One may embrace science (I do) but not therefore have to ignore all the ancient teachings and wisdoms falling under the rubric of "religion" and "mythology". Much of what we call mytholog is, after all, based on fact. "The Great Flood"... perhaps not a global flood as fundy literatists would have it, but nonetheless the story does relate a real event... just which flood it was we may not be certain, but I suspect most academics would agree that the mythology does report a real flood which did happen...

Ok, yeah yeah, but 2012 prophesies? One reason for the interest in the Mayan calendar is that it is so good!... so accurate. Another is that anyone familiar with the Maya finds that their "elders", "priests"... today called "chimanes", definitely have something to say. These are not more babbling New Age hucksters; they are the real thing.

One could perceive today's world taking the long view, and conclude that indeed some drastic changes are in the offing... if not via global warming and sea level increases, then by economic collapse, ecological disaster, nuclear mischief... or half a dozen other causes.

Certainly the fears of impending apocalypse are as justified now as at any time in history I can think of...