The internet let a single person have more information at their figure tips than is stored in a library.  If a fifth grade was doing a report on lion and typed “lions” into Google he would get 104,000,000 results.  The problem with the internet is that there is so much information that it is impossible to find what someone actually wants.  Google has become a 200 billion dollar company by trying to develop a search engine that helps people find what they are looking for.  Even with Google however there is just so much data that it is nearly impossible to sift through the data.  Data is just noise to the use it needs to be turned into meaningful information so they can use it.

Wherever there is a problem there is the potential for an entrepreneur to come in and find a solution.  People are calling out for ways to find the useful information and block all the spam or useless data.  Websites like the Drudge Report or other information blogs allow people to just go to one website instead of looking for all the information themselves.  As entrepreneurs there is a great potential to become an expert in a specific area and develop ways to simplify and condense the information for users.  Blogs are a great way to write about your expertise in an area and if enough people are interested then you can leverage it to make money.  People need people to look through all the data that the internet provides and turn it into meaningful information.

Legislation currently being debated in Congress would give the president the power to seize control of the internet during a time of “national emergency.” In fact, the bill would even give a president the authority to shut the internet down if those actions were deemed necessary.

Though the recent advent of cyber-warfare makes the legislation seem reasonable, it must also be considered in terms of its potential for curtailing free speech. Even as the current congress has been in session, the country of Egypt has completely shut off internet communications within their country in order to try to hamper the pro-democracy demonstrations that are going on within their streets. American legislators claim that the bill would never be used that way, but what’s to guarantee that it won’t other than the good will of future presidents? Surely, if a future authoritarian administration were to have people demonstrating against it, they wouldn’t have too much trouble deeming the situation a “national emergency.”

The bill also comes on the heels of new authorities taken on by the Department of Homeland security, which has in recent months begun seizing the domain names of websites it believes to be violating national or international laws. These and other actions only raise the question: how much government involvement do we want to see on the internet?

Perhaps only time will tell exactly how these issues will play out. But internet entrepreneurs can be sure that the “wild west” days of the unfettered internet are over. More government is coming and it is coming soon.

You can read more about the kill switch bill and the Egyptian riots here.

At only age 13, Anshul Samar launched Alchemist Empire, Inc.

Chemistry, fun, and money are not typically mentioned together in the same sentence, but for Anshul Samar they mix perfectly. Samar developed a chemistry card game that he labels “Elementeo.” Samar’s company, Alchemist Empire Inc, made $1 million in revenues its first year.  And Samar was only 13 years old.

Samar sells his product via internet through his website www.elementeo.com. “Elementeo” targets 4th through 8th graders and aims to make learning chemistry fun. Here’s how the game works: each player controls a 66-card deck of different chemical elements. Each card has colorful, monster-themed caricatures of the elements. Similar to the popular card game “Pokemon”, players command their army of chemical elements in a battle against the opponent. In doing so, they learn about how each element react with others, as well as each element’s atomic mass, number, physical state at room temperature, oxidation state, and symbol.

In just a year, a 13 year-old was able to generate $1 million by identifying how to satisfy a need and then using the internet effectively to market his product. What are the rest of us waiting for?

Today, I stumbled on “The stock market is for suckers,” an article in Macleans about the growth of Facebook and some of the interesting investment issues surrounding that company.

Thus far, Facebook has preferred to remain a privately owned company, resisting calls to sell stock on the public market. But investors, who would like to get a piece of the Facebook pie, are itching to sink money into the company. To complicate matters, the SEC mandates that privately-owned companies have less than 500 shareholders or they must become publicly traded, which prevents many people from being able to invest in Facebook.

The solution? Goldman Sachs is working on a deal with Facebook to become a private investor in the company. It then plans to divy up it’s investment and sell it to some of it’s high-profile customers. Facebook gets to comply with SEC regulations, and investors get their chance to sink some money into Facebook. Seems like everybody wins.

Unfortunately, at least according to the analysis in Macleans, stories like this are indicating a massive shift in the way investment happens in America. Companies are becoming more and more wary of going public and are instead working out deals with high-powered investors. This, in turn, hurts the ability of the average American to access investment opportunities.

Will this be a problem long-term? Perhaps only time will tell.

Discraft, the leading manufacturer of disc products for ultimate frisbee and a producer of both freestyle and golf discs, has been around since 1981. Because of the internet, Discraft is a healthier company then previously imaginable. As a wholesaler today, Discraft is able to sell products online in large batches to clubs, retailers, and individuals.

They have a great website and good use of social media. Their online presence is huge as there are dozens of websites that sell Discraft merchandise. They in fact do not sell discs in any stores.

This lean, low-cost structure is one of the entrepreneurial facets of Discrafts business. Without expensive shelf space in stores, Discraft has managed through word of mouth and web marketing to become the greatest player in its niche. This small company has found ways to beat out a huge toy producing corporation by efficient use of internet marketing.

Burma is one of the most impoverished and destitute nations in the world.

The Burmese government is currently committing countless atrocities against the ethnic groups in the area.   One group, the Karen people are predominately Christian.  They have been hunted down like animals and killed by the government military.

Thankfully others are helping, Free Burma Rangers, is an organization that is protecting the endangered people and fighting against the injustice of the Burmese government.  check them out here. The group was started by some ex US special forces men who wanted to do something to help the Burmese people.  free burma rangers