Complete Newbie Looking For Some Help To Start

First off I'd like to apologize for what will definitely be a long post and I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read this post in advance, I truly appreciate it. Also, I have visited a ton of chess sites and I must say that this community seems to not only be the most helpful but there is a wealth of knowledge here for free. Sites similar to this site in the poker community would cost hundreds in sign up fess and monthly fees. I truly do thank all of the members on this site and also the owners/people who maintain it.

I just thought I'd give a brief overview of myself quickly before I get into my questions and what I would like some clarification on. Firstly, English is not my first language so I apologize if I make any spelling or grammar mistakes (I actually typed this post out in Word and pasted it in order to avoid any spelling mistakes).

I am a University student who is about to graduate and for the past 6 years, I'm 25, I have playing poker for a living. I'm not a millionaire but I did make enough to support myself during my schooling and thankfully it did afford me some luxuries. To be honest however, the poker community is definitely not for me nor is it something I'd like to continue. I also take any endeavor I start very seriously and chess is no exception. I always felt intimidate by playing chess so I stayed away from it until now. Thankfully, I have three months free and I want to dedicate this time to learning this great game.

I think it would be easier if I number all of my questions. And I have a very particular learning style and rather get a grasp of the entire community first before I actually learn the game. I know this is a strange way to learn but it works for me. And again I do truly appreciate any help any of you can offer. Also, if you can direct me to a site which would explain any of the questions I have or offer more information on them I would greatly appreciate it. And if I still don’t understand something I can ask questions.

1. What book or site would you recommend for learning this history of chess?
2. Where can I learn chess terminology and terminology used in the online community?
3. How are rankings formed and what do the different rankings mean. For example I’ve seen that there is a world rank for all players, world rank for active players, a national rank for all players, a national rank for active players, and a federation (most of the players on this site seem to be American). I see that a number of chess players on this site have a world rank of 2000 or so. Does this mean they out of all the chess players in the world (both online and live players). For example if you have a world rank of 2000 does that mean you are the 2000 best player in the world? And also what are FIDE rankings/ID/and titles? Can you only win FIDE titles in real live games or can you do so on the Internet?
4. Are there chess players that are sole tournament players or just play single games? Or do all chess players play both?
5. Does playing on sites like Chess.com and the rank you have on those sites contribute to your rank in the real world?
6. When playing on various sites like Chess.com give you multiple stats or is there a way that all of your stats and overall records are reconciled into one?
7. What sites do you recommend for up-to-date chess news? Just so I can know what is going on in the chess world.
8. What sites are available to play at
9. What books/DVDs/training courses would you recommend?  For both beginers then intermediate and finally advanced play.
10. I have read a lot about chess software such as ChessBase and Fritz. What programs would I need before I begin to play?
11. I would like some clarification about PNG files and should I record all my games and save them as PNG files?
12. Lastly, I am an avid iPhone user and am rarely on my computer. I would prefer to play chess on the various sites I’ve stated on my iPhone and after doing a quick search there are apps which will allow me to do that (play on different servers). Are there any specific apps you guys would recommend?  I already have Shredder, tChess, and Fritz.

Thanks again.