Is A Picture Worth a Thousand Words?

Just returned from an initial research trip to New Orleans.  Too much to discuss, but this picture communicates better than I ever could.

Comments

[Peter Meyer]

It has been a while since I talked to you and I am surprised that you are taking a research interest in New Orleans. There is plenty to think about regarding the emergency planning, the storm response, and the rebuilding, so I think you will have fun with it.

I am currently a Commissioned Officer in the Public Health Service and was deployed after Katrina and Rita. Because I had a house in New Orleans (Uptown) for a couple of years and worked further west along the coast, I became somewhat of a resident expert working in logistics. Watching the response unfold from that perspective was fascinating.

Unfortunately, most people don’t have any conception of the devastation that the city underwent and they have forgotten much of that because it is yesterday’s news.

How the city is rebuilt is going to be an interesting natural experiment in public choice and policy. Any wagers on how many people live in NOLA in five years? Have fun.

[Mike Linksvayer]

It isn't real money wagering, but the Foresight Exchange has a claim on NOLA population in 2010. The most recent trade price corresponds to a prediction of 225,000. See http://ideafutures.com/fx-bin/Claim?claim=NewO&uid=1718