I'm torn about the news that the Japanese just spent 35 billion yen ($373 million) to launch a new satellite in space to monitor greenhouse gases from space. On the one hand, greenhouse gases cause global warming, which threatens all life on this planet. On the other hand, none of it will matter in three years because cataclysmic disruptions here on Earth will wipe out all industrial production and most of us with it.

Happy New Year! The holidays are a tough time for a lot of people, what with visiting family, cold weather, long travel delays, etc. But for me this December was particularly rocky because of intense earthquake activity here in Yellowstone. Scientists are downplaying the threat of the Yellowstone Caldera blowing, but volcanic eruptions - especially super volcanic eruptions - are notoriously hard to predict. My money is on a big blast in 2012. Check out the article here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1869313,00.html