Freakonomics

I am facinated by the difference between correlation and causation. Some people call it econimics. I have even mentioned it in previous posts. Once you think about this kind of thing, you can see people making arguments based on correlation all the time.

I have been reading the book FREAKONOMICS, which is a bold attempt to take on social issues with the objective mind of an economist. Good stuff. The authors are excellent at finding appropriate control groups in the real world so their conclusions hold water.

Some of the conclusions: Roe VS Wade caused a huge, unpresedented crime drop; Sumo Wrestling is extreamly corrupt; and the invention of crack has done about as much bad for the black community as the civil rights movement has done good.

Here's an interesting article tackling the question of how much will it cost a woman to have a baby now or 1 year from now.