Happy New Year!

The party's over, so now it's time to look ahead, as Ianus would want us to.  He was a nice old god, he was - a bit two-faced, but he liked to conclude an ending with a good beginning.

Hopes that the Republican Party will suffer a collective reawakening into sanity remain very dim indeed.  Particularly with the likes of Limbaugh, Boehner, Cruz, Palin and now the Robertson Clan acting as the mind, sinews and soul of the organization.

Hopes that the Democratic Party may manage to get the GOP to actually do something are equally dim.

Hopes that the Sochi Olympics will not turn into a massive debacle are fading.

Hopes that the Right will finally be convinced that anthropogenic climate change is not only a fact, but could be potentially catastrophic for the nation as well as the world - well, all that would require that most of them grow a brain cell or two, and maybe some balls so they can face down and convince their wealthy donors and Fox-fellating constituents.

Hopes that the Syrian civil war will . . . oh.  Never mind.

Hey, Ianus!  You might want to re-think the beginning of 2014, please.