The staff of Mother Jones is, once again, rounding up the heroes and monsters of the past year. Importantly, this is a completely non-exhaustive and subjective list, giving our reporters a chance to write about something that brought joy or discontent. Enjoy. Forget the YouTube sensations Ms. Rachel or CoComelon: My household still blissfully lounges in the sweet cocoon of Raffi, the purveyor of gentle, folksy children’s songs and covers made popular in the 1980s.