Today, on the 100th anniversary of George Orwell's birth, his masterpieces really are more important to us than ever.

If you live near San Francisco, come out for the George Orwell Centenary Festival at Edinburgh Castle in San Francisco. The festival runs tonight, tomorrow night and Saturday night. It includes readings from Orwell's most important works, film screenings, and "Free Victory Gin."

Show up tonight and tell them "cheesebikini is doubleplusgood." You'll get free admission to the Thursday and Saturday night shows; normal cover charge for those shows will be $6 and $7 respectively. And remember: four legs good, two legs bad.