Quickies: Art Fraud, Irrational Fears, and Darth Vader

• The big-eyed children: the extraordinary story of an epic art fraud – “In the 1960s, Walter Keane was feted for his sentimental portraits that sold by the million. But in fact, his wife Margaret was the artist, working in virtual slavery to maintain his success. She tells her story, now the subject of a Tim Burton biopic.” (And this article is by Jon Ronson, one of my fav journalists.)
• The Psychology of Irrational Fear – “An inability to process these kinds of odds ratios is one reason why some people experience irrational, sometimes crippling, unease. In an interview with New York magazine about why Ebola is sparking mass hypochondria in the U.S., Catherine Belling, an associate professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, chalked it up to a reasonable fear (you might get Ebola if you accidentally touch the bodily fluids of someone who has it) getting distorted by bad logic (you might get Ebola if you accidentally touch anyone, ever.)”
• The Many Lives of Darth Vader – “Since his debut in the 1977 movie Star Wars, Darth Vader has been a rather busy Sith Lord. Apart from appearing in several movies since, Vader has also taken time out to participate in many other activities. For example, in recent months, he has shown a keen interest in Ukrainian politics. Over the years, news photographers have captured Lord Vader at premieres, rallies, promotional events, conferences, and sporting events, and even caught him at some low points, including a bank robbery. Gathered here are a handful of images of Vader’s offscreen appearances around the world (Earth).”
• Here’s Why Your Favorite Horror Movies Are So Left-Wing – “One of the more obvious specimens of political horror is Romero’s groundbreaking 1968 zombie movie Night of the Living Dead. Critical appraisals frequently highlight the film’s subversive reflection on the decade’s civil-rights struggle and unrest over the war in Vietnam.”
• Astronaut Chris Hadfield took 45,000 photos from space—here are some of the best – The title says it all. Check out this amazing set of photos!

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