampshire. Decoded. At least not new England I forgot Stewart ran some kid over upstate NY. But rizzutto was dead.

/me chuckles at Mark.

We love ya pmac, just breaking your balls a little

Absolutely, good natured fun and all.

Pmac's a good kid. The end .

what in the hell is going on????

will do cheech... I'm on a friends house on the west coast just smoked some while watching the sunset on the beach. its legal here fuck it haha

It's the first time I've ever heard of Sammy Black. Reading up there isn't much about him on the internet. Seemed pretty young to die, late 40's? How did that happen?

Sorry for the questions, it's just interesting when you become aware of a big player like that who you've never heard of before.

old gangland on Barney
http://www.nysun.com/new-york/barneys-bravado-gives-the-feds-fits/53741/

Thanks Cheech, good stuff. Back when Gangland was actually worth reading.

He was in his early fifties, not that it's much of a distinction from his late forties. Natural causes. He was sick for a while, but I'm going to leave it at that for the sake of his family.

Was barneys father a big time guy? Sounds like it from the article.

Mathematics has never been a strong point of mine. Completely understandable PB. Thanks.

Strong enough, but he never made skipper. He was just exceptionally close to Fat Tony and Buckaloo.

My pleasure, Jimmy. You always comport yourself like a gentleman here, and it hasn't gone unnoticed by us longtime members .

Thanks like I said. I been reading Capecis stuff for a long time going back to early 90s late 80s. PB has as well and some others and some of us believe he isn't even writing a lot of the stuff anymore. If you notice you read a lot of "it's been reported by Gangland" or "the source told Gangland". Almost as if it's a collective thing. Hey. He must be up there in age and let's be honest unless you want to talk about the same things ad nausea like some other young "journalists" do then there isn't much to discuss. Even the writing isn't as good. And I am an avid reader. Obsessive. Mob books are just a small part of what I read. I have over 2000 comics and 300 books. Literally can't buy anything for a while as nowhere to put. I love to consume knowledge. I am just as comfortable talking about Aldous Huxley and his effect on modern society or psychological control of the mind. I didn't even know there was a such thing as a mafia forum til I googled a friends name that got into trouble and stumbled on here thru Dappers old site. I won't get into the person I googled but I talked about when I first signed up. It was way over blown and I don't want to bring it back up. Funny reading I found so much stuff that wasn't true. FBI and indictments don't always get everything right.

Rambling. Sorry.

Incredible intellectual. It's almost inconceivable to me that he's remembered by more people for dying on the same day as JFK than for his literary achievements. But then again, most people are fucking idiots. C.S. Lewis also died the same day.

I love reading. Mob reading is a guilty pleasure. Currently reading "Dirty Wars" by Jeremy Scahill. He's a real journalist. And his blackwater book was excellent.

Regarding Capeci, I wonder how many people actually subscribe. I hope he has some good retirement savings because I can't imagine the site is very profitable, especially if he's paying other people to contribute.

I pay the 4 bucks a month cause I can and I like to be able to refer to things at my leisure. Delly posts across the street but I like to see the pretty pictures

Dirty Wars is a great book so is Blackwater, I am a big fan of Scahill's work. My brother hates him lol (political polar opposites)

A lot of people don't know that. I'm glad you brought it up. You and I talk literature at length all the time and it's refreshing. You're one of the most well read people I know and you read all genres. The book about Sergio leone was amazing. Best recommendation I've had in a long time.
Last thing about Aldous. The Doors were named for his book the Doors to Perception.

That's true, he's pushing seventy. But I've seen him interviewed fairly recently and he still has his marbles. So if he's going to put his name on something, he should write it himself.

He's starting to remind me of James Patterson, the biggest fraud currently "writing" fiction. Unfortunately, he's also one of the wealthiest.

Elmore Leonard put out a quality novel a year for most of his career until he died at almost 88 years old. But then again, he was in a class all by himself.

Only book I've read of his was Brave New World. Really liked it. What else would you recommend, cheech and PB?

Then you should read "Island," which was his last novel. They're very similar in theme.

Thank you fine sir, that's brought a smile to my face. Given that you are one of the few reasons I visit this board, it's very nice to hear.

Yes good book. I liked heaven and hell. Check it out Mighty. I also read a lot about control of the mind and books on probability and risk. All genres really..Any interest pm me. Greatest prophet besides jesus is probability.

Peetz you think Jerry is writing all these articles? You've read him since The Post. What's your thoughts?

I've been reading him since practically Day One, although I don't subscribe to the site. And there's no chance whatsoever. None at all.

Hey rambler
I'd be interested in any recommends regards the above as long as they're not overly mathematically orientated.
Cheers pal.

If you're imto sports probabilities, I kmow a great book. I can't remember the name but I'll find out soon. It's also about cognitive bias if people are into that.

Thanks PB I'll check it. Is it dystopian?

No, I'm pretty sure he was British .

I would be interested in a book on probability, sports or otherwise any recommendations will be appreciated.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (one of my favorite authors) is also a great novel along the lines of dystopian

She was batshit crazy, but that's one of the greatest novels of all time. Sicilian Babe (who rarely posts anymore, and only in General Discussion) and I are huge fans.

Lol. My father grew up in rural Ireland. I know you were joking but man, he HATES the English.

The book I was referring to before is called "Scorecasting"... Good shit.

Ayn Rand was insane. I've heard the book is good, though, if you can Wade through her politics. Which is probably impossible for me.

Cheers MH.

If you're into cognitive bias, its fascinating. Also a really famous bool on cognitive biases in general that I forget at the moment but I'll get back to you, Sonnyb

Thanks pal.

A lot of people I've spoken to feel the same way about her. One person actually called her "evil," I have a soft spot since she has been an influential figure in my political and personal ideological journey, maybe as I get older I will have different view of her.



I would definitely check it out it is amazing some of the story is very relevant to issues today which the major criticism was that America would never turn into was she wrote. She goes over her points constantly in the book, even dedicating 70 page speech to it. I enjoy that part of her work, I can't agree 100% with her views but some of them I do



I will definitely check this out thanks for the suggestion

I think he was at the Post before DN, thats what I was referrinf too and glad you dont believe it either. validates what i thought.

this is a good book.
http://www.amazon.com/Conquering-Risk-Attacking-Vegas-Street/dp/1450723004
and anything by Wong.
hard to find a probability book with no math

when I get home tonight Ill leave some other recommendations as well.

Atlas Shrugged has been on my bucket list for a while. something always trumps it, it seems.

Cheers Cheech.

try 'Eyeless In Gaza'. It's very loosely based on Huxley's own life. There's a BBC mini series of it as well, starring Michael Gambon.



The Island is more utopian, a sort of counterpart to BNW

The book I was thinking of before is called "Thinking, Fast and Slow"

looks good MH, thanks.

Anytime cheech. You can pick it up at like one if the two Barnes and Noble left in CT.

Amazing how BN put 90 percent of long-time, family-owned bookstores out of business virtually overnight back in the '90s, and now they're slowly but surely getting torched by Internet sales and the almighty ebook. Some would call that justice.

I do enjoy Barnes and Noble because you can sit there for an hour or two with a cup of coffee and a real book (I rarely read a book on my tablet unless it's absolutely necessary). But they're dropping like flies. The Borders chain has been done for a few years now. It's only a matter of time for BN. What comes around goes around.

Saw the same thing with the mom and pop video shops, Blockbuster, and now Netflix, Redbox, etc.

Yup, good analogy.

There's a BN 5 miles from my house. Right down PCH, perfect stop right before my old National Guard Armory to print school work for free (I ain't gotta printer....I mean I can not afford a printer, and I do all my computer work via my Google Chromebook). I love the whole wall of magazines they have. Great place to read a "Soldier of Fortune" infront of the bleeding heart types and yoga pants moms. Not a bad place to meet girls, if you do it right, that is. Neat little Starbucks attached to it also.

To be honest, Ima gonna miss BN. I love their bargain books area near the registers. Their kiosks with their Nook tablet (how's that compare to a Kindle that gets Wifi anyway?)
I'm 26, and there's been the same black guy workin' at that BN since I was at least 13. I remember buying a Larry Elder book from him.

Oh, memories.

I have a Toshiba Chromebook myself. I love it. I have an HP all-in-one desktop with a 23-inch screen for when I need a disc drive, so I rarely even touch my older, heavier laptop anymore (that does have a disc drive).

I just can't get into the tablet reading. I agree with you on that one PB. It just isn't the same.

Also, chromebooks are great. No need to spend 2k on a laptop anymore.

I work in a wealthy town, and one of my coworkers told me that laptops are now REQUIRED for high schoolers to bring to school. She's an office manager and her husband lost his job. Ridiculous.

I wont read on a tablet unless its the only way i can get the book.
when i was a kid and didn't have much money i would go to the bookstore and read then I would put it back in a section only i knew like the art books or something and go back and finish.

amazing how your mind works when youre broke.

nice to have a good discussion. amazing what this place could be.

I don't read books on my tablet either. There's something about books that really add to the pleasure of reading for me. New ones with crisp pages, old ones from second hand books stores with crumbly yellowed pages both offer me something that I don't get from the tablet.

Steve Riggio started out years ago PB selling books on the street Downtown in Lower Manhattan , he would go on to starting the BN Empire. His Uncle was a Old Timer "Chick Wilson"

Scorecasting?!?, any chance that will assist me on my football bets this year...

I like having a book as opposed to a digital device, though they are useful for people who have trouble seeing small print. I usually by used books from a book shop not far from my house. You can find some hidden treasures in used books I got one once with the authors signature.

I love reading on the beach here at the Jersey Shore, so I usually just take out from the library the books I read. Always love reading the NY Post non digitally too, which is the only paper I don't read online.

Hey Dante,

It's about cognitive bias and how it affects sports. So it may have an indirect effect.

Thanks Mighty, between my commute into the city Monday-Friday for work and it being summer at the shore Jersey Shore I have those two time frames were I am reading books left and right, I will definitely check it out. Thank you for the recommendation.

Do you spend like every weekend there? I went to LBI for my first time and was blown away. My girlfriend is a jersey Italian so she's opening my eyes lol

LBI is known as "The Hamptons of New Jersey" I used to spend a lot of time there, I've been to LBI twice this summer- beautiful beaches and great bars that are more my style of bar than the scene a little bit further north in Seaside.

Yup, big time Italian-American success story. The Nook is keeping them afloat, so they'll be around. There just won't be many stores.

One of our buildings is on West 8th, right off Macdougal. I loved the little store on the corner of Sixth. Union Square will probably hold on for a little while. I hope so, anyway.

Sergio Leone as in the old spaghetti western director? That would be interesting.

I forgot to get that rizzutto book off amazon for my vacation next week should have got it on prime day gonna have to go to the library and find some shit to read.

pmac it was well worth the read. I read it before I left for Denver.

You got a blowout, Dante?

Reminds me, PB, saw pope of Greenwich village on A movie channel the other day... Any good?

Also, love love love the book store on university and 13th. Forget the name, but they were my one of my favorite spots.

Beautiful place. Absolutely beautiful. It's The Hamptons without the pretension. Well, less pretension, anyway.

Hamptons is easily the most pretentious place on the east coast. 50$ cab ride for two blocks lol

One of my favorite New York films of all-time. I used the Mickey Rourke avatar from that movie here for years. Filmed in the summer and fall of '83, when Downtown was still Downtown. You have no idea what is was like, my boy .

Lol. Not my fault!

Downtown must have stopped being downtown pretty soon after that. When did if "turn" if you will.

We have a house in LBI. We go every weekend in the summer. Night and day versus the rest of the jersey shore. Real family friendly with almost no riff raff. Perfect if u have young kids. Only thing is most of the restaurants suck especially for what they charge. Surf City is the best town on the island. Perfect mix of activity and quiet. Love it down here except for the crab that took a chunk out of my foot while I was surfing two days ago. Hurts like hell

The real changes started in the late '80s, early '90s. But it happened fast. I mean, like, lightning fast. If Gotti didn't get sent up for life, he would have had to move his operations back to Queens by 2000. And I'm not even kidding. At the 2010 census, there wasn't a single Italian-born resident living in the 10013 Zip Code (Little Italy).

PB, I heard the whole Gotti fiasco led to the downfall of Little Italy because the government ended up buying all the buildings in the area and doing whatever they wish with them. Any truth to that?

We're in Beach Haven almost 20 years. There's some good restaurants down at this end- the Gables, the Engleside. LA Spiaggia up near the causeway is good. Yellow Fin in surf city too.

No. It was the gentrification more than anything else. And Bloomberg's branding of NYC, coupled with his coziness with the real estate lobby, that turned some Lower Manhattan Zip Codes into the wealthiest in the entire country. SoHo, Tribeca and the Village are Hollywood East today. It's honestly very sad in a lot of ways.

You mean to tell me two dudes named Barnes & Noble didn't start "Barnes & Noble"? No shit!

Two dudes named Noble & Hinds started it (Hinds first). Barnes bought in a few years later.

no blowout, come man that was the style ten years ago. I just have a tight, jersey Italian-American fade lol

yes, when you're on LBI you don't even feel like you are in Jersey anymore. my Father owned a business on LBI for twenty years, I used to be there a lot when I was younger.

I believe that Downtown's point was that it was the Riggios who turned the chain into a behemoth (at its peak, because, unfortunately, as everyone has alluded to, bookstores are dropping like flies). And I tend to agree with him.

And then there's the sinister side that I also alluded to. They killed the independent bookstore virtually overnight back in the '90s. And now they're being eaten alive by Internet sales and the almighty ebook. I'd call it karma, but business is business. And machines and technology of some sort have been putting people out of work since they invented the wheel.

Well yes, Riggio made it a national chain. Thats clear But there was a Barnes and a Noble. (I imagine them looking like the Smith brothers from the cough drops ). And I agree about it not being karma, just business evolution.

All the book chains have gone the way of the dinosaur- B Dalton, Waldenbooks. Oddly, the UK chain Waterstone's is doing well.


I always enjoyed the independent stores more. Shakespeare and Co on Broadway was a personal favorite, Three Lives in tbe Village is still hanging in, and so is the Strand which is bibliophile heaven.

Any truth to the rumor that the Bedbug Eddy character was loosely based on Chin?

That place is a National Treasure, not just New York City.

Crawford Doyle is still open uptown on Madison. But I'm not an Upper East Side kinda guy.

Probably. The book alludes to a crazy act, but the film portrays him as genuinely hot-tempered and he doesn't wear a bathrobe lol.

When I was a kid I used to dream of getting locked in there overnight the way other kids dream of getting locked in a candy store

Most of the guys I grew up with ended up locked up, too. Of course, most of them couldn't read .

Yeah, Strand is the best.

Some of the guys that went off to 'college' - which was the popular euphemism in Dyker where I grew up- used to read their first books there

There's a lot of truth to that statement because some cons actually learn to read in prison, not just wiseguys.

Tom Hanks killed the small bookstore.

Fun With Dick and Jane in Allenwood

Hey, Sonny. You've Got Mail.

Now tell me that's not the smartest double entendre you've ever heard .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FucbvoFFy0

Hard for me to drive past pt pleasant given I'm right off the turnpike so tiki and jinks for me with a visit to Long Branch and Belmar here and there

tiki on a Monday ( industry day ) is a site most would be shocked at seeing

PB, is your PM still closed?

Got Sportscasting on Friday and Island and Conquering Risk in the mail yesterday, thanks for the suggestions!

What do people think of Charles Bukowski?

I know a lot of hispters gravitate to him but Ham on Rye is genuinely heart rending stuff.

Not my favorite but I like Charles Bukowski though I am no hipster, I kind of like his straight forward non bs language (I call him the Lou Reed of literature). He is a little angry and an a@$hole which can be a turn off. Modest Mouse has a pretty good song called Bukowski

I just saw this Dix. great book. has a fascinating section just about once upon a time in america.

a wise older gentleman who i have a lot of respect for recommended it.

when i get home tonight i will look for the title. check your pm tonight after 7ish