Fletcher Smith

While RFID tags have existed in some form for more than 30 years, recent gains in functionality - coupled with a decrease in cost - have made the tags more and more ubiquitous.

Bears fans react after the latest loss and setbacks.

Consumers seem to be buying into image stabilization left and right, often paying a hefty premium for digital cameras with image stabilization technology. But is image stabilization worth it? Here's m...

Good photography tutorials and news is hard to find online. Here are three photography sites that are making my RSS feed each morning.

Here's your guide to getting the most money when you sell textbooks.

Plato's Allegory of the Cave has been referenced in lyrics by John Lennon and provided the inspiration for The Matrix. But what is it all about?

Facebook is in the news again. Here's how to get the most out of the new Facebook Applications.

Summer storage at Northwestern University is a pain, but a little advance knowledge can make it a bit less pain.

There's no better feeling then finishing a long run -- and no worse feeling than rolling out of bed the morning after. Here's how to beat post-run fatigue.

You've gotten in to Northwestern University. Now it's time to figure out where you will live.

Everyone knows textbooks are overpriced, but few people do what it takes to really save money. As a college student, here are strategies I have developed.

A new survey finds the search engine giant is the place undergraduate students most want to work.

Capital punishment is used less and less as Americans questions its fairness and accuracy.

Personal bankruptcy is a rough step to have to take, but here's a little information to perhaps make the process go a bit smoother.

Filing for personal bankruptcy hurts, but you need to know which type works for you.

A study commissioned by an insurance group finds long-term disability is slightly less likely now than in previous decades.

With the first human cases of the 2007 season, experts are debating how to best control the deadly virus.

A University of Florida study found citrus juices have the most nutrients per calorie of any type of fruit juice.

Northwestern University-based Campus Kitchens reuses food from the school's dining halls in the community.

Week-long programs aim to help history educators better understand their subject in a unique setting.

A investigation by the New York attorney general finds universities and loan companies may have too cozy of a relationship

Payton Manning is everywhere after his Super Bowl win, but there's still some facts about the Colts quarterback that are left out of the public eye.

Americans value justice above all else, but an overburdened court system threatens to make that notion obsolete.

American Apparel is an American-born clothing company making waves in a big way. What's all the fuss about, and is the product worth all the hype (and cost)?

A recent study finds dieters lose more weight eating eggs than bagels.

Researches at the University of Michigan find the popular fruit has a whole slew of health benefits.

Students urge Northwestern University administrators to get rid of investments in the Sudan.

Unlike a lot of "viral videos," VH1's Acceptable.tv is actually funny.

$25 for unlimited photo storage is one of the best values online.

Chicago is an expensive city, so here are a few free activities to pursue.

Here's a few tips on avoiding using trademarked terms in your writing.

The Canon Powershot A70 IS offers a great feature set at a great price.

Journalism as its own lingo that anyone looking to make the transition from web to print should know.

Good sourcing makes any article stronger. Here are a few places to look.

The conservation organization said numbers of gorillas are increasing in East Africa, but more needs to be done to ensure the species' survival.

A study shows that the beer industry contributes $190 billion a year to the American economy.

Northwestern University's preferred lender list gives no kickbacks to university officials.

These terrible ideas live on on the Internet. If I could kill them there, I would.

Adagio Teas is one of a number of premium tea retailers online, but they do things a little better. Adagio's gunpowder green tea is about as good as it gets.

The Citi MTVU credit card offers an impressive array of perks for the first-time cardholder.

For the budding SLR-photographer, the Canon 50mm/f1.8 Camera Lens is a great addition to their kit.

Students and administrators at Chicago's Northwestern University expressed sadness about the shootings, but recognize some things can't be prevented.

Over four-hundred high school students participated in a Model UN conference at Northwestern University over the weekend.

Andrew Bryant, who is autistic, qualified for Monday's running of the Boston Marathon with a time good enough to put him in the first wave of runners.

Thirty-four schools get $25,000 worth of equipment in a Windows Vista promotion.

With recent promises of unlimited storage, how does Yahoo Mail now compare with Gmail in the free email wars?

Buying a digital camera is a pricey proposition. Here are a few sites that offer some of the best digital camera reviews online, to help budding owners not get burned with their next purchase.

Both candidates are attracting traffic to their websites, although it comes from different groups.

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals many disabled Americans face serious problems with routine health care.

How to get the lens you need to take great pictures from far away, without blowing all your money.

A non-profit group said Gore has yet to reply to a proposed debate on the merits of global warming.

DIA is the largest and one of the busiest airports in the United States.

In the third season, The Office has thus far failed to live up to expectations.

The price is right and the service is good if without frills at Frontier Airlines

How well does the newly-released movie mesh with the realities of African life?

It's a bold statement, but it seems keyword spam websites may kill the Internet. What can be done to fix it?

It's a culinary treat, but is it the result of animal cruelty?

Mountain living seems idyllic, but it comes at a price

New research suggests that some words you think might help sell your home actually do more harm than good.

Photographs are essential to your real estate listing. Here's how to take some shots that make your home shine.

The console has been out for months, but it is still as tough to find as ever. Here are a few sites that should give you an advantage

A new study by Internet financial site Bankrate.com found 34 percent of Americans have no idea what type of mortgage they have.

A study by the National Hispanic Medical Association founded Hispanics are worried about having multiple heart attacks and are not taking steps to stop them from happening.

Governor says the new license can act as a passport at border crossings, saving time and enhancing security.

Luxury clothing retailer sues over practice of "domain tasting."

The union alleges the company is engaged in unfair business practices, but Coca-Cola denies the claim.

With participation in Stanford's Folding@home project, Playstation 3 users are now able to contribute towards medical research.

Online real estate sales are taking off. But the old adage applies - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Vote on adding .XXX to the Internet to come next week.

Two groups allege the entertainment giant violated free speech with its request for a popular parody video to be removed from the video-sharing site last week.

The ingredient, which some say is cruel, will be removed at all of Puck's establishments nationwide.

It's a controversial idea, but one with some truth behind it. Wars may help in the long run more than they hurt, and this could be one solution for encouraging African development.

Flickr is a great site for sharing, cataloging, and finding photos. But a few sites out there let you move beyond the realm of the useful and into the pointless. And that's where the fun begins.

Nationalism is a term that's always on the news, especially in relation to the war in Iraq. But what does it actually mean, and why does it matter when trying to make a country democratic?

Flattop's all-you-can-eat stir fry caters to the nitpick in all of us. But no matter what you choose, it all ends up tasting pretty good.

With climate change becoming a hot-button issue, green tags may come into greater prominence. What they are and how they work to offset the so-called "dirty energy" most of us use in our homes and ho...

The editors of the Chicago Tribune may not be exactly what you picture them to be.

Upgrading to Office 2007 is a pricey proposition. Is it worth it?

Chicago-based Argo Tea may seem like a Starbucks imitator, but it has drinks all its own. With a huge menu, Argo does tea and does it well.

There's nothing worse than being stuck on a train for an hour with someone who seems to be going out of their way to be annoying. Here's a few tips to avoid being that person everyone hates.

College bathrooms are gross. Here are five tips to get in, get done, and get out with your health and mental welfare intact.

Speech stories may seem like one of the easiest stories to write but it's often difficult to make them interesting and appealing to readers. Here are a few tips to make the process easier.

Cereality is a Chicago-area start up offering endless combinations of breakfast cereals and toppings, mixed and served by pajama-clad employees in a Chinese takeout box.

It's tough to work more than one job - or any job at all - while being a full-time student, so money can be short. Fortunately, there are several ways any enterprising college student can earn some ex...

Macro photography is photography on a smaller scale. And with a few small objects and a small budget, it's easy to be on your way to having huge results.

A letter released by the International Association of Firefighters criticizes Republican Presidential Candidate Rudy Giuliani for his treatment of firefighter remains after September 11.

Democracy is often associated with wealth. But if the wealth a country makes from selling its resources abroad remains in the hands of the government, democratization may be threatened.

The mayor of Lilburn, Ga. announced all games are banned in any establishment serving alcohol. He said it is to prevent the growth of bars and crime in his community.

Negligible-Residue Non-tacky Tack Cloth. It may seem like a mouthful now, but a Tennessee chemist thinks it dusts better than anything else.

A group of Inuit from above the Arctic Circle traveled to Washington D.C. to try and get the US government to place limits on greenhouse gas emissions. They say this pollution threatens their way of l...

Installation disks to help broadband connection users configure their connection may not be supported by Windows Vista. Broadband companies say the problem can be fixed, but companies need time to cat...

Tips and tricks for selling all those extra images online.

Northwestern University in Evanston, IL was recognized by the EPA for its usage of wind power bonds to offset its electricity footprint. An EPA spokesman said more organizations need to follow.

Chicago Transity Authority announced in January that track would be removed for the elevated train system on the city's north side. Nearly 200,000 riders will have their commute time doubled each day...

A Hyderabad man, faced with a debt he could not pay, offered his two year old daughter to his opponent when she grew up. The girl, now 17, is trying to stop the man from collecting.

A Grants Pass, Oregon woman is offering single men a chance to have a wife - for a price. The woman will help men clean, cook, and get their lives in order.

The heart of a story is its first sentence. No other part is more important and no other part has the opportunity to say more. Here are a few tips for crafting strong leads and drawing more readers i...

Civil law is the most common type of litigation in the American legal system, yet it often remains abstract to many people. Let's take a look at how civil law is different from criminal law and its fi...

Roberts talks about the four chief justices and then takes questions from the Northwestern University audience. The story includes student reaction to the speech.