Hello, everyone, and Happy New Year. It's 2015, the year we were warned about in Orwellian fashion in (the highly underrated) Back to the Future II. 2014 may have been a horrible year, in so many ways, but it would be a mistake, I think, to expect better things from 2015. Call me a pessimist. Or a realist. Whatever. Let's just move on...

Kiko's House: A new year's musing on dysfunctional America.

All Things Democrat: Mitt Romney is ready to save the GOP.

Squatlo-Rant: Louie Gohmert is a national treasure.

The Left Coaster: Winnowing the GOP herd for 2016.

And because insanity isn't just a political/Republican thing:

Frankly Curious: Silly religious beliefs past and present.

Oh, did I mention the Steelers lost on Saturday? Maybe that (partly) explains my negativity.

Round-up by Michael J.W. Stickings of The Reaction. (Twitter: @mjwstickings.) I'll be here all week.

Send requests and suggestions to mbru@crooksandliars.com (with "For MBRU" in the subject line).