I'm an otherwise proud supporter of Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), but this response to my letter to him leaves me more than a little disappointed:

As you may know, these allegations have instigated law suits against both the federal government and the companies for serious violations of privacy which can not be ignored. According to press reports, the companies were issued letters from the government compelling their cooperation. The companies have not been able to produce evidence in defense of themselves due to the White House invoking laws preventing such actions. Companies believe they should not be held responsible for responding to what they believe were legal demands placed on them by the federal government in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001. At the same time, though, Congress must gain a full understanding of the context of these requests, legal opinions and justifications used by the executive branch to assert the legal right to conduct warrantless surveillance in the United States .

On October 18, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), of which I am a proud member, approved a provision that would give retroactive legal immunity to private-sector companies alleged to have participated in the NSA program. While I believe it is appropriate for the NSA to monitor phone calls from suspected al Qaeda operatives, Congress equally must ensure that this is done in a way that safeguards our civil liberties. I feel the legislation agreed to balances these demands. Neither freedom nor national security in America should be presumed. Liberty and safety must be guaranteed by a system of checks and balances, of judicial and Congressional oversight. Congress, specifically the SSCI, has the responsibility to conduct Constitutional oversight of all intelligence collection means to ensure that this critical balance is met between civil liberties and national security. Clearly, we must do all we can to protect the American people.

The Sanyo mentioned above isn't the most comfortable to hold. Another you might consider is the Panasonic HDC-SD1. It's pretty great, but I don't shoot enough video to justify the purchase just yet.