To that point, I hadn't heard (prior to his passing) that he had stomach cancer.

That doesn't sound comfortable in the slightest...

Ah, I assumed it was relatively common knowledge since I'd heard about it was it was in the news last year and I don't even know who he is (other than first learning he had cancer and now learning he was dead; just now looked him up to learn that Ozzie Osbourne was also in Black Sabbath).

Not that I was a huge fan, I do have a fair amount of respect for RJD. He was a great musician, but more importantly, by all accounts, he was a pretty decent guy. He was well liked and respected amongst his peers.

And he is credited with popularizing Devil Horns:

Is it just me or is that an incredibly short pinky compared to index finger length?

Forced perspective?

Maybe, but if anything it looks like the pinky side is closer to the camera.

But when you hold your hand like that the pinky is angled away from the camera. As a matter of fact, I just did and looked at my hand with one eye closed and it does indeed look quite a bit like the photo. From what I can tell it's a function of the angle of the pinky, as well as the proximity of the pinky to the ring finger that causes the illusion.

I was a big fan of his in the day. RIP Ronnie

What about at night?

Nope, it's a short pinky alright.

:p