Abejundio blog

ASU blocks its way to 30-29 win over Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona State blocked extra point attempts at the end of regulation and the second overtime, enhacing its bowl chances with an improbable 30-29 win over rival Arizona on Thursday night.

Arizona State (6-6, 4-5 Pac-10) rallied from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter and broke through for a blocked extra point with 27 seconds left in regulation to keep the score tied at 20-all.

Cameron Marshall scored on a 2-yard run in the second overtime and David Douglas of Arizona (7-5, 4-5) answered with a 9-yard touchdown run, but James Brooks leaped to block Alex Zendejas' extra point to send Arizona to its fourth straight defeat.

Thomas Weber kicked five field goals for Arizona State, which now must wait to see if the NCAA clears its bowl waiver after one of the wildest finishes in this heated rivalry.

Arizona had BCS hopes after opening the season 7-1. A blowout loss to Stanford ended that goal and two more losses left the Wildcats reeling and on course for a smaller bowl.

The Sun Devils found themselves in a tough spot after a series of just-miss losses and a win over an FCS team that didn't count toward a bowl, needing to beat their rivals and get a waiver from the NCAA to get into a bowl.

Both teams' fate came down to a rivalry game, which can have a funny affect on teams, leading to fluke plays and plenty of emotions.

Last year's game had both.

Arizona State's Kyle Williams made a spectacular tying TD catch, muffed a punt about a minute later and Arizona won the defensive battle 20-17 on Max Zendejas' 32-yard field goal. The teams celebrated their dislike afterward with a mini melee at midfield.

The 84th version of the Duel in the Desert was more a Dud in the Desert early on.

The Pac-10's top two passing teams, with quarterbacks who threw for a combined 828 yards last week, seemed like they were playing underwater, trading go-nowhere runs, dropped interceptions and badly overthrown passes throughout an ugly first half.

Weber provided the only points, hitting from 52 and 36 yards to put the Sun Devils up 6-0.

Arizona, after 88 yards and eight punts in the first half, finally came to life in the second.

Back in rhythm after a 49-yard first half, Nick Foles hit Terrence Miller on a pump-faking 38-yard pass down the middle, then hooked up with Juron Criner on the next play, pinpointing a pass in the corner of the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown.

Criner made it 14-6 late in the third quarter, giving Arizona State cornerback LeQuan Lewis a slight bump on an up-for-grabs ball to score a 52-yard touchdown.

The Sun Devils decided to fight back after that.

Weber hit a 38-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter, then Brock Osweiler led Arizona State back down the field for a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mike Willie, adding a 2-point conversion that put the Sun Devils up 17-14.

Arizona State's defense held on a fourth down near Arizona's 30 on the next drive and Weber nailed a 40-yard field goal to make it 20-14 with 3 minutes left.

Foles answered by hitting Douglas on 5-yard touchdown pass, but Arizona State blocked the PAT, adding another wild chapter to a rivalry already filled with them.

Soderling beats Monfils in Paris Masters final

PARIS – Robin Soderling of Sweden won his first Masters 1000 title Sunday by beating Gael Monfils of France 6-1, 7-6 (1) in the Paris Masters final.

The fourth-seeded Swede hit a forehand volley on match point, then fell to the ground on his back to celebrate the most prestigious of his six career titles.

"I always feel so good here in Paris," the two-time French Open runner-up said. "I now have two favorite tournaments, it's here and Roland Garros. I hope I can come back many times and play well."

Soderling became the first Swede to win a Masters 1000 tournament since Thomas Enqvist at Cincinnati in 2000. He will leapfrog Andy Murray of Britain to rise to a career-high No. 4 in the rankings.

As usual, Soderling relied on his powerful first serve. He hit nine aces and never faced a break point. He played aggressively in the first set to put the 12th-seeded Monfils under pressure, winning eight of 10 net points and hitting 12 winners to only six for Monfils.

Soderling broke in the fourth game when Monfils sent a forehand volley wide. He then fired a backhand pass across court to again break Monfils and increase his lead to 5-1.

The Swede took the first set when Monfils' backhand pass sailed long.

"I was extremely nervous before this match," Soderling said. "I didn't sleep much at all (last) night. I really wanted to do well today and I'm happy with the way I started the match."

Monfils, who upset Roger Federer in the semifinals on Saturday, raised his game in the second set, hitting six aces.

In the tiebreaker, Soderling won his service points while Monfils dropped three, including match point.

Soderling jumped to a 3-0 lead and hit a forehand winner on the line followed by an ace for a 5-1 advantage.

"Since the beginning of the tournament I've been really using up my reserves physically and mentally," said Monfils, who also beat Andy Murray and Fernando Verdasco in earlier rounds. "It's the whole week that made me tired.

"Today I wasn't able to find the extra stamina that I would have needed to be more competitive. ... It's the first time I've been beating three top-10 players in the same tournament."

In the doubles final, Mahesh Bhupathi of India and Max Mirnyi of Belarus won their eighth title by defeating the unseeded pair of Mark Knowles of the Bahamas and Andy Ram of Israel 7-5, 7-5.

Oneupweb Offers a Boat Load™ of Fun with their New iPhone App

Digital marketing leader Oneupweb launches a new iPhone app for boaters that includes float plans, geographically-rendered marina locations, instant insurance claims, real-time weather and tide forecasts and a Boat Load™ of other features.

(PRWEB) September 16, 2010 -- Jimmy Buffet can sing about Margaritaville all he wants. Thanks to Oneupweb, there's no reason to be jealous. If you use their newiPhone App, you can create and file the appropriate float plan to join him - whether if by sea, ocean or inland lake.

"This iPhone app is for Parrot Heads, sailors, yachters, fishermen, pontoon owners, speed boaters, kayakers and more," says Wehr. "If you own a boat, this app has everything you need to set sail except the cooler full of icy beverages."

But as Wehr points out, you can always use the app to set a reminder to grab the cooler before you head out the door.

Boat Load was designed to help any and all boaters on the water. Its features include:

o   One glance/one tap dashboard display featuring real-time weather and tide updateso   Integrated GPS and mapping tools for locating ports, marinas and supply stationso   Geo-tagging capabilities on photos, trip notes and insurance claimso   Real-time float plans--easy to use and shareo   Accurate, real-time weather and tide forecasts for over 42,000 U.S. citieso   Point-of-interest (POI) trip planning tools o   Two-tap SOS button activates and confirms emergency 911 callo   Access to even more navigation tools, directories and planning features

"This is your all-in-one boating app, and there's never been another one like it," says Wehr. "We call it Boat Load because it is packed-full of features you won't find anywhere else."

The Boat Load app is currently available in thestore for a one-time download fee of $4.99.

To contact Oneupweb about custom-designing an app for your business, please visit , email info@oneupweb.com or call 877.568.7477.

About OneupwebOneupweb has been an innovator in digital marketing for more than a decade, creating integrated online marketing plans that incorporate natural search engine optimization (SEO), paid search marketing (PPC), social media marketing, digital pr, display advertising, analytics, creative services, mobile marketing, website design, web 2.0 technology, audio/video/podcasting, and research, training and consultation.Heralded by an independent research firm for their leadership team, Midwestern work ethic and solid experience in optimizing complicated sites, Oneupweb has been named a Top 25 Search Marketing Agency by Advertising Age for four consecutive years, and CEO Lisa Wehr is recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The company publishes an award-winning blog entitled , and an award-winning monthly newsletter entitled . Oneupweb is a privately held company located in Traverse City, Michigan. For more information on Oneupweb, please call 231.922.9977, visitor follow them on Twitterand .

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OneupwebHillary Burns231-922-9977Trackback URL: http://prweb.com/pingpr.php/SW5zZS1GYWx1LUhvcnItRW1wdC1IYWxmLVNxdWEtWmVybw==

Josh Funk Releases “Everything In Temporary”— New Concept Album About the Dreams of a Man in a Coma

Funk’s Fourth and Newest Album Immediately Available for Download on iTunes

Chico, Calif. (PRWEB) September 14, 2010 -- Josh Funk, an independent and self-produced artist, today announced the release of his fourth original album, “Everything In Temporary”, a concept album that deals with the feelings of lost love through the perspective of a comatose man lying in his deathbed. This newest release is a stark contrast to Funk’s earlier emo-pop albums as he parts ways with his former works and explores the depths of his darker self, showing a truly integral side of him fans have yet to see before.

“Everything In Temporary” is an entire album dedicated to portraying the last thoughts of a man trapped in his body, slowly creeping towards the brink of his own death. In the song Breathe, he imagines that he discovers his lover shot, dying on the floor, and then runs after her killer only to be slain as he seeks vengeance. The Stars describes a dreaming man’s search for the woman he loves as the world reaches its own demise and comes crashing down all around him. Funk sings about standing at the edge of the ocean in The Sea, imagining what it is going to be like as he walks through the cold waters to his death, letting the waves upon waves take him under. Finally, in Whispers In Ears, he can hear the prayers of his family and friends as they wish for God to take him home.

“I realized one day that no matter how important you are, and no matter what you do, you will one day be forgotten and that everything is in a temporary status. I instantly started crafting this story and writing these songs after that," said Funk. "I wasn’t even sure if I would release this album because it was so different from previous culminations, but these songs convey my own integrity and represent me more sincerely than anything I’ve done before."

A music video for Breathe, the first single from “Everything In Temporary”, can be viewed at:

To hear samples or purchase “Everything In Temporary” from iTunes, please visit:

About Josh FunkJosh Funk is a multi-talented, self-taught, and independent musical artist hailing from the city of Chico in the depths of Northern California. Funk’s musical credits include four albums—The Outlet Disadvantage (2000), A Jukebox Envy (2004) , The Face You Show Your Enemies (2007) , and Everything In Temporary (2010) —as well as awards from Unisong International Songwriting Contest. Funk has also been featured on the Swinghouse Records compilation of up and coming artists, and the soundtracks for illusionist Wayne Houchin’s DVD releases Stigmata, Indecent, and Control. For more information on Josh Funk, please visit: .

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Josh Funk530-521-6576Trackback URL: http://prweb.com/pingpr.php/U3VtbS1FbXB0LUNyYXMtWmV0YS1TcXVhLVNxdWEtWmVybw==

Brazil battles image problems amid movie boom

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – It was the middle of the night in Jardim Tiradentes, one of Sao Paulo's rougher neighborhoods. A two-man crew was waiting to film a police raid when chief inspector Rafael Correa Lodi broke the bad news.

"If there's a risk of them killing the girl, there's also a risk they will fire at us -- so you guys have to stay here."

He was addressing director Jorge Atalla and his cameraman, who had been following the inspector's anti-kidnapping team for close to a year for the upcoming documentary "Sequestro." Now, just as the cops were about to storm a shabby building where a 6-year-old girl was believed to be held, Atalla was forced to withdraw.

If some had their way Atalla might cease making his film altogether.

With Brazil's film industry in the midst of a major resurgence, local filmmakers, intent on chronicling the country's character in unflinching fashion, find themselves at odds with a strategy to improve the global perception that Brazil is a crime-ridden land with little to offer the international film community.

Regardless of image concerns, within the local film sector plenty has changed and optimism is running at an all-time high. Box office revenues rose 33% in 2009, while the market share for indigenous releases was up 43% to 14.2%, according to Pedro Buchter, editor of preeminent local film trade Filme B.

Ticket grosses are up 20% through July and the film sector is expected to crack the R$1 billion ($568 million) mark for the first time by year's end.

"It's Brazil's time," says Sergio Leitao, CEO of Riofilme, a municipally funded organization that fuels film production in Rio. "We have to live up to the challenge."

Brazil is doing just that.

Massive initiatives, both private and state-sponsored, plan to add several hundred more screens to the market in the next few years. In the private sector Mexican exhibitor Cinepolis, new to the territory, is investing $284 million into unveiling 290 new screens in the next two years, while the government's Cinema Near You program will extend low-interest credit lines to national exhibitors who build in small towns or highly populated urban areas that lack theaters.

Besides the expected growth in exhibition, well-funded new film schools and state-of-the-art studio facilities, government-sponsored groups like Cinema do Brasil and Riofilme are actively championing Brazil as a welcoming place to make movies.

Consider:

The city of Paulinia, a small oil-rich municipality near Sao Paulo, just spent more than $60 million on Polo Cinematografico de Paulinia, an expansive studio lot with state-of-the-art 3D animation stations and more than 5 million square feet of land reserved for sets.

Leitao's Riofilme is negotiating with Summit Entertainment to shoot part of the final "Twilight" installment in the Rio area and has reportedly offered to cover 50% of production costs that "Twilight" would accrue there. Instead of coming from Riofilme's budget, the city of Rio would invest a portion of its marketing budget into the production.

Riofilme is also working with Conspiricao Filmes on landing a Woody Allen production in Rio. After a visit to Rio's emerald shores late last year by Allen's agent, Steve Tenenbaum, and his producer, Letty Aronson, Mayor Eduardo Paes promised he'd raise whatever capital is required from private investors, if Allen commits. Riofilme also pledged $1 million toward the project, hoping Allen will conjure urban splendor similar to 2008's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

In addition to Paulinia and other sophisticated studios like Estudios Quanta, also Brazil's largest rental house, the country boasts versatile locales, agreeable weather and a thriving TV industry, meaning facilities and manpower are already in place. And while Brazil's currency has been strengthening -- at almost 1.8 Brazilian Reais to the dollar, compared with 2.6 in 2008 -- the rate of exchange is still appealing to international producers.

"With such a huge television industry, there are qualified crews everywhere," says producer Eduardo Levy, who recently started the Brazilian Film Network in Los Angeles to aid production companies considering a Brazil shoot. "Your average working week in Brazil is six days and you don't have to pay as much in overtime, pensions or health. The cost of personnel is much lower (than in other parts of the world)."

Against all this, however, comes the negative image of Brazil -- and Rio in particular -- as a center of violence, that films like Atalla's have unfortunately perpetuated.

Daniel Filho's biopic "Chico Xavier" has taken in more than $17 million at the local box office this year.

"People think of Brazil in terms of corruption and only our bad side, and I am also a bit responsible for that," concedes director Fernando Meirelles, whose "City of God" (2002) both dazzled audiences worldwide while reinforcing stereotypes about the slums (or "favelas") surrounding Rio de Janiero.

In the eight years since "City of God," little has changed in the way Brazil is viewed around the globe.

"The negative (has not been) contextualized with the positive or anything in between, thus leaving the spectrum incomplete," producer Joshua Skurla says.

Many local filmmakers remain intent on creating portraits of Brazilian life that are as vivid as they are genuine, irrespective of the role they play in forming perceptions abroad -- as with Atalla's "Sequestro" and Jose Padilha's upcoming police actioner, "Elite Squad 2," the follow-up to the brutally violent original from 2007.

With "Squad 2" about to receive the widest release of any Brazilian film in the past 20 years, thanks in larger part to Padilha's own ambitions, he and his team are more interested in filling theater seats than rebranding Brazil's image.

"I want my company and the investors of the film to make as much money as possible so I can make other films," he says. "(But) every single movie that I have done has been about social commentary (which) I think can be entertaining. The more people that go to watch the movie the more debate I generate."

One project that could positively impact the country's image is Skurla's "Rio, I Love You," the latest installment in the Cities of Love franchise that includes 2006's "Paris, I Love You" and 2009's "New York, I Love You."

With principal photography planned for first-half 2011, Leitao notes that "the idea is to attract films to Rio and promote Rio in a positive way. It would be like product placement." Make no mistake, Leitao's Riofilme sees international productions not only as opportunities to shift the paradigm but also a significant measure to boost foreign spending in the local sphere.

For Meirelles, who, like Padilha, has already signed on to direct one of the "Rio, I Love You" segments, changing negative stereotypes matters.

"After showing the hard part, it's going to be good to show a good part of the city," he says. "('Rio, I Love You') is going to be very positive, to compensate for 'City of God.'"

Perhaps.

But back in Jardim Tiradentes, that's the last thing on Atalla's mind.

Shortly after he and his cameraman were forbidden to enter the building, they managed to recruit one of the officers to carry a small DV camera inside. Atalla had to sit out, but the footage proved invaluable, capturing the liberation of the young girl.

When Atalla saw the footage, he was thrilled. Now that the film is finished, however, his feelings are decidedly mixed.

"Most people I know who end up coming here for a couple of days wind up wanting to stay more, but ('Sequestro') could have a negative effect, that's for sure," he admits. " a documentary needs to show things we have not seen before and I was trying to show something that I had not seen. I never thought about whether it would frighten people from coming to (Brazil)."