It’s 2026 and a belated happy new year, or early Chinese new year, to you.

This new series of Truth Matters will cover Environment and Justice Matters. 

In this episode of Truth Matters, Not-So-New New Year and Travels to Taiwan, I’m ruminating on the climate and giving an overview of my recent trip to Taiwan.

We’re already 1/12th of the way through 2026 and for many it’s like a relay race where we’re passing from one global crisis to another.

In this episode of Truth Matters, Crisis, What Crisis? The Housing Time-Bomb, I want to take a look at the factors that have led to this housing crisis, not just an Irish phenomenon, but to be found in many developed countries. For this podcastthough, I will focus mostly on Ireland with examples from elsewhere.  

What type of housing has been built over the decades? When did the housing crisis start? How does a housing crisis affect our population? How could we do this better?

Some of you may know that Crisis? What Crisis? was the name of a 1975 Supertramp LP depicting a man sunbathing; the only colour in a bleak industrial site with factory chimneysbelching smoke. The title relates to the struggles of individuals and theindifference of society.

So, fifty years on and it’s not too different from the struggle and indifference that many people feel today, particularly those impacted by the lack of affordable housing.

Once upon a time it was 15 minutes of fame, but these days it is 15 seconds of focus before it’s onto the next item.

Peaceful protests do not make news. Hundreds of thousands could be quietly marching, but much of the news coverage will focus on the corner where there is a confrontation with an opposing group or the gardai, or police.

I am going to do an overview of what is and what is not activism. I’ll take a look at which were the great activist movements that changed the world and who are the activist heroes and what about the activist villains? Established activists and groups and the perils they encounter. How countries view activism and what laws are in place toeither support or regulate it. What does it mean when a nation imprisons activists? And what is the future of activism… does it make a difference?

In 1984 George Orwell speaks to us through the ages.

In this episode I read an excerpt on Power and an assessment of some of the main points from 1984 that are invaluable to consider now.

This is the second part in this episode of Truth Matters,Private Gun Ownership, The Gun Safe

In Part 2 I'm looking at who's shooting what.

What does this mean in terms of deaths from gun violence? Checking if any guns have been banned.

And how different groups perceive gun ownership. And is gun ownership strictly a man thing?

In this episode of Truth Matters, Part 1 Son of a Gun, Private Gun Ownership, I came across so much information on gun ownership, that I decided to break this episode into two parts.

This first part takes a look at civilian firearms.

Where did it all start? Who makes the guns and what type of guns are available. Where do you get them?

What restrictions are there to gun ownership?And where do we find gun ownership

In this episode of Truth Matters, All Hail the Leader, I want to take a look at leadership styles.

What makes a good leader and a bad leader. And who are they?

And who are the successful leaders past and present?

And what do we need from a leader in this era of AGI?

In this episode of Truth Matters, AI, Robots and This Brave New World, I want to take a look behind the curtainat the AI world.

What Is AI, Generative AI and LLMs? And what is AGI? What does it take to create AI. How safe is it?

When are the Robots going to descend?

And what does the future look like?

In this episode of Truth Matters, Is There Unity in Europe? I want to take a look at Europe and the EU.

What is Europe? What is its relationship with the widerworld? What constitutes the European Union?

How is trade faring these days? 

Are there opportunities as well as challenges?

And what is Europe’s future?

I'm taking a look at the different systems of elections, what problems are encountered and who can vote. And what about campaign financing, how does that differ around the world.

And allied to elections are corruptions: how is that working out these days? And has our idea of what constitutes ethical behaviour shifted.