So, the world did not end on Saturday. Harold Camping's predicted Judgment Day and "Rapture" failed. I wonder how disappointed his followers are. I also wonder if this might be a good time for the environmental community to reconsider its use of apocalyptic terms when describing our fears for the future. There's no doubt that we face certain peril and that immediate radical action is needed. We find ourselves frustrated by failures in Copenhagen, Cancun, and the Obama administration. And the "Arab Spring" reminds us that we need massive mobilization; we long for our "Cairo moment." So, what now? I've …

Is it too early to peel my Obama sticker off my car? I am more than disappointed by the President-elect's nomination of Tom Vilsack for secretary of agriculture. But after some reflection, this dark cloud may have one ray of light coming through. During his remarks at the press conference announcing the choice of Vilsack, Obama mentioned biotechnology. He said that promoting biotech was part of Tom Vilsacks's vision to "strengthen our farmers" and build the "agricultural economy of the future." This was an explicit message to agribusiness saying that they can count on an Obama USDA to continue their …

Do you worry about where your food comes from? Are you concerned that farmers might use too many toxic chemicals, or that health and safety agencies of the U.S. government might not be looking out for your best interests? Well then, you suffer from too much skepticism. You probably need to learn to trust what you are told more often. Maybe you should consider some pharmacological support for your worry problem. I know. My name is Claire and I'm a skeptic. I thought all you other skeptics out there might like to know that the latest word on our problem …