For the price range I would suggest
http://www.amazon.com/Polaroid-Digital-Camera-Display-Orange/dp/B0025VKVOC I use it for most of my photography and it is a great learning/all around camera.
Of course since it's a point-and-shoot there is no manual focus or anything, but it does allow aperture settings, shutter speed, and of course ISO settings.
If you want examples of images I have taken with it I could PM them to you, or post them in this topic.
Other than that I guess you could get an SLR (brown townog) camera. for that price you could get a good one second-hand.
Of course, there is the cost of film and then getting that film developed and scanned, so I wouldn't really recommend it.
You're not going to be able to get a DSLR camera for 150$, though.
You are forgeted if you aren't willing to buy some horrible cheap point-and-shoot with a video mode.
You can get reasonable cameras for 150$ if you know where to look.