There's an email floating around that supports many of the points being made here - while claiming that Ed Freeman passed without notice on the very day Michael Jackson died. Snopes has already set that to rights, but [sigh] the irony is obvious and painful. Meanwhile 'Shifty' Powers (Band of Brothers) passed on June 17th. Apparently now there's an email comparing him to Jackson circulating, too.

A father who lost a son in Afghanistan at about the same time - and who was a user of Twitter - began a campaign to get his son's name into the top ten hot list there, alongside Jackson, Miley Cyrus, et al.

I pass no judgment on any of these actions. I can only imagine I feel the pain.

Notices of the passing of heroes, on the battlefield or years later, immediately bring to my mind final scene from Private Ryan - the film that led to Band of Brothers: "Tell me I have led a good life." Each of us must ask and answer that question of ourselves in our own way. Whether consciously or not, for many fine folks Michael Jackson's death answers that existential question the fictional Private Ryan posed when confronted by the ghosts of men known but to him.

People like stories about untimely celebrity death, especially when the cause was avoidable - it demonstrates they are better off than celebrities, that while their life isn't lived in a mansion maybe that isn't so bad after all.

Soldier stories make them question whether they deserve what they have.