I think the best way to start is to buy a breadboard, few resistors, capacitors, LEDs and 555 timers. Internet is flooded with tutorials, and you'll jump from blinking LEDs to plasma speakers in no time.

Great book for electronics is "Art of electronics" by Paul Horowitz.

This stuff is vintage, but it still offers much, and is really fun to read:
http://www.amazon.com/Boys-First-Book-Radio-Electronics/dp/B0007E1FGC
There are scanned books from Alfred Powell Morgan to be found online.

In terms of hacking it is the most accurate iv seen in movies or tv shows so far. Though my favorite tv show is still breaking bad. 

Indeed. I was just starting to lurk around EZ when I started watching the show, and it was fun recognizing things I previously read about here. Things like hacker personalities, political beliefs, ethics, habits, interests (e.g. lockpicking)...

About BrBa, some of the WW's hacks are too good to be true unfortunately, when he makes a car battery for example, but it is a great show.

Awesomeee. Love to see old stuff re-purposed.

Though, shame you get the same components as I do. Hate that barrel plug and those LED holders. Better put some hot glue over the LED inside before someone presses it in.

I don't know why, but I get a semi-boner when I see new electronic components in ziplock bags. No idea why I shared that.

You could put a touch sensor on the palm, I've seen people make it using a 555 timer and a few passive components. CMOS versions like TS555CN or LM7555 work on quite low voltages.

Maybe you could even include something like this, and make your robot give the finger if someone gives it a limp fish, and say "you shake hands like a pussy" in Steven Hawking's voice. Those people need reminders.

Post pics when you make something

It's a nice tutorial, but you might want to add a few more things to it.

You should mention that one should look for rosin core solder, cause that makes things a lot easier. Flux is still handy to have nearby though.

Also, the soldering iron tip, the chisel type works best for most of the work, since it transfers heat better than a conical one. ~30W soldering irons are good for most of the PCB work.

Desoldering equipment is also important, cause mistakes/repairs will happen from time to time. A good, flux-impregnated desoldering wick helps a lot. Desoldering pumps work great too, I bought one for a few bucks 3 years ago, it's still awesome.

Fume extractor is a nice starting project, it can be made out of computer cooler fan, battery/DC barrel plug connector, some kind of box, a switch, a linear voltage regulator IC, and, optionally, some kind of air filter material.

I find steel wire sponges better for cleaning the tip. You can use the kitchen steel wire sponge instead of buying a "real" one. I placed mine in a Nescafe can, it works great. I just put a lid on when I finish, and put it back in a drawer.

Cheap chinese helping hands can really be helpful, but only after you solve the flipping problem. Attaching them to a piece of wood, thus making a better stand solves that.

Also, you should show what a good solder joint looks like.

Here are the few you should try:

Antonin Dvorak - New World Symphony 4th movement (very powerful)

Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother (kubrick wanted to use this one for clockwerk orange but the assholes refused, bet the alive ones are sorry now)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=colVXihqdGo

Dave knows stuff, maybe try this.

Plus, sellers usually do have understanding for opening a laptop, since it gets full of dust pretty soon. At least they do at my store.

Ahh,  Kicad is great, made my first pcb in Kicad, the thing was a beauty, shame it didn't work. I gave a try to Eagle CAD though, and never looked back.

And I'm surprised how often I encounter wods like 'free software' on hacker forums. Is there some kind of ethical code where you don't use cracked programs, or...?