OK I don't know shit about investing/financing and would like to change that. Where do I start? I read the article and nod my head and go, "OK ETFs!" But then I go and there are tons of them. Is the one he suggested the one I'm suppose to go with regardless?
In typical chicken-egg fashion there is no better teacher than having skin in the game, but just make sure you know what you're doing before you jump in.
Personally I tend to encourage people to read Bogleheads' Guide to Investing first. That should equip you with everything you need in order to get your feet wet.
Then, while you're checking your investments every day (exactly the way the book tells you not to do), start to read as much as you can about Permanent Portfolio. The reason I recommend this is because it allows you to learn the theory of (and indeed watch, if you decide to build your own Permanent Portfolio) different asset classes, and how they move depending on various macroeconomic factors.
Finally, if you want to start stock picking I'd recommend getting started with Peter Lynch's books.
My favorite is _A Random Walk Down Wall Street_ by Burton G. Malkiel, the cofounder of Vanguard. Dispels a tremendous number of myths; at the end of the day you'll learn to KISS.
