So what flavor of Linux is good for a begginner?

I would vote for OpenSUSE 11.1

Try out a few different distributions to find out what suits you. It's your choice to make. I have been using Linux for well over 10 years and find the "newbie" distribution Ubuntu excellent for my desktop computing needs.

Now people could spat with each endlessly for this question. It is certainly the matter of personal preference. Some members will vote Suse, other will go for Ubuntu. Some others will vote Fedora and still some others will vote third flavor.
And if you are new to linux and new to computing then any of these will do. If you have worked with windows then you will need to change some preferences.
Ubuntu can do the stuff Suse can do and vise versa. You might want to try Live Cd for some time to see which suits your needs and preferences.
Personally I would vote Ubuntu. But I would suggest you to try Dream Linux as well. It is based on Debian so not too far from Ubuntu but uses XFCE and so light on resources.

What flavor? It all depends on your need. Only you can decide. Try several Live CD & USB distros.