See ya Michael Jackson

[wayfriend]

CNN reports that news of MJ's death brought the internet to its knees.

That just says .... everything. Everything about the world and MJ in it.

Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him

... some Google News users experienced difficulty accessing search results for queries related to Michael Jackson," a Google spokesman told CNET, which also reported that Google News users complained that the service was inaccessible for a time. At its peak, Google Trends rated the Jackson story as "volcanic."

As sites fell, users raced to other sites: TechCrunch reported that TMZ, which broke the story, had several outages; users then switched to Perez Hilton's blog, which also struggled to deal with the requests it received.

CNN reported a fivefold rise in traffic and visitors in just over an hour, receiving 20 million page views in the hour the story broke.

Twitter crashed as users saw multiple "fail whales" -- the illustrations the site uses as error messages -- user FoieGrasie posting, "Irony: The protesters in Iran using twitter as com are unable to get online because of all the posts of 'Michael Jackson RIP.' Well done." The site's status blog said that Twitter had had to temporarily disable its search results, saved searches and trend topics.

Wikipedia saw a flurry of activity, with close to 500 edits made to Jackson's entry in less than 24 hours. CNET reported that by 3:15pm PDT, Wikipedia seemed to be "temporarily overloaded."

The LA Times, the first news organization to confirm Jackson's death, suffered outages. The site also reported that AOL's instant messenger service had been hit, quoting an AOL statement that said, "AIM was down for approximately 40 minutes this afternoon." The statement said, "Today was a seminal moment in Internet history. We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth." ... [link]

[CovenantJr]

*cough cough* Split to Tank. *cough cough*

[Menolly]

<-- doesn't visit 'tank, but yeah.

[AjK]

I always liked the old Jackson 5 songs. His solo stuff ... not so much. I will pay the deceased the courtesy of not judging him personally other than to say that I was not a fan and would never let my children alone with him (better safe than sorry.) What I will say, however, is that I feel sorry for the people & fans who loved him and will miss him. And given how full of suffering and strife his life seemed to be, perhaps he is better having moved on. RIP. (Same for Ed and Farrah and all the "regular folks" who passed and left loved ones behind.)

[danlo]

I have nothing to add...POP music doesn't do a thing for me-though I did like Weird Al's Eat It...

50 is just too young to die...

[aliantha]

*cough cough* Split to Tank. *cough cough*

Okay, okay! Busy today, just got here.

It's done now. Anybody who wants to talk about Michael Jackson's penis, etc.: Go to the Tank.

[Lord Mhoram]

You guys really need to lighten up. Why is it that whenever any serious discussion on anything remotely political or socially conscious arises, it's immediately relegated to the Tank like it was nuclear fallout? It's really annoying.

[Dromond]

Agreed.

[aliantha]

I guess I can't please everybody...

[Menolly]

We love you anyway, ali...

[aliantha]

We love you anyway, ali...

Aw shucks...

[Zarathustra]

CNN reports that news of MJ's death brought the internet to its knees.

That just says .... everything. Everything about the world and MJ in it.

Jackson dies, almost takes Internet with him

... some Google News users experienced difficulty accessing search results for queries related to Michael Jackson," a Google spokesman told CNET, which also reported that Google News users complained that the service was inaccessible for a time. At its peak, Google Trends rated the Jackson story as "volcanic."

As sites fell, users raced to other sites: TechCrunch reported that TMZ, which broke the story, had several outages; users then switched to Perez Hilton's blog, which also struggled to deal with the requests it received.

CNN reported a fivefold rise in traffic and visitors in just over an hour, receiving 20 million page views in the hour the story broke.

Twitter crashed as users saw multiple "fail whales" -- the illustrations the site uses as error messages -- user FoieGrasie posting, "Irony: The protesters in Iran using twitter as com are unable to get online because of all the posts of 'Michael Jackson RIP.' Well done." The site's status blog said that Twitter had had to temporarily disable its search results, saved searches and trend topics.

Wikipedia saw a flurry of activity, with close to 500 edits made to Jackson's entry in less than 24 hours. CNET reported that by 3:15pm PDT, Wikipedia seemed to be "temporarily overloaded."

The LA Times, the first news organization to confirm Jackson's death, suffered outages. The site also reported that AOL's instant messenger service had been hit, quoting an AOL statement that said, "AIM was down for approximately 40 minutes this afternoon." The statement said, "Today was a seminal moment in Internet history. We've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth." ... [link]

Why is it that whenever any serious discussion on anything remotely political or socially conscious arises, it's immediately relegated to the Tank . . .

I guess if you're subtle enough . . . (Was that subtle enough?)

BTW, I thought WF's find was extremely interesting. Not picking on anyone.

And it wasn't entirely fair to say I "abhorred" his music. There were three songs I liked. (And I always loved Eddie Van Halen's solo in Beat It.)

Song 1

Song 2

Song 3

[CovenantJr]

You guys really need to lighten up. Why is it that whenever any serious discussion on anything remotely political or socially conscious arises, it's immediately relegated to the Tank like it was nuclear fallout? It's really annoying.

It was getting way off the topic of commemoration, into socio-political debate. It needed splitting, and if it's going to be split anyway, it might as well be split to where it fits.

Meh, it was just my suggestion anyway. It's what I would have done.

[lorin]

I will remember him for his self despite. A person that despised himself so totally that he literally tore the skin from his face. He worked fervidly to remove any resemblance to 'himself' until there was nothing left of 'him'. I will remember that he so hated himself that he was unable to spend time with his peers for fear that they would force him to see him for himself, that he hid among children and baby animals in fairy tale worlds and playgrounds.

I will remember him with great sadness and hold his ravaged face in my memory as a reminder that despair wields a heavy hand.

[matrixman]

I had suggested locking this thread after that eloquent post by lorin, but I retract it, because I realize some may wish to express disagreement with lorin's assertion that MJ suffered from self-despite.

[Dromond]

Wow...
Before I go to work, the thread gets split because someone suggests it, banishes it to the tank where few venture...

Then when I get home, it's a commemoration thread (Huh?)
Complete with links to songs and video...Wait! move it to vespers! Oh, there's already a thread there to discuss his music and passing and greatness, let's just post there... or, not.

This is a general discussion thread.

Matrixman, that is indeed a great post about self hate. A DEFINITIVE post on self despite.Why lock it? So it just sinks down and down? Not your intention, I know. But...

I say this is a general discussion of Michael Jackson, good and bad.

I believe the man was both, to extreme.

And I'd like to post about it, if I choose to.

[matrixman]

Wait! move it to vespers! Oh, there's already a thread there to discuss his music and passing and greatness, let's just post there... or, not.

That vespers thread ended up having little to do with Michael Jackson (except for Furls's entry).

This is indeed a general discussion thread, and we are all free to speak our minds, of course.

As for me, I've put in my 2 cents concerning MJ and have nothing more to add.

[danlo]

Wow, no matter what you think of this guy he's severely effected a lot of people's lives.

[Worm of Despite]

Wait! move it to vespers! Oh, there's already a thread there to discuss his music and passing and greatness, let's just post there... or, not.

That vespers thread ended up having little to do with Michael Jackson (except for Furls's entry).

This is indeed a general discussion thread, and we are all free to speak our minds, of course.

As for me, I've put in my 2 cents concerning MJ and have nothing more to add.

So now that you're done, we should just lock the thread? That is typical, heartless Vulcan logic, all betrayed by your use of the new Spock as an avatar! SHAME. Shame. Shunnnnn. Shun him!!!

Just kidding.

[Cybrweez]

You guys really need to lighten up. Why is it that whenever any serious discussion on anything remotely political or socially conscious arises, it's immediately relegated to the Tank like it was nuclear fallout? It's really annoying.

Interesting, b/c I think it relates to the actual story. The average person wants to talk about the amusement, not the bigger picture. Amusement - lack of musing (deep thought).