Unbelievable how self-absorbed Americans are. I am an American with various other ports of call, one of which is Austria. I just did a quick survey and am informed that everyone here is trained in CPR, and some of the people with whom I spoke had occasion to use it. Nevertheless, I join your aplause for Mr. Hoffman.

Good lord, Mary. The ignorant chauvinism of people like you never ceases to amaze. What is it that makes you think people in Europe use CPR less than in the US? Simply because YOU live in the US and so therefore it is better than other nations in every possible way? Educate yourself before making such ignorant statements.

Oh, and here are some FACTS for you: The incidence of out-of-hospital bystander CPR use is higher in most European nations than it is in the United States. Look it up. Learn something.

Bob,

Having lived in Europe for 6 years and talking to my neighbors leads me to believe they do not have the classes for the general public like the U.S. does. NONE of my neighbors knew CPR and were fascinated that I did. They thought I worked in hospital / Krankenhaus / Ziekenhuis or why else would I need to learn it. You show your Ignorance in statements like this. And I didn't just live in one European country but 2. And both thought this way. CPR was for people who were in the health care business not Actors, business, factory, stay at home parents.

And since you brought it up;

Lord, protect me from people who think they know it all.

BigPicture,

Americans are awful everywhere we go. I understand your comment. But I am not saying look at the U.S. aren't we great I am saying that the general public in Europe think WOW you know this (CPR) why, are you in the health care business?

Most Militarise teach their soldiers basic first-aid and CPR. This also includes Civ. who work with them. But, none of my neighbors were ever in the Military.

I never lived in the U.K. so yes, I do not know how it is there - my bad. And I did assume that there were others around this guy who did not react - my bad. I am just remembering how it was when I lived in Europe / on the Continent.

Mary - Hoffman didn't do CPR, the BRITISH medics did. Hoffman, the AMERICAN, was the one who was impressed by their actions. This is a great story - why did you feel the need to make such an idiotic statement about it?

Mary

You are an example of the self righteous Christians who give real Christianity a bad name. Just because you shield yourself by invoking the good Lord's name doesn't mean you can be distasteful and above all, the biggest sin of self-righteous Christians: judgemental

This is why people are disgusted with Christianity

Mary ....shut - up ....ur stupid !!!

Mary, I don't want to get into a useless argument with you, or pile on unfairly, as I don't know when or where you lived in Europe. However, having surveyed my Vienna office with the results I previously mentioned, I took the liberty of checking with my offices in Stockholm and Munich. Guess what? Over 50% trained in CPR! The closest any of these people comes to having health care training is in analyzing numbers related to our investments in biotech or pharma (a fractionally small part of our business). I wonder if we would have parallel results if we checked in similar offices in Tulsa or Toledo. Or, even New York. In any case, your initial statement is the kind that not only makes us look a little foolish to the rest of the world, but broadcasts a national arrogance that hasn't been understandable for decades (and, as far as I am concerned, never justified).

the biggest sin of self-righteous Christians: judgemental

This is why people are disgusted with Christianity

Hey, I'm a Christian and I disagreed with the comment that disgusted you so much. How about not being so judgmental of an entire group of people, especially when chiding them for being judgmental?

Jayfos, in your eagerness to Christian bash, you failed to notice that Mary did not say she was a Christian. Nothing in any of her posts indicate that she is a Christian. I assume you infer Christianity from her use of the word Lord (which was actually in response to someone else who used the word) and in doing so, you show your ignorance by equating Lord with Christian. Christians do not have the exclusive market on having a Lord and it makes me crazy when any mention of God = Christian.

Mary, US has dismal records of surviving an out of hospital cardiac arrest. The English saved a footballer a month ago after CPR that lasted more than one hour. Socialized Medicine works pretty good. Americans could learn a thing or two.

Just because Hoffman dialed 999, doesn't make him a hero! This was just a heart attack, that led to a "brush with fame"!

Mary,

You just don't get it, do you? I told you to look it up and educate yourself. Instead, you spout off again without looking it up. YOU are the one who thinks you know it all without educating yourself. I don't think I know it all, Mary. I look to the FACTS. Again, look it up. The FACTS say that the incidence of out-of-hospital bystander CPR ranges between 50 and 66 per 100,000 inhabitants in Europe. In the United States, it is about 33 per 100,000 inhabitants.

And since YOU brought it up: Lord protect you from your own ignorance. We are all entitled to our own opinions, Mary, but we are NOT all entitled to our own facts. The scientific evidence says one thing. Mary and her opinion based on her neighbors says another. Whom shall we believe?

Because you have lived in Europe means nothing. I live in Europe right now, and it means nothing. Neither you nor I are experts on this matter (no matter what your opinions are based upon you talking to your neighbors). One of us, however, chose to look to the experts and the scientific evidence instead of relying on our own know-it-all beliefs.

Mary

I value you as a person.

CPR is not all it's cracked up to be. I've trained in it. The very first paragraph of the manual says it all. Only 4% of those that receive CPR are revived. 96% of people die anyway.

That is the truth. CPR is not the wonder you all claim it to be.

I brought this up to the trainer in the class, she looked dumbfounded. I opened the book and showed her the paragraph, she just replied, "Well, wouldn't you want to be in that 4%?" I just responded, "I would prefer that a better technique where invented to actually help the 96%."

Since then, I have seen a mechanical compression unit that shows promise, but we have a long way to go.

Excellent point, Jim!

I love Dustin Hoffman! That smile is so infectious!

Well done Mr. Hoffman! : )

"Mary, Mary.."WHY YA BUGGIN?

You should look at yourself and ask why you find it important to slam two people who no doubt do more for other humans in a year than you do. It's a shame you had to do it using Mr. Hoffman's name to do so. Next time pull your head out of your a$$.

Way to go with the assumption; it's way off and incredibly uninformed.

"Brad and Angelina" are terrific people, humanitarians, and very nice to their fans. A former supervisor of mine knows them personally (he's now a screenwriter) and says they're the most down-to-earth superstars he has ever met.

In fact, when my cousin happened upon Pitt during a routine business trip to LA, he noticed her staring and motioned her over - and had someone in his entourage take a picture of them together.

Don't knock people you don't know, even if they're famous.

Yes, Brad, for all his rebuilding of New Orleans post-Hurricane Katarina could stand to learn more from someone that dial an emergency number.

I'm told that the lunch scene in "Get Shorty" with Danny DeVito insisting on ordering for everybody was based on the way Dustin Hoffman behaves at meals with groups.

jeez, take it easy. like you've never left the fries in too long at work before.

Some idiot at MSNC put the wrong video up. I guess that's par for the course for them.

So you hang out here to find mistakes? I guess we all know you're a troll now. :)

Ryan Shay, a 28 year old 2:14 marathoner which is world class times, dies at 28 during the U.S. qualifications for Beijing. He was obviously in pristine shape, but he had an enlarged heart. I don't know if he was warned by a doctor to be careful with it or not. I imagine if he ran all his life and was in good health, they might not have even known it was a problem but I guess that is something everyone needs to be aware of. It was awful because his wife was waiting for him to come out on the other side of Central Park, and he never showed. He was already on the ground. They never revived him.

Stop early heart attacks. Ban jogging.

It could have been an undiagnosed problem, genetic defect, etc. Sometimes these things happen. My grandfather was dead of a heart attack at 38 with no warning signs that he had any problems, and he was healthy.

There are many reasons for sudden cardiac events in otherwise healthy people, including children. Most often it is an electrical problem, arrhythmia or other issue they are unaware of. I have a niece diagnosed during pregnancy with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome whch can cause tachycardia (rapid heart rate); her mother is having a pacemaker inserted due to sudden, unexplained drops in heart rate - something she was unaware of until she had a stress test for unexplained shortness of breath she had during her daily walk. It can happen to anyone at any age. Whether it was Dustin Hoffman or somebody else, the jogger was fortunate someone was right there with a cell phone to call emergency services.

Way to go, Tootsie!

CCR?

Creedence Clearwater Revival, puppy.

I know who they are, idiot! I was just wondering WHY you would bring them up in this post. Were you ATTEMPTING to be funny? NOT!!!

You'd better have another cup of coffee and take your blood pressure meds.

First, I don't drink coffee! Second, I don't need to take blood pressure medicine! Third, you're NOT even funny!!!

About a year ago there was a woman on a morning news show thanking Dustin Hoffman for saving her life when she was stung by a wasp and didn't have her epi kit with her. He was out walking the beach and when he met her she was going into a collapse. He carried her to his beach house where, fortunately, his wife had an epi kit and they were able to give her the necessary shot in time to reverse the reaction to the sting.

I guess maybe Dustin Hoffman isn't just a regular person, and because he's a Hollywood personality we hear about his consideration for others. What a good example for us to follow!

I'm thinking that if you see Dustin Hoffman, you should run the other way to avoid life-threatening events. But seriously, it is great that he was in the right place at the right time, and able to keep a cool head in an emergency. Good on him.

I think some of you posting this morning are still hung over or even still drunk from last night.

And some of you are just trolling around looking for something to snark at. You forget your meds this morning AE, cause you sure are being a jerk.

Why does everyone think A E is on meds?

Your right they are.

The fact that you do hear much about Mr. Hoffman in the Tabloids is because he is an average guy - for them that's boring and not worth publishing about.

What really makes this a really good piece is he had his iPod taken and he didn't make a fuss. Granted in all the excitement he was not looking for it but, once it was over I am sure he noticed and still went about his business without throwing a public tantrum.

Just curious, whats up with the bold italics?

He didn't provide CPR. He made a phone call to paramedics and stayed with the patient. He's a good guy and all, but get the facts straight. He did not administer CPR to anyone.

I also love a massage with a happy ending.

Comment of the day. Thanks for making me smile today, Timmy.