Ramble: The Soundtrack of the Sequel

Ron’s Ramblings: The Soundtrack of the Sequel

I just posted a new video over on the Music Video page today: Barry McGuire’s Eve of Destruction. It’s a bit chilling to realize that a song written in 1964 doesn't need a single lyric changed to make sense of the 2026 headlines. Back then, McGuire was shouting about the "Eastern world" and the "Red River"; today, we’re just watching the same explosions in 4K on a handheld device.

We’ve traded the fear of the backyard fallout shelter for the anxiety of the "black box" algorithm, but the core question remains: Don’t you understand what I’m trying to say? It seems every generation thinks they’ve finally reached the edge of the cliff, but this time, the view is getting awfully clear.

The Year of the Double Take

If 2026 had a theme song, Barry’s raspy warning would be it. We are currently living through what I call the "Year of the Double Take"—a time when the old global rules are being unceremoniously tossed out the window while we’re still trying to figure out how to operate the new ones.

• The South of the Border Shuffle: With the U.S. midterms looming and a record number of House retirements, D.C. looks more like a revolving door than a deliberative body. The "Donroe Doctrine" is in full swing, and the world is holding its breath to see if the American "brake" on presidential power actually still works, or if the pads have worn down to the metal.

• The Great North Tension: Back home in Canada, the air is thick with "snap election" rumors. We’ve seen floor-crossings that would make a gymnast dizzy, and with the July 1 deadline for the CUSMA/USMCA renewal fast approaching, the conversation has shifted from "if" to "how much is this going to cost us?"

• The Nuclear "Nervous Habit": On a global scale, the expiration of the New START Treaty this month is a sobering reminder that we’re venturing into a future without legally binding nuclear restrictions. It’s the ultimate high-stakes "trust exercise" that nobody actually signed up for.