title: What is the purpose of prefixing a new Date with the unary `+` operator?
body: <p>I am porting some javascript code (not my strongest language) and came across this:</p>
  
  <p><code>Common._nowStartTime = +(new Date());</code></p>
  
  <p><code>Common</code> is a module and <code>nowStartTime</code> is a property of that module. I'm not sure what the right hand of the expression means? Why prefix with the unary <code>+</code> operator?</p>