Above is a snapshot of the flowers, candles, and cards that are already amassing on the doorstep of Heath Ledger's Soho apartment. Fans and curious passersby are still stopping by the block on Broome Street where the actor died yesterday afternoon.

We know we should be used to this phenomenon, being bloggers and all, but we're still awed by the speed with which the news spread yesterday. The 28-year-old's body was found at around 3 p.m. Less than two hours later, it was being reported on television and on the Internet nationwide. While this isn't surprising in terms of the capability of the modern media, what struck us is that people passed the information to one another with incredible speed. Something about Heath Ledger, be it his youth, his popularity, or the mere unexpectedness of his death, caused people to IM friends, shout out in open office spaces, and call relatives. Ledger had grown into an iconic New York figure in recent years. What was your reaction? Since it's all anyone is talking about today, we'd love to hear what you have to say. Drop us a note in the comments.

Earlier: Heath Ledger: Covering the Coverage
Related: Terry Gilliam's Heath Ledger Movie: What Happens Now? [Vulture]