Pam Dewey has been writing a series of blog posts about the current mania in some circles about 2012. This subject is always topical, even as 2012 comes to an end, because the same pattern repeats over and over again. People get scared and think the current situation is somehow unusual. There is a phrase that you probably know—Snafu. It is derived from the military so I will clean it up, Situation Normal All Fouled Up. Things not going well is really not that unusual.
Pam also gives seminars around the county. Here is one she gave on this same subject of prophecy panic.