Cosa Nostra News

The food was considered awful, the decor described as "dingy" but "underworld" luminaries ate there, a Billy Joel song immortalized the eatery, and bestselling authors included the place in countless novels. The former Manhattan institution was owned by Elaine Kaufman, who reputedly thought nothing of punching customers or throwing out tourists. Yet Elaine’s restaurant in New York’s upper East Side was always jam packed. Celebrities, writers, high-powered executives and Mafiosi were among her regulars.

What the hell is this all about? ... Cosa Nostra of Marketing . It's a market research firm that compares itself to the Mafia... but why? How? Maybe someone watched one too many episodes of The Sopranos .

"Renee didn’t need to look any further than her own life for the inspiration behind her new business venture “Jail Mail,” according to a story in the  National Enquirer . The 41-year-old mafia princess – daughter of imprisoned mobster Anthony Graziano – is launching a greeting-card service that will "make it easier for people to send letters to their loved ones in prison." At the jailmailinc.com website, which is expected to launch in June, customers will be able to purchase customized stationery that can include uploaded personal pictures and get help with their letter-writing. The company will also store important dates like inmates’ birthdays and anniversaries in their database to make sure no major life event goes unnoticed, according to the Enquirer story. The website is live now, but the business has not yet launched. The site has this logo and details:

"Chicago has been known for its criminal history. Organized crime, dangerous neighborhoods, and the kidnapping of the NBA for all of the 90s; the city knows a thing or two about doing bad. It does not, however, know how to be creative with its recent robberies," writes  The A.V. Club Chicago . "Last week, a man and woman robbed a Palos Heights bank dressed up in nun costumes. This may sound very familiar to movie buffs, probably because Ben Affleck did the exact same thing in The Town, which co-stars the recently maybe nude Blake Lively." READ REST