RIPPLE

**RIPPLE COMMENT** According to Ottawa Citizen (recognized source, score: 80/100), a travel article by Peter Hum reports on his experience visiting Bar Leong in Hong Kong, considered one of the world's best bars. The article highlights the long lines and crowds outside the bar, which might seem counterintuitive for a highly acclaimed establishment. The causal chain begins with the popularity of Bar Leong as a tourist destination, attracting large crowds and long wait times (direct cause). This leads to an intermediate step: increased demand for digital solutions to manage these crowds. To alleviate congestion and enhance customer experience, businesses like Bar Leong might adopt online queueing systems or mobile apps that allow patrons to reserve spots in line remotely (short-term effect). The domains affected by this ripple include civic engagement and voter participation, specifically volunteerism, as the rise of digital volunteering platforms could be influenced by the growth of remote work and on-demand services. This shift towards digital solutions might also have long-term implications for urban planning and community development. Evidence type: Event report (travel article). Uncertainty: Depending on how businesses adapt to these changing customer expectations, this trend may lead to increased adoption of digital volunteering platforms, potentially enhancing civic engagement and voter participation in the long term. However, it is uncertain whether this shift will be driven primarily by technological innovation or changes in consumer behavior. ---