Michael Jackson's Funeral - the Online Version

you'll need silverlight but this is the BEST quality live footage

skynewshd.streaming.skysports.com/live/skynewshd/

I just finished watching the whole thing on TV and online, it was wonderful, I was wondering where to find some high resolution photos from the event or a download of the entire thing, I like to get things like that for major events, and evening news episodes for days of major things like this.

I feel really odd watching the coverage of this -- I mean, I was born in 1980 and all these people who are like "possibly the greatest entertainer of the last century" and stuff... I just don't get it. Dude made some good songs, I guess? Then he got creepy and they made fun of him on South Park. I figure he was just a little crazy in a sad sort of way; whatever.

Can anybody explain why the world is reacting this way?

because he has affected the culture of most of the world in such huge ways, without him there would be no Britney Spears, Timberlake, Lohan, and also rap, hip hop, and R&B likely never would have came to be in their current hugely popular form they are today. Michael also established the idea of music videos as we see them today, that tell a story sort of usually with the song, back in the day, a music video was just the band or singers on some stage with a microphone singing their songs. Michael made the music video a new art form with groundbreaking videos like Thriller and Bad. From the age of 10 Michael Jackson has been in the public eye and loved by countless millions around the world. Music would be very different, and likely very boring, today, if it was not for his unique style, especially when he went off on his own in the 80s with the best selling album of all time. He has sold more music then any other recording artist in history, and thats for a reason: his music is timeless and will make anyone want to dance or tap their foot. Find another artist with such universal appeal and success; there are none. His work transcends genres, cultures, races, and almost anyone's musical tastes, all around the world. He is bigger then Elvis was, bigger then the Beatles were, and almost anyone in the world has heard his music at one time or another, from the huts of people in 3rd world countries, to the hugest metropolises. His music also appeals to all age groups, and he also has very clean songs that are just about style, music, and fun, or tell a tale of sadness, or an uplifting experience, and anyone can relate to the lyrics in some way and appreciate the quality and originality of his work. From the oldest person to the youngest child, everyone knows a catchy Michael Jackson song they love, and for the older crowd those songs bring back countless memories from their younger years. Anyways this is getting to be a long comment, but I hope it helps to explain to you why his death is such a huge loss to the world, and why so many people agree that he really is the greatest recording artist and entertainer in history. Maybe someday a new mega popular worldwide sensation will crop up again that almost everyone likes their music and style, but I think that won't be for a very long time.

I'm not even the biggest MJ fan, I have never owned one of his albums, nor have I heard all of his songs, but I remember when I was little I thought he was cool, and for all these years (I'm only 22) I've seen him in the news being tortured by the media, but also I've heard some of his fantastic songs. I cried several times while watching the memorial live on TV yesterday, it's such a major loss to the world, far greater then even the death of a president. He was an American legend in all sences of the word, bringing people together from all walks of life with his unique style and attitude in his songs. And now the world has lost that legend, days before the beginning of a comeback for him. Probably over a billion people across the world watched the memorial live, and I bet alot of them cried too. If he wasn't such an important figure in popular culture around the world, you would not have billions of people mourning his death. You may not understand it, and theres alot of other people who never will I'm sure, but for those of us who appreciated and loved his music on any level, and theres alot of us, are greatly saddened by the loss of him.

Okay thats all I have to say, you'll have to figure out the rest on your own.