I used these functions here:

http://todbot.com/blog/2008/02/18/wiichuck-wii-nunchuck-adapter-available/

You can also connect the 4 wires from the nunchuck cable directly to the analog ports A2 - A5.

A2: white
A3: red
A4: green
A5: yellow

see this thread:

http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1265616748

PWM: 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11. Provide 8-bit PWM output with the analogWrite() function

Try to use pin 10 or 11.

... but i am a super newbie with little or no knowledge of electronics .

I suggest that you start with a standard Arduino Board to get used with Arduino. As soon as you have some background knowledge you can built your own board. Otherwise you will face in to many problems.

Already with studying the Arduino Board you have lot of questions. And you will have a lot more questions when you build your own Arduino before you ever run your first Arduino Sketch. Believe me.

You will not be happy.

As soon as you start the serial monitor the arduino starts with the setup in your sketch.  I guess that's an intended behavior.

Do you have more information about your book? Website?
Will it be available on the amazon website?

20mHz?

You probably mean 20 MHz and not mHz.

mHz: Milli Hertz
MHz: Mega Hertz

Your breadboard circuit is probably wrong. If you need a safe breadboard arduino version look at this:

http://arduinofun.com/blog/2009/10/15/breadboard-arduino/

Das Buch "Arduino Praxiseinstieg" unterstützt dich beim Einstieg in die Thematik Arduino.

Das gesamte Inhaltsverzeichnis findest du auf der Buchwebsite unter:
http://arduino-praxis.ch/das-buch/

Falls du Meinungen von deutschsprachigen Lesern möchtest, musst du die Frage im deutschen Forum stellen.
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?board=deutsch

There are some threads about this topics in the forum.
Use the forum search or google with the keywords "arduino pcf8563p"

Attached to the Arduino, I have six relays connected to outputs 2 to 8.

Do you use transistors to switch the relays? The outputs only can deliver 20 mA per port.

hese outputs are HIGH for at most 30 to 60 milliseconds and I access them at most 20 times per second.

Do the relays switch correct? It seems that the signals are to fast for relays.

Please check you power supply. May be the power regulator switches the power off because of to much power consumption.

You need an opamp circuit that steps down your -10 to +10V to 0-5 V.

Read the RSS Feed from the twitter account and compare the value of the update with an existing string and do something.

The reading and comparing of the twitter updates can be implemented with a PHP Script that is running on a webserver.

Your arduino board calls the PHP Script and reads the status of this script. If the status is true turn the light on.

To call the PHP Script you need to use an ethernet shield.

... it's running on a 7v switching wall-wort

Where do you connect the 7 Volts?
I only see 5 Volts power on you circuit diagramm.

I've also noted that the board is quite warm while running off the 7v

I would check the 5 volt signal on your board. If you have 7 volts on the 5 volt power that could be the reason why your board is quite warm.

See the instructions and examples here:

http://arduiniana.org/libraries/NewSoftSerial/