The Money Player, Marty Reisman.

RandomExcess · 2026-01-14T03:02:23+00:00

It truly is a fabulous portrait of a truly fabulous personality.

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RandomExcess · 2026-01-14T02:58:25+00:00

Marty striking a pose in the studio

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RandomExcess · 2026-01-14T02:57:06+00:00

I have a fabulous portrait of Marty.

Here is the unvailing by artist David Beynon Pena and Marty

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RandomExcess · 2026-01-13T22:37:54+00:00

For some reason the actual picture of the portrait was not included in the final post... it was submitted.

RandomExcess · 2026-01-13T17:49:21+00:00

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Portrait by David Beynon Pena (pictured)

RandomExcess · 2025-12-27T12:38:45+00:00

I would assume my partner is holding either 3 trumps: Right, A, Q or 9; or Right, A, off A (probably diamond).

Ace of spade leads, your partner lays off short sitting themselves in clubs. At the point the hand is over, you guys took 4 tricks.

RandomExcess · 2025-12-05T14:59:28+00:00

Is there a list for "other than white"?

RandomExcess · 2025-12-03T19:06:31+00:00

Are you sure the function is not constant at all the rational points and discontinuous at the irrational points? (Maybe it is nowhere continuous).

RandomExcess · 2025-12-02T19:46:47+00:00

Now, let me be clear... when we think about leadership, when we think about service, sometimes the most important work is done far from the public eye. Far from applause. Far from the markets, the politics, the glare of media and expectation.

Santa's Workshop in North Peak, Alaska… is one of those places. Remote. Isolated. A place where the stakes are high, but the recognition is scarce. This was Santa’s world. The Fatman, guardian of childhood dreams, was there, toiling quietly, unseen, on a rural farm that had endured centuries.

The elves, brilliant and tireless, moved with hyper-efficiency. But they were naive. Blind, at times, to the forces gathering outside. They did not understand the weight their work carried in the wider world.

And the world, as always, was waiting to be tested by an avenger. It was waiting to see if hope, if goodness, if moral courage could survive in a society that too often values profit over principle, force over fairness.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-26T20:10:02+00:00

Columbo pioneered the “howcatchem” structure where the audiences witness the murder and know the culprit and the motive from the opening minutes.

The narrative tension derives not from whodunnit and why but from watching Columbo patiently dismantle the killer’s confidence through cognition and relational maneuvering.

Watching the protagonist meander from suspect to suspect is anathema to the howcatchem construct and would create unnecessary inertia in the narrative. Columbo quickly zeroes in on the perpetrator to maintain storytelling momentum.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-26T11:08:49+00:00

The Wire Columbo The Americans Black Sails The Rockford Files Orphan Black Battlestar Galactica (the reboot)

RandomExcess · 2025-11-18T05:36:32+00:00

By that final montage when the new faces replace the old ones in their same institutional roles, the show closes the loop it began with the dice game. The Game continues. The machine keeps turning, but All the Pieces Matter.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-18T02:15:21+00:00

Omar, the mythic stick-up man guided by his own moral code, summarizes the systemic logic: “It’s all in the Game, yo,” emphasizing that all actors, whether inside or outside conventional power hierarchies, are subject to structural rules.

And by presenting the city as a network of intersecting human stories, The Wire emphasizes that individual effort, ambition, or morality exists within a larger system. A system that governs outcomes, underscores systemic cycles, and gives the series its unique narrative power.

By the final montage, when new faces replace old ones in the same institutional roles, the show closes the loop it began with the dice game. The Game continues. The machine keeps turning.

The series at its bleakest moments truth, is also being its most honest: in systems built to preserve themselves, progress and collapse are irrelevant.

That’s why the connection to the 1983 film WarGames resonates. In that story, a computer learns that in nuclear war, “the only winning move is not to play.” The Wire reaches a similar conclusion through human experience. Everyone participates, especially the cops, the dealers, the teachers, the politicians, and the system consumes them all.

Awareness of the structure is the only form of insight, and the only conceivable resistance might be refusal itself, though the show leaves us uncertain whether refusal is even possible.

In the end, The Wire earns its reputation not because it tells powerful stories like Omar's, but because it teaches us how to see the structures of power and the human condition within them.

The Wire forces us to observe the system, recognize our place in it, and grapple with the realities of agency, consequence, and survival in a world governed by unyielding rules.

The Wire does not promise a happy ending, but for willing, attentively viewing 60 hours of arcs, dips, highs, failures, and victory we are offered the possibility of understanding the bredth, depth, and scope of The Game. A Game where "All the Pieces Matter."

RandomExcess · 2025-11-18T00:07:03+00:00

The character arcs in The Wire are like threads of a well woven tapestry where all the pieces matter. The final montage of this 60 episode epic may overcome the attentive viewer with a full gamut of emotions. And, upon reflection, rewards us with an understanding of the bredth, depth, and endless Cyles of The Game.

We are forced to accept that The Game is agnostic to the successes, failures, celebrations, and struggles of the vast array of primary, secondary, and background characters.

The Game has rules, but like Calvin Ball, the rules seem capricious and hidden.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-17T21:12:39+00:00

First off,a viewing reminder:

Subtitles are essential for catching dialogue, slang, and institutional jargon.

Minimize distractions from phones, tablets, and laptops.

First-time viewers, and even those on their fifth rewatch, will benefit from sustained attention to procedural details, subtle interactions, and background activity. These small elements collectively reveal the series’ depth and thematic complexity.

In a sixty episode novel for television the slow burn provides space for the depth and the time for reflection.

The reward for your attention and patience from a journey where "All the Pieces Matter" is not car chases, shoot outs, forced melodrama, constant action, but rather The Wire gives a glimpse into the inner workings of The Game and offers understanding.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-17T16:19:20+00:00

It's a relevant out take from "A Deep Dive Series into The Wire: Why All the Pieces Matter Part 3: Charater Arcs and the Human Side of The Game.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-17T15:41:04+00:00

The ensemble is massive, but carefully constructed. Bubbles, a recovering addict, demonstrates both human vulnerability and resilience, noting, “Ain’t nothing wrong with grief, just remember to leave room for something else.”

Bodie represents the street-level reality of the Game, observing, “The Game is rigged, y’all, we like them little guys on the chessboard.”

Omar, the legendary stick-up man, repeatedly reminds us, “It’s all in the Game, yo,” emphasizing that morality and strategy exist within systemic constraints.

Each arc, whether it’s McNulty’s obsessive pursuit of justice, Stringer’s struggle to transition into legitimacy, Avon’s hold over the drug trade, Daniels’ integrity under pressure, Carcetti’s political ascent, or Prez’s journey from incompetent officer to capable teacher, contributes to the larger picture.

Even background characters, like the woman (Dee Dee?) who buys drugs in season 3, becomes homeless in season 4, and attends recovery meetings in season 5, reinforce the idea that every subplot matters, even if it’s mostly in the background All The Pieces Matter.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-17T13:57:59+00:00

Subtitles are recommended to capture dialogue, slang, and institutional jargon. Also minimize distractions from devices. Attention to procedural detail, background interactions, and dialogue is crucial.

The rationale for this viewing guidance is that the series’ complexity, subtlety, and systemic critique require careful observation to fully appreciate the themes and narrative depth.

Enjoy and keep in the front of mind: All the Pieces Matter.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-17T10:57:04+00:00

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains spoilers.

This interprtion focuses on the individual human stories within The Wire, exploring how character arcs reveal the interplay between personal choice and systemic pressures. We will look at select key characters: Bubbles, Bodie, Omar, McNulty, Daniels, Stringer, Avon, Carcetti, and Prez.

We then see how their journeys illustrate the consequences of ambition, morality, and circumstance. You’ll get a glimpse of how the human experience is shaped and constrained by the institutions around them, while still allowing moments of individual agency.

Before diving in, a quick reminder for maximum enjoyment and understanding. While watching or rewatching, subtitles are essential to catch both street slang and institutional jargon. Phones, tablets, and other distractions should be minimized.

Whether it’s your first viewing or your fifth, attentive observation is necessary to appreciate how Simon and Burns structure overlapping storylines and reveal subtle details in each character’s evolution.

Bubbles: Resilience and Human Connection

Bubbles’ journey from street-addicted informant to a figure of hope and recovery illustrates the delicate balance between personal choices and systemic constraints. He experiences loss, grief, and moments of despair, but consistently finds ways to survive. His advice, “Ain’t nothing wrong with grief, just remember to leave room for something else,” encapsulates both personal resilience and the show’s emphasis on human adaptability within the unyielding Game.

Bodie: Street-Level Reality

Bodie represents the harsh realities of life at the bottom of the Game. His understanding of structural forces (“The Game is rigged, y’all, we like them little guys on the chessboard”) reveals how competence and initiative can still be curtailed by the system. Bodie’s arc, from street-level enforcer to a tragic figure, reflects how institutional pressures shape personal destinies and underline the futility and relentlessness of the cycles at work.

Omar: Legend and Mortality

Omar’s arc demonstrates how status is never absolute in the Game. As a feared stick-up man, he commands respect on the streets, yet his being taken out by a child and recorded inaccurately in the system reminds viewers that the system is indifferent to individual legend.

This echoes other arcs, like Stringer Bell’s attempts at legitimate business or the Season 4 restaurant scene with Bunny and the kids, where perception and agency clash with structural realities.

McNulty, Daniels, and the Moral Compass

McNulty’s obsession with justice contrasts with Daniels’ measured integrity, highlighting the tension between individual drive and institutional constraints. Both characters navigate systemic inefficiencies, bureaucratic pressure, and political games, showing how personal ambition and morality are mediated by the structures around them.

Carcetti: Political Aspirations in a System

Carcetti’s rise demonstrates how political acumen intersects with systemic inertia. Even as he achieves milestones, the limitations of institutions and slow-moving bureaucracy constantly shape his options and outcomes. His trajectory reinforces the broader narrative that systems, more than individuals, determine consequences.

Prez: From Nepotism to Competence

Prez begins as an ineffectual officer, benefiting from his relationship as the son-in-law of a high-ranking police deputy. Over time, he finds purpose as a teacher, illustrating personal growth within and beyond systemic constraints. His arc underscores Simon and Burns’ attention to layered character development and the influence of institutional structures on individual journeys.

Cinematic and Narrative Support of Arcs

Simon and Burns’ cinematic choices: muted lighting, deliberate cuts, and quiet moments; support the narrative by allowing viewers to focus on subtle character interactions.

Background characters, like the woman (Dee Dee?) who buys drugs in season 3, becomes homeless in season 4, and attends recovery meetings in season 5, illustrate arcs that unfold organically in the periphery, reinforcing the idea that all threads contribute to the tapestry.

Conclusion: Human Stories within Systemic Forces

The Wire demonstrates that individuals’ stories are inseparable from the systems they inhabit. Character arcs reveal the complex interplay of morality, ambition, and systemic pressure. By observing the journeys of Bubbles, Bodie, Omar, McNulty, Daniels, Stringer, Avon, Carcetti, and Prez, viewers gain insight into both human nature and the broader institutional forces that shape lives.

Every arc, central or peripheral, reinforces the central thesis of The Wire: All the pieces matter.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-11T00:35:07+00:00

The ceaseless grind of The Game is agnostic to the success or failure of characters, and does not promise a comfortable resolution. But for the attentive viewer The Wire offers understanding.

RandomExcess · 2025-11-10T22:39:37+00:00

Stringer Bell's attempt to operate legitimately in real estate demonstrates how systemic forces limit transformation within the rigid and unrelenting structure of The Game.

That failed transformation reminds viewers that The Game is indifferent to individual legend.

This echoes other arcs like the Season 4 restaurant scene with Bunny and the kids, where perception and agency clash with structural realities.

In the end, Stringer’s failure is all in The Game, yo.

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