Canon or Nikon for starter DSLR?

Honestly, there are die-hard fans of both Nikon and Canon...but as far as I'm concerned, all beginner DSLRs are pretty much equal. Picture Taker has already given the recommendation of the D3100 rather than the D3000, which I will second, and the T1i is better than the XSi - but beyond that, my best advice is this: Go to a store. Preferably a camera store where someone knows what they're talking about, but really, any Walmart or Best Buy probably has those cameras in stock. Pick them up. Touch them, hold them in your hands, hold them up to your eye, etc. See which is more comfortable. As a beginner, it's highly unlikely that the differences in sensor, sync speeds, etc., will make any difference to you...so go hold them for yourself and go with whatever is most comfortable.