Ben's Research Page

Section I- Introduction
Erosion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina is a significant threat to these fragile landforms, their ecosystems, and the people that inhabit them. The Outer Banks are among the most prominent barrier islands in the world, and are also among the most threatened due to the turbulent nature of the Atlantic, global warming and other factors. The problem of large-scale erosion of the Outer Banks raises some very serious questions. How does this phenomena affect the lives of those living on the Outer Banks? What are the effects of erosion on the delicate and unique ecosystems of this region? Is there any way to stop the process before the waters of the Atlantic consume the Outer Banks? The intended audience of my research is anyone who has an interest in the future of the Outer Banks, in particular those who live and make their living on those narrow ribbons of sand. The recent moving of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in 1999 demonstrated how many people take an interest in this unique region of North Carolina.

Keywords- UNC Library Catalog- North Carolina AND beach? AND erosion North Carolina AND barrier islands Academic Universe Lexis-Nexis- erosion and beach! and North Carolina ecology and beach! and North Carolina Search Engine on Web - erosion w/2 “Outer Banks” erosion AND beach AND North Carolina

II- Books, Videotapes and CD-ROMs from UNC-CH libraries
Frankenberg, Dirk. The Nature of North Carolina's Southern Coast: Barrier Islands, Coastal Waters and Wetlands. Chapel Hill [N.C.]: University of North Carolina Press, 1997. QH76.5.N8 F73 1997 (UL library).

Pilkey, Orrin H. The North Carolina Shore and its Barrier Islands: Restless Ribbons of Sand. Durham [N.C.]: Duke University Press, 1998. TC224.N8 N67 1998 (Davis library).

Chow, Shen-min and Frank, Neil. Hurricane Season: Washing Away [videorecording]. KHOU [Television Station] Houston, Texas, 1996. 75-V43 (Planning library).

III- Academic Universe Lexis-Nexis.
Associated Press, no author. Researcher: Many N.C. islands could disappear [article on-line]. (Durham, NC: The Herald-Sun, accessed May 27th 2001); available from http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe; internet

Editorial Board. Coastal Resource Policies are Antiquated, Misguided. [article on-line]. (Greensboro, NC: News & Record, accessed May 27th 2001); available from http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe; internet

McGrath, Gareth. Relocating inlet could close area to roaming dogs. [article on-line]. (Wilmington, NC: Wilmington Star-News, accessed May 27th 2001); available from http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe; internet.

Swofford, Stan. Perils of Coastal Growth; Huge Losses Avoidable, Some Claim [article on-line]. (Greensboro, NC: News & Record, accessed May 27th 2001); available from http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe; internet.

Thompson, Estes. `Go Home Dennis': Tropical storm batters coast for another day. [article on-line]. (AP Wire: accessed May 27th 2001); available from http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe; internet.

Wayne, Alex. Crystal Coast; N.C.'s famous beaches beckon despite threats of erosion and development. [article on-line]. (Greensboro, NC: News & Record, accessed May 27th 2001); available from http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe; internet

Editorial. Coastal Resource Policies are Antiquated, Misguided. [article on-line]. (Greensboro, NC: News & Record, accessed May 27th 2001); available from http://eresources.lib.unc.edu/cgi-bin/external_database_auth?A=P|F=Y|URL=http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe; internet

Section IV- Websites
Title of web page-Dynamic Inlets Shape NC Coastline
Address- www.ncsu.edu/ seagrant/pressrelease99/prinlets.html
Brief description-Brief description of the role of inlets in the re-shaping of the North Carolina coastline. Research by NCSU. Source of web site- North Carolina State University

Title of web page-Global Warming State Impacts
Address-www.epa.gov/globalwarming/impacts/stateimp/northcarolina
Brief description- Explanation of the impact of climate changes due to global warming including its effects on coastal erosion in North Carolina.
Source of web site- Environmental Protection Agency

Title of web page-The Nature of the Barrier Islands
Address-www.coastalguide.com/bearings/barrierformed.htm
Brief description- A brief description of climate changes over the previous hundred years in North Carolina, and how global warming could raise sea levels, making North Carolina's coast even more vulnerable.
Source of web site- coastalguide.com

Title of web page- North Carolina Hazards Page
Address-www.csc.noaa.gov/products/nchaz/htm/hother.htm
Brief description- Timeline of natural disasters in North Carolina and their effects, including the erosion of beaches due to hurricanes.
Source of web site- National Atmospheric and Oceanic Association

Title of web page- Dennis Hammers North Carolina's Outer Banks
Address-www.disasterrelief.org.
Brief description- Account of the damage Hurricane Dennis caused to the coastline of North Carolina.
Source of web site- disasterrelief.org

Title of web page-John Buie's Home Page
Address-www.125pair.com/jbuie (note: this page seems to be experiencing technical difficulty)
Brief description-Personal homepage of a researcher who completed his Master's Thesis on the Outer Banks. Great Resource for info pertaining to my topic.
Source of web site- John Buie's home page

Section V- Mini-Essay- The Tragedy of On-line Child Pornography
The Internet has revolutionized the way information travels, making communicating and file transfer almost instant between parties anywhere in the world. This has brought many great advances for the betterment of humanity, but it has also made some vices more accessible for those inclined to indulge in them. Recently, a Spain-based porn ring was busted for possessing over 750,000 images of minors engaging in sexually explicit acts. These images were being accessed in 21 countries around the world.(1)
One man who has seen more than his share of this tragedy is the Rev. Jaques LaPointe. He coordinates Project Oasis, an organization dedicated to preventing children from being victimized by internet porn. According to figures given by Project Oasis, there are between 72,000 and 100,000 pornographic sites on the Internet. Many child porn photos are sent through Usenet newsgroups. One study found that 80% of these were used to traffic child porn at one time of another. "For every picture, there's a child being used," LaPointe says. "As much as the Internet is a great tool of knowledge, it has a very dark side."(2)
In the U.S., a recent decision to overturn an anti-porn law is stirring controversy. A U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a law that prevented web sites or any person from possessing animated images that appeared to depict minors engaging in sexual activity on the grounds that it was too vague and open-ended. Anti-porn groups are now petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to rehear the case and reverse the ruling of the lower court. (3)

Notes:
1) No Author. “Spanish Based Web-Porn Ring Smashed,” CNN.com April 20th, 2001. [accessed May 28th 2001].

2) Patricia Ford Loeb. “Protecting Children From Internet Ills,” The Washington Post, May 4th 2001, p.SM22. Also available [online]. [Accessed May 28th 2001].

3) No Author. “Debating the Ban on Virtual Porn,” Wired.com April 24th, 2001. [Accessed online May 28th 2001]

Title of web page- Spanish Based Web-Porn Ring Smashed
Address- http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/04/20/spain.internet/index.html
Brief description- Describes the bust of a Spanish child porn web site that operated in 21 countries.
Source of web site- Reuters via CNN.com

Title of web page-Protecting Children From Internet Ills
Address-http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A66276-2001May23.html
Brief description- An article about a minister's efforts to prevent children from becoming the victims of the internet sex trade.
Source of web site- Washington Post Online

Title of web page- Debating the Ban on Virtual Porn
Address-http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,43250,00.html
Brief description- A brief article about anti-pornograpy activist petitioning the Supreme Court to reverse a previous decision from a lower court that struck down a law against possession of animated images which appeared to be of minors engaging in sexually explicit acts.
Source of web site-Wired.com