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Home/Business & Economy/Sky-high prices a fact of life in mineral-rich Venezuelan state
Sky-high prices a fact of life in mineral-rich Venezuelan state
Online News EditorApril 21, 2022
By Genesis Carrero Soto
Bolivar state, Venezuela, Apr 21 (EFE) – The southeastern Venezuelan state of Bolivar is a land of great hydroelectric potential and abundant wealth of iron ore, gold, platinum, diamonds and other minerals.
But residents there are currently facing a slew of economic problems: a lack of available cash, socioeconomic disparities and sky-high prices for of a range of products and services.
A pizza dinner in Bolivar, for example, can be twice as expensive as one in Caracas, while the price of potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables are frequently double what is found in other border states.
"Everything, everything is extremely expensive," Daniela Ramirez told Efe while paying around $70 for a batch of seven food items that included vegetables and carbohydrates but no meat.
Bolivar-based economist Marco Tulio Mendez said there also is a marked social divide in the state that is notable in places like Ciudad Guayana.
The largest urban area of that region, that city is divided into the low-income community of San Felix and the more affluent Puerto Ordaz, which was planned and built in the early 1960s to be an industrial driver of national development.
While San Felix is a district home to houses made of zinc and improvised waste dumps, Puerto Ordaz has residential areas and clean streets. And that wealth inequality is characteristic of Bolivar as a whole and a feature that distinguishes it from the rest of Venezuela.
Mendez recalled that the promise of mining wealth and the planning of part of Ciudad Guayana as a home for industrial workers created a sort of "bubble" that led to a natural increase in prices even as waning prosperity has caused the city's development to stagnate.
"It's an economy that revolves around mining activity … and that makes it very unique. So there are certain problems associated with it that other regions of the country don't have," he added.
Now, during the pandemic, the cost of shipping merchandise and restrictions associated with the Covid-19 crisis remain obstacles difficult to overcome.
Daniel Barrios, owner of a hardware store in downtown Puerto Ordaz, told Efe that prices are clearly higher in Bolivar than the rest of the country, pointing to the long distance that separates the state from where its suppliers are located.
"Undoubtedly, yes. Our suppliers are more in the center of the country, and that causes freight prices to rise because the majority charge a shipping rate of 7 or 10 percent, which is a cost you have to include in the price of the product," he said.
High prices and low profit margins for businesses are prompting many residents of Ciudad Guayana to consider relocating to the southern part of Bolivar state and working in informal mines, an economic activity dominated by crime syndicates.
"It's always a temptation (to go to the mines) because you can earn a high income, but from my point of view, also seeing all the risks they run, it's preferable to stay where you are, working," Rudy Castillo, a retailer in San Felix's municipal market, told Efe.
Amid the challenging scenario, Catherine Wilson, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Caroni, a Bolivar municipality whose capital is Ciudad Guayana, praised the efforts of private retailers and entrepreneurs.
She said they are navigating the current difficulties and helping to keep the economy of Venezuela's priciest state afloat. EFE
gcs/mc
EFE VENEZUELA ECONOMY (ADDS VIDEO)
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Three years ago, I was asked to volunteer during one of the three recital performances. Not sure what I was getting into, I tentatively agreed. Today, I'm one of the first people to sign up for the volunteer list. In fact, if I only had one night available, I would probably pick volunteering back stage over seeing the performance.
Watching the recital from the front of the stage is spectacular! You are able to see how all of the performers come together, their bright smiles and at times their tentative steps. But there is so much more to the story of the performance: a story that can only be gleamed from backstage.
When you volunteer, you get an insider view of the energy of the dancers. You are able to see their anticipation, hear their eager chatter as they wait, and celebrate their love of dance.
During the evening, I am able to get a glimpse on how the magic of the performance comes together. This includes the hustle and bustle of getting dancers ready for a quick change to the nervous energy as they wait for that call on stage.
The team of volunteers all work together to ensure that each dancer is confident and ready to get on stage. From double checking their head band is secure to ensuring they have on the right pair of shoes. Yes, there are moments where we gently suggest a quieter activity or give a kind word to a child that is worried. But in all, this is the experience that makes it all happen.
As an added bonus, volunteers are able to support their child and classmates before, during and after the performance. It is wonderful to see your child on the stage. I love the beauty of the entire performance, but the true magic happens back stage.
Volunteering allows you to be an integral part of your child's recital experience. I encourage you to share the joy of dancing with your child and sign up to volunteer.
Each week brings us that much closer to the big day. The day where your son or daughter gets to share their love of dance with friends and family. As we get closer to the big day, rehearsals become that much more critical. We have spent months focused on establishing the foundations, now is the time to refine them!
Learning a dance is much more than memorizing a series of steps. It's about becoming comfortable with the music, working together as a team, and putting it all together. The end result-the magical performance of the recital!
A dance is a beautiful series of movements all that eventually emerge into one elegant piece. However; your dancer does not learn a 3-minute dance in one class.
Instead it is taught in small increments. Each portion of the dance sets the foundation for the next section. The first time a dancer learns the new section, they are guided through every detail. They learn the steps, the music, the position of their hands and even the tilt of their heads. When your child misses a class, they are playing catch up, instead of being able to refine the details. This can be stressful. Regular attendance helps build the foundation, so your child is ready for the recital.
Rehearsal gives your child the opportunity to practice their numbers. It is only when a dancer knows the steps, that she can pay attention to the smaller details. We want our audience to see not only the beauty in the dancers feet but also how their smile shines on stage. This can only come when your child feels confident with the number. Practice naturally breeds this confidence.
Dance class builds friendship, creates bonds and encourages children to work together. Your child is not alone on the stage: they are working hard with a group of dancers. Each of the dancers are here to support each other. When children have frequent absences, they directly impact the team. The other students notice the gap in the line, or the absent partner, which may impact how they dance. When the whole team rehearses together both your child and the other students' benefit.
Our dance teachers spend time planning out the program to take the dance to the next level. It could be coaching your child on the placement of their hands, or ensuring that cartwheels are done safely in acro number. Dance classes are designed to be enjoyed! We want to foster that love of dance for each and every child. Rehearsals are the key to building foundations, instilling confidence and cultivating long lasting friendships!
Parents and caregivers are a vital part of the dance studio relationship. It is this key relationship that ensures your child's success in dance. In order to do this, parents, children and dance teachers need to not only communicate with each other but feel comfortable doing so. At Dance Incorporated, I strive to maintain an open dialogue with parents and children alike. With 300 students coming in and out, seven days of the week, the studio can feel quite busy. My hope is that parents and child know that they are a vital part of our team! To help begin the conversation, I use a variety of tools to share the news of Dance Incorporated.
The studio uses email, website, and text message alerts as the main forms of communication with both parents and students. When it comes to providing detailed information and dance studio regulations, I have chosen to send out email newsletters. These newsletters are a great way to let my clients know a lot of information in an easy to read format. In addition, to being sent to the emails on file, the newsletter will be posted on our website and our studio bulletin board.
There are times where information needs to be sent in an instant, like inclement weather closures or payment deadlines. For these occasions, Dance Incorporated has added a cell phone application. This is a one- way alert system, and no cell numbers will be given out at anytime. This instant message system has provided peace of mind for parents on the go, allowing them to know at an instant if class has been cancelled or to have recital information at their fingertips.
Add a contact to your cell phone called DANCE INC ALERT with the phone number (705)990-0109.
Once you have added this contact text @danceinc to this number.
You will automatically be added to the group.
Sometimes it's just nice to share about the day to day of the studio, from watching your child practice cartwheels to inspirational quotes about dance. Our Facebook group has become an extension of our dance studio, sharing stories and images of our dancers with the Dance Incorporated community. I encourage parents and students to join our Facebook group and share their dancing stories and images. For those that don't want to post online, I hope that you will still take the opportunity to browse the images and stories of your fellow Dance Incorporated community.
Our teachers love working with your children and look forward to sharing their progress with you. If you have a question or concern, we encourage you to call or email the studio. We know it's difficult to catch us when we are teaching your children, but please know that we enjoy connecting with you.
We want to ensure that both adults and children know what's going on at Dance Incorporated. So please reach out, read our newsletters, browse Facebook and let us know your thoughts about Dance Incorporated. We see each and every one of you as a vital part of our family, so please keep in touch.
Why Structure is an Essential Part of my Classes?
That first experience in the dance studio for both parents and children can be overwhelming. The children come in curious, eager and perhaps a bit uncertain on what to expect, while, parents may be wondering if their child is ready and will this be a positive, learning experience for them?
Research has shown that the best way to provide comfort for children while also creating an optimal environment for learning is through a structured classroom. At Dance Incorporated, we ensure that each and every one of our classes provides this sense of comfort, allowing children to naturally grow and thrive.
So what is a preschool dance class like?
A preschool classroom is a wonderful opportunity for the 3-4 year old to appreciate the love of dance. It allows them to learn about the rhythms of music, new ways to move their body whether they are dancing like a butterfly or marching like a soldier, and simply embrace the joy of music. Creative exploration is an essential facet of our preschool classroom to both learn new techniques and tap into their growing imagination. As the weeks progress, they will adopt new terminology and techniques beginning with the fact that happy toes are also called a tendue while sad toes are known as a flexed foot. Overall, it is a fun, learning experience where their self-esteem and confidence will flourish.
It is perhaps their first time away from parents or unstructured play. Yes, our dance classes, even for our preschoolers are structured. Young children, in particular, thrive in having routines and clear expectations. When they walk into the classroom, the children learn that this is the time for them to dance.
By providing simple guidelines, like no running in the classroom, we ensure your child is safe. However; safety is not the only value that structure provides. This environment helps increase attention span, learn about turn taking, and how to follow an instructor's lead.
Over time, the children begin to anticipate the next part of the class and prepare for it. This calm environment creates a wonderful opportunity to focus on learning developmental skills from how to point and flex their foot to co-ordinating movements. Our teachers watch their development, slowly adding more challenging movements to advance their learning. Over time, the children learn how to bend their knees in a beautiful plié, leap off the floor as they sauté and progress to more complicated movements like skipping. Don't worry, the steps do get harder. However; for a three year old the multiple steps involved in skipping is challenging. Music becomes the third teacher as the children learn how to match their movement with the rhythms of songs.
Through the loving, care and attention of our dance instructors, the children will continue to grow and thrive. Their self-esteem will flourish, and the dance classes will be full of smiles, songs and the joy of movement. I truly believe that it is that magic combination of our talented teachers and the structured classroom that helps fosters that life long love for dance.
Studio is closed November 18 as of 7 pm due to bad weather.


Annotation: A LABORATORY STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF JUDGE'S INSTRUCTIONS, INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE, AND PROSECUTOR'S IMPEACHMENT STRATEGY ON JURORS' VERDICTS IS REPORTED.
Abstract: EACH OF THE 214 COLLEGE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE STUDY OF 1 OF 8 VERSIONS OF A TRIAL INVOLVING 3 DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH BREAKING AND ENTERING AND POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA. VARIABLES WERE THE LEVEL OF INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE, AND THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF JUDGE'S INSTRUCTIONS AND ATTEMPTS BY THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY TO DISCREDIT DEFENSE WITNESSES. JUDGE'S INSTRUCTIONS AND LEVEL OF INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE, BUT NOT PROSECUTOR'S IMPEACHMENT STRATEGY, EXERTED A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON VERDICTS. JURORS WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS WERE MORE LIKELY TO VOTE GUILTY OR REPORT NO DECISION. JUDGE'S INSTRUCTIONS APPEARED TO MOVE SUBJECTS FROM INDECISION OR CONVICTION TO MORE LENIENT VOTING. IN ADDITION, 70 PERCENT OF INSTRUCTED SUBJECTS WHO RECORDED NO DECISION CHANGED TO A VERDICT OF GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY WHEN ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN. THE STUDY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT JUDICIAL INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN FURTHER RESEARCH ON JURY DECISIONMAKING. ONE INCIDENTAL FINDING WAS THE RELATIVELY LARGE NUMBER OF COLLEGE STUDENTS VOTING GUILTY IN A CASE INVOLVING MARIJUANA CHARGES--A RESULT THAT BRINGS INTO QUESTION PROSECUTORS' AUTOMATIC REJECTION OF YOUNG PERSONS AS JURORS IN DRUG CASES. SUPPORTING DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Professional mixing features,the zephyr zmx862 is an 6-channel,2-bus mixer with the right amount of inputs,outputs,routing,and eq for more intimate live performance reinforcement situations. It features two microphone inputs (with phantom power) with balanced trs jacks,a three-band eq and two aux sends on each of the two mono channels and the two stereo channels,and even two-track inputs for things such as audio playback. The zmx862 is the perfect compact take-anywhere professional mixer. Versatile inputs and outputs,the zmx862 is a step up from our zmx52 that adds more inputs and an extra band of eq as well as a switch for phantom power. Not only can you can plug dynamic,condenser,and wireless microphones into the first two channels,but you also get two stereo channel inputs for keyboards,drum machines,and other instruments. What's more,you can easily plug in your mp3 player,cd players,or audio from a dvd player into the cd/tape inputs. But,you also have two aux sends that you can use to send streams of audio from your mixer to a digital effects unit,stage monitor,tv screen,or any number of sources. Choose the zmx862 as the audio central command for your live performances,home studio,or video suite. High headroom,low noise?,just because the zmx862 is compact,portable and affordable doesn't mean you have to make sacrifices. This compact mixer brings the same standard of quality to your performances as our top-of-the-line models. All alto professional zephyr zmx mixers are designed with high headroom and ultra low-noise,discrete mic preamps so you always get the full dynamic range of your mix every time. ,visualize your mix,we designed every zephyr zmx mixer with your performance in mind. Sometimes venues are dark and it can be hard to see what you're working with.
Sale! ₹ 5,790 (as of 19/12/2018, 5:21 pm) & FREE Shipping. Details ₹ 5,490 Book it Now!


"Quantity Order" in the subject line.
Books ship from Thomaston, Maine, USA.
USA: Use the Add to Cart buttons. You do not need a PayPal account but you do need a credit card. Media Mail is the default shipping method but you can choose Priority at checkout by clicking the link after 'shipping'.
If your country is listed below, you can order using the Add to Cart buttons.
If you don't see your country or want 5 or more books, email unclepaulsjazzcloset@gmail.com with "Order" in the subject line. Include the number of books you are ordering and your complete shipping address. I will send you an invoice.
If you use the Add to Cart button and no shipping cost is added, I will bill you for shipping costs separately.
Sorry for the high price–shipping charges are exactly what it costs me and the only method I can find to use.
if you use the 'Add to cart' buttons.
Please email before ordering so you will know the cost.
School/Wholesale/Distributer Inquiries, please email unclepaulsjazzcloset@gmail.com with "Wholesale Books" in the subject line and I will send you information.
Sample page. All compositions are in Paul Motian's handwriting.
Dimensions: 9" x 12" x .375"
Dimensions: 9" x 12" x .4"
I (Cindy McGuirl, Paul Motian's niece) have self published these volumes and I am selling the books myself. My goal to sell enough copies of Volume 1 to be able to publish Volume 2 has been successful. I do my best to ship orders within 2 days of receiving them.
Please help spread the word by telling other people about the book.
Thank you for supporting the music of Paul Motian!
I have no plan to offer an electronic version of this book.
Paul Motian was the most original composer this side of Thelonious Monk. His music deserves to be played. I hope to see some day a series of Bill Frisell recordings (volumes 1, 2, 3, ....) with a rotating roster of guest musicians, featuring the compositions of Paul Motian.
This looks awesome. Motion was one of my favorite jazz drummers and his simple (sometimes complex) almost folk-like tunes have been an influence on me as a struggling jazz composer. Let me not forget to mention too that his work with Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, the Paul Motian Trio and his Electric Bebop Band as being some of my favorite jazz records.
The first volume of Paul's compositions is wonderful! Thank you so much for doing this! Is there a kick-starter or any way I can contribute to helping make the second volume available?
Thank you. I'm on track to raise enough funds for Volume 2 by the sales of Volume 1. You could buy more copies and give them away, convince your friends to buy copies, and/or convince your local bookstore/music shop to sell the book. I'm scanning the Volume 2 songs alphabetically and I'm on E. It's a bit slow going.


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Cristian Roldan's continued emergence boosts Seattle Sounders' playoff push
August 22, 20161:46AM EDT
Ari LiljenwallContributor
Follow@ AriLiljenwall
SEATTLE—It was just a few weeks ago that the Seattle Sounders were languishing near the bottom of the MLS table, left for dead by many in the Western Conference playoff race.
These days, all that feels like another lifetime.
The Sounders kept their recent surge in form right on rolling in their Sunday evening Cascadia Cup matchup against the Portland Timbers at CenturyLink Field, riding two goals from Clint Dempsey and Cristian Roldan's third tally of the season to a resounding 3-1 victory at CenturyLink Field that improbably has the Sounders right back in the postseason picture.
"It's back to everybody having fun," Dempsey said. "We're circulating the ball well, we're getting good looks and it's not just one person or the other. I feel like everybody's getting looks. When you're doing that, creating good chances and opportunities and getting good results, that's when you're having the most fun.
"That's the kind of run we're on right now."
Dempsey will garner most of the headlines from Sunday's game – and rightfully so – as it was his second-half brace that staked the Sounders to a lead they would never relinquish.
But Roldan's continued emergence has been a positive takeaway for Seattle as they look to complete their turnaround. The second-year midfielder is in the best form of his young professional career, and set up Dempsey's second goal before his own 83rd-minute strike.
Roldan also drew the penalty kick whistle to give Dempsey the game's opening goal from the spot in the 61st minute, the second straight week he's drawn a PK.
"What a fantastic performance by that kid," said Sounders interim head coach Brian Schmetzer. "He is a kid that will do whatever it takes, sacrifice whatever to help the team win. I think his commitment to the team, his eagerness to learn and all those qualities he has, that's what you guys see out there. He's a tremendous talent and we're only hoping for bigger and better things from him."
The victory doesn't mean the Sounders are out of the woods just yet. Seattle have a daunting week coming up, with a Wednesday road matchup against the Houston Dynamo (9pm ET; MLS LIVE) preceding a rematch with Portland on Sunday at Providence Park (5pm ET; ESPN | MLS LIVE in Canada).
To hear Dempsey tell it, though, his team's resurgent showing should give the Sounders an added boost mentally as they prepare to take on that challenge.
"It's always easier when you're doing well to approach that next week because you're not second-guessing yourself," Dempsey said. "You're thinking about the positives and trying to continue this wave that we're on. It's the best run we've been on all season, just enjoying playing and the style that we're playing.
"Hopefully we can keep it going and make it to the playoffs."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Olympics expert Jon Tibbs wins Manchester United PR challenge
Posted by: Stephen Foster in Advertisers, News, PR April 27, 2011	Comments Off on Olympics expert Jon Tibbs wins Manchester United PR challenge
You wouldn't think Manchester United would be much of a challenge, heading for a record 19th UK Premiership title and more than half-way to this year's Champion's League final at Wembley but it undoubtedly is.
The reason, of course, is the phenomenal unpopularity of owners the Florida-based Glazer family and the huge amounts of debt (about £700m) with which they've lumbered the previously unburdened club.
Now it's been revealed that it the club appointed Jon Tibbs Associates back in January to work with club spin doctor Phil Townsend to build the brand's international profile and, presumably, revenues.
Man U has a pretty high international profile as it is of course but much of this doubtless reflects the unpopularity of the Glazers, with continuing stories about fans' protests and the possibility of rival bidders for the club including Jim O' Neill's 'Red Knights' and Qatar Holdings.
Tibbs, who formerly headed up the sports operations at Bell Pottinger and Hill & Knowlton in the UK, is an Olympics expert, working on the successful Beijing 2008 bid and the equally controversial award of the 2014 Winter Olympics to Sochi in Russia's Caucasus mountains.
It's interesting that news of the appointment has leaked out today, with United on a roll after beating German team Schalke 04 2-0 in the first away leg of the Champion's League semi final.
This roll could come to a sudden end of course in the final at Wembley when Sir Alex Ferguson's team (the choleric Sir Alex can be a bit of a spin doctor's nightmare) come up against one of Barcelona or Real Madrid.
If it were to be Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid and star forward Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner then Tibbs and Townsend would be right back in the trenches as Ronaldo was sold to Real Madrid by Man U for £80m a couple of years ago to spruce up the profit and loss figures.
TH_NK wins Butlin's digital account
Greetings from Mars and Sir Martin Sorrell
Sir Martin Sorrell and WPP get down with Alex da Kid
FCB Inferno wins three new digital accounts
M&C's LIDA wins P&O and Cunard CRM
Nocturnal high jinks on the Cannes red carpet
advertising barcelona Bell Pottinger Champions League Hill & Knowlton Jose Mourinho manchester united real madrid Sir Alex Ferguson	2011-04-27


Our Adopt a Farmer program is designed to give agriculture a voice by connecting students to their rural roots. By pairing a middle school classroom with a farm or ranch for the entire academic year, students can build a relationship with their adopted farmer. Oregon Aglink funds a field trip to the farm for the students where they will see, hear, touch, smell and get a taste of what life is like on the farm. In addition to the field trip, the farmer visits the classroom 2-3 times throughout the rest of the school year to engage students in the science behind farming, while sharing his or her story of Oregon agriculture.
In the classroom our farmers work with teachers to make sure activities tie-in to current curriculum. Our farmers have done activities related to soil, water, conservation, irrigation, genetics, farm-to-table continuum and economics. Oregon Aglink pays for the materials needed for Adopt a Farmer classroom visits. Teachers have their adopted farmer as a resource for students to realize that science is used every day in agriculture, which is such an integral part of the state of Oregon.
With nearly 50 classrooms and farmers connected around the state, more students are engaging in agriculture through this program than ever before. This year, we are excited to have further expanded into southern and central Oregon!
For the most current happenings with Adopt a Farmer field trips and classroom visits, follow along on social media @adoptafarmer!
For more information on how your farm or classroom can participate in Adopt a Farmer, please contact 503-595-9121.
Want to show off your support for Adopt a Farmer? Get your t-shirt now!
Thank you for your support of Adopt a Farmer!
Excellent program! We have such an important and diverse offering of knowledge to share with those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn about agriculture. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much for your support, Randy!


A very elegant vase uplighter decorated with roses and leaves standing on a square black marble base. This stylish lamp is an excellent example of French art deco design. Signed H. Ducobu. There is a minor scratch to the inner rim, but the overall condition is very good. Wired with braided cable and PAT tested electrically safe. Please refer to the note regarding electrical items in the "How to Buy" section.


text:
Comments of BroadbandCensus.com in FCC Rulemaking on Broadband Data
Regulatory Filing WASHINGTON, July 18 – Because the importance of conducting a national Broadband Census that includes consumer-focused information about broadband competition, broadband speeds and broadband prices, BroadbandCensus.com this week urged the Federal Communications Commission to disclose broadband information with the public.
Editor's Note: The following is the regulatory filing made by BroadbandCensus.com in the Federal Communications Commission's inquiry about how to best map out information about local broadband. Footnotes are available in the PDF version of file. (The link is at bottom.)
By Drew Clark, Executive Director, BroadbandCensus.com
COMMENTS OF BROADBANDCENSUS.COM IN RESPONSE TO THE FURTHER NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING
BroadbandCensus.com respectfully submits these comments in response to the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("Further Notice")1, released June 12, 2008, in the above-captioned proceeding of the Federal Communications Commission ("Commission"). We respond to the invitation for comment on Section IV(B) of the Further Notice.2
BroadbandCensus.com is a new, free web service that allows the public to share and learn information about where individual broadband companies provide service. In taking the Broadband Census, consumers enter their ZIP+4 codes, identify their carriers, rate their services and conduct a free broadband speed test. Doing so enables them to compare their actual internet speeds against what their carriers promise.3 They are also invited to make comments, which are posted on the web site of BroadbandCensus.com, about the service quality of their broadband provider.
BroadbandCensus.com is a consumer-focused service with an aim to better inform the public and policy-makers with information and news about broadband availability, competition, speeds, service and prices. The site is freely offered under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial License, allowing anyone to make non-commercial use of the site, as long as they attribute the contents to BroadbandCensus.com. In doing so, countries, states, counties and cities may republish the information on their own web sites.
BroadbandCensus.com has a keen interest in the issue of broadband data. BroadbandCensus.com is produced by Broadband Census LLC ("BroadbandCensus.com"), a Limited Liability Company organized the Commonwealth of Virginia. We are independent of all internet providers. BroadbandCensus.com receives no funding from carriers. More information about the organizations providing financial or technical support to BroadbandCensus.com is available in a prominent location on our web site.4
BroadbandCensus.com takes no position on telecommunications policy controversies, such as the issues surrounding network neutrality, or the universal service fund. However, we do firmly believe in the value of transparency, both as a means to oversee the government, and to provide consumers with recourse vis-à-vis their broadband carriers. As with other journalistic organizations, such as the Associated Press (which often seeks to obtain the release of government information under the Freedom of Information Act), we believe that the public is served by the greatest possible disclosure. For this reason, we offer these comments for your consideration.
Following these introductory remarks, our comments are organized as follows: section II briefly considers the significance of the Internet as a means for collaboration and data-sharing, with specific reference to broadband policy; section III responds directly to the Commission's questions in the Further Notice; section IV discusses the implications of proposed federal legislation upon the Further Notice; followed by a conclusion in section V.
II. THE INTERNET, 'CROWDSOURCING' AND TRANSPARENCY
In this section, we briefly consider the significance of broadband data, the importance of transparency, and call attention to a specific instance in which the nation of Ireland has publicly deployed broadband data on a government web site.
Much could and should be written about the way that the Internet enables individuals – friends and strangers – to collaborate seamlessly. Further, of the most important functions of the Internet is to cast sunlight upon the operations of government and other entities. BroadbandCensus.com is an exercise in harnessing the power of "crowdsourcing" – bringing disparate individuals together to engage online in a common purpose. That purpose is to learn and share information about their internet options. As with Wikipedia, BroadbandCensus.com is a natural extension of the ability of individuals to collaborate about the Internet, using the Internet.
Understanding the availability of broadband within a particular ZIP code, census tract or ZIP+4 code is one important purpose for this information-sharing. But there are other vitally important purposes, too: understanding competition in the broadband marketplace, understanding the speeds and service quality of broadband providers, and understanding and comparing internet prices. In the realm of broadband policy, attention is increasingly focusing not only on broadband penetration, but on available speeds, bandwidth caps, and cost per Megabit or Gigabit of data.
Speaking at the Commission's hearing on "Broadband Network Management Practices" on February 25, 20085, Chairman Kevin Martin stated that for network management "practices to be reasonable, they must be conducted in a transparent way. Consumers need to know" what aspects of their Internet connections will or won't be affected by such practices, the Chairman said.6 Consumers also need to know about the speeds, services and prices offered by the carriers, the Chairman said.7
We urge you not neglect the importance of broadband competition, broadband speeds and broadband prices as the Commission considers all the issues surrounding the Further Notice.
Also, BroadbandCensus.com commends to the Commission the "Broadband Information" web site of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources of the Government of Ireland.8 Although BroadbandCensus.com has no official connection with this site, we urge you to examine it as an example of what another nation is doing in the realm of broadband mapping. "Broadband Information" includes a listing, in Ireland, of all available broadband services, promised download and upload speeds, contention ratios, and monthly subscription fees. The site includes a fully searchable map and includes a web site and e-mail contact for each carrier.9
III. RESPONSES TO THE COMMISSION'S SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
The Commission asks a number of specific questions in the Further Notice. Before responding to those questions, however, BroadbandCensus.com invites the FCC to revise its current policies with respect to the non-disclosure of public broadband information. In particular, we invite the Commission to make data public from the FCC's existing Form 477. We also invite you to make that data public which will be collected from the new version of the Form 477.10 In light of these recommended disclosures, we address the Commission's specific questions.
With regard to the existing Form 477, there is a great deal of data encompassed by the form that cannot, by any reasonable stretch of the imagination, be considered competitively sensitive. We urge the Commission to publicly disclose each of the 5-digit ZIP codes in which broadband service providers declare that they offer service. The fact that a broadband company offers service in particular ZIP code is well known to the individual customer of that service. This information is also used in marketing broadband services to individuals through web sites, and through other forms of communications. For many years, the Commission has required the disclosure of the local areas in which broadcasters, cable operators, and telephone carriers offer service. For similar reasons, we also urge the Commission to disclose, for each 5-digit ZIP code in which each broadband service provider declares that they offer service, the technology type or types through which these providers declare that they offer broadband service.11
With regard to the new information that will be required on Form 477 beginning with the data collection beginning on March 200912, the Commission will require broadband service providers to include information about the census tracts in which the offer service, and the technology types deployed within each census tract. The size of an average census tract is not extraordinarily different from the size of the average ZIP code. There are estimated 61,000 census tracts in the United States13, and an estimated 41,000 ZIP codes, with about 10,000 of these non-spatial ZIP codes.14 We urge the Commission to disclose this information, once collected, because there is not a significant difference between the disclosure of such company data within a ZIP code and the disclosure of such company data within a census tract.
For the first time, the Commission will seek to obtain the promised upload and promised download speeds of individual broadband carriers, again by census tract. This information is vital for consumers to be able to compare their speeds against the promised speeds by, for example, taking a speed test.15 As with information about the location of service offered, and the technology type deployed, promised upload and download speeds are public information. As the Commission has required the collection of this information, BroadbandCensus.com invites the Commission to publicly disclose this information, too.
In the Further Notice, the Commission asks a number of specific questions. To summarize and recap these questions:
1.The Commission seeks comment on the adoption of a national broadband mapping program designed to "creat[e] a highly detailed map of broadband availability nationwide."16
2.The Commission seeks comment on how such a program "can provide useful information to other broadband initiatives undertaken" by other federal agencies, state agencies, and private companies, such as Connected Nation, Inc.17
3.The Commission seeks comment on potential collaboration with the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service.18
4.The Commission seeks comment on the Commission's tentative conclusion to require the "collect[ion of] information that providers use to respond to prospective customers to determine on an address-by-address basis whether service is available."19
5.The Commission seeks comment on the data formats for the collection of this information.20
6.The Commission seeks comment on whether and how to incorporate data collected on the new Form 477 into this national broadband mapping program.21
7.The Commission seeks comment on the utilization of other sources of data that would "improve the output of the broadband mapping program.22
8.The Commission seeks comment on "how to maintain the confidentiality of broadband service information."23
With regard to question 1, BroadbandCensus.com is very enthusiastic about the utility of creating a highly detailing map of broadband availability. BroadbandCensus.com has no basis to comment about whether the Commission desires to undertake this task for itself.
With regard to question 2, BroadbandCensus.com believes that the most useful steps that the Commission can undertake to provide information to various federal, state and private broadband initiatives is to publicly provide the information that it currently collects on the existing Form 477, and that it will collected on the revised Form 477. Once this data is made public, it can be redeployed and repurposed for use by a range of public and private organizations, including Connected Nation, Inc., BroadbandCensus.com, and the various state-level task forces that are currently considering, or have considered and implemented, broadband data mapping efforts.
With regard to question 3, BroadbandCensus.com has no expertise on this subject. However, BroadbandCensus.com notes that once this basic broadband information is publicly disclosed, a great variety of federal agencies, including the Department of Agriculture, will be able to benefit from such information-sharing.
With regard to question 4, BroadbandCensus.com is sensitive to the argument that broadband providers should not be required to provide address-by-address information to the Commission. If, however, the Commission is determined to collect address-by-address information because the Commission feels that a public purpose is served by its collection, BroadbandCensus.com would urge the Commission also make this data publicly available. As with information about the location of broadband service by ZIP code (and by census tract), the technology types deployed within the carriers' respective service areas and the carriers' promised upload and download speeds are publicly discoverable on an address-by-address basis by consumers seeking to obtain service. Because of the virtues of crowdsourcing, the information about service areas, technology types and offered speeds that the Commission receives will be far more valuable to individual internet users than it will be to the Commission alone. We therefore urge the public disclosure of this broadband address information.
Question 5 raises considerable technical issues about which BroadbandCensus.com is currently grappling. Publicly available information can be readily shared over the Internet. BroadbandCensus.com aims to work collaboratively with a range of public and private organizations to help develop "best practices" and standards for sharing public information about broadband availability, competition, speeds, prices and quality of service.
To respond to question 6, reference must be made to the pending federal legislation concerning broadband mapping.24 The simple answer is: yes, data collected on the new Form 477 can and should be incorporated into a national broadband mapping program. Again, this can be done most effectively by publicly disclosing the data from the new Form 477. BroadbandCensus.com currently collects data on a ZIP+4 code level.25 There are approximately 30 million ZIP+4 codes, which compares to approximately 8 million census blocks26 and approximately 200,000 census block groups.27 As noted above, there are approximately 61,000 census tracts and 41,000 ZIP codes.28 The ZIP+4 code level becomes the finest and most discrete unit of analysis, and a unit that can be incorporated upward into blocks, block groups, tracts, ZIP codes, cities, counties and states. The "Broadband Census of America Act," H.R. 3919, calls for public mapping at the ZIP+4 level.29 The "Broadband Data Improvement Act," S. 1492, uses the census block level.30 Whether or not either passes will affect the Commission's efforts on the Further Notice.
With regard to question 7, BroadbandCensus.com invites the Commission, should you undertake to create a "highly detailing map of broadband availability," to make use of the contents of BroadbandCensus.com.31 The Commission is certainly aware of other broadband mapping efforts, and other nation-wide speed test efforts. Should you decide to undertake to create a detailed map, we hope that the Commission will incorporate data from as many different sources as possible.
With regard to question 8, BroadbandCensus.com reiterates that none of the information discussed above is confidential or commercially sensitive, and therefore all of it should be made available to the public.
IV. IMPLICATIONS OF PROPOSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION
As the Commission is undoubtedly aware, "Broadband Census of America Act," H.R. 3919, passed the House of Representatives on November 14, 2007. Among other functions, this legislation requires a census of broadband service deployment, to be conducted by the Commission; and a broadband inventory, to be created by the National Telecommunications and Information Agency of the Department of Commerce.32 The broadband inventory map requires that, for each area encompassed by a ZIP+4 code,33 "each commercial or public provider of broadband service capability within such area" be identified.34 Additionally, the map is to include "each type of technology used to provide broadband service capability within such area,"35 and "which bandwidth service tiers … are available within such area for each provider of broadband service capability."36 Individual broadband providers may "opt-out" of the designation of their technology type within the ZIP+4 code, or of the designation of their offered speed tier37, but they may not opt-out of their identification as a provider of broadband service within a particular ZIP+4 code.38
Additionally, the "Broadband Data Improvement Act," S. 1492, has been introduced in the Senate, and has passed the Senate Commerce Committee. While this bill does not contemplate a federal broadband map, it does require that states receiving federal fund under the bill "create … a geographic inventory map of broadband service"39 through "geographic information system mapping of service availability at the census block level."40
H.R. 3919 would require public disclosure of information that the Commission has declared that it will collect through the new Form 477 form. This disclosure would take place through the NTIA's broadband inventory map. Information to be disclosed includes, at a minimum, the names of the broadband providers within each ZIP+4 code. S. 1492 would not require this level of disclosure, although it does contemplate mapping broadband availability by census blocks.
If Congress fails to act, or if Congress enacts S. 1492 but not H.R. 3919, a greater responsibility would fall upon the Commission to make broadband data at the census tract level available to the public. The Commission should do this, and release the names of the broadband providers within each ZIP+4 code, as well as the technology types and speed tiers of each carrier. In the alternative, if H.R. 3919 does not pass and, if the Commission does not agree to publicly disclose the technology types and speed tiers of broadband providers within each census tract, BroadbandCensus.com urges the Commission to adopt the language of H.R. 3919 on your own authority, and disclose technology types and speed tiers subject to an opt-out by broadband providers.
V. CONCLUSION
Because the importance of conducting a national Broadband Census that includes consumer-focused information about broadband competition, broadband speeds and broadband prices, and because this information is not commercially sensitive, the Commission should disclose it and share it with the public.
BroadbandCensus.com
By: /s/ Drew Clark
Dated: July 17, 2008
Documents and Web Sites Reference in this Regulatory Filing:
Comments of BroadbandCensus.com in Response to the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF)
Republic of Ireland's "Broadband Information" (Web site)
Related Topics:Broadband Census of America ActBroadband Data Improvement ActBroadbandCensus.comcensus block groupscensus blockscensus tractsConnected NationcrowdsourcingDepartment of AgricultureDrew ClarkeCorridorsFCCFOIAFreedom of Information ActH.R. 3919Ireland broadbandKevin MartinNational Telecommunications and Information AdministratNTIARural Utilities ServiceS. 1492speed tiersVirginia TechWikipediaZIP codesZIP+4 codes
BroadbandCensus.com Partners With National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors
BroadbandCensus.com Executive Director Drew Clark to Speak at NARUC Summer Meeting
FCC Delays Auction of Citizens Broadband Radio Service Frequences in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic from Coronavirus
Seal of the Federal Communications Commission
Tech Freedom and Other Advocacy Groups Push Back Against Growing Pressure to Modify Section 230
Masha Abarinova
Federal Communications Commission Announces $169 Million in Rural Broadband Funding


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text:
Every NFL Team's Best (and Worst) 1st-Round Draft Pick of the Super Bowl Era
Brent Sobleski@@brentsobleskiTwitter LogoNFL AnalystMarch 30, 2018
Ron Schwane/Associated Press
The NFL draft is intoxicating because the event provides hope for every fanbase. Each first-round pick is a future Hall of Famer...until he takes the field.
Once the games begin, each of the top selections undertakes a divergent path based on numerous factors including situation, coaching staff, fit and everything that encompasses being a professional athlete.
Organizations hope they find a quality starter. None expect a Hall of Fame-caliber performer. Yet a lucky few emerge. Each of the 32 franchises made at least one of these selections in the opening frame since the Super Bowl era began in 1966.
Then, there are those everyone wants to forget. Amazing talents that, for whatever reason, never clicked and live in infamy. The league's worst draft picks won't find their busts in Canton. They're simply busts.
Rick Scuteri/Associated Press
Best: Larry Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald has gotten better with age. The 2004 third overall pick has caught 325 passes since turning 32 in 2015, and he's still going. Overall, the 11-time Pro Bowler ranks third all-time with 1,234 receptions and 15,545 receiving yards. Fitzgerald should eclipse Terrell Owens' 15,934 receiving yards during the 2018 campaign and take second place. The 6'3", 218-pound target came into the league making acrobatic catches before developing into an ideal slot receiver later in his career. He made the transition because he's an exceptional route-runner with velcro for hands.
Worst: Steve Little
Only five specialists have been first-round picks in the Super Bowl era. Normally, kickers and punters wouldn't even be included in this conversation. Yet Little's awful three-year career must be noted. Roberto Aguayo falls on the butt end of many jokes after being a 2016 second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and struggling. Imagine taking a specialist in the first round only to have him convert 48.1 percent of his field-goal attempts and average 38.5 yards per punt. The Cardinals don't have to imagine after wasting the 15th overall pick in 1978 on one.
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
Best: Mike Kenn
Deion Sanders is the flashiest draft pick in Atlanta Falcons history. Julio Jones has a chance to be the greatest. But Kenn is Mr. Falcon. The 1978 first-round round selection is tied for ninth all-time with 251 starts over his 17-year career. The left tackle went to five Pro Bowls and earned two All-Pro nominations. At 6'7" and 286 pounds, Kenn separated himself with athleticism. Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh said of Kenn in a Falcons media guide, "I've never seen any offensive tackle with his agility and quickness."
Worst: Aundray Bruce
Bruce never developed into the difference-maker the Falcons expected when they chose the outside linebacker with the first overall pick in the 1988 draft. In four seasons in Atlanta, he registered 16 sacks yet didn't become a dominant edge presence. Given that he was selected before Tim Brown and Michael Irvin along with five other first-rounders who earned Pro Bowl honors, Bruce's futility became even more glaring.
Stephan Savoia/Associated Press
Best: Ray Lewis
The Baltimore Ravens' 1996 first-round selections may comprise the greatest singular draft frame in NFL history, because the neophyte franchise selected two future Hall of Famers in Jonathan Ogden (No. 4 overall) and Lewis. The linebacker has the edge over the left tackle as the franchise's greatest pick thanks his value as the 26th overall selection. That, and longevity. Lewis played 17 seasons to Ogden's 12, earned 13 Pro Bowl nods, garnered two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, became a two-time Super Bowl champion and captured the Super Bowl XXXV MVP award. The middle linebacker served as the physical and spiritual leader of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history when the Ravens allowed only 10.3 points per game during the 2000 campaign.
Worst: Kyle Boller
Prior to the current collective bargaining agreement, organizations were frightened to select the wrong quarterback prospect because it would set the franchise back years due to financial implications. Yet the Ravens traded up to select Boller with the 19th overall pick in the 2003 draft despite indicators he couldn't develop into a starting-caliber quarterback. Boller completed a woeful 47.8 percent of his passes at Cal. But, hey, he could throw ball 50 yards through the uprights from his knees. After five seasons, the Ravens gave up on Boller and his 45-to-44 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
RUSTY KENNEDY/Associated Press
Best: Bruce Smith
The Buffalo Bills held the first overall pick four times in franchise history. O.J. Simpson and Smith were exceptional selections, while a third will be discussed in the next section. Smith developed into the NFL's greatest sack artist after he was drafted in 1985. Of his 200 career sacks, 171 came with Buffalo. The '90s Bills were littered with talent, hence their four straight Super Bowl berths. But Smith was the driving force behind an underappreciated defense. The defensive end went to 11 Pro Bowls, had eight All-Pro nods and took two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Worst: Tom Cousineau
At one point, the CFL challenged the NFL for top talent. The Bills selected Cousineau with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 draft. The linebacker never played a down for the organization. Instead, he signed with the Montreal Alouettes, because the CFL franchise offered more money. The Bills retained Cousineau's rights and traded him to the Cleveland Browns once he went to the NFL in 1982. All was not lost, though, since the first-round pick the Bills got turned into Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly.
Mike McCarn/Associated Press
Best: Julius Peppers
When Peppers re-signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2017 after sevens seasons away from the organization, most expected a nice reunion tour as his career wound to a close. Nothing could have been further from the truth. The 2002 second overall pick tied for 11th overall last season with 11 sacks. The defensive end has eclipsed 10 or more sacks in 10 of his 16 seasons. The 38-year-old ranks fourth all-time with 154.5 sacks, and he will surpass Kevin Greene for third with six more. Peppers, a nine-time Pro Bowler, registered 92 of those sacks in a Panthers uniform.
Worst: Rae Carruth
What Carruth did is almost too heinous to even include him, because his failures as a human being extend far beyond the football field. The wide receiver showed promise as a rookie before his life spiraled out of control. The 1997 first-rounder caught 44 passes for 545 yards in his first year before breaking his foot in the following season's opener. In 2001, Carruth was found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, shooting into an occupied vehicle and using an instrument to destroy an unborn child. He's still serving his sentence and has an expected October release.
JOHN SWART/Associated Press
Best: Walter Payton
So many different and wonderful words can be used to describe the Bears' best pick. Payton, the football player, left the game as its all-time leading rusher with 16,726 yards. His gracefulness helped him earn the nickname Sweetness, even though he finished his runs with authority. The 1975 fourth overall pick still ranks in the top four overall in attempts, rushing yardage, rushing touchdowns and all-purpose yards. Payton, the person, will always be remembered, since the NFL hands out the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his on-field excellence.
Worst: Curtis Enis
Enis never realized his potential during a short-lived, injury-plagued career. The Bears drafted the Penn State running back with 1995's fifth overall pick, hoping he could become the next Payton. Unfortunately, Enis never started more than 12 games and didn't break the 1,000-yard plateau in his three seasons before taking an early retirement. To make matters worse, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected fellow running back Fred Taylor, who ran for 11,695 career yards, four picks later.
Focus On Sport/Getty Images
Best: Anthony Munoz
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted only one Hall of Fame inductee since the organization began in 1968. Munoz is the franchise's greatest player and arguably the best to ever play left tackle. His journey to becoming an 11-time Pro Bowl and nine-time All-Pro performer is amazing since the 6'6", 278-pounder was considered an injury risk coming into the league after dealing with knee issues at USC. Cincinnati still used 1980's third overall pick to secure the franchise cornerstone. Munoz started all 16 games in eight of his 13 seasons and became the standard by which all future blindside protectors are measured.
Worst: Akili Smith
The Bengals produced a string of terrible first-round busts during the 1990s. David Klinger (1992) and Ki-Jana Carter (1995) are worthy of mention. However, Smith spent four years in Cincinnati and managed only five touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. The 1999 third overall pick flashed talent late in his Oregon Ducks career, and NFL scouts drooled over his potential as an athlete who could spin the ball well. The quarterback never developed as a passer and completed only 46.6 percent of his NFL attempts.
David Richard/Associated Press
Best: Joe Thomas
Thomas will forever be remembered as the NFL's ironman after playing 10,363 straight snaps before his career ended in 2017. The left tackle earned nine All-Pro (first and second team) nominations thanks to incomparable technique. Every pass set looked the same over 11 seasons. Thomas joined Merlin Olsen, Mel Renfro, Barry Sanders and Lawrence Taylor as the only players in NFL history to make 10 straight Pro Bowls to start their careers. The fact Thomas never played for a playoff team won't stop him from entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame soon.
Worst: Mike Junkin
So many options were available, since the Browns have been a bust factory. Yet the worst came in 1987 when the franchise traded for the fifth overall pick—sending linebacker Chip Banks and its first- and second-round selections to the San Diego Chargers—and chose Junkin, who then-scout Dom Anile infamously compared to a "mad dog in a meat market." Junkin played two seasons in Cleveland and never found a regular role among its linebacker corps before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a fifth-round pick.
TIM SHARP/Associated Press
Best: Emmitt Smith
As the Cowboys Radio Network's Brad Sham famously called, "Move over, Sweetness, make a place for Emmitt." Smith became the NFL's all-time leading rusher Oct. 27, 2002, passing Payton. The 17th overall pick in the 1990 NFL draft amassed 18,355 rushing yards during his 15-year career. Smith left the game as a three-time Super Bowl champion, a Super Bowl XXVIII and NFL MVP (1993), an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro. Consistency and availability matter. Smith ran for more than 1,000 yards 11 times to etch his name in the record book.
Worst: Bill Thomas
Dallas' rich history of drafting started with Tex Schramm, Tom Landry and Gil Brandt. Thomas is the closest thing to a complete swing and miss a team can experience. Worried about Calvin Hill's health, the Cowboys used their 1972 first-round pick (26th overall) to select another running back. Thomas played one season in Dallas, suffered a shoulder injury and never carried the ball before being released.
Jeff Haynes/Associated Press
Best: Von Miller
At 29 years old, Miller is the youngest player on this list. Despite his relative youth, the outside linebacker's impact on the Denver Broncos can't be questioned. The 2011 second overall pick made an immediate positive impression by winning the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award after registering 11.5 sacks. In fact, Miller picked up at least 10 sacks in all but one of his seven seasons and became the second-fastest in NFL history to amass 80 sacks. As a result, the outside linebacker has been honored with six Pro Bowl and three All-Pro nods. Yet his career will be defined by a dominant Super Bowl 50 performance, which garnered the him game's MVP award.
Worst: Tommy Maddox
The Broncos drafted Maddox with 1992's 25th pick to be John Elway's replacement. The team obviously didn't think enough of its franchise quarterback, since Elway played until 1998 and brought the organization its first two Super Bowl victories during his final two seasons. Maddox, meanwhile, was off the Broncos roster after the 1993 campaign and ended up in the XFL before finding a home with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001. The ill-advised first-round pick provided the Broncos with 758 passing yards, six touchdowns and nine interceptions.
FRED JEWELL/Associated Press
Best: Barry Sanders
Sanders' highlight reel is unlike anything else in the NFL. The most elusive runner in football history made professional tacklers, 300-pound defensive linemen and secondary speed demons looked like kids on the playground flailing to stop the neighborhood's best athlete. Sanders routinely turned negative plays into big gains on his way to 15,269 yards as the NFL's third all-time leading rusher. The No. 3 pick in 1989 may have been the greatest running back in league history, but he abruptly retired after 10 seasons. The 1988 Heisman Trophy winner rushed for at least 1,115 yards and earned first- or second-team All-Pro honors every year he played.
Worst: Charles Rogers
NFL organizations search far and wide for talented, reliable and available players. Rogers lacked two of those traits. The wide receiver can't be blamed for the collarbone injuries that ruined the early portions of his career. But the Lions expected more than 36 receptions for 440 yards in three seasons from 2003's second overall selection. Rogers can be blamed for three violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy. The 6'3", 202-pound target never received a chance to play for another team after Detroit released him before the 2006 campaign.
Best: Aaron Rodgers
Because of Rodgers' Hall of Fame-worthy turn after taking over for Brett Favre, his draft-day experience reached legendary status. The top-10 overall talent took a nosedive in the first round of the 2005 NFL draft before the Green Bay Packers selected him with the 24th overall pick. Now, he's arguably professional football's best quarterback and has unparalleled arm talent and pocket creativity. Tom Brady has the most notoriety, yet Rodgers is the game's most talented signal-caller. After sitting for three years behind Favre, Rodgers racked up 312 touchdowns compared to 77 interceptions in 10 seasons. He's also a two-time NFL MVP with a Super Bowl victory under his belt.
Worst: Tony Mandarich
Few prospects have entered the league with more fanfare than Mandarich. Sports Illustrated dubbed the Michigan State product "the best offensive line prospect ever," and the franchise took him No. 2 overall in 1989. Steroids, painkillers and alcohol fueled Mandarich's collegiate dominance. His lifestyle, attitude and style of play didn't work in the NFL. The Packers released him in 1992. He eventually redeemed himself to a degree in three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, but he'll forever be known as the "incredible bust."
Eric Gay/Associated Press
Best: Andre Johnson
A healthy J.J. Watt is the Houston Texans' best first-round draft pick, but he hasn't been healthy the last two seasons. Four years of awesome production isn't enough to overshadow Johnson's 14-year career, especially his 12 seasons in Houston. Johnson, who the organization selected with the third overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft, became the Texans' all-time leading receiver with 1,012 receptions, 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns. The seven-time Pro Bowler posted five 100-catch and six 1,100-yard seasons between 2006 and 2013.
Worst: Travis Johnson
The Texans organization hasn't whiffed on many first-round picks since the franchise began in 2002. David Carr may seem like an obvious choice, an awful supporting cast and offensive line ruined the quarterback's career. Johnson, meanwhile, never developed into anything. The 16th overall pick in 2005 managed a measly 103 tackles and three sacks in four seasons before being traded to the San Diego Chargers for a sixth-round pick. Carr struggled; Johnson barely contributed.
Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press
Best: Peyton Manning
The Indianapolis Colts suffered through years of bad drafting and losing before Peyton Manning's arrival via the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft. Manning developed into the organization's leader through his work ethic, intelligence and attention to detail. The quarterback practiced a certain way, expected a lot from his teammates and no defense could fool him. These qualities led him to 54,828 passing yards in 13 seasons with the Colts and a Super Bowl XLI victory. Before retiring, the five-time NFL MVP finished as the league's all-time leader with 71,940 passing yards and 539 passing touchdowns.
Worst: Steve Emtman
While a neck injury forced Manning out of Indianapolis, physical setbacks kept Emtman's career from truly beginning. The 1992 No. 1 overall pick played only 18 games over three seasons while dealing with a left knee injury, a torn patellar tendon in his right knee and a ruptured disk in his neck.
"As you get away from it for a few years, it's like, Man, it would have been a lot smarter to get 100 percent healthy," Emtman admitted in 2016, per Fox Sports' Sam Gardner. "But I didn't, and it's kind of one of those things I wish I could have changed, but I don't regret anything."
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Best: Tony Boselli
Boselli is knocking on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's door even though injuries limited him to eight seasons. The Jacksonville Jaguars used the franchise's first-ever pick to select Boselli second overall in the 1995 draft. The 6'7", 322-pound tackle quickly developed into a rock-solid pass protector and one of the game's best overall blockers. He became a Pro Bowler in his second season and made it to Hawaii every year until 2000 when shoulder injuries kept him off the field until his early retirement in 2002. If someone were to build a perfect left tackle, Boselli could serve as the template.
Worst: Justin Blackmon
Blackmon's short-lived career serves as a warning to investigate the person as much as a young man's on-field prowess. The Oklahoma State wide receiver dominated the collegiate ranks as a two-time Biletnikoff Award winner (2010, 2011). The Jaguars then made him fifth overall pick in the 2012 draft. He managed 64 receptions for 865 yards as a rookie, yet multiple suspensions for violations of the league's substance-abuse policy destroyed his career. Blackmon's off-field problems sabotaged his career, and it's unlikely he'll play again.
ED ZURGA/Associated Press
Best: Tony Gonzalez
Choosing between Gonzalez and Derrick Thomas was the hardest decision among all of the teams and their available options. Both were spectacular for the Kansas City Chiefs. Gonzalez gained an edge because of his lower draft slot—1997's 13th overall pick versus 1989's fourth selection—and the fact he played one more season (12 to 11) in a Chiefs uniform. He also walked away as the best tight end in NFL history. The 14-time Pro Bowl selection posted wide receiver numbers and changed the way we view the tight end position with 1,325 career receptions for 15,127 yards.
Worst: Todd Blackledge
Hall of Fame quarterbacks Elway, Kelly and Dan Marino entered the professional ranks courtesy of the 1983 draft. Not every quarterback selected that year experienced success, though. Blackledge may be included in the famed class, but he developed into its biggest disappointment after the Chiefs chose the 1982 Davey O'Brien Award winner with the seventh pick only to see him bomb with a career 48.1 completion percentage and a 29-38 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press
Best: Junior Seau
Seau played with an unparalleled passion and unbridled enthusiasm. The San Diego Chargers selected the homegrown talent with the fifth pick in the 1990 draft, and the middle linebacker didn't take long to establish himself as one of the league's premier defenders. Seau started a string of 12 Pro Bowl performances in 1991. The six-time first-team All-Pro also became the driving force behind the Chargers' only Super Bowl appearance (1994). When the NFL's greatest linebackers are named, Seau should be counted among the first few mentioned.
Worst: Ryan Leaf
There are those incapable of handling the NFL's mental rigors. The Chargers settled on Leaf at No. 2 after the Indianapolis Colts selected Manning with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft. The young man quickly became unhinged from dealing with the pressure. Outstanding arm talent didn't matter when coupled with immaturity and a lack of leadership. Leaf completed 48.4 percent of his passes in four seasons with only 14 touchdowns compared to 36 interceptions. Manning turned the Colts into a perennial playoff contender, while Leaf made the Chargers worse.
Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images
Best: Jack Youngblood
The Rams drafted six Hall of Fame players since the start of the Super Bowl era, including Orlando Pace, Jerome Bettis, Kevin Greene, Eric Dickerson, Jackie Slater and Youngblood. An argument can be made for each, yet Youngblood's impact, longevity and toughness can never be replicated. The Rams chose him with the 20th overall selection in the 1971 draft, and he went on to become a five-time first-team All-Pro. The defensive end famously played with a broken fibula during the 1979 playoffs and even sacked the Dallas Cowboys' Roger Staubach. Youngblood, who played 14 seasons, holds a Rams record for 201 consecutive games played and had 17 playoff starts and 8.5 career playoff sacks.
Worst: Lawrence Phillips
Phillips earned the designation as the worst pick in Rams history for two reasons. First, 1996's sixth overall pick never played to expected levels even though some considered him the top overall talent in the class. He played 25 games for the Rams and rushed for 1,265 yards before the organization released him because of off-field concerns. Second, the Rams traded Bettis after drafting Phillips.
CHUCK BURTON/Associated Press
Best: Dan Marino
An interesting argument will start with Marino's selection over the likes of Bob Griese and Larry Csonka. After all, the latter duo led the Miami Dolphins to a pair of Super Bowl victories and a perfect season. Yet no one questions Marino's status among the game's greatest players. The fact he didn't have the same surrounding cast as Griese and Csonka shouldn't be held against a player who left the game as its all-time leading passer with 61,361 yards (before being surpassed by Favre, Manning, Brady and Drew Brees). The Dolphins used the 27th overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft to land the best quarterback in franchise history.
Worst: Rick Norton
Miami owned the first and second overall picks in the 1966 AFL draft as an incoming expansion franchise. The organization selected Norton with the second pick. The quarterback played in 31 games over four seasons for the Dolphins and never completed more than 43.9 percent of his passes over an entire year. The Kentucky product completed 41.6 percent of his passes during his five-year career. He also had more than four times as many interceptions (30) as touchdowns (seven).
Best: Alan Page
The Purple People Eaters are counted among the most recognizable units in NFL history. Page led the Minnesota Vikings' ferocious front featuring Carl Eller, Jim Marshall and Gary Larsen with nine Pro Bowl nods after being selected with the 15th overall pick in the 1967 draft. The defensive tackle even became the first defensive player in NFL history to be named Most Valuable Player (1971). Page earned six first-team All-Pro nods and was the 1971 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He revolutionized interior play and paved the way for modern 3-techniques.
Worst: Dimitrius Underwood
Most draft busts suffer from injuries, off-field problems or the realization they're just not good enough to play professional football. Underwood was unique, since he signed with the Vikings then walked out on the team shortly after, citing an unresolved decision between playing football and entering the ministry. The defensive tackle returned only to be released even though Minnesota used the 29th overall pick in the 1999 draft to select him.
Best: John Hannah
The NFL has drastically changed over the last 25 years, particularly in line play. Offensive and defensive linemen are bigger, stronger and more athletic than ever. Sub-300-pound blockers are rare. Despite this shift, the 6'2", 265-pound Hannah is still arguably the best pure guard to ever play. The seven-time first-team All-Pro helped lead the way for the most productive ground game in NFL history when the New England Patriots ran for 3,165 yards during the 1978 campaign.
"I wanted to be the best guard who ever played football, plain and simple," said Hannah, 1973's fourth overall pick, per NFL Films.
Worst: Kenneth Sims
Sims was a supposed to be a sure thing entering the 1982 draft. Hall of Fame inductee and former Washington Redskins general manager Bobby Beathard called Sims "one of the most talented defensive linemen since I've been scouting," per Sports Illustrated's Jack McCallum. The Patriots selected Sims with the No. 1 overall pick, but the talent Beathard saw never translated to the NFL. The defensive end caused more headaches for his team than he created sacks, with only 17 in eight seasons.
Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Best: Willie Roaf
Roaf wasn't as athletic as the Seattle Seahawks' Walter Jones, as good of a technician as the Browns' Joe Thomas or the ideal physical specimen like Ogden (6'9", 345 lbs). But 1993's eighth overall pick got the job done on a weekly basis. In his nine seasons with the Saints, Roaf earned seven Pro Bowl bids and six first- and second-team All-Pro selections. The Saints have selected multiple Pro Bowlers in the first round, yet Roaf is the only one to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Worst: Johnathan Sullivan
Workout warriors are collegiate prospects who outperform expectations during the draft process with stellar physical testing. Mike Mamula is the most well-known example, but Sullivan isn't too far behind after tearing up the 2003 predraft circuit. The Saints traded up to the sixth overall pick and selected the 6'3", 315-pound defensive tackle. New Orleans then dealt Sullivan to the New England Patriots after three unproductive seasons.
MARK LENNIHAN/Associated Press
Best: Lawrence Taylor
Anytime an individual revolutionizes the game, his name automatically rises to the top—whether the discussion involves the NFL's greatest players, draft picks or whatever topic comes to mind. As detailed in the Michael Lewis novel The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Taylor's speed and athleticism off the edge forced coaching staffs throughout the league to find bigger, longer and more nimble left tackles to protect their quarterbacks' blind side. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year terrorized opposing offenses after the New York Giants selected him with the second overall pick in the 1981 draft. Taylor's impact still resonates.
Worst: Derek Brown
Knee problems cut short tight end Mark Bavaro's Giants career in 1990. Howard Cross managed only 20 receptions for 283 yards during the 1991 campaign. As a result, New York took Derek Brown with the 14th pick in the 1992 draft to replicate what Bavaro once brought. Brown never provided a significant contribution, putting up 11 receptions for 87 yards in three seasons before New York exposed him to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1995 expansion draft.
Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Best: Darrelle Revis
The New York Jets' history of first-round picks is awful, with only a few standouts since the team used the third overall pick in the 1965 draft to select Joe Namath. Sure, John Riggins (1971 first-rounder) became a Hall of Fame running back, but he built his reputation with the Washington Redskins. Revis is the only Jets first-round selection in the last 52 years to become a dominant player.
The "Revis Island" nickname originated because of the cornerback's ability to cover any wide receiver without help. The Jets only had the game's best cover corner for six of his prime seasons after making him the 14th pick in the 2007 draft. However, his dominance during that stretch is good enough to eclipse all other Jets opening-round selections.
Worst: Vernon Gholston
Gholston defined the term "body beautiful." At 6'3" and a magnificently sculpted 260 pounds, the defensive end looked how a professional athlete should look. However, chiseled frames don't equal flexibility. Gholston never displayed the ability to turn the corner against offensive tackles, even during his time at Ohio State, and he could overpower NFL linemen then. In three seasons, the pass-rusher—we're using that term as liberally as possible—never registered a sack.
Best: Gene Upshaw
Younger NFL fans probably remember Upshaw as the NFLPA executive director before DeMaurice Smith, a role in which he became a pioneer. But Upshaw was also one of the best guards to ever play. The five-time first-team All-Pro selection possessed a unique blend of athleticism and attitude. According to Bleacher Report's Dan Pompei, the 6'5", 255-pound blocker ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash, which allowed him to excel as a pulling guard. He also did everything to bury or frighten his opponents. Upshaw was well worth the 17th pick in the 1967 draft, since he's the first individual in the sport's history to play in Super Bowls during three different decades.
Worst: JaMarcus Russell
Former Raiders owner Al Davis built his entire scouting philosophy on getting the biggest, fastest and toughest players available. At 6'6" and 260 pounds with a cannon strapped to his right shoulder, Russell was a sight to behold. Unfortunately, all of the quarterback's physical tools didn't translate to the field, because the 2007 No. 1 overall pick lacked the inner drive to realize his potential. In three seasons, Russell completed 52.1 percent of his passes for 4,083 yards, 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.
Chuck Rydlewski/Getty Images
Best: Reggie White (supplemental pick)
Since the Philadelphia Eagles' first-round draft history is suspect during the Super Bowl era, the rules had to be stretched slightly to include White, whom the organization chose as part of the 1984 supplemental draft. White came off the board as the fourth overall pick behind Steve Young, Mike Rozier and Gary Zimmerman. The Minister of Defense walked into the NFL and dominated with 11 or more sacks in each of his eight seasons with the Eagles. He still ranks second overall with 198 career sacks. There's never been anyone quite like the 6'5", 300-pound defensive end, who had enough athleticism to play on the edge, herculean strength to ragdoll offensive linemen and the versatility to excel at every position along a defensive front.
Worst: Michael Haddix
Everyone wants to be the best at something. No one wants to be considered the worst in their chosen profession. The Eagles used the eighth overall pick in the 1983 draft to select Haddix. In eight seasons—six in Philadelphia—Haddix averaged an NFL-worst 3.0 yards per carry for any back with 500 or more career totes. The 225-pound runner never averaged more than 3.5 yards per carry in any season.
Ross Lewis/Getty Images
Best: Mean Joe Greene
Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II said Green helped "create the most dynamic and fantastic football city in the world," per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ray Fittipaldo. Without Greene, the Super Bowl victories, terrible towels and nationwide fanbase may not exist. As such, the importance of 1969's fourth overall pick can't be oversold. Greene came before Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham and Mel Blount to become the bedrock of the four-time Super Bowl winners. The defensive tackle played 91 straight games until missing a contest in 1975. The two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was a dominant force on one of the league's all-time great defenses.
Worst: Huey Richardson
That a franchise would give up on a first-round pick after only one year is nearly impossible to comprehend. But the Steelers did it after selecting Richardson with the 15th overall pick in the 1991 NFL draft. The coaching staff couldn't find a role for Richardson, who came into the league as a defensive end before being moved to inside linebacker. The organization cut its losses when it realized he was a bad fit for its defensive scheme and traded him to the Washington Redskins before the 1992 campaign.
ERIC RISBERG/Associated Press
Best: Jerry Rice
Rice isn't simply the greatest wide receiver in NFL history; he may be the G.O.A.T. regardless of position. The San Francisco 49ers traded up in the 1985 draft to select the Mississippi Valley State receiver with the 16th overall pick despite concerns over his speed. In spite of a slow start to his professional career, Rice proved he was a perfect fit in Bill Walsh's burgeoning West Coast offense. The bricklayer's son left the NFL with numerous records. He's the all-time leader with 1,549 receptions, 22,895 receiving yards, 23,546 all-purpose yards and 208 career touchdowns.
Worst: Steve Spurrier
Long before Spurrier became the "old ball coach," he dominated the collegiate ranks as a quarterback for the Florida Gators. Spurrier even won the 1966 Heisman Trophy. The 49ers traded up in the 1967 draft to select him with the third overall pick and develop him behind starter John Brodie for a few seasons. The plan never came to fruition, as Spurrier appeared in 92 games over nine seasons with a 52.5 completion percentage, 5,250 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and 48 interceptions before being traded to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976.
Best: Walter Jones
Many offensive linemen have played at the professional level. None has been more physically gifted than Jones. The term "dancing bear" was coined for an athlete of Jones' size and athletic prowess. The 6'5", 325-pound blocker dominated at the point of attack, easily handled premier pass-rushers and buried defenders 15 yards downfield. The sixth overall pick in 1997 earned nine Pro Bowl berths in 12 seasons and deserved far more recognition. He didn't garner as much because he played in the Great Northwest before the Seahawks became a perennial power.
Worst: Aaron Curry
Being drafted doesn't mean a player "made it" in the NFL. Some act that way, though. Curry is a perfect example. The Seahawks used the fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft to select the nation's best linebacker. He lost all of his motivation afterward and found himself out of the NFL four years later.
"I went and got exactly what I wanted, and as soon as I got it, I put it in my pocket and I was like, Oh, you guys need something else?" Curry told Sports Illustrated's Jonathan Jones. "That's where I lost my way. In college it was like, I'm going to keep grinding 'til I get it. And then I got it."
JACK DEMPSEY/Associated Press
Best: Derrick Brooks
Warren Sapp immediately comes to mind as the best first-round draft value in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history after he fell to the 12th pick in the 1995 NFL draft. Yet the Bucs selected another Hall of Fame performer in the same round. Brooks came off the board with the 28th pick and became the organization's all-time leader with 2,198 career tackles. In Brooks' 14 seasons, he earned 11 Pro Bowls nominations, five first-team All-Pro designations and the 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. More importantly, his role as the weak-side linebacker in coordinator Monte Kiffin's defense provided a consistent playmaker behind Sapp and in front of safety John Lynch.
Worst: Bo Jackson
Bo knows who he does and doesn't want to associate with. The Buccaneers used the first overall pick in the 1986 draft to select the ubertalented multi-sport athlete. Jackson, who lost a year of collegiate baseball eligibility because of a plane ride set up by then-Buccaneers owner Hugh Culverhouse, decided he didn't want to play for Tampa Bay. The 1985 Heisman Trophy winner chose not to sign and concentrated on baseball until he re-entered the 1987 NFL draft. The Los Angeles Raiders selected the running back in the seventh round, and the rest is history.
George Gojkovich/Getty Images
Best: Bruce Matthews
Matthews is the NFL's greatest utility lineman. In his 19 seasons with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, 1983's ninth overall pick played every position along the offensive front and earned Pro Bowl honors as a center, guard and offensive tackle. His 293 career starts rank second all-time behind Favre. Most offensive linemen struggle to change positions because different skill sets are required to play each. Matthews made it look easy, which says everything about his natural gifts and overall talent.
Worst: John Matuszak
Matuszak is more fondly remembered as Sloth from The Goonies than the No. 1 overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft. Matuszak signed with the Oilers and the World Football League's Houston Texans. Oilers representation took umbrage with the idea and served Matuszak with an injunction to prevent him from playing with the Texans. The Oilers front office became upset about the situation and traded the defensive lineman to the Kansas City Chiefs. Eventually, Matuszak became a standout performer for the Oakland Raiders, but he never played a down for the Oilers.
Mitchell Reibel/Getty Images
Best: Darrell Green
Generally speaking, the Washington Redskins capitalized on their draft selections since the organization traded away more first-round picks than any other franchise in the Super Bowl era. Since 1966, Washington didn't make a first-round selection in an astonishing 25 draft classes. The team chose one prospect, Green, in the opening frame from 1982 through 1990, though it maximized its value since the cornerback played 20 seasons and ranks seventh all-time with 258 starts. Considered the fastest player in NFL history, Green earned seven Pro Bowl bids and one first-team All-Pro nomination thanks to his coverage skills.
Worst: Heath Shuler
Shuler proved to be a more successful politician than a football player. The North Carolina native's six years in the United States House of Representatives surpasses his four-year playing career. Washington selected Shuler with the third overall pick in the 1994 draft. The organization chose Gus Frerotte 194 picks later, and the seventh-round selection outplayed his first-round counterpart. During Shuler's three seasons in Washington, the quarterback completed 47.7 percent of his passes with a 13-19 touchdown-to-interception ratio.


Do you have a young person aged 13 to 16 who is interested in the magic of a crystal? Are they intrigued by the colours, shapes, and feeling of crystals in their hands? Do they consider crystals to be special?
There are bathroom facilities at the venue.
The workshop room has a timber floor, so please bring a pillow, yoga mat, and blanket for comfort.