TIME PIECES
It’s about time. All in good time. Time’s up. The time is now. The time is right. The time is ripe. Time to kill. Sign of the times. A hell of a time. Time flies. It’s time! Time stopped. Time after time. Too much time on your hands. Timing is everything. Time of our lives. Got the time? Perfect timing! Time to make the doughnuts! Time and again. Time out of mind. Time for a change. Time is money. No time like the present.
New Yorkers talk about time endlessly. No one ever has enough. It is the basic unit of measurement of our lives—but it’s something we’re always running out of. We rarely put aside the time to take a deeper look. “Time Pieces” tackles everything from the history of how we calculate a second to how we obsess over the minutes in the day to the many ways we try to beat the clock.
Timeless Trailer
The History of the Second
by Zach Williams
We measure our lives in years and paychecks, our months and days by life events and how long it takes our planet to turn. Most would agree: It all begins with a second. But what is a second? Its meaning and length has changed over time — whether for sailors who crossed oceans first or contemporary astronomers seeking truth from across the cosmos. Here, we take on this base measurement of time, looking at its origins, evolution and where it’s headed. It’ll only take a few seconds — 201 of them to be precise.
Telling Time, Old-School Style
by Janae Hunter
In this digital age, some skills lose relevance by the minute. One of those skills is the ability to read an analog clock. But some parents and educators refuse to let traditional clocks die, and are taking it upon themselves to pass on the art of analog.
Two Clockmakers, One Dying Industry
by Stephanie Daniel and Tadia Toussaint
Fixing and making clocks is a dwindling business, as more people opt to tell time using digital gadgets. The owners of two clock shops whose businesses have downsized in recent decades bring us into the world of their dying profession.
A 360°, Virtual Reality Time Lapse
by Dan Heching
Time moves fast in New York City, and the High Line park serves as a prime vantage point to observe its passage. At the center of this time-lapse video is Tony Matelli’s “Sleepwalker,” an art installment near the park’s 14th Street entrance. The sculpture’s placement within this hyper-kinetic, sped-up video sequence is a commentary on time in its own right – creating the effect of a stock-still person frozen in time amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.
The TIME Mashup: Music Until The End of Time
compiled by Terron Austin
Timing is crucial in music – and in lyrics. This musical mashup, spanning the last four decades, pulls together songs about time. Remember with every beat that music is timeless – and challenge yourself as you listen: Can you name all of the artists featured?
How Much is Your Time Worth?
by Deanne Gaston and Terron Austin
We’ve all heard that time is money, but exactly how much are we talking? In the current political landscape, the nation’s hourly wage has become a hot-button issue, as candidates debate the federal minimum wage. With New York’s minimum wage set to grow over the next five years, we examine the state of hourly pay in the city.
The Speed of Attraction
by Jaja Grays, Brandon Nix and Nicole Ashley
How long does “love at first sight” actually take? In a world of Tinder swipes and Catfish, dating in New York City can feel like “The Hunger Games.” Determining whether someone is a good match often boils down to one thing: the speed of attraction. We spoke with dating expert Susan Winter and attended a speed dating event to discover just how fast you can find your next Tinderella.
Down to the Wire
by Michelle Simon
As the Summer Olympics in Rio approach, athletes are dreaming of breaking world records. Decisive moments will go down to the wire: Milliseconds will determine who becomes the newest Olympic champions. As we countdown to potential record-breaking moments in Rio, let’s count back to some of the fastest individual times clocked in various sports throughout Olympics history.
Waiting and Rushing
by Jennifer Mennella and Christine Brink
A “New York Minute” is not a minute at all – it’s an instant and a symbol of the city’s hustle. But in a city where people are constantly rushing, there is also a great deal of waiting: long lines, packed sidewalks, crosstown gridlock and delayed trains. Dr. Alex Lickerman, author of “The Undefeated Mind: On the Science of Constructing an Indestructible Self,” says there are ways to cope with the anxiety of waiting – including just saying to yourself, “I am strong enough to take this on.”
Time’s Up: Disparities in NYC Life Expectancy
by Zachary Ripple
New York’s struggle with inequality extends to time, and more specifically, life span.
Our map, which pulls in data from the city’s 59 community districts, shows some wide difference in life expectancy from neighborhood to neighborhood. Brownsville comes in lowest at 74.1 years, while the Financial District places first, at 85.4 years.
So what explains these kinds of disparities, which play out in various areas throughout the city?
Factors can include differences in rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, as well as in consumption rates of sugary drinks vs. fresh fruits and vegetables. Neighborhoods with lower life expectancy numbers also tend to have residents with lower incomes and less access to suitable education.
Click on your neighborhood to see how it stacks up in the ultimate measure of time.
Times Pieces was produced for the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism‘s NYCity News Service under the guidance of Susan Farkas and Jenny Hamblett. Executive producer: Dan Heching.
