It Was A Bright Cold Day In April....in 1984

On the 4th of April 25 years ago, it was, famously, a bright cold day.

George Orwell wasn't writing a instruction manual for ZaNuLabour, it was/is a warning.

If you haven't got it then get a copy, read it and pass it on to spread the message.

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him....

April 4th, 1984.

For whom, it suddenly occurred to him to wonder, was he writing this diary? For the future, for the unborn. His mind hovered for a moment round the doubtful date on the page, and then fetched up with a bump against the Newspeak word doublethink. For the first time the magnitude of what he had undertaken came home to him. How could you communicate with the future? It was of its nature impossible. Either the future would resemble the present, in which case it would not listen to him: or it would be different from it, and his predicament would be meaningless.

For some time he sat gazing stupidly at the paper. The telescreen had changed over to strident military music. It was curious that he seemed not merely to have lost the power of expressing himself, but even to have forgotten what it was that he had originally intended to say. For weeks past he had been making ready for this moment, and it had never crossed his mind that anything would be needed except courage. The actual writing would be easy."

The whole book is online here. Set 25 years ago 'today' it seemed then like a flight of fantasy. Now it is becoming a horrible reality. It's only bloggers who are holding back the tide at the moment.