Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
@kqf.ca
Co-ops, cycling and civictech in the streets; amateur making, disability justice and decolonization in the sheets. | she/her
w3w: wrong.thin.stencil
w3w: wrong.thin.stencil
Pinned
Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
@kqf.ca
· Mar 11
“Technology sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic, but misunderstanding one’s place in the function and aims of a system is no excuse for magical thinking.”
— me, Sep 25, 2024, riffing on Arthur C. Clarke in response to a bumper sticker about conspiracy theories
— me, Sep 25, 2024, riffing on Arthur C. Clarke in response to a bumper sticker about conspiracy theories
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
“The so-called job crisis, the automation of work and human tasks, is on the most profound level a war against people.”
Ursula Franklin, 1996
peacemagazine.org/archive/v12n...
Ursula Franklin, 1996
peacemagazine.org/archive/v12n...
Peace Magazine v12n1p10: Peace, technology and the role of ordinary people
Ursula Franklin: Peace, technology and the role of ordinary people in Peace Magazine Jan-Feb 1996
peacemagazine.org
December 20, 2025 at 2:46 PM
“The so-called job crisis, the automation of work and human tasks, is on the most profound level a war against people.”
Ursula Franklin, 1996
peacemagazine.org/archive/v12n...
Ursula Franklin, 1996
peacemagazine.org/archive/v12n...
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
I would encourage people to petition for the USA to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
AND for Canada to promote it more.
In it, the convention highlights very strongly that children have multiple individual rights and parents have responsibilities.
AND for Canada to promote it more.
In it, the convention highlights very strongly that children have multiple individual rights and parents have responsibilities.
Yep. As soon as we reach a critical mass of adults believing with their whole selves that children are people, we're going to have to change everything, and lots of people would rather have property than harmony.
I know this is something I circle back to a lot, but it honestly feels, to me, like half the attacks on our trans siblings roots back to "children aren't people." The doctor said "boy," so I get to be the parent of a boy child! Not a girl child! How dare my child want things I don't want?!
December 20, 2025 at 5:51 AM
I would encourage people to petition for the USA to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
AND for Canada to promote it more.
In it, the convention highlights very strongly that children have multiple individual rights and parents have responsibilities.
AND for Canada to promote it more.
In it, the convention highlights very strongly that children have multiple individual rights and parents have responsibilities.
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
MAKE ETHICS A THING AGAIN
December 18, 2025 at 7:02 PM
MAKE ETHICS A THING AGAIN
Today’s Connections did Mariah Carey fans SO dirty.
December 18, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Today’s Connections did Mariah Carey fans SO dirty.
It’s a stretch because of the swearing but *what I would give* to have more folks hear and enjoy Marian Call’s Christmas in LA song - especially those who make Die Hard a Christmas movie tradition. And I’d dedicate it to any feeling grumpy.
OK, Bluesky friends,
I'm putting together our all request Christmas music show for Dec 24 and I need your help!
I need requests!
The song, the version & little bit about what it means to you and/or dedicate it to someone you love (or like.) Please include your first name and location.
Thank you!
I'm putting together our all request Christmas music show for Dec 24 and I need your help!
I need requests!
The song, the version & little bit about what it means to you and/or dedicate it to someone you love (or like.) Please include your first name and location.
Thank you!
December 17, 2025 at 8:05 PM
It’s a stretch because of the swearing but *what I would give* to have more folks hear and enjoy Marian Call’s Christmas in LA song - especially those who make Die Hard a Christmas movie tradition. And I’d dedicate it to any feeling grumpy.
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
Imagine the dignity of having a publicly-run bus company offering service like this on Vancouver-Kamloops-Prince George-Prince Rupert (on the Highway of Tears) and Vancouver-Kelowna-Nelson?
It is far cheaper than you think and it could be up and running in a year.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXyv...
It is far cheaper than you think and it could be up and running in a year.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXyv...
I rode Europe's BRAND NEW first class sleeper bus
YouTube video by Wingin’ It! Paul Lucas
www.youtube.com
December 14, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Imagine the dignity of having a publicly-run bus company offering service like this on Vancouver-Kamloops-Prince George-Prince Rupert (on the Highway of Tears) and Vancouver-Kelowna-Nelson?
It is far cheaper than you think and it could be up and running in a year.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXyv...
It is far cheaper than you think and it could be up and running in a year.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXyv...
The corollary to Steff’s point: being disconnected / blasé about weather is literally the privilege (that’s what it is!) of living in an age of stable climate.
That time is gone.
Insurance industry knows it.
That time is gone.
Insurance industry knows it.
Folks still don’t know how social media works.
I post about weather because I’m a nerd & it fascinates me, but also because many people just go blasé through life without following weather & next thing you know, they’re shocked their basement flooded.
Well, level 4 atmospheric rivers do that.
I post about weather because I’m a nerd & it fascinates me, but also because many people just go blasé through life without following weather & next thing you know, they’re shocked their basement flooded.
Well, level 4 atmospheric rivers do that.
December 14, 2025 at 3:53 AM
The corollary to Steff’s point: being disconnected / blasé about weather is literally the privilege (that’s what it is!) of living in an age of stable climate.
That time is gone.
Insurance industry knows it.
That time is gone.
Insurance industry knows it.
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
Learned today that “Galápagos” comes from a Spanish word for tortoise, meaning that “Galápagos Tortoise” is,
in fact,
a tortology
in fact,
a tortology
December 13, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Learned today that “Galápagos” comes from a Spanish word for tortoise, meaning that “Galápagos Tortoise” is,
in fact,
a tortology
in fact,
a tortology
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
For each of these "autonomous" innovations, there's always at least a 50% chance it's a Mechanical Turk situation.
December 13, 2025 at 1:27 AM
For each of these "autonomous" innovations, there's always at least a 50% chance it's a Mechanical Turk situation.
Saw Jully Black sing with the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir tonight, unexpectedly. I wish I wasn’t so tired as to not being able to fully enjoy it.
December 13, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Saw Jully Black sing with the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir tonight, unexpectedly. I wish I wasn’t so tired as to not being able to fully enjoy it.
@brandonyan.com this seems relevant to one of the struggles you’ve been describing.
This, among other reasons, is why I bought my mom the Raz Memory phone.*
You program in the numbers your parents are allowed to receive calls from, all other calls cannot go through.
*(Not an ad, just a daughter that sleeps better at night)
You program in the numbers your parents are allowed to receive calls from, all other calls cannot go through.
*(Not an ad, just a daughter that sleeps better at night)
December 12, 2025 at 8:37 PM
@brandonyan.com this seems relevant to one of the struggles you’ve been describing.
I first stumbled on the work of Bent Flyvbjerg in grad school in 2010 and see he’s now doing MegaProject consulting/training. His next conference shares his term ‘the Iron Law of Megaprojects’ which he defines as: “Over budget, over time, under benefits, over and over again.”
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
In my 25yrs in the academy I 👀 the proliferation of expensive enterprise software that shifted the burden of sooo many basic administrative functions — reconciling receipts, paying honoraria, booking travel — from competent, efficient staff to faculty + students. I’d spend entire days on this crap.
Workday project at Washington University hits $266M
December 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I first stumbled on the work of Bent Flyvbjerg in grad school in 2010 and see he’s now doing MegaProject consulting/training. His next conference shares his term ‘the Iron Law of Megaprojects’ which he defines as: “Over budget, over time, under benefits, over and over again.”
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
Seeing folks lament the late start to the ski season. I’m nowhere near as big on snow sports (my partner is rather disappointed he won’t get to wring more visits out of his season pass) but there’s a little climate doomer in me that can’t help be a bit of a snit about it…
December 11, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Seeing folks lament the late start to the ski season. I’m nowhere near as big on snow sports (my partner is rather disappointed he won’t get to wring more visits out of his season pass) but there’s a little climate doomer in me that can’t help be a bit of a snit about it…
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
An astonishing percentage of Americans are open to car-free living.
The problem isn't attitudes. The problem is the failure to invest in viable options.
humantransit.org/2025/12/many...
The problem isn't attitudes. The problem is the failure to invest in viable options.
humantransit.org/2025/12/many...
Many Americans Are Open to Car-Free Living — Human Transit
Is Americans a “car culture” or are they “car dependent”? Do they drive because they love driving, or are they in an unhealthy relationship with a substance it would be happy to do without? Obviousl...
humantransit.org
December 11, 2025 at 6:55 PM
An astonishing percentage of Americans are open to car-free living.
The problem isn't attitudes. The problem is the failure to invest in viable options.
humantransit.org/2025/12/many...
The problem isn't attitudes. The problem is the failure to invest in viable options.
humantransit.org/2025/12/many...
One of my personal milestones in becoming a systems thinker was understanding how we are all individually simultaneously part of the problem and can choose to be part of the solution.
Stop de Kindermoord. We know exactly how. usa.streetsblog.org/2013/02/20/t...
Stop de Kindermoord. We know exactly how. usa.streetsblog.org/2013/02/20/t...
December 10, 2025 at 6:31 PM
One of my personal milestones in becoming a systems thinker was understanding how we are all individually simultaneously part of the problem and can choose to be part of the solution.
Stop de Kindermoord. We know exactly how. usa.streetsblog.org/2013/02/20/t...
Stop de Kindermoord. We know exactly how. usa.streetsblog.org/2013/02/20/t...
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
5 people have been killed on the roads in Metro Vancouver in the last week, including a driver, a cyclist, and 3 pedestrians, one of whom was a young child. Each of them had lives, families and friends, aspirations and potential that will not be realized. Each of them could have been me, or you.
December 9, 2025 at 5:58 AM
5 people have been killed on the roads in Metro Vancouver in the last week, including a driver, a cyclist, and 3 pedestrians, one of whom was a young child. Each of them had lives, families and friends, aspirations and potential that will not be realized. Each of them could have been me, or you.
Tried a new recipe for mujudara which since been cooking since 2008 and it came out with completely different texture than any other time I’ve made it. Just goes to show that cooking can be of constantly full of nice surprises.
December 9, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Tried a new recipe for mujudara which since been cooking since 2008 and it came out with completely different texture than any other time I’ve made it. Just goes to show that cooking can be of constantly full of nice surprises.
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
Folks might not know a lot of people are getting *very* upset that the materials they request are not available in the libraries/archives they're requesting from.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
I wish a notice like this wasn't necessary.
www.icrc.org/en/article/i...
www.icrc.org/en/article/i...
Important notice: AI-generated archival references
www.icrc.org
December 8, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Folks might not know a lot of people are getting *very* upset that the materials they request are not available in the libraries/archives they're requesting from.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
We're getting lots here at the Library of Virginia: requests of documents likely surfaced by large language models that *do not exist*.
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
One of the ways the internet is Very Good is the preservation of craft knowledge at a time private equity says we don’t need craft stores.
December 6, 2025 at 6:49 PM
One of the ways the internet is Very Good is the preservation of craft knowledge at a time private equity says we don’t need craft stores.
Trying a homemade ice cream mochi recipe. But I got too impatient and just eating the mochi now because it’s delish.
December 6, 2025 at 4:30 AM
Trying a homemade ice cream mochi recipe. But I got too impatient and just eating the mochi now because it’s delish.
Some folks here might enjoy seeing some pictures and reading a recollection of encountering Frank Gehry with his sailboat, as we reflect on his legacy in architecture and design. www.instagram.com/p/DR5oM8FkhZ...
Martin Knowles Photo/Media on Instagram: "Saddened to hear of the passing of Frank Gehry today. A legend, a hero, and a visionary passes, and the architectural world is a little dimmer and a lot less ...
5 likes, 0 comments - mkphotomedia on December 5, 2025: "Saddened to hear of the passing of Frank Gehry today. A legend, a hero, and a visionary passes, and the architectural world is a little dimmer ...
www.instagram.com
December 6, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Some folks here might enjoy seeing some pictures and reading a recollection of encountering Frank Gehry with his sailboat, as we reflect on his legacy in architecture and design. www.instagram.com/p/DR5oM8FkhZ...
I hate how similar this sounds to a collision in Vancouver just in October. (On the same block where my high school best friend lived, and near where I still have close longtime friends.) vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/10/15/r...
December 6, 2025 at 1:07 AM
I hate how similar this sounds to a collision in Vancouver just in October. (On the same block where my high school best friend lived, and near where I still have close longtime friends.) vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/10/15/r...
Pair this 👇🏼 with the recent proposal for Vancouver’s civic agencies and the view that a record turnout of speakers talking about the impacts of service cuts as “a waste of time.” This is the story that chills me.
Or better yet: make GenAI about an assault on civics. Because if you are selling a product that necessarily attempts to con one person into believing they are engaging with another person when they are not, you’re not just ruining education. You’re dismantling society’s foundations in social trust.
December 5, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Pair this 👇🏼 with the recent proposal for Vancouver’s civic agencies and the view that a record turnout of speakers talking about the impacts of service cuts as “a waste of time.” This is the story that chills me.
Reposted by Karen Quinn Fung 馮皓珍
Framing GenAI as a battle between teachers and students is a red herring. Students and educators are on the same side. The real opposition are the data extraction firms and brokerages and their allies among the managerial class.
December 4, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Framing GenAI as a battle between teachers and students is a red herring. Students and educators are on the same side. The real opposition are the data extraction firms and brokerages and their allies among the managerial class.