How to Make $100,000 Beating Facebook

Are you a coder or startuper who thinks you can come up with a better social network than Facebook? If you do and you are successful, you can win $100,000.

Jason Calacanis, an angel investor and entrepreneur who is a leader in the startup world, has come up with a great offer, the "Openbook Challenge". 

Calacanis's organization, LAUNCH, will be funding seven teams that want to build a billion-user social network which will replace Facebook with a social network that is good for society.

Out of an estimated 100 teams that are expected to apply, 20 will be chosen as finalists, then seven teams will be chosen to receive $100,000 (for six percent, from the LAUNCH Incubator Fund) and join the LAUNCH incubator. 

If you want to know more details about how the competition works, how the finalists and winners will be chosen, and the timeline, check out the Calacanis web site. 

I Would Pay $5 for This App Right Now If Someone Would Invent It

Lately, the tweets I've been receiving in my Twitter account has been flooded with political ads. And not just text tweets. Most of them have pictures attached, usually of some political poster. Sometimes I have to scroll several times just to see a regular tweet.

Then I entered the letter E, which is a stock ticker symbol for ENI, an Italian energy company, in an investment search engine. The result page was covered with ads for Proposition E. I don't know what Proposition E is and it's not even a ballot issue in the area where I live.

I'm sick of these ads. I would like an app for my Apple iPhone or iPad that would blank out or block all political ads from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and web search results pages. I would be willing to pay $5 for such an app.

The Winklevoss Twins Latest Startup

First, the Winklevoss brothers started Facebook (according to them). Now the famous twins, who have been heavily involved in bitcoins, are having their own IPO.

The brothers recently filed what is called an S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the most commonly used form for a company that wants to go public. They have created the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust, which will issue Winklevoss Bitcoin Shares, which represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust.

Proceeds received by the Trust from the issuance and sale of Baskets, including the Seed Baskets and the Shares, will consist of Bitcoin deposits. Pursuant to the Trust Agreement, during the life of the Trust such proceeds will only be (1) held by the Trust, (2) distributed to Authorized Participants in connection with the redemption of Baskets, or (3) disbursed to pay the Sponsor’s Fee or sold as needed to pay the Trust’s expenses not assumed by the Sponsor.

There are almost 60 risks listed in the Risk section.

The registration statement makes fascinating reading.