After seeing the ganster movie The Departed, there was a scene where the gangsters were getting their weekly payoff from a small business owner in the town. I would suppose that if the owner doesn't pay up, he is soon out of business. Does anyone have firsthand knowledge if this is still the norm in the big cities ? Just wondering.

__________________
95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

Apparently not anymore in Montreal, Canada. Big bust today. Kamil, you can come back and visit now, the streets are safe.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&col=968350116467&c=Article&cid=1164235812953&call_pageid=968332188774

__________________
Chris
2007 E550 4Matic - 61,000 Km - Iridium Silver, black leather, Sport package, Premium 2 package
2007 GL450 4Matic - 62,000 Km - Obsidian Black Metallic, black leather, all options
1998 E430 - sold
1989 300E - 333,000 Km - sold
1977 280E - sold
1971 250 - retired

"And a frign hat. They gave me a hat at the annual benefits meeting. I said. how does this benefit me. I dont have anything from the company.. So they gave me a hat." - TheDon

The old time mob-run protection racket has long since fallen into disuse as the immigrants became absorbed into American society.

Still quite popular among certain immigrant groups like the Chinese in Queens and the Russians in Brighton Beach/Midwood section of Brooklyn,I've heard of recent well-heeled Paki immigrants getting kidnapped and shaken down for money and goods,that's the way it's done now.

I just started watching last season's Soprano's on DVD and there is a funny episode in which the payoffs are diminishing because of the influx of national chain stores into Tony's neighborhood. All the money is closely monitored at corporate headquarters so the local manager has no discretionary income to use to pay off the Merchants Protective Association. It's an interesting twist to the 'WalMart Problem".

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

The small businesses still have to pay off the mob. Last year my anthropology class went to visit Chinatown and Little Italy in NYC. While the professor is talking about the Orange Riots of the 1800s, an escalade pulled up to a store that was selling fruits and vegetables. He looked at the little Mexican clerk and made the money sign with his fingers and the clerk ran right to the phone. At that point I stopped paying attention and actually started to listen to the professor's speech. The guy in the escalade did not look too friendly might I say.

__________________
Audi TT

There are still off and on protection rackets in the US. Only in the worst neighborhoods.. but thats not technically FIRST hand knowledge. In italy its a way of life. Your rent is part protection money.. everything is.
That info is a bit old.. but.. it is first hand.

__________________
1986 300e (runs like a top.. interior needs parts)
2006 GTO
2003 Mini S

Well, yeah and no.

My mom and uncle both run small business's. My mom's is a home based mary kay setup... My uncles is a store based carpet/pergo/ceramics/anyothertype of flooring u want...

My uncle said he gives each local party $100 whenever they're running, and so does my mom... I guess if you dont pay them, they'll pick through your business's assets and whatnot very carefully, and make sure you're not hiding anything from the revinuers.....

yeah, it's all legal on paper.... just not in words

~Nate

__________________
95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)