Disobedience, in the eyes of anyone who has read history, is man's original virtue.
Oscar Wilde
Back in the day
US President Abraham Lincoln created the Department of Agriculture, which he referred to as the "people's department," at a time when most Americans were farmers. It played a key role in the survival of many during the Depression, and today it continues to ensure that those in need receive food. It also aids farmers, inspects meat and dairy products, oversees food stamp and school lunch programs, and administers national forests. Before Lincoln, the Agricultural Division was part of what office?
Feature
The fabled Necklace of Harmonia is a cursed object of Greek myth. It was made as a means of revenge by Hephaestus, god of fire and metalwork, after he discovered that his wife, Aphrodite, was having an affair with Ares. He gave the lovely necklace to Harmonia, Aphrodite's daughter by Ares. The necklace was said to grant eternal beauty and youth, but it also cursed anyone who wore it. Generations later, it kept what widowed queen young and beautiful, allowing her to unwittingly marry her own son?
Born on a day like today
A major figure in fashion photography, Avedon studied photography in the US Merchant Marine. He became a regular contributor to Harper's Bazaar in the 1940s and was later was associated with Vogue. Known for his stark, black-and-white portraits of people in unusual poses, Avedon redefined fashion photography as an art form. However, many consider his magnum opus to be what 1985 book documenting something very different from fashion?
Last updated on Tuesday, 15th May 2012
