If you ever wanted an insight into the life and times of New York City residents consider this fine multimedia collection by the New York Times. The “One in 8 Million Project” combines black and white images of local residents with a voice over of their life.

The goal was to profile a different individual from New York’s 8 million residents during each week of 2009. And the collection of stories representing all of New York’s five boroughs is an incredible and colourful array of lifestyles, interests and struggle.

There’s a story about Joseph Cotton, the grandfather who frequently minds his four grand kids taking them on walks to appreciate nature and cooking good meals together. Joe Manniello came from a town near Naples in Italy and has been cutting hair inside the Port Authority Bus terminal for 36 years. He describes the customers he’s had; crazy people, prostitutes, a woman who urinated on the floor and another that…