latest kernel

[Jim Ruby]

I would like to get the latest kernel and speakup and hopefully compile things correctly.
I read the directions on the speakup site for installing and compiling the kernel and pathing speakup.

I went to kernel.org and then to put/linux
I'm not sure what to get went to the v2.4 directory and the latest seems to be 2.8 with 2.9 patch, but I'm not sure what ones to grab as there seems to be about four of them.
Is there a better place to grab kernels? These extentions make no sence to me.

What should I get, the tar-gz or tar-gz-sign?