I completely agree with you there Philly. While the "old-timers" were equally violent, innocents were hardly killed. For NYC, I think the "noble Mob" image died with Carlo Gambino and anything that was left died with Paul Castellano,bringing the John Gotti "celebrity mobster" image and the violent paronoid schizoslike Casso and Amuso. Equally, in Philly, when all hell hit on Bruno and the Scarfo and Merlino killing sprees down I-95 was the destruction of the so-called "JV Philly Mob."

I too shared the honorable image of the mob at one time. But now, I see them as no different than street gangs such as the Crips and Bloods. My dad always wanted to me to become more interested in the mob, and I told him it was "boring" crime; not interesting like serial killers and rapists (my favorite case study at the time was Ted Bundy). He bought me the first Godfather book and told me if after I read it, if I am still not interested in the mob, then he will let it go. I finished the book in a week and half and begged him to drive me to bookstore to get the next two (I was in highschool w/o drivers license). I have been hooked ever since. If the old-timers were still alive, I would vote a few into the White House. (and that is coming from a very conservative republican w/ background in criminal prosecution)