Bill Carter of the New York Times has a look behind the scenes of the most surprising Super Bowl ad, a secretive collaboration between David Letterman, Jay Leno and Oprah. Carter says Leno wore a “hooded sweatshirt, glasses and faux mustache” when he arrived at the Ed Sullivan Theater to tape the spot, which was shot in Letterman’s office. Apparently it was Letterman’s idea. Oprah agreed quickly. Leno was into it but needed to get NBC approval. VIDEO

For years, there has been something missing from the roster of every single late night talk show: a female writer. But now David Letterman has flipped the script and promoted an assistant for the show’s writing team to a full-fledged “Late Show” writer. The Chicago Tribune says some wonder whether the promotion has anything to do with Dave’s highly publicized female troubles.

The LA Times prints some simple ways to lower your blood pressure through lifestyle changes. Losing weight, getting more sleep and adding potassium, fish oil and fiber to your diet are some of the ways to reduce your risk for high blood pressure without medication.

Drug use is on the rise among baby boomers reports the Boston Globe this morning. A recent survey says the number of Americans aged 50 to 59 who have reported smoking marijuana or taking unprescribed medicine has risen 50 percent since 2002. Experts worry that the accumulative effects of a lifetime of drug abuse could cause serious long-term health problems.

The Super Bowl is the only televised event I can think of where watching the commercials is as exciting as the event itself. And this year proved to be no exception. USA Today has an excellent roundup of this year’s ads, and says Snickers came out on top with a spot featuring Betty White. Stuart Elliot of the New York Times says nostalgia was the reigning theme of last night’s commercials.

The Times-Picayune prints a letter to the NFL in this morning’s paper after the New Orleans Saints pulled off a stunning 31-17 victory over the Colts in last night’s Super Bowl. It cautions the League: “You’re going to have to find a new whipping boy now. May we suggest the Atlanta Falcons?” Over at the Indianapolis Star, the tone of Phil Richards’ piece was decidedly more somber.  He begins his column with a question: “Who dat blew dat?”

A man skiing alone in the Swiss Alps survived for 17 hours after an avalanche trapped him under a mountain of snow says the Star Tribune. A pocket of air allowed him to breath long enough for a team of rescue workers to find him and dig him out. 

Call it a “poor man’s luge” if you will. The Wall Street Journal says that snow shovel racing, once a fixture at the Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico, was halted after concern about the “reckless growth of a ‘modified’ shovel racing subculture” mounted.  This past weekend’s competition was the first in five years and strictly limited what kind of shovels could be used. VIDEO

A group of skiers have banded together to make a serious purchase says the Boston Globe - they’re trying to buy a mountain. News that Vermont’s famed Magic Mountain was in peril of being closed prompted the idea of taking the mountain co-op. Organizers need to sell about 150 more shares by August to keep the resort open.

More consumers are “saying no” to credit cards, reports USA Today this morning. The acceptance of debit cards has made it easier for people who are outraged at the practices of the credit card industry to get by. But there are some drawbacks to living a cash-only lifestyle says the paper, including difficulties booking cars and hotel rooms.

Last month’s earthquake in Haiti has inspired many Americans to host benefits for the ravaged country. But the Toledo Blade says one Ohio establishment pushed the envelope with this weekend’s ‘Lap Dances for Haiti’ fundraiser. VIDEO

Scientists are looking for answers about one of life’s great mysteries says the LA Times: love. When we fall in love, our brains release a chemical that mimics the feeling of “having sex, doing drugs or eating chocolate.” Couples who’ve been together for years can re-stimulate that initial feeling by taking a new class together or going to a horse race - activities that produce a rush of dopamine.

If you spend a substantial part of your day trolling the Internet, you may want to Google the name of a good therapist says the LA Times. A new study has found that heavy Internet searchers are likely to suffer from depression. Researchers say they tend to replace real life interactions with aimless web searches.

How many apps is it possible to download and test drive in one day? That’s the subject of a very funny article and experiment by San Jose Mercury News reporter Patrick May. He got through 127 applications and is currently looking for one to answer his initial question: “Are these things just a huge meaningless time-suck? Or are they tools that will change mankind forever?”

Drug use is on the rise among baby boomers reports the Boston Globe this morning. A recent survey says the number of Americans aged 50 to 59 who have reported smoking marijuana or taking unprescribed medicine has risen 50 percent since 2002. Experts worry that the accumulative effects of a lifetime of drug abuse could cause serious long-term health problems.

The Super Bowl is the only televised event I can think of where watching the commercials is as exciting as the event itself. And this year proved to be no exception. USA Today has an excellent roundup of this year’s ads, and says Snickers came out on top with a spot featuring Betty White. Stuart Elliot of the New York Times says nostalgia was the reigning theme of last night’s commercials.

The Times-Picayune prints a letter to the NFL in this morning’s paper after the New Orleans Saints pulled off a stunning 31-17 victory over the Colts in last night’s Super Bowl. It cautions the League: “You’re going to have to find a new whipping boy now. May we suggest the Atlanta Falcons?” Over at the Indianapolis Star, the tone of Phil Richards’ piece was decidedly more somber.  He begins his column with a question: “Who dat blew dat?”

Last month’s earthquake in Haiti has inspired many Americans to host benefits for the ravaged country. But the Toledo Blade says one Ohio establishment pushed the envelope with this weekend’s ‘Lap Dances for Haiti’ fundraiser. VIDEO

Scientists are looking for answers about one of life’s great mysteries says the LA Times: love. When we fall in love, our brains release a chemical that mimics the feeling of “having sex, doing drugs or eating chocolate.” Couples who’ve been together for years can re-stimulate that initial feeling by taking a new class together or going to a horse race - activities that produce a rush of dopamine.

An explosion at a power plant in Connecticut was front-page news in the Hartford Courant this morning. Many thought that the blast, which left at least five people dead, was actually an earthquake. It occurred mid-morning on Sunday after workers purged one of the factories natural gas pipelines.