Can ruined whipped cream be rescued

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/season1/Chocolate/ChocolateTranscript.htm

As Alton describes. As you beat the cream bubbles of air get worked into the mixture. The beating makes the bubbles smaller and smaller until the fat globules touch and the mixture becomes stable.

As you mentioned- if you whip it a little more then the fat will coalesce and squeeze out all the water and air and you have butter.

Time is a factor in this process (when done mechanically) in that it is required for homogeneously sized and distributed bubbles. The fats have to stay plastic.

The fact that it can be done very quickly is easily seen with whipped cream chargers. The gas is pressurized into the cream- upon release expands into the tiny bubbles we need.
How does a whipped cream charger work?

This site explains two methods of making whipping cream from milk. The first is by manipulating store-bought milk, by adding gelatin, temperature and a lot of stirring. The second is by separating the cream out of raw milk. The site claims that the result of both methods can be used for whipped cream.

A third method I sometimes use when a recipe asks for a small amount of cream (usually in a sauce or something similar), is adding some milk and butter (till the fat percentage is roughly the same as if you'd added cream). I don't believe it would be possible to whip this though.