Nathaniel Sandler

Where To Learn All About The History Of Ocean Diving

Nathaniel Sandler — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:28:34 +0000

One of the earliest pieces of writing known to humanity is the Epic of Gilgamesh, a Babylonian legend that’s formative to the history of literature.

In it, Gilgamesh himself attaches stones to his feet, weighing him down to the bottom of the sea, so he could get the Plant of Eternal Youth. It is the first known record of someone plunging to the bottom of the sea on a breath hold dive.

Why Bookstores Don't Reflect Miami's Literary Health

Nathaniel Sandler — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:28:39 +0000

Many have taken the recent closing of Barnes and Noble in Aventura and the general dearth of bookstores in Miami as an omen, a portentous sign that the city is somehow culturally headed in the wrong direction.

And the easy takedown of South Florida, both nationally and from locals, is that a lack of bookstores is representative of a stupid populace, or an uncultured mass mostly focused on booze and partying.

How Much Do You Walk? Livability In South Florida

Nathaniel Sandler — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Have you ever tried to cross US-1 on foot? Both in South and North Miami, all the way through Broward and even in parts of the Florida Keys it’s a harrowing experience. People are driving fast and not expecting pedestrians. It has the feel of an action movie to it and one you’re definitely not starring in.

There are other roads that have this same feel in South Florida. Brickell, Calle Ocho and the Macarthur Causeway are streets you take to get from point A to point B and pray you avoid running into a $200,000 luxury car or uninsured $500 car.

More Evidence Of Tequesta Civilization Unearthed Near Miami River

Nathaniel Sandler — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Two months ago, twelve dump trucks bursting with dirt and fill from a downtown Miami construction site made their way to the Everglades Outpost, an animal rescue facility in Florida City.

Barbara Tansey, the facility’s owner and overseer is slowly sifting through the remnants looking for clues. Though volunteers occasionally come to help, at some moments the elderly Tansey is entirely on her own, tirelessly sifting in hopes of revealing any artifact.

It should be mentioned that twelve truckloads is an insane amount of dirt.

How Urban Explorers Record History South Florida Forgot

Nathaniel Sandler — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Built in 1964 as part of the Cold War response to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Nike Missile Silo was abandoned in 1979, but the former complex remains eerily intact within the southern portion of Everglades National Park. It is a reminder of a time when South Florida was a focal point of international politics, and it's also one the region's more famous abandoned sites.

WLRN Live Chat Tuesday at 11 AM: Tell Us Why Miami Is 'Flawed But Fabulous'

Nathaniel Sandler — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:37:58 +0000

Well everybody, I have a new assignment. I'm WLRN's Flawed-But-Fabulous beat reporter.

Poetry In Motion: A Chat With O, Miami's P. Scott Cunningham

Nathaniel Sandler — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:03:07 +0000

P. Scott Cunningham is the founder of O, Miami, a biennial poetry festival in Miami organized by the University of Wynwood and with support from the Miami-based Knight Foundation. The festival is happening this month.

WLRN: Tell us a little bit about yourself. The real P. Scott Cunningham.

Miami, Our Way: An Open Letter From WLRN To The New York Times

Nathaniel Sandler — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Dear New York Times,

Hello! It’s Miami! We wanted to write and let you know that we’re a real place. You’ve seen us before. We’re the ones that had that land boom in the 1920s.

We’re writing to you from the offices of WLRN, because we care. We love the Gray Lady. We wouldn’t dare see her honor besmirched because of us, Miami.

As E-Books Dominate Printing, Collectors Gather To Trade Rare Finds

Nathaniel Sandler — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:01:40 +0000

Going to an antiquarian book fair with a university’s special collections librarian is similar to walking around Central Park with a leaky bag of bread crumbs. Or if you prefer a local metaphor, like a chum brick floating in Government Cut, with sharks coming for miles bumping their noses against the boat to test the edibility of the situation. Watching the dealers shout down a respected and well-known book buyer is a sight to be seen.

The Architecture Is Alive: Some Reasons Why You Should Go to Subtropics Experimental Music Festival

Nathaniel Sandler — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:36:46 +0000

It’s hard to explain to someone what “sound art” is. These are encounters that bend our traditional definition of music, and the truth is CDs and MP3s simply cannot reproduce the experience.

Luckily, the Subtropics music festival is literally your sounding board—both an introduction and advanced course—and a navigational chart for becoming conquistador of sound.

Banksy in Miami: Behind The Scenes At The Questionable Graffiti Auction

Nathaniel Sandler — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:45:34 +0000

It seemed general consensus that no one really knew the facts about the auction last Saturday of a piece by graffiti artist Banksy. Certain parties weren't talking.

Dry Tortugas Dispatch: Beckoning Birds, a Lighthouse, and No Ghost

Nathaniel Sandler — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:00:00 +0000

In two nights sleeping under the arches at Fort Jefferson, I never saw the ghost. It is legend, or hearsay, but the myth persists. I trawled the halls regularly, even audibly coaxing at times to Dr. Samuel Mudd, the villainous co-conspirator against Lincoln, or any other poor soul who may have lived a life unfulfilled and made a specter amongst the fortified brick. There were plenty of candidates.

From The Curious Vault At The Miami Science Museum: Calcite

Nathaniel Sandler — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:00:00 +0000