Friday Five: Change is in the air

[barefootsong]

1. A moment Two years in time: I was fascinated by [this post] at the indicommons blog showing how cartography changed in a two-year span in the 1980s. Life-altering changes used to take decades or longer, but now they can happen almost in the blink of an eye. It's amazing to actually see many such differences within my own lifetime, but it's also kind of dizzying sometimes.
   
2. Written on the page screen: Speaking of dramatic changes, one of the changes we're living through right now is the advent of digital reading technologies. I will always prefer a real book's physicality, but at the same time, I can see the benefits of doing some of my reading on an e-reader. And I really cannot help being amazed by [these images] of Kindle and iPad screens under extreme magnification, with magnified print media sources for comparison further down. Kindle's eInk technology really does emulate paper. I'm rather tempted, but it's still not quite everything I want in an e-reader yet....
   
3. Words, words, words: Language is another thing that changes—sometimes dramatically—over time. [Highlights] from the latest batch of words, phrases, and meanings added to the Oxford English Dictionary from the OUP(US) blog. Some of my favorite inclusions are steampunk, vuvuzela, and "what's not to like?" (which I just used a few hours ago). I heart the OED. :)
   
4. A sky full of wonder: Check out this [breathtaking panorama] of the aurora borealis above Prelude Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories. It makes me think of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights/The Golden Compass. Someday, I'm determined to see the aurora in person. That's number 3 or 4 on my list of Things To Do Before I Die.
   
5. A change of seasons: Autumn is my very favorite time of the year. Beautiful trees, gorgeous skies, the lovely playfulness of sunlight and shadows ... and Banned Books Week (25 September to 2 October this year). More posts on autumn and BBW to come!