so, so many good reads

FRIDAY NEWS:
* Kevin Drum on Obama and climate change.
* Marc Lynch: 'Why the clash of civilizations won't go away.'
* Analysis: the double-edged sword of the Afghanistan deadline.
* Some state governments are weathering the recession better than others.
* 'Up-and-coming conservative candidates shy away from media analysis."
* Checking the numbers on social networking.
* Scientists puzzling out how, precisely, caterpillars walk.
* Thanks to college, I will always be a fanboy of Samuel Pepys.
* Why the annual review at work is a terrible idea.
* Brilliant! OverthinkingIt.com on the Old Spice guy as Loki. Yes, seriously.