Dead famous

In case you hadn’t guessed, I’m not that fussed about Michael Jackson’s death. Actually, I am in a way, because it has lead to a good week’s worth of tasteless jokes, especially good when aimed at the girlfriend’s housemate who not only broke the news of his passing at the most inopportune moment, but also really likes (liked?) the guy and so gets extra annoyed at them.

Anywho, I found this cartoonvia a trawl from blog to blog to blog, which I feel properly sums up the most momentous event this decade:

Put a "BBC News" logo on and it could pass for the real thing

Because I can’t resist a cheap shot

The BBC News, as with every media channel, are running with the story that Michael Jackson’s personal doctor may be responsible for his death. Not only are they questioning the drugs he prescribed and his standard of care, they’re even going so far as to question how he behaved after he found the plastic figurine in arrest:

Paramedics were called to Jackson’s Los Angeles mansion while Dr Murray was performing CPR, according to a recording of the 911 call. Because Jackson was so frail, Murray “administered with his hand behind his back to provide the necessary support,” Chernoff said. He denied claims that the doctor may have botched the resuscitation attempt: “He’s a trained doctor,” Chernoff said, “He knows how to administer CPR.” (BBC News)

Really? Erm… he’s a GP, yes?

*ducks*

Perspective, anyone?

So, apparently someone famous died last night*. I’m not sure which I’m more impressed by – the fact Wikipedia had already updated with his death before the BBC News had even reported it, or the speed with which the jokes hit Twitter.

But seriously guys, he was only a pop singer. Ok, so he was a rather famous one, who despite his eccentricities made quite a contribution to music. But this behaviour: the wailing in the streets, the desperation to be near his place of death, the panic and mass hysteria – is it really necessary, let alone proportionate?

Believe it or not, other things did happen yesterday. Things that actually impact people, that might make more of a difference to the world. Corus cut 2000 jobs – big impact on the local economy. China started censoring Google again – massive issues for the Chinese and the openness of the web. Evidence was found for water on Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons – a huge leap in the search for extraterrestrial life. The protests in Iran are ongoing. The oil refinery strikes continue. The list goes on… And these are just the big headlines, things still happened on a smaller scale that made far more of a difference to more people than the death of “Wacko Jacko”.

So guys, feel free to be upset that Michael Jackson has died, but wonder whether all this effort that you’re putting in mourning the loss of this one guy is really proportional to the effect on the world this event has, and maybe take a moment to think of all the other people suffering far worse.

*Oh, and “died of a cardiac arrest”? Grrrrr….