The King Gino Report V - We're going into another recession

And I told you so twice. I told you so in February.  And then, on Facebook I said it again in April.

Yesterday CNBC woke up.

 

Economy gurus and pundits would do well to chat up their taxi driver or the young ladis wriggling on their laps. 

The King Gino Report V - We're going into another recession

And I told you so twice. I told you so in February.  And then, on Facebook I said it again in April.

Yesterday CNBC woke up.

 

Economy gurus and pundits would do well to chat up their taxi driver or the young ladis wriggling on their laps. 

King Gino Report IV- Corrupt cops and limos no longer hog a "no standing anytime" zone.

This report touches on these subjects:

crooked cops, drunken millionaires, limo hustlers, New York City, no standing zone, police brass, prostitutes, Saphire Gentlemen's Club, strippers, taxis, the Edward I Koch Bridge, FBI criminal investigation

On Sixtieth street, between First and Second Avenues, right off the Manhattan off ramp of the Queensboro /59th Street/Edward I Koch Bridge (one bridge, three names) stands New York City 's priciest strip club, Sahire. All along the adjacent curb is a "No Standing Any Time" zone, meaning motorists in their vehicles are not supposed to linger. In the early morning hours, right by the off ramp an occupied cop car would sit, it's occupants apparently charged with watching the illegally parked limousines, or to perhaps back up the "ownership " by Sapphire,  its management and bouncers of that curb and sidewalk. Yellow taxis, those with the supposed monopoly on curbside cab hails, regularly waived off by the bouncers. The limos had first dibs on the fares coming out of the stripclub- rich, drunk, sometimes coked-up young men who really don't care if a ride costs $13.50 or $75.00. Pre arrangements for free limo pick up at home is offered to the confirmed big spenders. The limos, of course, are not legally standing or more often parked with the limo hustlers accosting the people as they leave the strip club, looking for suckers and picking them up.  I would scoot past on an early morning empty return to Manhattan,  where most of our customers are. Once in a while a savvy strip club customer, or a stripper going home would push past the limo hustlers on the sidewalk, emerge from between two illegally parked limousines and hail me even while the bouncer would be waiving me away. I'd imagine kickbacks to the bouncers, the club bosses, and the cops for license to bilk drunken millionaires. So this past early Saturday morning I was shocked to see the bouncer waiving me to the curb, not a limousine in sight. Only two things could have caused this:
1- A limo hustler insulted the honor of a cop and group punishment was in effect
                     -or-

Big shot police brass sold themselves for money, prostitutes and free trips.

                     
2- The ongoing FBI investigation, with the arrests and early retirements of numerous high ranking NYPD cops had even penetrated down
 to the low level of payoffs from limo hustlers.
                    -Who knows?-

The King Gino Report I

Now, because I amble rather than walk, carry a black and silver  walking stick, and maybe due also to my white beard, big belly one of the African drivers has dubbed me "the King ." Others call me Gino. Here's the first King Gino Report.

This is about:

African Americans, Africans, Bronx, Cuba, Cuban refugee, Facebook, Frankie Boy, gay bar, Jeff Blankfort, leather bar, night people, race, strip club, strippers, taxi, the Bronx, The Eagle
I told you a little bit about Frankie Boy and his reports. I was being kind.  Gloves off .

Frankie Boy is a taxi driver who might remind you of the Jackie Gleason character Ralph Kramden. He's big and loud. And truth to tell, crude. I'm old, arthritic and walk with a cane so I've not wanted to invite a beating which could end my working days.

At times Frankie Boy would ventilate his frustration with trips to the depths of Brooklyn or the Bronx, with no tip at the end of it. When Frankie Boy's face gets red and he goes off on Black passengers I worry for him in a way. You see, most of the drivers in my garage are African immigrants. Most barely react. There's one African guy who takes polite exception I sometimes tell Frankie Boy to can it, or stop over generalizing, and that if he doesn'tcalm down he's going to have a stroke . Frankie Boy is son of Cuban refugees. I don't think there are many of them driving taxis, but Frankie Boy is one, just like I'm a New York Jew. There are surely more New York Jews driving taxis than Cuban Americans. I never asked Frankie Boy his story, but part of it is probably about his dissappearances and trips to Cuba, trips he enjoys immensley as he reports. He's crude. He whips out his cell phone to show images of attractive naked brown skinned young women. He can work like a dog for a few months, save up a relatively small stash and live like a rock star for a month in Cuba. When you drive for a taxi fleet you can come and go as you please.

Anyhow I think he's on to The Frankie Boy Report. I've told him that some of his reports vaguely remind me of highlights of my own shifts, but while he seems to remember virtually everything that happens on his shifts, I remember next to nothing. If I want to have a really successful Taxi Driver Blog I'd better get working on remembering stuff.