short rows and assorted patterns

[new2knittinguy]

i am having trouble with the whole idea of short rows. is ther anyone out there who can verbalize this technique?i know this sounds rediculous but i am still a new knitter. the main thing i a having trouble with is this pattern

http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer05/PATTtychus.html

it is like reading foreign to me. when you cast on do you only caston with the main color and add the contrasting color later? and if you do how do you cast that on?

the other thing i am having trouble with is the trinity pattern. i ahve become aware of this pattern form a book. but thing i am having trouble with is the first instruction in the pattern reads:

(K P K) all in next stich

how does one do this?