It’s funny how we can neglect a person, whether in actions or thoughts, because they appear strange or distant. Imagine the joy that Michael Jackson brought to millions, young and old over the last four decades. His music certainly brought joy to me and my friends when I was young. For forty years he was a superstar, yet because of his apparent “freakishness” over the last 10-15 years, society took it upon itself to cast him aside and make him a target of our collective mockery.

He had some psychological problems perhaps. Who wouldn’t if they’d gone through what he had; raised by a family hungry for fame and fortune, thrust into the burning spotlight at age five. Tossed around by the media over the years, affected by health problems which turned him white and gave fodder to his detractors to mock him further, and accused and acquitted of abusing children. Bankrupted too. Who would fare better? But in an instant his death has turned the tide. He’s a hero now.

Hopefully this means we can collectively forget the last few years and get on with celebrating an amazing artist, somebody who pushed the boundaries of music and in his own way, race relations. As Al Sharpton said last night, in race terms, he did for music what Barack Obama did for politics. But I can’t help feeling sad about the low depths Jackson reached, and how the fickle public and media derided him with no regard for his well-being and humanity.

I’ll always remember as a child, feeling happy listening to my favourite Jackson songs: Dirty Diana, Billie Jean, Bad, Thriller, Beat It, Black or White… As a child of the 80s, as a big MJ fan, it feels like a big chunk of my childhood has died too.

I love Monocle. I know £5 is pretty steep for a magazine, but Esquire is £4.25, and GQ is about the same. Vanity Fair is the most similar in terms of content, and that’s not much cheaper either. If you haven’t read it already, and if you’re interested in quality journalism, travel, design etc. etc. you should give Monocle a try. Launched last year by Tyler Brulee, the founder of Wallpaper magazine (another good one, which has gone downhill since he left).

Even the physical qualities of Monocle set it apart from the competition. It’s thick like a book, the paper is high-quality, matt paper (I’m not sure if it’s recycled but it feels like it). The magazine doesn’t fall apart with advert inserts or different size advertisement sections. And it even smells nice. The typography and photography used are top-notch, and all done in-house.

At a time when the print press is suffering because of its lack of ability to re-invent for the Internet age, Monocle shows that a paper magazine which focusses on quality can succeed. And it’s a truly global magazine, based in London, which is an added bonus

I went to 10 Downing Street the other day, for the first time since Gordon Brown became PM. It’s such a nice place. Quite understated, very calm and quiet. You feel the history sweeping over you as you walk through the door.