Easily my favourite piece of Harrison family history concerns my paternal great-grandfather. He was a French merchant seaman whose sea-faring began when press-ganged off a Normandy beach as a youth, into the French Navy. Arrived at the Port of Auckland, he met and fell in love with an Irish lass, my paternal great-grandmother. Outward bound, to avoid detection he waited until his ship was abeam of Tiri Tiri Island at night. He slipped over the side; swam to Tiri; and in turn to the mainland. He settled with his bride on the banks of the Kaipara Harbour. His handy swimming prowess was legendary, until gangrene late in life saw the removal of both his legs just below the knee.
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Oliver Chan renounces citizenship of Terryworld
While the downfalls of Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey amplified the power the winning of Oscars or bringing Hollywood cred to the Old Vic has to intimidate, and even to coerce sexual favours, few could be said to have ‘loved’ these personalities. It is more challenging when allegations target our more endearing cultural and political icons. With Louis CK, George Takei and Al Franken among others now facing trial by media, we’re less filled with schadenfreude and more with a sense of dread, guilt and even some attempts at rationalising their guilt in the public domain. Perhaps we’ve learnt nothing, especially if no concrete changes occur as a result of these scandals.
IMPOLITIKAL 