Heiser Christmas Letter 2025
Complacent about nuclear weapons?
Embedded Files
Dan Piraro, the cartoonist who draws Bizarro, puts a number next to his signature. That’s how many Easter eggs appear in his strip today. Here’s a key:
Dan Piraro, the cartoonist who draws Bizarro, puts a number next to his signature. That’s how many Easter eggs appear in his strip today. Here’s a key:
Eyeball (Eyeball of Observation)
Eyeball (Eyeball of Observation)
Piece of Pie (Pie of Opportunity)
Piece of Pie (Pie of Opportunity)
Rabbit (Bunny of Exuberance)
Rabbit (Bunny of Exuberance)
Alien Spaceship (Flying Saucer of Possibility)
Alien Spaceship (Flying Saucer of Possibility)
K2 (Piraro’s daughters Krapuzar and Krelspeth? or Kaitlin and Killian)
K2 (Piraro’s daughters Krapuzar and Krelspeth? or Kaitlin and Killian)
Crown of Power (salute to Jean-Michel Basquiat)
Crown of Power (salute to Jean-Michel Basquiat)
Dynamite (Dynamite of Boom)
Dynamite (Dynamite of Boom)
Shoe (Lost Loafer)
Shoe (Lost Loafer)
Arrow (Arrow of Vulnerability, in someone’s back)
Arrow (Arrow of Vulnerability, in someone’s back)
Fish Tail (Fish of Humility)
Fish Tail (Fish of Humility)
Inverted Bird (salute to Rene Magritte; or a parrot or pterodactyl, or, “flipping the bird”)
Inverted Bird (salute to Rene Magritte; or a parrot or pterodactyl, or, “flipping the bird”)
Olive Oyl / O2 (Popeye’s girlfriend, or her picture)
Olive Oyl / O2 (Popeye’s girlfriend, or her picture)
Pipe of Ambiguity (added in 2021; salute to Magritte, maybe not a pipe)
Pipe of Ambiguity (added in 2021; salute to Magritte, maybe not a pipe)
Here’s one with eleven Easter eggs:
Here’s one with eleven Easter eggs:
Palestine
Palestine
A two-state solution is becoming more difficult. Ceasefire violations and obstruction of humanitarian aid continue. Support for UNRWA is needed. Israeli historian Yuval Harari says Judaism is facing a "spiritual catastrophe". Nobody is stepping forward to govern Gaza. I hope Marwan Barghouti will be released from Israeli prison to become leader of a nonviolent Palestinian government; he would become "the Palestinian Mandela". In 2008, the government of Qatar sponsored a study at the RAND Corporation to design infrastructure for a prosperous Palestinian state; their report is called The Arc.
A two-state solution is becoming more difficult. Ceasefire violations and obstruction of humanitarian aid continue. Support for UNRWA is needed. Israeli historian Yuval Harari says Judaism is facing a "spiritual catastrophe". Nobody is stepping forward to govern Gaza. I hope Marwan Barghouti will be released from Israeli prison to become leader of a nonviolent Palestinian government; he would become "the Palestinian Mandela". In 2008, the government of Qatar sponsored a study at the RAND Corporation to design infrastructure for a prosperous Palestinian state; their report is called The Arc.
Proposition 50 Redistricting
Proposition 50 Redistricting
We voted against Proposition 50. Gerrymandering California to get even with Texas is a race to the bottom. Although Proposition 50 is set to expire after the 2030 census, it spans three federal elections and assumes that Texas will stop then, too. Gerrymandering robs voters of the chance to have their voice heard, and that’s wrong even if they’re Republicans. Many events will affect the 2026 election; partisan gerrymandering is just as wrong as racial gerrymandering or voter suppression. Gerrymandering is easy to spot when you find a gross imbalance between the voter demographics and the people they elect.
We voted against Proposition 50. Gerrymandering California to get even with Texas is a race to the bottom. Although Proposition 50 is set to expire after the 2030 census, it spans three federal elections and assumes that Texas will stop then, too. Gerrymandering robs voters of the chance to have their voice heard, and that’s wrong even if they’re Republicans. Many events will affect the 2026 election; partisan gerrymandering is just as wrong as racial gerrymandering or voter suppression. Gerrymandering is easy to spot when you find a gross imbalance between the voter demographics and the people they elect.
Affordability!
Affordability!
Scott Galloway is an excellent podcaster:
Scott Galloway is an excellent podcaster:
• Pivot, with Kara Swisher
• Pivot, with Kara Swisher
• Prof G Markets, with Ed Elson
• Prof G Markets, with Ed Elson
• Raging Moderates, with Fox anchor Jessica Tarlov
• Raging Moderates, with Fox anchor Jessica Tarlov
• Algebra of Happiness
• Algebra of Happiness
• No Mercy, No Malice
• No Mercy, No Malice
He’s also a business professor, author and serial entrepreneur.
He’s also a business professor, author and serial entrepreneur.
He has been promoting a generalized business plan he calls “a repeating revenue bundle (rundle)”, basically a subscription. The profits it creates cause unaffordability. Package everything your company makes, and create premium versions for your enthusiast customers. For example, Disney might bundle together:
He has been promoting a generalized business plan he calls “a repeating revenue bundle (rundle)”, basically a subscription. The profits it creates cause unaffordability. Package everything your company makes, and create premium versions for your enthusiast customers. For example, Disney might bundle together:
• Special entrance to theme parks, rides, etc.
• Special entrance to theme parks, rides, etc.
• Disney movies
• Disney movies
• Streaming ABC TV
• Streaming ABC TV
• Discounts on cruises, hotels
• Discounts on cruises, hotels
• Online social platforms, chats
• Online social platforms, chats
• Magazine for enthusiasts
• Magazine for enthusiasts
• Special merch (dolls, games, videos)
• Special merch (dolls, games, videos)
Everything possible goes into the package, for a maximal subscription price. The advantage for the company is predictable automatic revenue, like leasing instead of selling. Rundles could turn you into a financial slave, a fanboy with expensive subscriptions.
Everything possible goes into the package, for a maximal subscription price. The advantage for the company is predictable automatic revenue, like leasing instead of selling. Rundles could turn you into a financial slave, a fanboy with expensive subscriptions.
This is the opposite of Thor Heyerdahl's view. He wrote Fatu Hiva, imagining that you don’t have to be a wage slave or even have a “job”. In the jungle everything is free, and there's plenty of time for sunbathing.
This is the opposite of Thor Heyerdahl's view. He wrote Fatu Hiva, imagining that you don’t have to be a wage slave or even have a “job”. In the jungle everything is free, and there's plenty of time for sunbathing.
AI and robots could be good or bad for you depending on whether they work for you or for a corporation. Nowadays, benefits from new technologies tend to belong to corporations rather than to the employees or customers or public.
AI and robots could be good or bad for you depending on whether they work for you or for a corporation. Nowadays, benefits from new technologies tend to belong to corporations rather than to the employees or customers or public.
Other affordability issues revolve around housing, healthcare and education. Against low-cost housing, there's the obstacle of millions of homeowners living in very expensive houses. We can't reduce the cost of housing without harming their primary asset. This is very discouraging; can nothing be done now to make housing less stressful on budgets? It didn't have to be this way.
Other affordability issues revolve around housing, healthcare and education. Against low-cost housing, there's the obstacle of millions of homeowners living in very expensive houses. We can't reduce the cost of housing without harming their primary asset. This is very discouraging; can nothing be done now to make housing less stressful on budgets? It didn't have to be this way.
Everybody needs education and healthcare. They shouldn't be run as for–profit businesses. They're governmental and technical services like fire and police. The Republicans finally found a way to destroy Obamacare, by letting the subsidies expire. Now people will have to go without insurance.
Everybody needs education and healthcare. They shouldn't be run as for–profit businesses. They're governmental and technical services like fire and police. The Republicans finally found a way to destroy Obamacare, by letting the subsidies expire. Now people will have to go without insurance.
The Good News
The Good News
Fareed Zakaria says America is 25% of the world economy.
Fareed Zakaria says America is 25% of the world economy.
9 out of the top 10 companies in the world are American.
9 out of the top 10 companies in the world are American.
We’re doing astonishingly well with all the fundamental drivers of power.
We’re doing astonishingly well with all the fundamental drivers of power.
But, we’re afraid of China, and view ourselves as doing very badly.
But, we’re afraid of China, and view ourselves as doing very badly.
Three out of four.
Three out of four.
Recommendations
Recommendations
Dick got a $185 Chromebook with a big screen and software suite. It’s very nice.
Dick got a $185 Chromebook with a big screen and software suite. It’s very nice.
We were happy to see the quality policies proposed by the top five Democratic candidates for governor of California. We’re still supporting Katie Porter, even after a recent complaint that she’s a very demanding boss.
We were happy to see the quality policies proposed by the top five Democratic candidates for governor of California. We’re still supporting Katie Porter, even after a recent complaint that she’s a very demanding boss.
We continue to enjoy Paul Krugman, David Brooks, Bernie Sanders, Robert Reich, Michael Hiltzik, Fareed Zakaria and Scott Galloway.
We continue to enjoy Paul Krugman, David Brooks, Bernie Sanders, Robert Reich, Michael Hiltzik, Fareed Zakaria and Scott Galloway.
The Los Angeles Times warns that death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) have killed one Californian and sickened 23 more. The safest mushrooms are from the grocery store. If you find wild mushrooms, it's fun to identify them, but you don't have to eat them.
The Los Angeles Times warns that death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) have killed one Californian and sickened 23 more. The safest mushrooms are from the grocery store. If you find wild mushrooms, it's fun to identify them, but you don't have to eat them.
We hope all will be safe, lucky, prosperous and happy in the coming year.
We hope all will be safe, lucky, prosperous and happy in the coming year.
☮ ☯ 🇺🇳
Peace & Love! Let’s make 2026 a year of peace, growth and resistance!
Peace & Love! Let’s make 2026 a year of peace, growth and resistance!
Google Sites
Report abuse