r / March 16, 2011 1:37 AM

Ironically, constantly checking the news. The situation in Japan is terrible, I can't imagine being there right now.

David / March 16, 2011 8:58 AM

Various medications with differing degrees of illegality.

Mom / March 16, 2011 9:35 AM

God.

Pete / March 16, 2011 9:40 AM

Naive optimism.

3AM phone call and he's passed out on the couch / March 16, 2011 10:20 AM

Confidence that beyond his NCAA picks and golf game, Pres Obama is like totally on top of this stuff.

Mucky Fingers / March 16, 2011 10:38 AM

I've long held a deep sense of gratitude towards my own existence.

Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've stayed alive.

Jeffrey / March 16, 2011 11:26 AM

Running, reading, philanthropy, and friends. I also appreciate what President Obama said after Haiti's earthquake: "But above all, we act for a very simple reason: in times of tragedy, the United States of America steps forward and helps. That is who we are. That is what we do." - President Obama

Achmed / March 16, 2011 12:37 PM

My poor brother tried to throw one of Obama's platitudes at Gaddafi's tanks. It bounced off harmlessly. The tank turned and blew him away.

I hope the Japanese have better luck

Col. Gadhafi / March 16, 2011 1:01 PM

During trying times like these, I'm grateful for American interventionism in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the fact that those two debacles have made the United States afraid to engage any other Arab country with acts of war.

If they tried, I'd rightly accuse them of being American imperialists whose only goal is Libya's oil, and I'd drag them into an unending urban war financed by my billions in hidden assets.

Now please pardon me, I've got to get back to the tiring and difficult work of torturing and killing my own citizens.

Noah / March 16, 2011 2:24 PM

The realization that I am NOT the one going through it. Help out or shut up!

C-Note / March 16, 2011 3:46 PM

Jon Burge reported to prison today.

Michelle Obama / March 16, 2011 5:08 PM

Just as my husband, President Obama's words continue to awe and inspire brave Americans like Jeffrey, so he can continue jogging, reading, and coming up with buzz words like "philanthropy" because they sound cool and interesting, I pledge to continue making even more headlines around the world by being even more of a trailblazer. This spring and summer, I, in my role of Fist Lady, will take far greater risks with color, accessories, cardigans, and finding lesser known international designers to create my clothing.

Amanda / March 16, 2011 7:48 PM

I am amazed at how some people are treating this as a time to point fingers at what others aren't doing, as some are apt to do in times of crisis and tragedy. Seriously, that is so second grade. What are YOU doing to help others? Why, nothing you say? Then don't throw stones.

Karma is thy name / March 16, 2011 9:13 PM

Man, if I had a dime for every stone thrown...

...I'd be a fat, rich documentary film maker with a baseball hat.

Spook / March 16, 2011 11:34 PM

Well Amanda,

'I'll be your huckleberry,
as you decided to change the topic, because, well I reckon while others are akin to "second graders" you madame, are a solid "Principal" figure.

So do tell. What have you been doing in this "time of crisis and tragedy"? Because I guess this is one for America right?
As oppose to, let's see, the ones we see fit to continue ignoring in our own back yard every day????????

Well shucks Amanda, maybe you've already said what you're doing. It just has yet to travel down at the rate of sound from your white horse in the clouds?

Personally for me, I'm thankful that the immediate family( living in Japan) of my two closets friends are safe. And as oppose to the other countries that recently faced- and are facing- natural disasters, Japan will come out of this "the best" as they're one of the most advanced industrial nations, and have been planning for such a disaster, -in preparation of its people and in design of its buildings- for a long time. As oppose to lets say North Korea, which is in the mist of long term famine claiming the lives of
between 300,000-800,000 people yearly since 1992. I am of course watching what this( Japan) could mean for our fragile economy.

With Libya, I'm simply reading about it ( from a variety of media sources) as I'm doing with Haiti, Côte d'Ivoire, Zimbabwe, The Republic of the Congo, and all the other really screwed up places people are fighting, dying, being tortured,raped, in mass as they fight for their humanity. In fact, I've been paying attention to Libya as I've been paying attention to Egypt, the middle east and Africa, etc, for years.

But at the moment I'm also making fun of Americans who as usual, shallowly wax on philosophical, grandiosely,( including pretending that America has shown real leadership) and narcissisticlly about other countries that main stream America sees fit to focus on for the next twenty minutes, before moving to the next country we select for "la crise du jour"- for America. So we can feel all warm and fuzz about momentarily allowing ourselves to be entertained by the suffering of some one else in another country before plugging back into our national matrix
of TV shows, sports ,beards, bikes, bands, biological clocks, etc, that consume 85 percent of our lives.

kate / March 17, 2011 12:59 PM

Taking a break from the news.

I haven't forgotten that there's some end times stuff going on; I just need a break from hearing about it.

eee / March 17, 2011 4:54 PM

Donating what I can to different relief groups, Shelterbox among others.

fluffy / March 17, 2011 8:30 PM

"so we can feel all warm and fuzz, blah blah blah.."
speak for yourself, spooch!

and no one plans for this type of disaster. not "this" type of disaster- think nuclear plants, for one.

Personally, nothing is getting me through these difficult times. I've donated money to different sources and through a fund at work for our co-workers in Japan. One is still missing.
With Libya I keep hoping something positive will happen. I can't imagine being that brave. I feel helpless .

mike-ts / March 17, 2011 11:10 PM

Ok, I'll be the Debbie Downer of the thread. Feeling empathy for the people going through these things is very noble, but if it doesn't translate to either giving to a known charity's fund, or helping spread word of the collection or volunteering, then how you feel isn't worth a fart in the wind. And if you need something to help you cope with disasters here and there, unless you have skin in the game re: friends, family, or co-workers in the suck, then I don't know what you'll need when the day comes, and it surely will, when we right here in our midst will suffer a biblically proportioned calamity.

It's been 140 years since half the city burned down, 100 since a boat flipped and killed hundreds, 50 since a massive seiche (lake based tsunami) washed a mess of people on the beach out to their deaths, and what 15 years since a heat wave killed off a mass of seniors. We're overdue. And with each year, that New Madrid fault comes closer and closer to snapping and really letting it rip. The last time that happened, church bells rang in Boston and Toronto from the shaking. Chicago was yet to be born.

Want something to get you through these difficult times? Mentally "gird your loins" and prepare yourself for the fact that next may be you, and if you make it through, like or not you may be a first responder since the pros will be overwhelmed or killed off themselves.

m / March 18, 2011 10:09 AM

Jesus, mike-ts, nothing is certain of course, but it's not like we're residing in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.

50 since a massive seiche (lake based tsunami) washed a mess of people on the beach out to their deaths.

It was eight people, mike-ts. Calm down. And calling a seiche a lake-based tsunami is alarmist and misleading.

Tyrone biggums / March 19, 2011 11:52 AM

The Five O'Clock Free Crack Give Away!