ADJUSTMENTS: Orwell, Cd'A merge

Sixty-six years later and nothing's changed. 

"Meanwhile, life was hard. The winter was as cold as the last one had been, and food was even shorter. Once again all rations were reduced, except those of the pigs and the dogs. A too rigid equality in rations, Squealer explained, would have been contrary to the principles of Animalism. In any case he had no difficulty in proving to the other animals that they were NOT in reality short of food, whatever the appearances might be. For the time being, certainly, it had been found necessary to make a readjustment of rations (Squealer always spoke of it as a "readjustment," never as a "reduction") ..." - George Orwell, "Animal Farm," Secker and Waeburg (London), Aug. 17, 1945.

"Example: Wednesday night, when the North Idaho College trustees granted President Priscilla Bell a 3 percent raise plus $3,500 for retirement, the agenda item could hardly have been more vague. It says, under Review of Presidents Contract:

"FINANCIAL IMPACT: The financial impact is consistent with the president's contract from the prior year, and any changes agreed to by the board.

"Does that say raise and additional benefits to you? In the meeting, the raise was referred to as ‘an adjustment.'..." - Editorial, "The Coeur d' Alene Press." Hagadone News Network, Aug. 28.

Do you see any parallels here?

BOB LaRUE

Hauser