5 ms·

>There's an environment ripe for disruption. Being able to idle away hours while purchasing next to nothing without getting harassed and chased off was a probl

>There's an environment ripe for disruption. Being able to idle away hours while purchasing next to nothing without getting harassed and chased off was a problem "disrupted" long ago. The answer is parks, libraries, rec centers and for the right demographic retirement centers.

GFischer 13y ago
Both parks and libraries are not ideal year-round, especially for the elderly. I agree that there has to be some sort of disruption, especially since the trend signals towards a lot more elderly and other people with idle time. Maybe some civic-minded startup, NGO or other kind of nonprofit. I hope someone wealthy funds such ideas, I'm annoyed that at least in my country much of those services are hijacked by "churches" that are very opaquely run, but give people a sense of community and things to do. I hope for similar secular services (think televangelists). Example (in Spanish): http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9ctor_An%C3%ADbal_Gim%C3%A9nez http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9ctor_An%C3%ADbal_Gim%C3%...
- jbigelow76 13y ago
  What is wrong with libraries? Or VFW halls, Shriners/ELKs/etc halls, rotary clubs, bingo halls, the food court of a shopping mall. I'm not a religious person either but like you pointed out many churches provide space to solve this sort of problem. There actually are a lot of options, for those willing to compromise at least a little.
  - dba7dba 13y ago
    The seniors mentioned in the article live within TWO blocks of the McD.
    - jbigelow76 13y ago
      I did see that. I read the first article too. What these seniors would require for an adequate "disruption" would be: <= 2 blocks from home Bathroom facilities Enough room for tables and chairs to accommodate ~5-15 people Free or close to it Completely enclosed, some form of A/C preferred All that in a high density/high land value urban area. Like the old song goes, something's gotta give.
  - GFischer 13y ago
    You pointed out several good options actually :) . I want to see more of those in my country, some just don't exist (cultural differences), I don't know about that particular place (Queens).
rodgerd 13y ago
You mean the libraries whose funding seems to be steadily under attack in the UK and US? And I don't know about your neck of the woods, but in mine green belts and public parks are under costant seige from "developers" who want to privatise them. (That said, good luck to the GP's business disruption plan which will involve paying a lot of money for renting or owning real estate in the most expensive places on the planet, in order to let people who don't want to buy anything use it.)
- jbigelow76 13y ago
  Seniors are one of the most reliable demographics that turns out to vote[1]. If Libraries became an attractive meeting place for them they could probably exert enough pressure, particularly at the municipal level, to ensure libraries remain adequately budgeted. [1] http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0399.pdf http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0399.p...

GFischer 13y ago

Both parks and libraries are not ideal year-round, especially for the elderly. I agree that there has to be some sort of disruption, especially since the trend signals towards a lot more elderly and other people with idle time. Maybe some civic-minded startup, NGO or other kind of nonprofit. I hope someone wealthy funds such ideas, I'm annoyed that at least in my country much of those services are hijacked by "churches" that are very opaquely run, but give people a sense of community and things to do. I hope for similar secular services (think televangelists). Example (in Spanish): http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9ctor_An%C3%ADbal_Gim%C3%A9nez http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9ctor_An%C3%ADbal_Gim%C3%...

jbigelow76 13y ago
What is wrong with libraries? Or VFW halls, Shriners/ELKs/etc halls, rotary clubs, bingo halls, the food court of a shopping mall. I'm not a religious person either but like you pointed out many churches provide space to solve this sort of problem. There actually are a lot of options, for those willing to compromise at least a little.
- dba7dba 13y ago
  The seniors mentioned in the article live within TWO blocks of the McD.
  - jbigelow76 13y ago
    I did see that. I read the first article too. What these seniors would require for an adequate "disruption" would be: <= 2 blocks from home Bathroom facilities Enough room for tables and chairs to accommodate ~5-15 people Free or close to it Completely enclosed, some form of A/C preferred All that in a high density/high land value urban area. Like the old song goes, something's gotta give.
- GFischer 13y ago
  You pointed out several good options actually :) . I want to see more of those in my country, some just don't exist (cultural differences), I don't know about that particular place (Queens).

rodgerd 13y ago

You mean the libraries whose funding seems to be steadily under attack in the UK and US? And I don't know about your neck of the woods, but in mine green belts and public parks are under costant seige from "developers" who want to privatise them. (That said, good luck to the GP's business disruption plan which will involve paying a lot of money for renting or owning real estate in the most expensive places on the planet, in order to let people who don't want to buy anything use it.)

jbigelow76 13y ago
Seniors are one of the most reliable demographics that turns out to vote[1]. If Libraries became an attractive meeting place for them they could probably exert enough pressure, particularly at the municipal level, to ensure libraries remain adequately budgeted. [1] http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0399.pdf http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0399.p...