It turns out North Korea is surprisingly easy to visit. USA Today says vacationing in North Korea is not for the fainthearted, but more and more Americans are choosing to visit the place where the Cold War lives on. Some say they visit just to see a country frozen in time. Others want to see for themselves if the country is really as bad as it’s made out to be.

The Tampa Bay Times introduces us to the Kellogg family. Dan and Susie Kellogg sold their home in 2012 and hit the road in their RV with their 12 kids in tow. The kids are home schooled, and Dan is a software engineer who works from his laptop. The kids spend their mornings doing schoolwork and their afternoons hiking, climbing or kayaking. They’re in Tampa for the annual RV convention.

In the Los Angeles Times, rescuers and the rescued recall the earthquake that rattled the San Fernando Valley 20 years ago today. Firefighter Mike Henry talks about surveying the damage and discovering that the second and third floors of an apartment complex had collapsed onto the first floor. 16 people were killed in the building.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have come up with a drug that helped mice forget a painful memory from the past. The Boston Globe says the research is far from being applied to people, but it does offer promise that we will one day have better ways of treating conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

How do radio stations compete with streaming music services like Spotify and Pandora? By offering less variety than ever. The Wall Street Journal says research has confirmed that listeners stay tuned when they hear a familiar song - and tune out when they hear something they don’t recognize. The top 10 songs of last year were played twice as often on the radio as the top 10 songs from a decade ago.

Those who grew up in the Cold War era remember duck-and-cover drills. The New York Times says the lockdown is today’s equivalent. In the wake of recent school shootings, schools regularly hold lockdown drills, where teachers will flick off the lights and students will move away from doors and windows. Some students say the drills are more of an annoyance while some parents say it contributes to paranoia among children. VIDEO

Banned for life from sanctioned events including cycling races and triathlons, Lance Armstrong spends a lot of time working on his golf game. Armstrong tells USA Today he will eventually disclose his cycling misdeeds, but only as part of a global effort to reform the sport. He says there will one day be a test for blood transfusions, and it will prove his 2009 Tour de France victory was clean.

The documentary Blackfish, which questioned the treatment of whales kept in captivity, has led to a backlash against SeaWorld. But two former SeaWorld trainers are casting doubts about some of the claims made in the documentary. The trainers tell the San Antonio Express-News that the film was made to push an agenda and relied on trainers who were not involved in the incidents they discussed.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune has some tips for making your own bagels. Ingredients are key - and you should look for barley malt syrup as your sweetener. And the secret ingredient - a little bit of ground black pepper. You won’t taste it, but you’ll notice the bagel has more flavor.

Former NFL wide receiver Nate Jackson writes an Op-Ed in the New York Times where he says football fans should be rooting for a cold, snowy Super Bowl next month at Met Life Stadium. He says too often football has no variables and is unexciting. Jackson says extreme weather causes coaches to throw out the carefully crafted playbook and the players are forced to rely on their raw athletic skills.

Pollution isn’t all bad. This winter’s dry air in California has been leading to some spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Scientists tell the San Jose Mercury News that pollution particles trapped in the dry air scatter light to create the beautiful array of colors. One meteorologist says go ahead and take pictures, just don’t breathe.

The Wall Street Journal says New England Patriots’ coach Bill Belichik really is a mad scientist. In an effort to prepare his team for playoff games, Belichik brings in practice squad players that are virtual clones of the opposing team members. Players that match the height, weight and even the speed of stars on the opposing team are signed for the week for about $6000.

For the families of some U.S. Olympians - the hardest part of the Olympic journey might be figuring out how to pay for the trip to Sochi. USA Today says families are struggling to find hotel rooms and book flights to see their loved ones compete. Some athletes only qualified in the last few weeks, so tickets and rooms are even harder to come by with the games just weeks away.

Airport dining has come a long way. The Wall Street Journal’s Scott McCartney shares his favorite airport restaurants across the country. McCartney says airports these days offer celebrity chefs, farm fresh ingredients and impressive wine lists. He says gourmet has taken off at airports because travelers are generally willing to splurge.

A Florida couple has Pearly the Parrot to thank for saving them from a fire in their Fort Lauderdale home. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the couple awoke to screeching they’d never heard before. They discovered a fire in the laundry room - and firefighters arrived within minutes to put it out. VIDEO

The New York Times reports the National Security Agency has implanted software in nearly 100,000 computers across the world allowing the agency to conduct surveillance on those machines - even if they’re not connected to the internet. The technology uses radio waves to transmit data to receivers that can be miles away from the target. In most cases, the radio frequency hardware must be physically inserted by a spy.

DNA sequencing giant Illumina says the cost of testing the human genome is now below $1000. The San Diego Union-Tribune says it cost $95 million to do the same test in 2001 and $6000 just last year. On an individual level, it means doctors will be able to determine which diseases we’re predisposed to and which drugs would work best. Illumina’s CEO compared bringing the price below $1000 to breaking the sound barrier.

The wise old owl is popping up everywhere in kids’ rooms and nurseries. The Wall Street Journal says owls appeal to marketers and parents because they’re gender neutral. And from a design standpoint - with only a few lines - owls are easy to create. The next big thing for kids’ rooms? It could be the hedgehog, polar bear or the fox.

The Detroit Free Press’ Tom Walsh says he was awed by the futuristic technology on display at the Detroit Auto Show. Super Cruise Control might be our first realistic automated driving system - in place by 2020. But even with all these high-tech advances, car makers are still mindful of the low-tech features, like the all-important cup holder.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA.) wants Transportation Security Agents to be a little more courteous. The Daily News says Connolly wants TSA screeners to say please and thank you - or he’ll draft legislation that would require them to do so. Connolly says on a recent trip he counted 20 orders from TSA agents - none came with a please or thank you.

Superman and Ironman were the superheroes of 2013. 2014, USA Today says, will be the year of The Flash. The Flash comic books will get a new creative team in April. And a pilot is being done for a potential Flash spinoff of the CW’s “Arrow.” One of the writers for the Flash says what makes the character so appealing is the simplicity of his power, going fast.

Google is getting into the home automation business. The Internet giant is acquiring Nest Labs - which makes smarthome devices like cutting-edge smoke detectors and “self-learning” thermostats. The San Jose Mercury News says Google has dabbled in home automation software before, but in acquiring Nest, it is getting a company whose products are already popular.

The Washington Post says young adults so far account for less than one-fourth of the new signups during the first three months that exchanges have been open under the Affordable Care Act. Analysts have said that for the economics of the health care act to work, young people need to account for roughly 40 percent of those signing up for insurance.

The Daily News says the Golden Globes helped confirm Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels is atop the television universe. Michaels saw his alumni dominate the Globes, from hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (who won a Best Actress award for Parks and Recreation) to Andy Samberg who got an unexpected win for Best Actor in a comedy for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Michaels will also oversee the revamped Tonight Show when Jimmy Fallon takes over next month.

The New York Times says Pope Francis has reshaped the Vatican in the first year of his papacy, taking on the bureaucracy that some believe led to the historic resignation of his predecessor. Despite his humble touch, Francis has made bold moves to change up the power structure of the Vatican. The Times says in some respects, he’s just bringing in his own team. But he’s also looking to change the culture of church leadership and is “upending the career ladder that many prelates have spent their lives climbing.”

The Wall Street Journal’s Jennifer Alsever tested out four methods for clearing your mind before bedtime to help you fall asleep faster. The Brainwave Music System CD set worked well as did an iPhone App called the ABCs of Better Sleep. A custom track by a relaxation coach helped Alsever fall asleep in 10 minutes. But she said the SleepEasily MP3 package was a bit of a miss.

Ford is introducing its new aluminum body F-150 at this week’s Detroit Auto Show. The Detroit Free Press say the lighter truck promises to be the most fuel-efficient full-sized pickup on the road. But it will cost about $1000 more per vehicle to produce. Ford is promising to pick up that cost, making it a risk for the automaker.

Bill Keller writes an Op-Ed in the New York Times about one woman’s very public battle against cancer. Lisa Adams has tweeted about her condition more than 165,000 times. She is, Keller says, a warrior doing battle against the disease. But Keller says praise is also due to those who choose to forgo aggressive treatments so they may go gently. Keller’s wife was criticized for her take on Adams’ case in the Guardian.

Have a Bentley and need a loan? You’re in luck. The New York Times says Suttons & Robertsons, an English pawnbroker, is preparing to open its first New York location. The shop caters to high-end clients who need quick access to cash in exchange for luxury items. Suttons & Robertsons says it’s able to lend upwards of $1 million to clients.

It’s cold season - and flu season - and it’s not always easy to tell which illness is which. USA Today says the flu tends to come on faster and it hits harder with fever, aches and chills. Antiviral medications can be prescribed to treat the flu, but they work best if taken within 48 hours.