There are visuals of heartbroken fans all over the telly and an avalanche "news" messages reported via the radio and the twitterverse.  Today I am going to try to take in all the mourning rituals marking the passing Michael Jackson before the wave of speculation about pre-mortem weirdness and drug use takes over the memory of the entertainer.

Last night we had a conversation wondering which other music entertainer death would earn such a worldwide reaction. In today's music industry-driven world of big hits and short careers, it's also sad to think that phenomenons don't last as long as they used to. We figured Madonna and Paul McCartney have earned global mourning status… but any one else you can think of? Bruce Springsteen? Bob Dylan? Prince?

My music-obsessed heart goes out to everyone who counted Michael as one of their favs. I'll warn you now that the day *anything* happens to Michael Stipe, Damon Albarn or Conor Oberst, I'll be a inconsolable mess… for a long time. Oh dear. I just started crying thinking about it.