Want to help before someone beats me to it... But I just quickly did what that tute says and couldn't duplicate yur problem no matter how many settings I tried to stuff up..
One time early on I dont know what I did- but every mesh I created/duplicated would have its pivot like -10 in the x??? From where I expected it to be.
When you select that poly and use ANY tool do you get a manipulator? If not you need to center pivot. I'm still green too, hope that does it.
modify>center pivot
Learn from others mistakes, it takes too long to make them all yourself.