Headlines from August 17, 2009

White House hints it's willing to compromise on the "public option" in its health plan.
"I'll be voting Taliban." The first part in a video series on this week's Afghanistan elections.
Strict gender segregation (and debatably, adversity) may have a hand in improving Islamic girls' test scores.
Caitlin Flanagan on Helen Gurley Brown, Elizabeth Edwards, and the state of the modern wife.
A British study confirms that role-playing situations with aliens can reduce homophobia.
When babies "play" with a toy, they're analyzing it; once they've solved it, they're ready to move on.
"Not a lot of fathers can say that about their son, can they?" Ian Frazier meets the Naked Cowboy's dad.
A plea to save jazz, now almost officially a dying art.
How Miles Davis's Kind of Blue, released 50 years ago today, forever altered the jazz landscape.
Also released today: Kind of Bloop, the Andy Baio-organized eight-bit tribute to Kind of Blue.
Rich: The early '60s of "Mad Men" seems more contemporary than the late '60s of Woodstock.
While walking in the rain two blocks from where Springsteen wrote Born to Run, Dylan is picked up by N.J. police.
"It's people growing up in the '80s and remembering A-ha for something other than cheekbones." A-ha takes on introspection.
Publishers to follow the Financial Times in charging for news to offset waves in advertising.
Obama: The most frightening thing about health care reform is doing nothing.
I like horses and I like Obama. Nothin' wrong with that. Going country with Channing Tatum.
Details of financial fissures under the Tarantino scrimshaw at the Weinstein Company.
Sedaris: Success means nothing without family to confirm it.
Analysis of Dan Brown's staying power by self-loathing Da Vinci Code fan.
Britain's biggest jewelry heist carried off by robbers wearing prosthetic faces.
Las Vegas is on sale, and its economic defeat is beginning to look like a military loss.
The war and domination of the smartphones is only just beginning.
Long profile of New York's Mayor Bloomberg, wondering how long he'll desire to rule.
Newsweek abortion reporter witnesses her first abortion.
Wonderful comic-book-style account of eating dinner at El Bulli.
Notes on what music works best to keep people on hold.
Affinity stems from deep parallel currents in two outwardly disparate societies. How Amish culture has pervaded Japan.
A perfect U.K. pet would be a 49% dog, 35% cat, 9% horse, 7% rabbit named "Rooney."
To temper a fear a flying, try a more cognizant love of airplanes.