The New York Times likes to call itself "the paper of record" but this city does a good job of recording itself -- day-by-day, moment-by-moment.
To whit:
Did you know that NYC puts out its own daily newspaper? I had no idea! Admit it, you didn't either!
And yet since 1873, for almost 150 years, "The City Record - Official Journal of the City of New York" has been published every day detailing the city's business. It's used by government officials and contractors and anyone involved with the city's business to get thumbnail info of what the city government is actually doing. It records what the city is buying and selling, who got this or that contract, agency and department budgets, election results, tax rates, property condemnations, newly issued policies, etc. -- the minutia that rules NYC and its 8.6 million residents. It's a treasure trove for NYC junkies and not only records what the city is doing but is living history, an ongoing record of this town.
Then you have something that records even more.
Welcome to the Domain Awareness System. This is a platform that aggregates the city's CCTV cameras and the feeds of private security cameras that basically records every second of every part of this city. You can't move around anywhere in NYC without your movements being recorded. NYC is, sadly but (I guess) necessarily, a surveillance state.
In 21st Century NYC, it's hard to keep secrets, there's a record of everything.
Of course, there are still some secrets in NYC -- I guess, as of now, the government hasn't mounted cameras in people's homes.
But secrets endure. Did you know there used to be an old luxury train car from Europe that was then turned into a cafe inside Bloomingdales for years and years? It was a secret cafe of sorts, visitors to Bloomies had to suss it out. It's gone now so it's even more of a secret. At least there's a record of its bizarre and amazing history.
And yet since 1873, for almost 150 years, "The City Record - Official Journal of the City of New York" has been published every day detailing the city's business. It's used by government officials and contractors and anyone involved with the city's business to get thumbnail info of what the city government is actually doing. It records what the city is buying and selling, who got this or that contract, agency and department budgets, election results, tax rates, property condemnations, newly issued policies, etc. -- the minutia that rules NYC and its 8.6 million residents. It's a treasure trove for NYC junkies and not only records what the city is doing but is living history, an ongoing record of this town.
Then you have something that records even more.
Welcome to the Domain Awareness System. This is a platform that aggregates the city's CCTV cameras and the feeds of private security cameras that basically records every second of every part of this city. You can't move around anywhere in NYC without your movements being recorded. NYC is, sadly but (I guess) necessarily, a surveillance state.
In 21st Century NYC, it's hard to keep secrets, there's a record of everything.
Of course, there are still some secrets in NYC -- I guess, as of now, the government hasn't mounted cameras in people's homes.
But secrets endure. Did you know there used to be an old luxury train car from Europe that was then turned into a cafe inside Bloomingdales for years and years? It was a secret cafe of sorts, visitors to Bloomies had to suss it out. It's gone now so it's even more of a secret. At least there's a record of its bizarre and amazing history.
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