Excellent. My plan is working.

Instead of just getting depressed, I'm going to start pretending to be an evil mastermind with plans toward world domination. When I'm listening to the radio and hear, for example, that whole cities were destroyed by flash floods, I will rub my hands together and said, "Eg-cellent. My plan is working." If drug crime has run rampant throughout my neighbourhood, I will cackle with glee and exclaim, "Just as I'd expected." 22% of Canadians are unable to read? "Finally-- the pieces are coming together." IF a mugger knocks me down in the street and steals my ipod shuffle (ha ha): "Cackle cackle, Sir," I will say to him. "You are fulfilling your mission well." The American President is going to win his failing war by expansion into Syria and Iran? "Ah, Mr. Bush," I will say. "You are playing right into my hands."

I have no expectations that this coping mechanism will result in a better world, but evil trumps lugubrious any day, and I just don't think petitions work.