Chapter 3 Freakonomics

To start off , once again I enjoyed this reading . It was more interesting and gave me more knowledge on certain issues. Also this book continues to broaden my horzion, by the at first glance "strange titles" and how they relate to each other.

I'm originally from Philadelphia. In 11th grade ny class did reseach on Philadelphia, looking at its accomplishments, historical background, tourrist rate , and lots of other things including crime rate. Our findings was that Philadelphia was way up thje chart as one of the most violent places in the world. Even though I often heard about violent acts on the news, it barely crossed my mind that it would be so high. During the reading I learned that Atlanta had a high crime rate and that police were trying to cover it up. That goes to show that it's hard these days to trust statistics. It seems like everyone is for themselves, just like the part about drug dealers mentioned.

It's sooooo predictable that the words black and poor would be in the same sentence ! It gets frustarsting when i keep reading about a poor black family, a black man who sold drugs, a black man who killed people or robbed a store. Im referring to the question that was asked to the gang. Seriously black people had it bad. Way worst than any other race in MY opinion. I feel as though at the end of the day to be dicriminated because you are DARKER than another, causing you to be killed, beaten, sexually assulated, or harrassed in any other way all beacause someone of lighter skin has determined that you aren't as worthy of the same freedoms as them, is so disturbing. My heart yearns for an explanation. When I really sit back and think about it, I have a lot to be thankful for. Somebody paved the way for me to have a better future and not have to fight as hard as them.

More so, on page 92 when the guy braks down the three catagories a black person can be which are : "nigger" , "African American" , and "black" . Between each name he sayd versus. I was wondering if he was implying that there was a lot of black on black crime? If so that's unfortunate because if black people couldn't depend on other races then all they had were themseleves and whatever higher being they believed in, so why turn against each other? To this day I ask myself the same question, because the same issue is still active.

I found it interesting that although the the people that stood outside on the corners knew they were risking their lives, they reamined in that postion as though they had already given up on thier lives every going anywhere else behond the street and drug life. But maybe they felt that they didn't have any other choice because of the type of ENVIRONMENT they lived in and the people they watched and were around. I truly believe that had a MAJOR influence in them.

WOW! "you had a greater chance of dying while dealing crack ina Chicago housing project than you do while sitting on death row in Texas." That's scary. Seriously, the drug business is not a joke. I couldn't even imagine living so closely to that type of environment or being a druig dealer. But who am I to knock someone elses hustle? I don't know people's situations or reasonings. Therefore I try not to be judgemental, BUT I do keep in mind of what's right and what's wrong. However, I would want them to go in a different path, a more positive and rewarding one.

I thought the prostitiute and architect senario was funny .. Lol.

That's about it for me .. See you guys in discussion =)