214 thoughts on “The Dark Side of The Moon<”

1. Wil,
   One thing to keep in mind when letting the current events get to you. When was the last time that major news outlets went out of their way to really spotlight (more than a onesy-twosy bit of time filler) when something good happened? Yes, the news is filled with horrific images and stories everyday, but thats what we ask for over and over from our news.
   If the news reported all the good things, the traffic accidents that were avoided due to quick thinking, the neighbor who called the cops when someone suspicious was lurking in the bushes, even the cats rescued from the tree branches, and left the bad things to filler pieces….would we be any better? We are fascinated by the horror around us, but if its not put in our face, we very rarely do anything about it. (and usually don’t even when faced with it)
   Not the brightest and cheeriest attitude to pep you up, but it keeps me from slipping into the state of the world funk too often.
   -Jase

2. The comment about “Battlefield Earth” I think is right on for the following reasons:
   Our (American’s in particluar) situation is that we spend a lot of our time and energy on things that we don’t need. We spend out time thinking about what our career is going to be, or where we’re going to live when our job re-locates us next. Very few of us have to worry about whether we’re going to have anything to eat today.
   Out of that luxurious position, we have an industry (Hollywood) to feed our apetites for “what’s new”. This capability isn’t used for curing cancer, or making life better, it’s used for lowest common denominator crap so that the studio can make some more money with no cultural benefit whatsoever. It’s no wonder that my mother thinks that science fiction is totally antithetical to anything useful or valuable.
   Instead of film-maker’s wonderful talents in communications being used to inspire and enlighten, they’re putting together celluloid with John Travolta so to increase their profit margin. (I can’t honestly speak to _BattleField Earth, since I never saw it, but the word on the grapevine is that it sucked to Biblical proportions.)

3. I’ve been in a funk as well. I’m going through some changes and somehow it’s more difficult going through these changes then any changes I have experienced before. I haven’t looked very closely at why, but I find myself a little less patient as well as easily frustrated with how things are going on in my life.
   I typically believe that getting discouraged is not an option in so far as this is what life is all about. Maybe I have been paying too MUCH attention to the news and such. IS it possible to go through life and not here about the atrocities of others? I mean would I be a bad person if I choose not to care about the ugly part of life? Would I then be living in a fantasy world, not living an informed life or choosing to live life on my terms?

4. Wil,
   Three times I have lost the connection typing this post so lets try again.
   This is and will always be evil. How else can the cosmic opposite of good exsist? THis is just
   a fact. There are many many millions of people
   like myself who were molested and abused as
   children. You cannot focus on the evil and still
   function in this world. Yes it is a horrible
   horrible place at times. But it is still all so
   wonderous. The thing that makes the survivors like
   me go on is faith..No not the “Sunday go to meet-
   ing” thing..FAITH. You HAVE to beleive it WILL
   get better..It will..wil.
   Please go kiss Anne and hug the boys. The world
   IS a better place cause of you and this site.
   Please don’t give up..Where would I and Spuddy
   and Roughy and Rob and Misskittyfantastico go
   to play without WWDN..WE LOVE YOU WIL. Hang in
   there…(soapy music fades out)

5. Ok, I just read all of the posts…even the vegan one.(I’m a vegan, and the only thing I can say is we don’t all preach, but there are many vaild points made.) There are so many roads to take, and so many things that could be said…I think I’ll just go with one path though…
   For Wil and everyone with children,
   If you want to change the world it starts in your own home. The way you communicate with your children, the values you teach them, the love you give them, the humor you infect them with. Take an interest, make them more important than all of the so-called “important” things in life.
   What scares me the most is that so many people don’t even know what’s happening in their own homes, and then ask “Why? How could this happen?”
   I was lucky, my parents where a part of everything in my life. I was encouraged to share anything and everything with them, and I did.
   Anyway, I digress….
   Wil, from what I’ve read you shouldn’t worry so. You have some great kids in your life, nuture them and life will be better.

6. No Wil.. I think you are absolutely right. I agree that there is somthing seriously wrong at the minute, and stuff needs sorting.
   A good example at the minute is the Damiliola Taylor trial.. I dont know if any of you folks heard about it, but a young boy walking home one day after spending the evening at a computer club, was set upon by about 4 youths.. he was severely stabbed and left for dead – people found him, tried to phone for help, but it was too late.
   This happened a good 6 months/year ago, and has recently come to trial. Can you believe that a young girl who was one of the key witnesses has had all of her evidence rejected, and been removed from court because she was so inconsistent with her evidence – the court now believe she was only there because of ‘rewards’ that many of our national newspapers were offering should any vital information come to light.
   I know I couldnt stand there and lie, simply for the money.
   Crazy.

7. (Sorry in advance for the rambling)
   A lot of people have been feeling like that lately and yes I feel it sometimes too, but the one thing that can always bring me back from that brink is my godson who will turn 2 in April.
   For example yesterday we took him to our local museum and when we were wandering around we came across an exhibit with voyageur (historic fur traders) songs. We sat on a bench and listened and I started to tap my hand on my thigh to the music and soon enough he started in, except he was doing it with both hands and a big grin.
   The really amazing part here is that this is a kid who has not even been alive for two years and who was
   1. Born 6 weeks pre-mature and only 4 pounds
   2. Just after his first birthday was discovered to have liver cancer which grew to be 11 by 10 centimeters (this on someone who was only 20 pounds total) before chemo and an operation removed it.
   I figure if he can go through all that and still have a grin that takes over his whole face, then I can deal with crap the world throws my way.

8. Wil, this probably won’t make you feel much better… but it’s fifty-freakin-degrees here in Atlanta (“Hotlanta”) and in the teens overnight. “Watch for frozen pipes” warnings. Snow – Snow in Atlanta! No global warming here.

9. No damn wonder John was posting such meat propaganda, his site is: http://www.whyvegan.org/ – if theres nothing I hate more tha Christians dirting my doorstep is tech geek vegans.
   Omnivore equal time: Animals are tasty, MMM good! Plate up that cow and bring it over here! Really rare please! And through on some baby version of whatever that is on the side.
   Why is it Vegans say we don’t NEED meat but keep making TVP/soy crap to “TASTE” like meat? Tofurkey? Soysage links? Hello? Hrmmm? Why does it have to taste like meat if we’re not supposed to NEED it? Like it? Jus t to trick people? Trick yourselves?
   Jeesh – I wasn’t going to eat a humburger today, now I am, I’m hungry!

10. It’s already been said, but I just now got to read this, so I feel the need…
    John, you’re entitled to your opinions, but if you really want to influence people, you need to find a more tactful way to do it. Posting that much in a comment board is annoying and, if most are like me, immediately causes people to tune you out, even if you had a valid point.
    Going to the extreme is always bad. A wise man once told me, “Moderation. It’s all about moderation.” Yes, you should eat your vegetables. Yes, you should eat meat. I just got done reading Fast Food Nation, so I wasn’t entirely unsympathetic to your views, but jeez.
    Back to the original topic (something John lost sight of):
    Wil,
    Buck up little camper. There’s always good and bad. Yes, sometimes it seems like there’s more bad, but what’re ya gonna do? Get out there, do the best you can and ram a red hot poker up the a** of anyone who takes kids from their beds at night.

11. I agree that it’s all fucked up, but there doesn’t seem to be much we can do about it. The idea of America as the land of the free and all that crap prevents us from trying to over- secure everything in our daily lives. If that particular family had a several thousand dollar security system installed, this wouldn’t have happened, but like most americans, myself included, we choose to live in a vacuum where “none of this will ever happen to me.” Why? Because we enjoy our illusion of safety and freedom.
    Until our daughter is kidnapped and killed. This makes it less enjoyable.

12. Wil,
    I read your wifes’ thing for the first time yesterday and one of the things she says is that you are a “make the world a better place” kinda guy and a lot of stuff you’ve written or said in interviews reflects this viewpoint. Now we’ve never met and its most likely we won’t, but I’d guess that its because of this side of your nature that these things piss you off. They do me, and they do others. The fact that you are able to write about this stuff helps others think about stuff and starts conversations, which is always a good thing.
    I can’t say anything that will make these things better but I’m glad that you hate the crap in the world and you do the best you can. You don’t ever seem to think, “well it’s not happening to me” so theres nothing I can do.
    You’re prepared to be counted and thats worth a lot in this springer-world of ours. People like you DO change the world, even if its a little bit at a time.
    Keep making us think, keep making us laugh.
    I hope that the family is well.
    Thanks
    Shaun

13. My worlds been in a funk too. I suffered long ago from an eating disorder. I am 5’8 and at the time I was at my sickest, I was 95 pounds. I weigh 195 today, and feel incredibly fat, and unhappy alot of the times, but honestly, I am in pretty good shape health wise. I fight every day so my girls feel good about themselves. And I cry every night to let out how frustrated I feel. I talk to my boyfriend every day, but miss him immensly. And at times, feel very alone here. Butt hen I look at the good points. My girls, despite having an over worked single mother as a parent, seem to be happy. I am back on my diet, so that 195 will drop soon hopefully. The man I love, loves me regardless ! He thinks Im beautiful ( thank you for that baby ) And my first novel is due out this year when we get editing and re writing done. The world is a scary place for my children, I am there only shelter at the moment. And I honestly wouldnt have it any other way. BTW… it was 70s here last week, tomorrows low 45, the high 46… think maybe winter ran late !

14. Think of the words to a Better Than Ezra song:
    First thing I remember was lying in the sand
    When a plague of seven horsemen
    Came across the desert land
    They had one good eye between them
    They were burning up the sky
    When I asked why they had come for me
    The ugly one replied
    He told me
    Ah, you better recognize
    Aw, you better recognize, son
    Sometimes the world just sucks, and we can’t figure out why and that makes it suck even more. So you gotta have faith. Believe in whatever it is you believe in–God, science, the basic goodness of most people, whatever gets you through. Remember the things in life that make you happy, the things that make you think that people aren’t all bad, and do what you can to fix the rest. Be strong, Wil. We’re all here with you.

15. Oh, and if theres anything I can do to halt production of Battlefield Earth II, let me know. We can’t have terror like this unleashed upon unsuspecting moviegoers ever again.

16. I get what you say wil… The world is a sad, depressing place. People being killed for no reason, everyone wants their way. It’s a shame that society today is so shallow. So many great people who are fat or not physically appealing(like me) who will wind up alone and lonely since no one finds them attractive…
    You know, i haven’t been able to find a single reason i keep trodding along, you know? is this all worth it? i dunno, daily misery is not something to be cherished
    oh well. At least it doesn’t last forever. This is CheatMan signing off.

17. Don’t know if anyone’s still reading this far down, but I felt I had to make a few comments.
    Lorna: Thanks for the Eric Idle song! I was actually trying to remember the words to it while reading this post. The other appropriate music is Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”, from a few years back.
    The Artist and Kazfeist: You both have the right take on this. Evil people and evil acts have always been around. The only answer is to cherish your family and teach your children to spread good, not evil.
    So Wil & all others, cheer up with a big cheeseburger (or veggie burger with soy cheese for the vegan-ites) and love your family!

18. Although it may not feel like it right now, the world isn’t really any worse than it was decades, or even centuries ago. That doesn’t really help us cope with current disasters. Remebering the Lindburgh kidnapping doesn’t ease the pain of the Van Dam kidnapping. But it may keep us from dispairing that the world is coming to an end. Quoting one of my favorite movies: “People were always rotten.”
    There are some things that are actually better. In the United States, we’ve made some great strides in civil rights. Things are far from perfect of course, but you’d have to be blindly cynical to think that things are as bad now as they were in 1959. At the rist of sounding overly sanguine, i think we’re moving in the right direction, but, as always, we’re moving very slowly.
    As a species, we’ve survived worse times. As long as they don’t start shooting off nukes, we’ll survive our current crises, too.

19. Wil-
    Like any other good, rational, intelligent human you mind is having difficulty processing this information. It happens to all of us from time to time, and merely indicates that you are still alive- and that progress is continuing. It smarts at time- but it continues.

20. I completely agree with almost everythig you said. The only discrepancy i see is that the overwhelming majority of scientists agree that global warming is not a problem and there is almost nothing we can do to make it a problem. The temperature of the earth has fluctuatd drastically during the existance of the earth. Right now w are actually in a very stable period. I agree with what you have to say, this is just something that most people in the United states are completely misinformed about and I wanted to let you know.

21. See, Eri, no one laughed at you (because what you wrote wasn’t laughable). At wwdn, even people like John, who co-opt a website to share information they think is important, only get a mild rebuke.
    Which is why I feel confident I can disagree with what some people have written without being flamed.
    Thumper, Kman, and Frolixo (among others) stated that the world is not getting worse. I disagree. I don’t think anyone can argue that the media _doesn’t_ relish serving the masses sensational stories of savagery, tragedy, and terror. But just because we are more aware of the horror, just because the globe is connected by almost instantaneous communication, doesn’t mean the world we inhabit is the same as the world of our ancestors. It is exponentially worse. Granted, there have always been murderers, mass murderers, rapists, terrorists, abusers, molestors and depraved humans who prey on their fellow beings, but there are more now.
    How many people’s deaths, in total, can be attributed to Alexander the Great? Tens of millions? No, those numbers would come later, when we developed scientific methods to practice genocide. Thumper, while there are more good people in the world than evil (for lack of a better term) people, there are more _people_ on the Earth now. So the number of evil people is higher, too.
    Beyond mere numbers, we have developed societies where monsters are grown. Individual beings are molded by the increased violence and apathy into which they are born and to which they are subjected. Some people are able to rise above their environment, but we accept that abuse is cyclic. Violence begets violence at an individual and a societal level. Profit from carnage is as old as the first war in which humans ever fought. Now, though, such profiteering is lauded, even taught.
    Justin wrote that the evils we are exposed to daily, world-wide, are nothing new. Respectfully choose to disagree, because a lot of the atrocities are new. Sure,

22. When I was in primary school (in the early 60s) we were taught how to hide under our desks in case of nuclear war. I remember standing there looking out the windows of my classroom, trying to imagine the unimaginable.
    In the late 60s we had the Vietnam War to sear our national soul, and I remember wondering what the future would be like. In the 70s we had a corrupt republican government seeking domination over everyone. In the 80s we had a corrupt republican government seeking domination over everyone AND the rest of the world. In the early 90s we were at war again and we had a home-grown bomber killing innocent people in Oklahoma City. In the late 90s we had warring politicians with nothing better to do than waste tax money on endless government investigations.
    Now in the first years of the twenty-first century, we still haven’t shaken off the type of people who want to tell us how to pray, how to be patriotic, post endless diatribes on how and what to eat, how to conduct our married lives, how to spend our money, etc. etc. … of ALL political stripes.
    The only difference between those times and now is that we DO have information at our fingertips — and not simply one media source. We have many media sources from which to learn.
    The result of all this knowledge is uncertainty — that has always been true. I’d far rather have access to information than be spoonfed my news by people with vested interests — like my government, or any one of a hundred churches who are more interested in power than whatever deity they’re shilling for at the moment.
    The downside of our cycles of history and our increasing knowledge base is that it affects with a sort of “post-traumatic stress syndrome” that we have to deal with.
    I know how Wil feels because I occasionally feel it myself — and have at epicycles throughout my life. But, I guess with all this advanced age (I’m only 48 for Christ’s sake — and still feel like I’m 18 sometimes) comes the wisdom to know that there are good things out there if we know where to look for them.
    The media who people are trashing for bringing only the bad news do serve what people want. But you know what — people often cynically reject what they term “happy news” in favor of stuff that’s more … colorful. What attracts your attention most — the lurid sex crime against a little girl or the opening of a new herbarium in the city park? It’s all there folks — it gets printed and put on web pages and newspapers, etc… but you gotta look for it as diligently as you allow your attention to be grabbed by the lurid stuff.
    Wil, not to sound like a tough love advocate, but here’s what I tell myself when I get too down:
    Hey, *****! Pull your head out and look around! The sky’s blue, the cat loves you, breakfast tasted great, you’re lookin’ good today, you got paid for your work, your spouse is a hunk, and tomorrow’s Saturday!

23. vegan spam like that makes me want to race right out and eat a hamburger
    with cheese
    and I don’t even eat red meat

24. ARGH ARGH ARGH AAARGGGHH!!!
    >
    I’m sorry Wil, you rock, but I’m calling bull on this one. Here in Atlanta, we had a negative wind chill last night. Does that mean there’s global cooling? Anecdotal evidence, no matter how strong, does not make for climatic trends.

25. You know what, Wil? You’re right! We’re going to Hell in a Handbasket. I seriously feel a bit like Slim Pickens – riding the bomb all the way down whoopin’ and hollerin’ like there’s no tomorry (there wudn’t).
    I used to wring my hands and seriously worry about the Israelis and the Palestinians, and how peace could ever be achieved in that area. I came to the conclusion that there can be no peace as long as those two groups exist. I’ve thrown up my hands and decided “You know what? You wanna fight? Fine. I’m done with the both of ye. Let me know when one (or preferrably both) are wiped out so we can JUST MOVE ON.” I’m tired of caring who started what, I’m tired of hearing about assassinations and children in the crossfire, or people forcibly removed from their homes. I’m tired of hearing about perceived slights when a government official dares step foot in a “holy place.” I give not a shit anymore.
    Here’s your first class ticket to Hell, say hi to Dahmer for me.

26. You know what? I live in California (San Francisco)and didn’t hear about the little girl. I’m from LA, so I generally get big news stories from my friends and grandparents. Also in the Bay Area, we never heard about that guy jumping off the freeway (I think he’d shot the rest of his family)and killing that woman in her car. Man, if we can’t get news from our own STATE, how can I trust if I’m getting important news from the rest of the country, or world?

27. Hi Wil and everyone:
    No Wil, as you can see, you’re not alone. You also have good company in reading and listening to the news from around the world. And there are some really fantastic posts here above this one!
    A few days ago I was in the same funk you are in, for many of the the same reasons. What sent me sprialing into the funk was the murder of Daniel Pearl. On February 22 I had been writing about the events in Columbia and Pearl’s murder. I found myself feeling more and more depressed at the state of the world and finished the piece with:
    ————
    Days like this
    I wonder at the vileness of humanity. I cannot understand how the human mind can conceive of such horrible acts as driving airplanes into buildings or slitting the throat of another human being. I know that such barbarisms have been committed time out of mind. They will continue long after I’m dead and dust. But I will never understand. The hate, the fear, that must exist in one person to kill another is beyond my comprehension. But that mindset, knowing how and why people can commit such horrible acts against others, would be important to understand so that it might be stopped. The hatred, the fears, need to be conquered before the killing ends. How to do that, I don’t know. Obviously, no one does.
    Days like this make my favorite word, esperanza, seem pointless, useless. I know that countless millions, perhaps billions, before me have despaired of the human race. What is so sad is not that I am not the first, but that I won’t be the last.
    ————
    I then went for a walk in the cool February sunshine, at a local beach. It helped. I still feel like we (human beings) are sometimes a lost cause, but I still have hope. Esperanza. It’s a powerful word.
    By encouraging people to think about the issues you mentioned, by encouraging them to talk about them, you make a difference. You change a small part of the evil into good. It might not solve any problems but you, and the rest of us, find out we are not alone. And that helps.
    Esperanza!

28. The whole world needs to call and schedule an appointment with Dr. Phil, after everyone has 5 hours with Dr. Phil the world will be a better place. You better buckle your seatbelt, the ride to Texas goes through Oklahoma.

29. I didn’t know they found the girl. Sometimes I wonder why people do what they do. It seems so sick. People are odd.

30. Sorry about my lengthy ramblings up there.
    You know, this will sound awfully Geeky of me, but right now I’m hooked up to NASA tv on my computer (yeah,I have cable modem access) and watching the Earth rotating under the space shuttle (which launched successfully this morning). A friend of mine is on that shuttle, getting ready to do another servicing of Hubble Space Telescope. But, what lifted my spirits was seeing Earth there through the shuttle’s cameras.
    Whew.
    yeah, I’m a space cadet… but hey.
    And, as Capt. Picard used to say to Q (and other aliens) on a regular basis: we’re humans. We can adapt. And learn.
    It may just take us a little longer than Picard was raised to believe.

31. Well, it’s nice to know I’m not the only one in a funk these days. I haven’t been able to put my finger on why, but I think you helped clear up a few of the reasons.
    It was heart-wrenching for me, driving home from work on Wednesday, listening to Magic 92.5s traffic report and hearing that they had discovered a body in East San Diego county. I had a feeling that they wouldn’t find her alive, but when it becomes reality, it’s just awful.
    But, it’s the world we live in and it’s something we have to deal with. Do we have to like it? No. Can we try and do something about it? Sure. It may not really make a huge dent, but it may make us feel better for trying.
    So, let’s all join hands and sing a rousing rendition of “Kumbayah.”
    Vickie

32. “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.”
    -Network 1976.
    YOu think this is Bad? What about the great depression. Both World wars. I’m 24, I only heard ot the stuff that went on. I feel like that sometimes too, Wil, take it with a grain of salt. Some people feel like that all their lives. Don’t feel too bad too long, it’ll eat you up inside.
    I hope you reald all the comments!

33. The problem is that we don’t put enough protection for families in the law. The penalties need to be surpremely harsh. If you molest or attempt to murder a child, you need to be in prison for life without parole. If you murder a child, you need to be killed, it’s that simple. Why we try to protect sickos like that is beyond me. Why does anyone think that jail time cures a child molestor? I think once we get serious about protecting our children, this sort of stuff will fade away.

34. March 5th, election day and today is Ron Howard’s birthday. Its a cold day in Southern California and I still cannot believe the “O brother” soundtrack won for album of the year, and yet I still blame the (murder?) of that girl on the parents; mother was out dancing, father left child alone, and apparently they had a relationship (friends) with the sex offender (neighbor).

35. It seems to me that the world is getting worse all the time. Just when you think that nothing
    good will ever happen again something good does happen. Children are found, people who were thought guilty are found innocent, and so on. I’m not saying that it happens all the time, but it does happen. Why is it the bad things always stick with us? Never the good, it’s always the bad.

36. Vegan Guy: Mmmm… meat.
    I would like to point out that in spite of what the newspapers report, violent crime has been in the decline for decades in the United States. Surprisingly, this goes for violent crimes in schools. We are all safer than we were twenty years ago. Even New York City is seeing a decline. I recently read an article written by a British newspaper comparing London and NYC. London is becoming more dangerous and has, IIRC, passed New York City in violent crime rate.
    The newspapers will pulicize dramatic and horrifying stories to get our attention and sell papers. Yes, it is still horrifying what happened to the little girl. But that event is an anomaly. Things like that just don’t happen very often.
    The problems in the Middle East are bad. However, the situation in Afghanistain is much better. Women are free to go out alone and little girls can go back to school. Men can shave if they want and everyone can watch movies or do many other things they weren’t allowed to do.
    The Middle East and Islam are reaching a crisis point that Christianity passed several hundred years ago. I expect that things may get worse before they get better, but I also expect things will ultimately get better. A bunch of dictators and religious fanatics are becoming more and more extreme. At some point, they’ll go too far and people will start to wake up.
    Even the Enron scandal has a bright side. People are being more cautious about investing and hopefully the government will revise some of the reporting rules. A lot of dishonest and fraudulent practices have been brouht out into the light. Sure, business will still cheat where they can and people will still get taken by con-men, but that’s been happening in some form or another ever since there were people.
    BTW, Wil, this is my first time to post but I’ve been reading your blog for a while now and, while I disagree with you on a number of issues, I enjoy reading your views.
    Bolie IV

37. Well Wil, I know where you are. Times have always been bad:
    20 years ago the doomsday clock was at 2 minutes to midnite. Thousands of troops faced each other in Germany. Ted Bundy was running around being the perfect stranger
    40 years ago missles in Cuba and Turkey almost started a nuclear war. Richard Speck visited nurses.
    60 years ago Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo were doing their best to control the world and almost doing it. 6 million Jews, unknown millions of Romani and millions of Russians were dying. An entire Polish cadet corp was murdered by the Russian. I don’t have a name for the killer that era.
    80 years ago One war had just ended, a war that caused men to rush out to face machine gun fire and poison gas. Homes were bombarded by ships and from the air.
    100 years ago the Spanish American war had just ended, Cuba was liberated from Spain, but was now under our yoke and would be until 1959. It existed as a haven for drugs, alcohol and prostitution.
    I could go on. The important thing, there are always decent people around to be upset at these things. Humankind will always survive though the individual cells may die in the most horrible way. As always, love those close to you and try to do right by those around you.

38. I often wonder if the news business (which I plan on eventually majoring in mass comm so I might be a part of that world in ump years) is in the business of informing or the business of ratings.
    Think about it.
    BREAKING NEWS
    A woman helped a small child, age 4, get out of harms way before a car slammed into him.
    or
    BREAKING NEWS
    A woman was just too late when her rescue attempt failed allowing a truck driven by Wild Bad Breath McTicTac. He is now said to have been heavily intoxicated.
    The young girl was dead on impact.
    ###
    News is in the business of ratings really, not news.
    I do see your point however. The world is more different now than I can remember.
    Its the end of the world as we know it.

39. Somebody(s) made this point earlier, and I thought it worth repeating.
    There really is good out there in the world. It’s just not as fun for the media to report it.

40. Wil, I want to read to you what Nicole deBoer once said…and well I love her advice and I understand what you said as well…
    **************************************************
    (Her fans asked this and she replied)
    Q:Is there any advice you’d like to give us?
    Nicole:Advice? Hmmnnn. I don’t know. The only thing I can really think of is something that I’ve been noticing. It seems to me that the times of jaded, generation blah blah blah our future sucks stuff may actually being drawing to a close. It’s a whole new millenium, and I can feel a more positive attitude in the coming generation. I think it’s very refreshing and very important. There is a lot of exciting stuff going on and a new era dawning of information, communtiy responsibility and spirituality. There will always be craziness in the world but you and I don’t have to add to it. Stay positive and just make sure to keep a healthy balance in your life. The computer is a wonderful tool, but we shouldn’t forget to get outside in nature and we shouldn’t forget to take care of her either. And take care of each other. -Nicole deBoer Official Fan Club Site *Currently Closed*
    **************************************************
    Since I work for a telemarketing company, I noticed people sound SO sweet over the phone and then you try and sell them something, instead of saying “please, or thank you” these people don’t think we have any feelings and curse us out, threaten us, or its all negative. They don’t think they verbally abuse us over the phone. What gets me is these parents have their KIDS lie on the phone! TO LIE!! How HORRIBLE!!
    If they don’t have their kids lying on the phone its telling them to PLAY on it. Such morals people have nowadays is beyond me.
    Well I went to work and I told the people there, to please calm down, that we over here at our business are only doing our jobs and not to please raise their voice. There’s already alot of hostilaity (sp??) and people seem to have learned nothing from 9/11
    That we need to get along together to be a better society! By all this anger, and frustration we push each other away.
    I feel bad for this b/c together as a people we are stronger then when we are alone.
    For example not just the hostility in the news…but take a look at SLANTED FEDORA and CREATION…they are competeing over 2 pieces of land (Philly and Las Vegas) and completeing forgetting about the rest of the country who doesn’t get that option to SEE Star Trek Stars such as (we down here in Houston)…
    http://pub19.ezboard.com/fnicolesnichefrm7

41. Wow-talk about timing! Jason’s post wasn’t there when I put mine on.

42. Hi there, I have read your pain. Yes pain, it’s a pain even if you don’t realize it, becouse if you are a parent yourself you indeed feel the feer for your own children. I am from the Netherlands and I also have the responsebillity for 6 children. Not all my own but I think this problem is worldwide and there is only one thing you can do and this is go on with your life and do not let those sick people win it in your own mind!! This is why people do these kind of things, so they can feel good from your missery. This means if you give them all these atention they will feel even better. I think people have to be carefull about the things they write. You can give those people a push in the wrong direction if you know what I mean!!!
    Martin

43. Interesting Info regarding Vegan, but seriously, I didn’t crawl to the top of the food chain to eat no rabbit food!

44. Hey Wil (and everyone),
    I almost never watch the news before work in the morning, but I had “Good Morning America” on this morning … and I know whereof you speak.
    The opening story was about the “shadow government” living in bunkers on the East Coast because Dubya (and his posse) believe we’re in at least credible danger of being nuked by the fanatics. The next story confirmed that the little girl’s body was Danielle’s. The next one was the Andrea Yates trial – with her bonehead of a husband saying “We wanted more children…” (Is that the editorial “we,” Rusty? Did anyone ask Andrea how many kids she wanted, and then listen to the answer? She home schooled 4 kids and lived with them 24/7 in a converted school bus??)
    Anyway, I left the house pretty depressed. Glad I don’t have kids. I don’t know how I would explain the world to them, or how I would protect them from it. But I do find a little bit of cheer every day from visiting WWDN – it’s like hanging out at Starbucks with a bunch of funny, intelligent, expressive, *positive* people. You’re helping the world a little bit, Wil – hope that will lift your spirits in some small way.
    But I’m gonna go on grieving every day for Danielle, who (as you said) wasn’t even safe in her own bed, with her dad nearby. That sucks in so many different ways. We love you, Danielle, rest in peace, sweetie.

45. I’ve been feeling that way since I heard they’d killed Daniel Pearl, slit his throat on video. All I could think of was his poor wife and yet another baby who will never know their father.
    When is it all going to stop?

46. Guess what? Terrible stuff like that has been going on since the beginning of the human race. Guess what? Wonderful stuff has been going on since the beginning of the human race also. While the terrible stuff draws a lot of attention, it draws attention away from the wonderful stuff that is going on daily, if you are spending time mulling over terrible stuff, that’s time you are not spending advancing the causes that are wonderful and worthy of your attention. The only way to have a peace filled world is for each person taking responsibility for his/her own actions and being motivated by common unity with the purpose of Peace at the core of all actions.
    We manifest those things we most put our attention upon. To manifest a Wonderful world, put your attention on that.
    The Joy of Life is to be found in EACH MOMENT lived.. NOW is the Moment!

47. Wil, dude you have every right to be bummed out. I have been the same way. Nowadays its normal. I mean how can the world not effect your everyday life these days. The protective bubble is deflating right now. I mean you would have to be a heartless cold person to not let stuff like that effect you.
    Yes, my mom and I have been really into the whole kidnapping and murder of that poor little girl we just feel so bad for those parents. I mean everytime we talk about the news thats the only thing we talk about lately. I mean I too am freaked out by the fact that girl was not safe in her own bed.
    I’m also really pissed off at the media about it too. “The Next Jon Benet” they were saying. They automatically went to the parents lifestyle and started saying shit about it. That really pissed me off!!! Look, I dont get that whole wife swapping deal but its none of my or anyone elses freaggin business! Their daughter was missing and is now dead no one should care about that stuff. I mean why go there? Like the fact their daughter is missing isnt news enough that they gotta “spice” it up cuz its not sensational enough ugh!! That always gets me so mad.
    Anyways I too have been in the dumps for a while. I mean You live here in NY in Queens like 20 minutes away from manhattan its hard. I mean I’m still jobless. It really sucks. Yes I get very depressed about it but you know, I just really cant be like that 24/7. How can anyone live that way? I know a lot of people do and thats scary.
    I look at it this way, yes the world is really messed up. Yes it seems that we have no control over it. We DO have control over our lives. We have the power to make ourselves to be happy no matter what anyone says or does about it. I may be bummed out but I still try to look at it in a good perspective. Look at your kids. I dont have any but I see the joy that they give their parents. Its a blessing. I know that they are not your biological kids but so what. They are the ones that can give you hapiness just by knowing that they care about you and respect you. You have a wonderful family, cherish it. I am sure that can get you through anything.

48. Shayne said:”Since I work for a telemarketing company, I noticed people sound SO sweet over the phone and then you try and sell them something, instead of saying “please, or thank you” these people don’t think we have any feelings and curse us out, threaten us, or its all negative. They don’t think they verbally abuse us over the phone. What gets me is these parents have their KIDS lie on the phone! TO LIE!! How HORRIBLE!!
    If they don’t have their kids lying on the phone its telling them to PLAY on it. Such morals people have nowadays is beyond me.
    Well I went to work and I told the people there, to please calm down, that we over here at our business are only doing our jobs and not to please raise their voice. There’s already alot of hostilaity (sp??) and people seem to have learned nothing from 9/11″
    Telemarketers are evil people. I know you have to earn a living, but to come into my home, uninvited, albeit by telephone, trying to sell me something I don’t need IS WRONG! If I wanted it, I’d know it and go to Target or Walmart or some other store and buy it.
    My phone rang at 6:07 this morning – with the all familiar beeping of a computer dialed call – checking to see if it was a live number. 6:0fucking7 in the morning.
    I am not nice when telemarketers call. I don’t abuse you, but you’re calling me, at the most inopportune times, is abuse or harrassment in my eyes. You (well, the company you work for)are abusing the privilege of calling me. So, I let you know where you can take your product. And when I tell you NO, I mean NO. I’ve had to tell telemarketers 2 and 3 times that I’m not interested and finally hang up on them.
    As for telling their children to lie. Ya know what, yes, it’s wrong. But sometimes telemarketers WON’T SHUT UP. So, what lies are they telling? That the parents aren’t home? That they can’t come to the phone? Big deal. What would you prefer? That parents teach their children to be just as rude as you are? I don’t think so.
    Sorry for ranting, but I’m really pissed my phone rang as early as it did this morning.

49. I think the problem is a failure to understand the law of eristic escalation. Any imposition of order ultimatly leads to an escalation of chaos. We are so afraid of crime that we implement unreasonable laws and unethical procedures to stamp out crime. In doing so, we have constructed a world where we operate on the assumption that nearly everyone is a criminal. If you treat people like criminals, many eventually become criminal, and I can’t really say I blame them.
    Take the SCCCA. The entertainment industry wants to mandate technical measures to prevent me from using music/movies that I buy as I see fit, even within the bounds of what is legal and what is right, on the grounds that I probably would break the law if possible. If passed, this will generate a criminal underground for bootleg electronics so people can still use their portable MP3 players. Also, many people like myself who aren’t criminals will have one lest reason to respect the rights of artists and their representatives.
    However, my faith in humanity is strong. We are going through a period of chaos, but I believe we will come out the other side stronger and better for it. I know it is small consolation to parents whose kids are abducted, or people killed in the middle east, but as long as I am alive there will be at least one person who believes that people are more good than evil, prefer beauty to destruction, and justice to tyranny.

50. Hey, Wil.
    I’ve obviously gotten to this post late, must be something to do with being in Australia!
    But despite the fact you’ve read them all, I still was moved to comment.
    The only comment I have though is essentially unremarkable and without comfort.
    We’ve been going to hell in a hand basket for a long time. It’s critical mass moment. September 11 woke a lot of people up, but sadly not enough. These senseless little wars in the name of God have been polluting the last century and sadly this new century with a consistency that is frightening. All of it, the wars, the senseless murders, the sexual assaults, the diminishing wealth being coveted by a few, it’s all systematic of a desperate need for change. And it seems the time for that change is now.
    Rather than let this get you down, move around that old cycle of grief to using all this insanity to further empower you to continue making the little changes that can lead to big changes in your life and those whose lives you touch. Like us via your site.
    Maybe unhelpful, but it works for me.
    Five years ago I was a youth counsellor working with the poorest end of society in our capital of Canberra. Every day I was counselling young people who were sexually assaulted, victims of incest, suffering family breakdown, addicted to a frightening selection of narcotics… a series of horrible shit. It got to me, I burned out, and then I went and set up my own business to teach people self empowerment from a spiritual perspective. It might not be much, but I know I’ve done something to touch other people’s lives in a good way, and none of that could have ever happened if I didn’t first decend into a darkness that served for me as a revelation. We’re all taught to be despairing, to feel helpless, and place power in the government or whoever. But ultimately the power lies in us. All it takes is one person, then like that stone dropped in a river, the effects ripple out. Ever seen a movie called ‘Pay It Forward’?
    Critical Mass. Something has to give, and if we’re active for change, what gives might finally be the worst parts of humanity.
    Faith Manages.

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