This is the age of the connected world. The Internet has made it possible to do things more easily and at speeds much faster than possible even a few years ago. And it adds more conveniences every day.

In an hour, I can pay my bills, buy a plane ticket, buy a gift online and have it mailed to a friend for her birthday, download a book to read on my Kindle, and snap a photo and upload it to my blog from my iPhone.

If you build a quality site, something that clearly shows your expertise on a topic, add content, stir you have a good chance of becoming an authority site with a top position in Google. You don't have to invest much: a annual domain fee, some hosting fees, and some time. The Internet has maintained a pretty egalitarian field over the last decade. That can always change. Money talks, and as more and more people figure out the high value of the Internet as a revenue stream for any type of business, the competition will heat up.

Imagine a future with special "Internet" licenses and aggressive competition for the best shelf space (you think that cereal is at eye level because the stocker just put it there? that level costs extra!). The benefit of an egalitarian landscape is that it offers potential to all comers. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, your site can play alongside the big boys with deep pockets.

Let's hope the frontier quality of the web continues. Not only does it create a healthy competitive environment or merchants, it allows us to hear unique, fresh voices when it comes to news and politics.