The 1800s composition “Vexations,” by Erik Satie, comes with a cryptic instruction to perform the piece 840 times in a row. Many thought that it couldn’t be done, but in the late 1960s, John Cage and some friends decided to give it a shot. (Originally aired on APM's The Story)

Performing The Unperformable

In Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, there's a long-abandoned tunnel. The Crozet Tunnel was completed in the late 1800s and at the time was the longest rail tunnel in the world, nearly a mile long. In the 1940s, the tunnel was decommissioned. Now, it's experiencing a comeback of sorts.

(This story aired on NPR's All Things Considered and, as such, the mix remains copyrighted by the program)

19th Century Virginia Tunnel A Relic Of American Ingenuity

By the morning of Aug. 28, 1963, Naomi Moore, Jurgen Ahler, David Johnson and Gunny Gundrum had traveled to the heart of Washington D.C. – some from across town, others from across the country – for an event that none of them would forget.

Marching On Washington: A Photographer, A Minister, A Student, A Ranger

On a good surfers’ beach, usually everyone is in the water, but there was a day that Shannon Aston and the other surfers watched a military parade that included tanks, soldiers and guns. That’s because their surfing spot lies beside the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, watched over by old guard towers and decoy stands left from the Korean War.

Lining Up Your Surfboard With The 38th Parallel

With the Republican National Convention coming to Tampa, local law enforcement is calling for all hands on deck to help with security. They’ve even enlisted the help… of the city’s garbage men.

8/24/2012: Garbage Men on Waste Watch for RNC

There may not have been much happening inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum on Monday, but plenty was happening outside.

8/28/2012: RNC Protests Smaller than Expected

After a long day of marching and chanting, most protesters in the tent camp known as Romneyville are trying to get some sleep.

"We have the constant helicopter overhead to give us the soothing white noise to sleep to," said one activist who asked not to be named.

He had just climbed down from the billboard behind the camp, where he hung a banner to overlook the nearby interstate entrance. 

8/29/2013: What Do Protesters Do After Dark?

The West Central Florida Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Central Labor Council held their "Welcome to Romney's America," a rally of what life under a Romney/Ryan administration would look like.

8/30/2012: Labor Protesters Hold "Welcome to Romney's America" at GOP Convention

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan held a rally in Lakeland, Florida today, saying "thank you" to the Tampa Bay area. They spoke to an estimated crowd of 2,000, and they made a special push to court disenchanted supporters of President Obama.

EricMennel