Americans may not agree on troop numbers in Afghanistan, a resolution in Iraq, universal health care, or how to pull the jobless rate from the cliff at 10 percent, but will they find agreement in the possible threat of an apocalypse?

Maybe . . . if only to escape the harsh, complex reality of the world as it is now.

Chatter about end-time events -- whether generated by the hand of God, otherworldly creatures, galactic collapse, human corruption or some combination of all four -- have become common conversation in many circles. Google "2012," and you can read tons of entries about the ancient Mayan "Long Count" calendar concerning what some believe is an end-of-the-age event scheduled for Dec. 21, 2012.

Some contemporary Mayans have said the hoopla about this ancient calendar is misinterpreted, but that doesn't stop the History Channel from airing shows such as the "Nostradamus Effect" (complete with discussions about Web Bot predictions, Timewave Theory, and I Ching) . Later this year, "The Road," and in January 2010, "The Book of Eli," will offer even more doomsday shock.

Web sites offering 2012 advice abound. People who believe in the merit of ones such as www.2012supplies.com won't forget to pick up extra water and plant seed while they're shopping at Wal-Mart.

NASA jumped into the doomsday furor in anticipation of Friday's release of the film, "2012." NASA reassured that we will all be fine on Dec. 21, 2012. And to make us really feel all better, NASA launched a web page to debunk our 2012 worries. You gotta give them credit; NASA even offers a Q & A. Here's a sample:

Q: Are there any threats to the Earth in 2012? Many Internet websites say the world will end in December 2012.

A: Nothing bad will happen to the Earth in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012.

Q: What is the origin of the prediction that the world will end in 2012?

A: The story started with claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This catastrophe was initially predicted for May 2003, but when nothing happened the doomsday date was moved forward to December 2012. Then these two fables were linked to the end of one of the cycles in the ancient Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012 -- hence the predicted doomsday date of December 21, 2012.

Q: Does the Mayan calendar end in December 2012?

A: Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.

NASA's bureaucratic reassurances -- the FAQ also says that NASA does not foresee any giant solar storms or meteors in our 2012 future, either -- may make the idea of a conspiracy look even more plausible. Nothing agitates skepticism more than to hear the government, that shadowy manipulator of evil, indulgently cooing how safe we are.

Nothing happened with Y2K, that other global worry preceding the Year 2000, so perhaps we really are OK. But is safety as creepy fun as musing about runaway asteroids, an impending ice age, Atlantis and supernatural creatures? Call it fringe nonsense, but even the Vatican, for the second time since 2005, convened a conference this week on the possibility of alien life. And since NASA has confirmed "significant" water on the moon, watch the speculations about extraterrestrials and Cydonia increase dramatically.

The ABC television series, "V," whether the writers intended it, reflects our unabated fascination with beings who know more than we do. Observers have eagerly compared it to the criticisms of the Obama administration. Politics give "V" a narrative, but for a nation enthralled by "Paranormal Activity," "Monsters vs. Aliens," "District 9" and "Aliens in the Attic," not to mention vampires, kid wizards and mutant machines, something bigger than political satire may be afoot.

If the conspiracy talk bears one iota of truth, should it change our lives? If we want to be alive to talk about the day after Dec. 21, 2012, should that make us more introspective? Should the notion of doomsday alter the debate about war, the national deficit and whether the White House is occupied by a Republican or a Democrat? Maybe the doomsday clock, which is expected to stoke senseless fear, could nudge us to seek common ground instead of constant crisis.

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