Author’s words a century ago are still chilling

Irish poet, WB Yeats, asked: ‘‘What rough beast, its hour comes round, at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?’’.

Nearly 100 years later, author and security adviser, Ali Soufan, answered him on 60 Minutes (Prime, Tuesday).

Yeats’s prophetic poem, The Second Coming, was written in 1919, immediately following the horror of the World War I. Soufan’s reply comes 16 years after the devastating attacks of 9/11.

He was referring to Hamza bin Laden, son of Osama bin Laden, a recognised global terrorist, whose recorded messages in the past two years have the same chilling sound and mannerisms of his father’s.

Soufan’s message is that alqaeda is ‘‘bigger than ever’’ and the son is preparing to revenge what the US did to his dad. The interview was gripping and tucked away mid-evening on 60 Minutes, just when I was seeking something enjoyable to write about. Soufan has written the book Anatomy Of Terror, so I presume he knows what he’s talking about.

Iimagine many of us get seasonal affective disorder at this time of year, while others thrive on getting straight into those flannel pyjamas and curling up on the couch with the heater on full with a cup of hot chocolate.

Seasonal affective disorder, or the winter blues, is caused by low levels of natural sunlight. We all know people are generally happier on a bright sunny day. That’s definitely me.

And I’m sure our furry friends can pick up on our moods as well, although we don’t get an increase in visits to see us due to coughs and colds in the winter like the human doctors do.

So here are some ideas to help and some tips on hazards to avoid.

Get outside several times a day just for some daylight. Just walk

In the light of what’s happening around the world, it’s an interview that’s scarier than a French referee. We have a son-in-law, based at ground zero, who survived 9/11. We don’t want him and his family under threat once again.

60 Minutes followed the third series of Poldark (Prime, Tuesdays). I only wish someone would give Ross Poldark a cell phone so he doesn’t have to ride around Cornwall aimlessly checking up on the women in his life.

When Poldark hit the TV screen about 40 years ago, it told a great rollicking story. Now the narrative outside. Set that alarm clock 10 minutes earlier – yep earlier – to an up-beat radio station, not just an annoying buzz that makes you hit the snooze button five times and groan about the new day. Then get out of bed and hug your cat or dog. Give them a brush or just sit and watch them eat breakfast while you have that first cup of tea or coffee. I know, I know. If you have a partner then it might be diplomatic to hug them first.

If those extra 10 minutes haven’t been used up by finding the kids homework, reading books, picking up all the washing or loading the dishwasher, or hugging, then you could walk the dog to the corner before school or work. It might even help get the kids ready earlier –but I doubt it.

Pets are great stress relievers and the little guys are just as good. Mice, guinea pigs and rabbits like attention, as well as cats and dogs. So at the other end of the day, when you get home, they need a routine to keep their world happy as well. Even 10 minutes of petting or is overwhelmed by Ross Poldark riding into town, riding back again, snooping on the birth of Elizabeth Warleggan’s baby, worrying about whether it’s his, and sprinting along the beach until he falls on the sand.

Why couldn’t he hit his head on some driftwood, clear his mind and get on with the story?

Isn’t it time to look after Demelza and her brothers? It took nearly 90 minutes to establish the characters and tell us about Ross Poldark’s family intrigues. I seem to recall the second series started the same way.

Poldark is an indulgence but, if you enjoy Coro Street in costume, handling will make all the difference to both you and them.

At the hospital, we tend to see some different types of illnesses and problems in the winter.

Indy is a prancing, tall, white standard poodle that came to see me this week. As she walked in, I immediately saw one of her problems. The top of her head, which is normally a very welltrimmed glossy white hair-do, was a messy brown colour. The cause? She had been lying too close and too long in front of a bar heater and it had singed her hair.

It did look pretty funny.

Hazards

Open fires: Fire surrounds/ guards are a must, especially with open fires. Sparking embers not only ruin the carpet, or worse, but can also cause nasty burns on both cats and dogs. Antifreeze: Please don’t leave containers or trays of drained antifreeze lying around. Cats and dogs love the taste and it is extremely toxic for them. then the story about 18th century feuding families is a pleasant waste of time. Poldark’s enemy, the wealthy George Warleggan, is evil with steamy designs on Elizabeth. Fortunately, there’s more bed linen than bin Laden.

David Attenborough may be 90, but appears to be more active than ever. He’s fronting more nature documentaries than NZ drama can churn out those awful series, Filthy Rich and Dirty Laundry, or was it Dirty Rich and Filthy Laundry?

But wait, there’s a catch. While we’re promised a new series of Planet Earth II (Prime, Sundays), we’ve been conned. It’s an old Accidents in the driveway: We have already seen several injured furry friends from the all-toocommon car accident in their own driveway. At this time of year, the driveway is warm during the day and the perfect spot for a snooze. But they recognise the sound of your car and may not move when you go to leave or arrive home. Tip: slow right down at the kerb when coming home and then drive up slowly. A grand entrance by roaring up the drive might end in disaster and isn’t really necessary to indicate you are a male returning to the cave. And always turn the car around if you can so you don’t have to back out – it’s much safer. Defrosting the windows before driving off is also much safer, especially in the mornings when the sun is low in the sky and visibility already a bit marginal. Rat Bait: As I pleaded last week, please put this where the dog cannot possibly get it. That blue colour of the bait and the smell is irresistible to our four-legged series in disguise with the word repeat being conveniently dropped. But it’s still rewarding viewing, watching the three-toed sloth seek a partner, the iguana hatchlings escape marauding snakes, limas leaping in the Madagascan forest and the female albatross finally returning to her partner somewhere south of Stewart Island. A bird in the hand is worth a lima in the bush.

Some programmes get better by the series. Call The Midwife (TV One, Fridays) is a splendid example. Most, however, get worse. In that category, the Wests have returned in Westside (TV3 Mondays). friends. Fresh Water: Seems obvious, but basics can be easily forgotten in the dark and cold. The dog and cat’s bowl and rabbit’s water bottle need checking every day. They need water just the same in the winter as the summer. Speaking of water. Hot water bottles have been surpassed by microwavable heat discs that won’t leak or go cold for at least 8-12 hours. Give us a call to order one. They are great. Cage pets: I have never liked that term. Let’s go for ‘‘small, cute, hairy pets’’. They will need some extra cover for the winter or be brought into the garage. A few thick blankets over the cage will do a great job.

And very importantly – change their bedding regularly as dampness will attract flies. Make sure they can get up off the damp ground and into a sheltered sleeping area. So don’t be blue. Get outside for some daylight and try to keep the routines for your pets the same, as well as giving the little ones some extra cover.

It may have been better if they’d gone west, but the crime family is back in 1982 New Zealand. They spend the episode securing their assets, warning off anyone who threatens them and discovering that Lefty has lost the loot from their previous job.

Despite strong performances from Antonia Prebble and David de Lautour as Rita and Ted West, the cast is rubbish. Westside is shabby New Zealand TV with one saving grace. Despite being a drama, it could be a comedy, although I don’t think the writers realise that.

Westside is at opposite ends to Poldark, which is a comedy that could be a drama.