Some machine learning course material links

Books that will induce a mindf***
Books that will change the way you see things, at least a little. I can vouch for what I've read, on it.

How to do research at MIT's AI Lab
Advice & encouragement

How to keep your programming job
Advice to older American IT workers in a time of outsourcing.
(I've also heard however that (at least for Xers) the coming (say 2015 - 2020) boomer retirement will cause an IT worker and management shortage, especially for holders of advanced degrees, though whether that projection takes account of current / future outsourcing trends I don't know.

A great stash of interviews with smart, thoughtful scientists. Like a special edition of Wired or something, only bigger, longer, and I'm surprised it isn't better known :)

Robotic Nation Evidence, site that tracks news of the process of replacing jobs with automation.
See Marshall Brain's site for context.

Christopher Lydon's audio interview site with interviews with Harold Bloom on Emerson, George Lakoff on the psychological framing of the terms of political issues, Paul Krugman telling it like it is on the Bush Administration's management of money, Gore Vidal with his long-term historical view, Jeffery Sachs and many others. Highly recommended.

Radical Radio is an internet radio channel with a good mix of current events and issues coverage.