Learning Flash - where to start?

[caff]

After years of making HTML / ASP websites and trying to avoid it, I'm now interested in creating and incorporating flash content into my sites, where should I start?

I've got background in VB6 / C# and a couple of basic languages, plus a decent graphical ability.

Please recommend any good books and software tools please - is 'Flash 8 Professional' a requirement these days, or is there other decent software capable of making flash?

Also how do videos work in flash?

 

[caff]

Thanks will check them out