One of the year's best science books is Ronald Bailey's "The End of Doom"( Thomas Dunne, 345 pages, $27.99), which exposes the extraordinary failure rate of gloomy ecological prophets. With the world's population growth rate falling fast, species loss lower than predicted, oil and gas abundant, and land being returned to nature because of booming farm yields, the 21st century is proving much better than most forecasters said it would be. Mr. Bailey is especially acute in nailing the harm done by the "precautionary principle," which measures only risks and not benefits of new technologies, and, as Mr. Bailey says, in effect urges: "never do anything for the first time."
I wouldn't be much of a capitalist if I didn't take this opportunity to point out that a copy of The End of Doom would be a wonderful Christmas present for nearly anyone on your gift list.
I will also mention that today is my birthday. Just saying.
