Ask HN: playin' the stocks game

I'm a 21yr. old, soon to be college graduate, possibly on his way to grad school, and I want to have a hand at the stock market. I'm planning to start with a measly two grand or so in hopes of gaining some capital.

I just finished reading 'Real Money,' by Jim Cramer, where he outlines some of the basics of stock investing - Multiples, P/E ratio, dividends, yields, etc. I'm not sure if I've attained sufficient knowledge to jump into stocks, or whether I should do a bit more reading on the field.

Being a complete beginner, what resources would you recommend to help lay the basic foundation? And after I've obtained enough information, what are the initial steps do you suggest I take? What tools do you use? Suggestions of brokers? How's the market treated you? What kind of 'investor' are you - a trader or more long term?

I think it'd be interesting to hear the hacker's guide to investing, although often times the market is wildly irrational - a trait most of you hackers lack from what I've read here.

So, everything from suggested investment methods to tools you use to keep track of what's happening.

Thanks all.