ABC News: Mac or PC, Incentives Abound for Students

By Eric M. Strauss

With just two weekends left before school starts Heintzman has modest plans of hanging out with friends, eating sushi and taking a drive with her father, Mark, to an Apple store to make that one last purchase.

She usually makes her electronics purchases at Best Buy, but this time a perfect storm of educational savings and promotions is too strong for her to ignore, including a rebate to cover an iPod Nano ($199) or a widescreen iPod Touch ($299) with the purchase of a Mac through Sept. 15, an educational discount and a tax-free weekend. (More...)

My Friends Are Heros

My friend from work Joan Lefosse donated her kidney to our friend Ani Mozian-Whitney. Read about it below.

Please Watch: "Kidnapped Cousins"

ABC News PrimeTime Crime - "Kidnapped Cousins" - July 16th, 2008 - 10PM

A story I have worked on for a while will air this Wednesday night on ABC @ 10pm. Please watch it, blog about it, tell your family and friends. It's an important and compelling story about domestic trafficking of minors.

PrimeTime gained exclusive access to the story of two young victims; Middle-American teen cousins Carol (14) and Kimberly (15) on their way to buy milkshakes, who end up kidnapped off of Toledo, Ohio's, Main Street and into a world of forced sex with men for money.


Viewers will hear first-hand of the terrifying abduction, the militaristic training and seasoning period, and eventually the dramatic rescue of one cousin and the terrifying journey to save the other.


Federal and Local authorities explain how these predatory pimps operate loosely held networks from typical residential communities to our nation's highways. PrimeTime brings you unprecedented access to interviews, 911 calls, interrogation videos, and a truck-stop sting operation in order to bring you inside the unimaginable world of domestic sex trafficking.

I was able to do a lot of the auxiliary shooting myself. Look for time-lapse shots and additional B-roll shot by me.

Special Thanks: FBI SA Mike Beaver, University of Toledo sociologist Dr. Celia Williamson, Cumberland County DA's Office and Washtenaw County's (Michigan) Sheriff Daniel Minzey and Commander Dave Egeler.

READ A TEASE HERE

READ A DETAILED ARTICLE HERE
WATCH VIDEO HERE
WATCH VIDEO ABOUT TRUCK STOPS HERE
READ A REVIEW IN THE NY POST HERE
WATCH A TEASE BELOW:

EJ and EMS Breaking Glass

Assy McGee Staring Jason Potts

My buddy Jason Potts was recently the voice of a barber in an offensive, but funny adult cartoon called Assy McGee.

You can buy the 11 minute episode (#14 Hands Up) for $1.99 HERE

No Drinking and Voting

As I was passing through Cincinnati's Airport (which is actually located in Kentucky) I saw this funny sign. Seems in Kentucky they don't serve alcohol on the day of elections. Jake Tapper posted my photo on his blog at ABC News.com

Political Punch

How to make a sculpted dog cake in 4 minutes

You have to see my sister's time-lapse video creating a dog out of cake for my dad's birthday party.

See it here on YouTube.

"Elisa Strauss of Confetti Cakes sculpted her dad's labradoodle for his birthday. For more information, please visit http://confetticakes.blogspot.com/"

Happy Mother's Day

I've posted a few tech gift ideas for Mother's Day. Check them out:
Save Parents' Digital Heirlooms With a Time Capsule

Kodak EasyShare 5300: Print Pictures at 50 Percent Less Than Competition

TomTom 920 GPS Finds Cheapest Gas

Happy Birthday: Elton Strauss is 60

The votes are in and it has been confirmed that I have the best Mom and Dad in North America. My Dad turned 60 last week and we had a couple fun parties for him. My sister made him two amazing cakes in the shape of his favorite child (his dog). I made him a slide show with the new iMovie application that you can watch here, or below.

Here are some photos from his surprise party.

Health Goes High Tech

by Eric M. Strauss
ABC News
...Most people don't leave the house without their cell phones, which gave tech startup Confidant an idea: Use mobile phones as powerful databases and liaison to health care professionals for patients with chronic diseases.

"After you start dealing with it you realize it really stinks. You need to incorporate it into your routine. Diet and exercise now become life and death," Leinart said. "You have to develop a positive attitude or it will take you over. You realize quickly it's not going to go away." ... (Read the article at ABCNews.com)

Tim Stevens at Switched read my article. Thanks.

See more article I've written on ABCNews.com here.

20/20 Tonight: Weather Myths

ABC News 20/20 - Friday, April 18 at 10 p.m.
Tonight we have an interesting show about the myths and truths about wild weather. I was able to travel to Gainesville, Florida with Sam Champion to meet the nation's expert on lightning, Dr. Martin Uman.
Watch as he tells us how he can create lightning and spells out what you need to know about it.

Confetti Costs

For those that ask me if my sister will make them a cake for their Birthday... I hope you have wealthy parents.
See this article for the reason why.

"Elisa Strauss' Confetti Cakes created this $1,500 Coach bag-themed cake for a 10-year-old girl's birthday party."

While you are at it check out Elisa's new blog and let her know what you think about it. http://confetticakes.blogspot.com/

ABC 20/20 Tonight: Intervention

Please tune in to 20/20 tonight for a story I've been working on about drug interventions with Daniel Baldwin. It's an idea that came out of our very successful hour last summer about Daniel's struggles.

ABC News 20/20 Friday, March 28th, 2008 10-11pm

Read my article here: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4543817&page=1
Video preview here: Lessons Learned from Daniel Baldwin
Eamon's Journal Entry: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4537761&page=1

Addiction has touched Hollywood's Baldwin Family as well. Last year, actor Daniel Baldwin allowed Cynthia McFadden to follow his progress through drug rehabilitation. In a new interview, Baldwin talks about how he is doing today. Is he winning the battle?

And because of Baldwin's experience with rehab and sobriety, he says he wants to "give back to others." He helps facilitate an actual intervention to try to get a young man to turn his life around. Will Baldwin be successful in saving this young man's life? "20/20" is there to document.

20/20 Show on Prostitution

We've been working on a series of programs about the real world of prostitution for two years. Tonight (March 21, 2008) we will have a 2 hour program on some of the exploitation involved. Please watch. ABC 9-11pm

I specifically worked on the parts about the undercover stings and the pimp culture. (Parts 2 and 4)

Prostitution Stings
Online video
Online resources to end the exploitation
John's School

MacBook Air Review

MacBook Air: Sexy, Skinny as a Supermodel
by Eric M. Strauss
"Carrying around Apple's MacBook Air is like dating a supermodel: She's going to turn heads with her beauty, she'll improve your self-confidence, and you can go everywhere together — from crowded nightclubs to cramped airplane flights. You'll be happy in the end, but there's sure to be a friend who just doesn't approve."
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=4421038&page=1

Take a look inside a New Yorker's $500,000 Home Theater

ABCNews.com's Eric M. Strauss, speaks with a high powered exec who turned to Goldmund, the same people who announced the $17,000 Blu-ray player this week, to create a half-million dollar home theater in his NYC home. By Eric M. Strauss

read more | digg story

Kathy Griffin is Funny

Kathy Griffin is hysterical live. If you have the chance you should go.

ABCNews.com Article

Porn Industry Still Struggles With Condom Issue
At Annual Conference, Optional Condom Policies Called Into Question
By Eric M. Strauss

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AIDS/story?id=4130615&page=1

See some video here:
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4132676

CES 2008: Day 2 by Eric M. Strauss

CES 2008: A Driverless SUV Gives a Tour of the Future

VIDEO CES 2008: The SUV That Drives Itself

CES 2008: Day 1 Articles by Eric M. Strauss

2008 CES: New Generation Remotes Ready to Bring Peace

2008 CES: Tech Goodies off the Beaten Path

CES 2008: Sony OLEDs

At CES 2008. I just saw the first thing I would really like to have. I'm at the Sony Press Conference and they just introduced an 11" OLED super slim TV set $2500. It's only the thickness of 3 credit cards. 11" is kinda small though. Sony will be the first to sell OLED displays in the US. They have a 27" one in their booth as a prototype and Samsung has a 31" prototype.

At the press conference before introducing Sony's super slim 11" Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer said,
"All of us at Sony are feeling a bit blue today (big chuckles), but that's a good feeling. Along with WB decision to support Blu-Ray I want to thank Bob Iger at Disney and Rupert Murdoch at Fox for being true blue from the start"

Warner Brothers decided to stop putting out titles in the HD DVD format and Sony which has a strong interest in the competing Blu-Ray technology must be on cloud nine. -EMS

ABC News 20/20: Guinness World Records

I worked on a fun and surprisingly touching broadcast set to air Friday 11/23/07 at 10pm on 20/20 about the Guinness World Record Book Phenomenon.

I specifically worked on the piece about Guinness By Choice. The world's longest fingernails and world's smallest waist. Lee and Cathie are both lovely women and I am happy for all the success their records have brought them

Check out our article here: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3893475&page=1
Check out a short version of our piece here: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3893432
See slides of the smallest waist: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/popup?id=3897714
See slides of the longest nails: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/popup?id=3897859
Read a bio and more answers about Lee and Cathie: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3906738&page=1

BNL Live DVD

My guys are at it again. If you are a fan of the Barenaked Ladies you have to get the fun DVD / CD combo tour package: "Talk To The Hand" - Barenaked Ladies Live in Michigan

The first-ever LIVE Barenaked Ladies DVD! "Talk to the Hand" Live in Michigan is a tight blend of classics including "One Week," "Pinch Me," and "If I Had $1000000" as well as hits from their recent releases 'Barenaked Ladies Are Me' and 'Barenaked Ladies Are Men." With 15 tracks as well as backstage and sound check footage, this DVD showcases why Barenaked Ladies is one of the world's greatest touring bands. Also includes an audio CD of the same performance. It's really fun. Enjoy.

Holiday 2007 tech gadget gift guide

It's never too early to start shopping for your holiday tech gadget gifts and over at ABCNEWS.com we are starting to post some of our holiday picks.

Here are a few of my early suggestions:

Green gift ideas: iMac, APC Power, 1 Laptop Per Child, Lamp, and Video Game
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3803350&page=1

iPhone Review
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3822984

Apple TV
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3803125

Sling Box
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3802985

Blackberry Curve:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3803171

Wii Classic Controller:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3802953

OtterBox Rugged Phone/PDA Cases:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3834596

Club Pogo (Online Casual Gaming Service):
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/GadgetGuide/story?id=3834586

E+E+B in the Audience

I attended Regis and Kelly Live last week and sat in the front row. Look how excited I was about 50 seconds into the show. Two of my favorite teachers Bridget and Efrat seem even more happy!

Marriott Rewards For You and Me

I love getting rewards for showing loyalty to a company and whenever I travel I try and stay at Marriott hotels. With well over 400,000 reward points now I hope to one day retire and move into a hotel for free :-)

Help me out by signing up for the free Marriott Rewards program, staying at a Marriott and then we will both get bonus points. Yeah bonus points!

Sneezing Revolution

Have you heard the news? The CDC now encourages citizens to cease sneezing into our hands and instead sneezing into our sleeves! Check out this funny video, but first look over these a few things you can do to prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses.

• For more information on Pandemic Influenza, go to: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/general/index.html
• Wash your hands often and wash with warm water and soap for 15-20 seconds. This is the most important this you can due to prevent the spread of germs.
• If you are sick, stay home and away from other people as much as possible.
• When coughing or sneezing, cover you mouth and nose. Please watch this short video about the new “sneeze in your sleeve” technique the CDC is recommending we all learn. http://www.newfluwiki2.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=125

High Tech at US Open

I'm a fan of Tennis and Technology so I would like to thank Ken Rossi and Jeff Volk of the USTA Advanced Media group for giving me a behind the scenes tour of the 2007 US Open and how they make usopen.org such a fabulous site.

Thanks to my pal Pam Allison for bringing me as her guest when we sat in the front row to watch Serena Williams and Roger Federer up close and even for taking me the next day when we sat in the 1003 row :-)

Check out my online article by Eric M. Strauss on ABC News:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3573832&page=1

"A high-tech infrastructure is what makes all this instant data available. About 100 yards down the hall from the plush-carpeted player's lounge, where Maria Sharapova, the 20-year-old Russian champion could be found recently psyching herself up for a match by listening to her iPod, and where other players relaxed playing Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3 video games, sat a nondescript high-tech data center that would rival that of any Fortune 500 company."

Videotaping Death

Part of my job as a Producer for ABC News Magazines includes meeting people who have done horrible things or have had horrible things happen to them and seeing a lot of senseless violence. People always ask me how I deal with it and I often wonder myself. I think the day that I no longer feel sadness for others is the day I've seen too much.

A friend of mine - who I met while producing a story in Louisville, KY - Dan Chesser is the chief videographer for WHAS-TV. Dan was videotaping a breaking news story last week from the station's helicopter, and one of his cameramen Ron Johnson was 70 yards away from the action. The action was a bank robbery gone wrong and the police shot the suspect as he exited the door. WHAS decided not to show the shooting on TV.

Here are some of Dan's thoughts that were published in a local KY paper.

I was in the helicopter yesterday// But then we knew from the scanner traffic in the newsroom that things were winding down just before noon. After the four hostages were released, things moved quickly. The pilot was flying figure eight patterns so that we could see both the side and rear doors without going around the whole building. // The pilot has just made his turn and the skid cleared my shot and I zoomed in to reframe the shot when we saw Guy exit the bank. The next ten seconds will always be etched in my memory. We both could not believe what we witnessed. The camera is always in high speed shutter in daylight to sharpen the images. The streaks of red seem to show four to five feet in front of Guy as he fell to the ground. Toward the end, something flew away from Guy and landed on the ground several feet away, never figured out what that was.

I didn't know until later that Ron was so close and got the scene as well. As the news hour was about over, I heard through the radio in Sky11 that Ron was not feeling well afterward. When we landed at Bowman Field, I drove over to the scene and found Ron. What he had witnessed and the heat together was getting the best of him. We sat in the truck and decompressed for a few moments. We both in our careers had never witnessed something like this before. We both agreed that we hope that we never will again.

I was not involved in the decision making process to show the video but feel that the station handled things properly. Viewers needed to be able to see that Guy was leaving that bank at that moment to die.

Jets 2007 Training Camp

My dad and I were able to attend a day of NY Jets Training Camp thanks to the generosity of Defensive Coordinator Bob Sutton. Coach Sutton arranged for an awesome behind the scenes tour. Extra special thanks to Jay Mandolesi, Coordinator of College Scouting who showed us around, introduced us to everyone, bought us lunch and answered all one million of our questions.

See the photos here: http://flickr.com/photos/ericmstrauss/sets/72157601184909315/


Everyone we met went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and we had a terrific day!

Special thanks to all that were so welcoming to us including...
Jerome Henderson
Terry Bradway
JoJo Wooden
Brendan Prophett
Mike Tannenbaum
Eric Mangini
Bryan Cox
Cole Hufnagel

Baldwin Rehab, July 17th 2007 10pm

Daniel Baldwin is a celebrity, a brother, a father and a son. He is also a drug addict.

Watch the promo video here

Read the full article here

The actor gave "Primetime" unprecedented access as he struggled for his life. He was addicted to smoking cocaine, and with legal, financial and health problems breathing down his neck, he allowed cameras to track his successes and failures at a $50,000-a-month rehabilitation center in Malibu, Calif.

Addiction is a powerful, progressive disease that touches 25 percent of American families, afflicts all classes, races and genders and can bring even the strongest to their knees.

What lessons does this 46-year-old addict share with others who suffer from the same disease? What steps will he take as he tries to help himself and offer advice to others? Go behind the doors of rehab with Daniel Baldwin Tuesday, July 17, on "Primetime: Family Secrets" at 10 p.m. EDT

Please send in your comments here.

Emmy Nomination for Foster Care

A great project I worked on last year has been nominated for a 2007 Emmy in the category of Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story in a News Magazine.

A Call to Action: Saving Our Children about Foster Care in America anchored by Diane Sawyer.

Senior Producer: Jon Meyersohn
Producers: Claire Weinraub, Eric M. Strauss, Greg Fisher
Associate Producers: Keturah Grey, Christina Krol
Editors: Bram Harris, Gina Pampinella, Jack Pyle, Vanessa Cochran, David Ward, Joe Schanzer, Faith Jones
Executive Producers: Jessica Velmans and David Sloan

Cross your fingers for us. On September 24th we'll find out if we won.

ABC News PrimeTime: Daniel Baldwin

Upcoming: ABC News PrimeTime:"Baldwin Rehab" July, 17th - 10pm
Update your calendar. Tell a friend. Plan a party...
Daniel Baldwin is the second oldest of the famed Baldwin acting clan, he has appeared in over 70 movies, but he may be most famous for his addiction to crack cocaine. Daniel has been battling drug addiction for 18 years and has allowed our cameras unprecedented access to document his 90 days of struggle at an exclusive Malibu rehabilitation facility. Daniel will share his personal thoughts as he participates in group and individual therapy, as he struggles with his family issues, and as he goes to court to beg for his freedom. From detox to release Daniel's experience is a tool to illustrate the issues surrounding addiction and his personal attempt towards a sober and productive existence.

Tune in Tuesday night - July 17th at 10 p.m. on ABC

Bridget Kelly: A Survivor's Story

This is an amazing story of a victim of a senseless violation who was strong enough to survive and composed enough to share her experience and to let it be known that there should be no stigma associated with the wounded.

The introduction to the story by Charlie Gibson says it all, "And now, we're going to turn to the story of a young woman, who made a big impression on all of us here at "Primetime." She has an extraordinary story of survival, and we keep asking how did she do it? How did she survive one terrible night at the hands of a crazed attacker. And what happened inside of her? How did she end up concluding that what happened wasn't something to be ashamed of? And how did she decide that women deserve a voice? And how did she find her voice?"
A SURVIVOR'S STORY is a must see for any human with a heart.

Purchase Bridget's segment on DVD at amazon.com

Award winning columns written by Bridget's dad, Mike Kelly, Omaha World-Herald

http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?id=4838

http://www.justicejournalism.org/crimeguide/chapter06/sidebars/chap06_xside1.html

TAASA

http://www.taasa.org/latest_news/article09042003.php

Kelly wanted to take part in the campaign to help fight the sense of social stigma that casts silence over the topic of rape. "There is no way anyone is going to make me feel ashamed of having been raped," Kelly said. "I'm so grateful for the opportunity to participate in TAASA's public awareness campaign."

ABC Article:

http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=132391

Cincinnati Enquirer Column:

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/06/29/loc_Pulfer29.html

RFK Award for ABC News PrimeTime

" I am proud to announce ABC News has been awarded this year’s Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in the Domestic Television category for our reporting on foster care, “A Call to Action: Saving Our Children.” This prestigious award is given for the outstanding reporting of the lives and strife of disadvantaged people in the United States." - Phyllis McGrady, Senior VP ABC News

I was part of the team that issued a Call to Action: to examine the US foster care system, and challenged ourselves to ask -- what are we doing wrong, and how can things be better?

It was a rewarding program to produce for and quite an honor for our team to receive. I was able to fly to Washington DC with three of my colleagues to attend the awards reception.

Photos from the event:
http://flickr.com/photos/ericmstrauss/sets/72157600263909620/

RFK Award winners can be seen here: http://www.rfkmemorial.org/legacyinaction/2007BJAnnounce/

About our show: http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=2008981&page=1

Here is an article about a Kentucky social worker I shot and produced:
http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/FosterCare/story?id=2021066&page=1

Watch the video here

Who is Sick

This is a wacky web site where people who are sick report it online. Check it out and see who is sick in your area.
http://whoissick.org/sickness/

Blackberry Cake

My sister the world famous celebrity baker and author created a completely edible RIM Blackberry made out of cake. Her cakes usually start at $1000, but this one was for her fiance' who is leaving a job at New York's City Hall for the private sector. He will leave his Blackberry behind, but Elisa will still use her old-school Treo :-)