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Pop Culture Roundup: This Week This week ... Lincoln, Star Wars, The West Wing, Birth of a Nation, and more.

Defeating an Insurgency by Air by Christopher A. Lawrence We cannot think of a single insurgency that was defeated by airpower, primarily defeated by airpower, or even seriously undermined by airpower.

The day when three NASA astronauts staged a strike in space by Michael Hiltzik "We would never work 16 hours a day for 84 straight days on the ground, and we should not be expected to do it here in space." - Skylab 4 Commander Jerry Carr to NASA, just before the crew went on strike

ISIS vs. History by Allen Fromherz What the rise and fall of a 12th-century Islamic empire does (and doesn’t) tell us about the rise (and fall?) of ISIS.

In Retrospect: A Year of Sharpening Contradictions by Juan Cole We have a model for response to terrorist provocation and attempts at sharpening the contradictions. It is Norway after Anders Behring Breivik committed mass murder of Norwegian leftists for being soft on Islam. The Norwegian government launched no war on terror.

The Danger of Partial No-go Zones to Europe by Daniel Pipes This shirking of responsibility foreshadows catastrophe and calls for immediate reversal.

Behind the Ronald Reagan myth: “No one had ever entered the White House so grossly ill informed” by William E. Leuchtenburg Reagan embarrassed himself in news conferences, Cabinet meetings. Recalling how GOP cringed at his lack of interest

We have Lincoln wrong: Our greatest Lincoln historian explains his real Civil War motivations Too often, we settle for the idea that Lincoln fought to save a mythical union. He really fought for opportunity

Walking the American Revolution by Robert Sullivan Walking the Revolution isn’t so much about the past, though naturally when you do it you try to imagine you are there. It’s really about seeing where you are now.

Slaves or wage slaves by Jerry Toner Incentives, rewards, bonuses and bonding experiences – Roman slaveowners were the first management theorists

Have You Heard of Irving Berlin’s Alleged Snow Job Against African Americans? by Harold Brackman "[I]t’s past time for you over-heated White privileged, Berlin admirers to chill out by admitting that the musical white side has a dark side exploited by this notorious Jewish minstrel man’s most beloved song." -- Or is this over the top?