The media often use the headline "Mr. X dies." I thnik that indicates that he dies on a regular basis. For instance, Mr. X runs, tells me that this man is a runner. Wouldn't it be better to say "Mr. X died"?
Headline grammar has its own rules. Here's one link to some basic information: http://esl.about.com/od/intermediatereading/a/newsheadlines.htm
("Man bit dog" just doesn't have that certain something...)
There is a word (phrase) for this, no? Speaking always in the present tense, even when something has happened previously? One uses the present tense when discussing literature in a scholarly forum too, yes?