I fell in a responder category for a long time because I had CPR/First Aid/WSI and a raft of other certs. Didn't think that I would know what to do when something happened, but the opposite was true - even though there was a nurse present (YAY NURSES) when a woman had a seizure at our local sandwich shop, and it had been yonks since my certifications expired, my brain just went all flowchart: "First responder? Check. Ok, someone calling 911? No? Then call. People crowding in for a look? Suggest politely that they move back...." it was good.

I lurve my Flip! Except they still haven't fixed the annoying audio problem that the last Quicktime update caused, but Apple shares most of the blame for that.

I don't think I'd use it to shoot a film (unless I was specifically going for a low-budget verite video diary kind of look) because the fixed lens *is* really limiting, it won't fit onto a real professional tripod/dolly/etc, the video it records is encoded with a proprietary codec, blah blah blah. Also take into account that he's edited the two versions together into a single video file, meaning that they now share the same relatively low resolution & frame rate, as well as the same optimized-for-online-viewing codec, which wasn't true of the footage that came out of the cameras. So it's not quite as true a comparison as he makes it seem - the HD footage could be printed to 35mm film and projected in a movie theatre and look pretty decent. You could not do that with the FlipVideo footage.

That said, it's absolutely perfect for home movies because it's so compact. And the "flip" aspect is brilliant - I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to put baby pictures on my parents' computers only to realize I've forgotten the #%(!#$( USB cable.

Two improvements they could make would be a slightly wider lens - to get the same shot with my still camera and the Flip, I have to hold the Flip a couple of feet back - and a better mic, because the built-in one is complete crap. It will pick up the voice of the cameraperson just fine, but anything *in front* of the lens, like, say, the thing you're POINTING THE CAMERA AT is basically a lost cause unless you want to spend time in post futzing with the levels (which for a 40-second baby video, I really don't).

I just discovered the other meaning of degradable.

English may be one weird language, but I can see the logic of it. Sometimes. If I close one eye and blinks really fast, you know.

(Remind me to tell you sometime the story about "Shir using "nail" as a verb". It's a funny one).

the movement to compression only feels like the happy, slappy...hey, no risk here!approach to life saving.

Apparently there's some research that it's as or more effective for heart attacks, because constant compression is the important thing. If it's something else, like drowning, you do need rescue breathing.

Something that was stressed during my CPR training--this "more harm than good" you're afraid of doing? They're dead. How much worse can you make it?

I mean, the best person at giving CPR gives CPR until someone better shows up. A corpse with cracked ribs isn't any more dead.

Yeah, today's great so far. I was dawdling at home, unconcerned about being late for work, when I remembered a 9 o'clock meeting. Oops. So then of course I got stuck on the train. And then my computer took forever to get started. @@

Ya know what is great about shifting jobs within the same company? When the folks you used to work with come begging for your expertise. Ahhh, yes. I do have a brain. Would you like me to use it for you? Let me consider that request. I'll get back to you. Eventually.

Saw Eddie Izzard last night, and, surprise, he was fabulous. Dress-wise he's butching it up this tour, but he did have a snazzy top coat that looked like a circus ring-master's.

I must saw, the man has energy and stamina. I don't know how he goes for near two hours of non-stop talking (and lots of movement) without so much as a drink of water. My mouth was parched just watching him (though that may also have been the glass of red wine I had with dinner prior).

Baby Bernie

Also, I am really frustrated right now, because I am trying to watch the fall Out Boy "beat it" video, and I'm trying to make it bigger than that little player, but I can't find a way.

Sophia, if you wait a little while, I am pretty sure a larger version of the video will come out and will be ripped by fandom ASAP. Meanwhile, there are rips of the tiny video here that you probably can enlarge: [link]