{
    "names" : {/*stuff needed for names goes in here*/},
    "dates" : {/*stuff needed for dates goes in here*/},
    "fuzzyThings" : {/*all fuzzy things goes in here*/}
}

function handler(retText) {
    var returnedObject = eval(retText);

    doStuffWithNames(returnedObject.names);
    doStuffWithDates(returnedObject.dates);
    playWithFuzzyThings(returnedObject.fuzzyThings);
}

<?php
    echo '{';
        echo '"names":{';
        include 'names.php';
        echo '},';

        echo '"dates":{';
        include 'dates.php';
        echo '},';

        echo '"fuzzyThings":{';
        include 'fuzzyThings.php';
        echo '}';
    echo '}';
?>

"user" : [ {
    "name" : "Harry",
    "hobby" : "Skating"
}, {
    "name" : "Dave",
    "hobby" : "Scuba Diving"
} ],
"news" : [ {
    "date" : "3/13/05",
    "title" : "Blah",
    "postedby" : "Mike",
} ]

var data = eval('('+ xhr.responseText +')'); // Ajax response
var user = data.user[0].name; // Harry
var user2 = data.user[1].name; // Dave
var title = data.news[0].title;