Web site asks users to discuss visions for the Outer Banks

Fifty years ago, the Outer Banks were an isolated strip of sand mostly occupied by fishing families who made modest livings. Then, tourism took over and made a lot of people a very nice living. Fifty years from now, one can only guess what the barrier islands will be.

With the help of a new Web site, the Create the Future Initiative has challenged people to bring the tomorrow they want to northeastern North Carolina.

The site, www.obxfuture.org, invites the public to add suggestions, ideas, links, articles, photographs and graphics in a cyberworld roundtable of sorts.

It was launched Thursday at Wright Brothers National Memorial as part of the Land of Beginnings Festival, sponsored by The Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce, The Lost Colony and College of The Albemarle.

"This is the building block for creating a community conversation," Paul Tine, a member of the chamber's steering committee, said during a break in his presentation.

"And the beautiful thing about this Web site is everyone is invited."

Tine, who owns Midgett Insurance Agency in Kitty Hawk, said the effort was born out of a group of business people who had been gathering at breakfast in recent years. M any of their discussions were about the downturn in the economy and its effect on the Outer Banks.

After the steering committee was created through the chamber, the group learned about the collaborative value of wikis, or user-driven Web sites.

The initiative blossomed, based on the concept that good ideas can come from anywhere. It also was decided that the focus should be expanded to the entire northeast region of the state.

People who log in to the Web site can participate in forums on topics such as education, business, jobs, energy, fishing and technology. Other menu items include "who we are," "what is possible" and "where we are going."

"It's kind of a town meeting with kindness and courtesy," said John Hughes, a member of the initiative's steering committee.

Tine said Outer Banks leaders realize that more diversity in the economy would make the work force less vulnerable to ups and downs. But whatever adjustments are made should come from the community.

"It is very difficult to determine where to get to if we don't know where we are right now," Tine said

Earlier, in a daylong gathering at the memorial, author Marshall Brain, a Cary, N.C., resident, told the audience that in the not-so-distant future, the work force will become mostly unnecessary because of advances in robotic and computer technology.

"If you just look at the rate we're progressing, you'll end up going to Best Buy and buying a computer that has the power of the human brain," he said after his presentation.

Brain, author of the popular "How Stuff Works" books, said that about 50 million U.S. jobs will be "easily automated" through technology advancements.

"It's just a fact that robots are going to take all the jobs," he said. "Somehow, we'll work this out, because we're not going to have all of us on welfare."

But not to worry.

"The tourism industry actually has the potential to fare pretty well in this because the people will still want to be entertained," Brain said. "We're all going to have a lot of free time."

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com