Jon Lebkowsky
@weblogsky.com
Co-host of Plutopia News Network. Digital culture maven, cyberpunk, dharma punk, cyberactivist. Wrote for FringeWare, Mondo 2000, Factsheet Five, Whole Earth Review, Wired, 21C, bOING bOING, Austin Chronicle, etc.
"When it comes to downscaling climate change, the biggest problem is perhaps that AI/ML algorithms are trained on data that are not representative in a future warmer climate." www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
RealClimate: AI/ML climate magic?
RealClimate: There has been a frenzy around artificial intelligence and deep machine learning (AI/ML) since the “ChatGPT Moment” in 2022, and AI/ML is for sure going to affect us all. It strikes me th...
www.realclimate.org
January 10, 2026 at 10:43 PM
"When it comes to downscaling climate change, the biggest problem is perhaps that AI/ML algorithms are trained on data that are not representative in a future warmer climate." www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
"King Tide is going to come." And flood highways, and who knows where else. www.newscientist.com/article/2510...
Californian highway flooded by the king tide
High tides caused by an alignment between Earth, the sun and the moon have brought flooding to coastal areas of California
www.newscientist.com
January 10, 2026 at 10:37 PM
"King Tide is going to come." And flood highways, and who knows where else. www.newscientist.com/article/2510...
I seem to have disappeared. Or lost my poetic disposition, anyway.
January 10, 2026 at 10:30 PM
I seem to have disappeared. Or lost my poetic disposition, anyway.
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: After Alexander undergoes “The Copenhagen Test,” someone hacks his mind—seeing through his eyes. Disaster for an intelligence analyst… or an opportunity his agency might exploit? youtu.be/cfTcNb104NI?...
The Copenhagen Test | Official Trailer | Peacock Original
YouTube video by Peacock
youtu.be
January 10, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: After Alexander undergoes “The Copenhagen Test,” someone hacks his mind—seeing through his eyes. Disaster for an intelligence analyst… or an opportunity his agency might exploit? youtu.be/cfTcNb104NI?...
The 2026 State of the World discussion featuring Bruce Sterling and Jon Lebkowsky launched today and will continue through January 19. Thrills, spills, chills, shills, peccadillos, armadillos... the faster the world spins, the faster we spin the yarns. tinyurl.com/sotw2026 #sotw26
January 7, 2026 at 12:26 AM
The 2026 State of the World discussion featuring Bruce Sterling and Jon Lebkowsky launched today and will continue through January 19. Thrills, spills, chills, shills, peccadillos, armadillos... the faster the world spins, the faster we spin the yarns. tinyurl.com/sotw2026 #sotw26
The 26th annual two-week State of the World conversation launches next Tuesday, January 6th. Join @bruces.bsky.social and I as we dance the apocalypso. I'll post a link when we've launched.
January 3, 2026 at 8:43 PM
The 26th annual two-week State of the World conversation launches next Tuesday, January 6th. Join @bruces.bsky.social and I as we dance the apocalypso. I'll post a link when we've launched.
Looking on the bright side - at least Trump stopped invading American cities...
January 3, 2026 at 4:02 PM
Looking on the bright side - at least Trump stopped invading American cities...
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: Some think "The Great Flood" is all wet, but it's fast-paced action sci-fi with an interesting twisty premise. youtu.be/SYF0MxHVAR0?...
The Great Flood | Official Trailer | Netflix
YouTube video by Netflix
youtu.be
January 3, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: Some think "The Great Flood" is all wet, but it's fast-paced action sci-fi with an interesting twisty premise. youtu.be/SYF0MxHVAR0?...
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Cory Doctorow discusses his book ENSHITTIFICATION: how platforms lure users with quality, pivot to serving business customers at users’ expense, then squeeze both sides for maximum profit. plutopia.io/cory-doctoro...
Cory Doctorow: Enshittification | Plutopia News Network
Cory Doctorow discusses his book Enshittification and the broader forces behind why digital platforms (and other industries) have “suddenly gotten worse.”
plutopia.io
December 30, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Cory Doctorow discusses his book ENSHITTIFICATION: how platforms lure users with quality, pivot to serving business customers at users’ expense, then squeeze both sides for maximum profit. plutopia.io/cory-doctoro...
Suggest a trend that's manifesting as 2025 ends and 2026 begins. Here's one that's obvious: chatbots are trending, AI is trending, robots are trending!
December 28, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Suggest a trend that's manifesting as 2025 ends and 2026 begins. Here's one that's obvious: chatbots are trending, AI is trending, robots are trending!
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 5:27 PM
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: "Strange Days" is a wild sci-fi thriller set at the dawn of Y2K, and ending with a 12/31/1999 end-of-millennium (Y2K) New Year's Eve celebration as backdrop. Happy New Year, Y2K+26! youtu.be/epJKjZHXzYU?...
Strange Days Kiss Ending Scene - HD
YouTube video by yeah
youtu.be
December 27, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: "Strange Days" is a wild sci-fi thriller set at the dawn of Y2K, and ending with a 12/31/1999 end-of-millennium (Y2K) New Year's Eve celebration as backdrop. Happy New Year, Y2K+26! youtu.be/epJKjZHXzYU?...
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Paul Robbins discusses his publication, The Austin Environmental Directory's focus on resilience: backup power during grid failures, clean-energy research, looming water shortages, food security, green cleaning products, and Austin’s environmental organizations. plutopia.io/paul-robbins...
Paul Robbins: Resilience | Plutopia News Network
Paul Robbins joins Plutopians to discuss the 2025–26 edition of the Austin Environmental Directory, framed around “resilience.”
plutopia.io
December 23, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Paul Robbins discusses his publication, The Austin Environmental Directory's focus on resilience: backup power during grid failures, clean-energy research, looming water shortages, food security, green cleaning products, and Austin’s environmental organizations. plutopia.io/paul-robbins...
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Agree.
Sharyn Alfonsi is standing up.
People need to stand up with her and for her.
Sharyn Alfonsi is standing up.
People need to stand up with her and for her.
Via @liamjscott.bsky.social at the other site here’s the full email from 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. She’s putting her career on the line by fighting here. And she’s fighting for all of us.
December 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Agree.
Sharyn Alfonsi is standing up.
People need to stand up with her and for her.
Sharyn Alfonsi is standing up.
People need to stand up with her and for her.
"In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can get our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely."
-Hunter S Thompson
-Hunter S Thompson
December 21, 2025 at 3:04 PM
"In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are fucked until we can get our acts together: not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely."
-Hunter S Thompson
-Hunter S Thompson
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: First official trailer for Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" dropped this week, and it's looking profoundly weird and compelling. "People have the right to know the truth!" youtu.be/nKIpb7fQaMI?...
Disclosure Day | Official Teaser
YouTube video by Universal Pictures India
youtu.be
December 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: First official trailer for Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" dropped this week, and it's looking profoundly weird and compelling. "People have the right to know the truth!" youtu.be/nKIpb7fQaMI?...
So far no drug company has paid me to take any of my prescriptions. I keep waiting. One drug company should be paying me 2000 per month, if there's actually been a 600% reduction in cost.
December 18, 2025 at 11:24 AM
So far no drug company has paid me to take any of my prescriptions. I keep waiting. One drug company should be paying me 2000 per month, if there's actually been a 600% reduction in cost.
Taking a sledgehammer to the open Internet: youtu.be/q0hE4EM7RRo?... A whole pile of bad bills...
There’s a Bipartisan Effort to End Free Speech Online
YouTube video by Privacy Guides
youtu.be
December 17, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Taking a sledgehammer to the open Internet: youtu.be/q0hE4EM7RRo?... A whole pile of bad bills...
It's almost time for the annual two week State of the World conversation led by @bruces.bsky.social and yours truly. We'll try not to explode as we survey the damage, which is exceptionally plentiful and weird this year.
December 16, 2025 at 9:43 PM
It's almost time for the annual two week State of the World conversation led by @bruces.bsky.social and yours truly. We'll try not to explode as we survey the damage, which is exceptionally plentiful and weird this year.
When the Washington Post added to its header the slogan "Democracy dies in darkness" in 2017, we took it as a warning. In fact it was a plan.
December 15, 2025 at 3:05 PM
When the Washington Post added to its header the slogan "Democracy dies in darkness" in 2017, we took it as a warning. In fact it was a plan.
Cool AI-driven tool to analyze and evaluate claims made in social media posts (or anywhere you browse): doesitsquare.com
DoesItSquare - Social Media Fact Checking Platform
doesitsquare.com
December 14, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Cool AI-driven tool to analyze and evaluate claims made in social media posts (or anywhere you browse): doesitsquare.com
Reposted by Jon Lebkowsky
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: A bit of Christmas season sci-fi... In "Trancers" a cop from the 23rd century follows a criminal mastermind with psychic powers to December 1985. youtu.be/P84mvtrZemc?...
Trancers (1984) Original Trailer [FHD]
YouTube video by HD Retro Trailers
youtu.be
December 13, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Plutopia News Network Sci-Fi Saturday: A bit of Christmas season sci-fi... In "Trancers" a cop from the 23rd century follows a criminal mastermind with psychic powers to December 1985. youtu.be/P84mvtrZemc?...
Trump's criterion for pardons: Is this a crime I might have committed myself? If yes, then I'll grant the pardon.
December 12, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Trump's criterion for pardons: Is this a crime I might have committed myself? If yes, then I'll grant the pardon.
"Stay woke, keep your eyes open." ~ Lead Belly. www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...
Black Music Sunday: Lead Belly, the virtuoso who told us to 'stay woke'
� Black Music Sunday is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music, with over 290 stories covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack. I hope ...
www.dailykos.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:06 PM
"Stay woke, keep your eyes open." ~ Lead Belly. www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...