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The Word Nerd's Best Audiobooks 2021
I only started listening to audiobooks in 2021. I remember back in the 90's listening to my grandmother's audiobooks and they were so monotone and boring I wondered how she listened to them. So, until this year I avoided them. Then, I happened to stumble across some outtakes by Michael Ferraiuolo for Alice Winter's How to Vex a Vampire, and I was so intrigued I grabbed the audio for that book. Well, that was the beginning of my very unhappy wallet, but I'm now firmly in love with audios and having so much fun catching up with the authors and narrators I've come to enjoy.
So although I'm only 12 months in to my audio journey, here are a few of my favourites so far. This list is in no particular order. I've also cheated terribly by listing a series as 'one book' - there is no way I could choose just one book out of these!!
The Forbidden Desires Series ~ Piper Scott & Virginia Kelly Narration: Michael Ferraiuolo
I think this was one of the biggest surprises for me this year. Up until late this year I had avoided the mpreg scene, but I'd seen so many people absolutely raving about this series that my curiosity was well and truly caught. I love the paranormal genre, plus, it was epreg (eggpreg?) so it sort of seemed not quite as intense as if it was a non-paranormal setting. It was also comforting to like and be familiar with the narrator and the authors. It's safe to say I fell in love with the entire Drake clan and their group of quirky mates.
By the time I got to this series, I was already a Michael Ferraiuolo fan; however, I think he truly excelled in this series. Over the seven (soon to be eight) books there is a very large cast, and every. single. one. has a unique voice. If I hadn't known that Michael was a brilliant voice actor before starting this series, this one would have certainly driven it home!
If you haven't read The Forbidden Desires series yet, do yourself a favour and get acquainted with Alastair & Nate/Iggy, Everard & Harry, and the rest of the crazy Drake clan ASAP. These audios will make you laugh (a lot), spring a few tears, and just leave you smiling with the romance of it all. I simply can't wait for the next installment!
The CU Hockey Series ~ Eden Finley & Saxon James. Narration: Alexander Cendese & Iggy Toma
The fact that the first book in this series, Power Plays and Straight A's, was released on my birthday last year just meant that the series would have to be a good one! :) However, I was a bit late to the game and the first two books had been released before I stumbled across them. This is a series I love in reading form and audio, although the audios just add that extra snap.
The CU Hockey series is so overwhelmingly popular I don't really need to discuss it in any great depth, except that these two talented Australian authors have taken to American hockey like they were born to it ,while giving us characters who are so very easy to fall in love with. This series is now complete, and I've loved every single book, but it will always be Forster and Zach for me! :)
This series was the first time I had listened to Alexander Cendese and Iggy Toma. The voices of these two narrators work so well together. One problem I've come across with dual narration is when one narrator is voicing their opposite character. If they can't get a close match with their partner narrator the difference can be a bit jarring and take you out of the story, even if it's only momentarily. By half way through Power Plays, Alexander and Iggy had sorted themselves out and their voices while so very different, were blending so you could instantly tell which character was talking regardless of which narrator was voicing it at that moment. This duo is now very much an instant buy for me.
Four Kings Security & Kings: Wild Cards ~ Charlie Cochet. Narration: Greg Boudreaux
I started this series completely blind. The only experience I'd had with Charlie Cochet was her Paranormal Princes trilogy. The story sounded like it would be a lot of fun, but the seller was narrator Greg Boudreaux. With his narration I knew the story would be at least enjoyable. Well Charlie and Greg are a match made in heaven. This series was so much fun! Sure it had it's serious and teary moments, but for the most part it was light with an intense, but never heavy, suspense theme running through each one. I loved all the stories, but if I had to pick favourites Ace and Joker's stories were a highlight, but then I loved Lucky and King too. Don't make me choose! :)
By the time I'd gotten to this series, I was well and truly a Greg Boudreaux fan. As usual, he did a wonderful job giving voices to the crazy Kings and their team, as well as their partners. To my ear anyway, he did a great job of capturing Ace and Lucky's Spanish, as well as Mason's southern accent. With great comic timing, he brought all the humour created by the author and gave it life and vibrancy that had me laughing or grinning like an idiot (not a good look when on a crowded bus or walking down the street!).
I'd seriously recommend listening to the Four Kings Security series and its spinoff Kings: Wild Cards for maximum enjoyment. They are not really standalones as they are very interconnected and you'd miss a lot if you skipped around. If you haven't had a chance to listen to them yet, I can't recommend them highly enough. The men are whacky, quirky, and possibly insane, but so much fun!
Man Up ~ Felice Stevens. Narration: Kale Williams
When I first started the Man Up series I was already a fan of Felice Stevens' work, but it was the first time I'd listened to anything by her in audio, and it was my first experience with Kale Williams as a narrator.
I was drawn and engaged by Kale Williams' narration from the beginning. I was particularly drawn to his interpretation of Rhoades, but all the characters had their own individual voices and accents, which were used consistently throughout the series. I thought he did a wonderful job of bringing the cast to life
Felice Stevens never has any trouble making her characters live a breathe on the page, and in the Man Up series this is so very important. All the main characters both the men of Man Up and their prospective partners are damaged in some way. The highly emotional nature of these stories means that you have to be 100% captivated by the characters or it will just be too heavy.
Felice's writing and Kale's nuanced narration ensures that Austin & Rhoades, Frankie & Aaron, Cort and Harlan, and James & Malcolm are not only vibrant characters in their own right, but resonate strongly with the listener ensuring that you are completely invested in their HEAs.
The Paranormal Princes ~ Charlie Cochet.
Narration: Greg Boudreaux
This was my first experience with Charlie Cochet, and the entire series was just so much fun. It had its serious moments, but overall it was a light romantic adventure. Greg Boudreaux captured the humour of the series and ensured that it moved at a fast and hilarious pace. Highly recommended series!
Black & Blue Series ~ Lily Morton. Narration: Joel Leslie
I had initially read this series and absolutely adored it! So much so that I didn't want to 'ruin' it by associating it with a narration by a narrator I wasn't familiar with. You know, how sometimes you read a book love it, then watch a terrible movie based on that book, and despite trying very hard the movie affects how you now enjoy the book? Same thing.
But, so many people raved about Joel Leslie's work in this one, and to be honest, my mother wouldn't stop nagging me about it, she was completely smitten! :)
So, only a couple of weeks ago I listened to Blue. Oh wow, everyone was right!! I don't think anyone but Joel Leslie could have managed to create that level magic with that story. He took everything that was already magnificent - beautiful characters; smart, fast, and witty British humour; a sensual love story; and don't forget the spine tingling chills, and made it a true experience for the senses.
If you haven't experienced the Black and Blue series in audio yet, take it from someone who was initially reluctant - don't wait, listen now!!
#Love Wins ~ Ana Byrde. Narration: John Solo
I have read and listened to this series, and honestly, I love them either way! This is such a quirky, hilariously funny, and utterly romantic series. Ana Byrde has a fantastic sense of humour and doesn't shy away from providing as many second hand embarrassment moments as she can,
I'll admit I haven't listened to a lot of John Solo's work, but what I have, I've enjoyed immensely. He has a deep husky voice that works with many of these characters and the result is often an increase in the steam level!
This series is very light with only very low levels of angst, often caused (but not always) by elements outside the central relationship. If you are looking for a light funny listen, I'd recommend this series.
Vampire Related Crimes ~ Alice Winters.
Narration: Michael Ferraiuolo
The Vampire Related Crimes (VRC) series is one of my favourites. How to Vex a Vampire was my first ever audio, and it started the ball rolling on my love for audios. Alice Winters is a great author, I love her quirky sense of humour and her ability to create characters that you just want to bundle up and love on. Although, I really enjoyed reading her books, I've found that her humour works really well actually acted out rather than just read.
I'm a huge fan of Michael Ferraiuolo, he is a voice actor rather than just a narrator. He has a great range of voices, accents, and inflections that ensures that each character has a unique voice. There are two standout performances in this series, both for different reasons. The first is in the first two books, but more so in How to Elude a Vampire. I'm happy to admit I had no clue whatsoever who the 'big bad' was, it came as a complete shock to me, but the voice used for this character when in his evil persona, even now, gives me the chills! It was the compete opposite to the this characters 'normal' voice which is why I think it took me so long to connect the dots. The second standout is Alexei's monologue in How to Lure a Hunter. It brought me to tears to hear the desperation and fear coming from a character that is usually quite stoic, when he's not being a snarky sarcastic jerk. These are just two examples of the great vocal talent of this narrator.
There are probably not a lot of people who enjoy paranormal stories that haven't read this one yet, but if this is you, don't hesitate to grab the audio version. You won't be sorry!
The Hedonist Series ~ Rebecca James.
Narration: Christopher Rain
This series of books (8 in total) are based upon the members of the Hedonist motorcycle club. I like to think of this series as MC light as the members of the club are not the dark, morally ambiguous men that is usually associated with a MC book. Instead the Hedonists are good men, not innocent by any stretch, but they do no harm and help those that need it.
Christopher Rain, in these books at least, has quite a unique voice, but I soon came to love his narration of these books. All the characters had unique voices that suited their personalities and it was an addictive experience. I was so upset when I found out that only the first two books were in audio, I would love to see the rest of the gang come alive vocally.
This is a surprisingly emotional series, but with humour to break it up so it's never heavy. I've enjoyed my time with the Hedonists and I revisit often.
Demon Magic ~ Alice Winters. Narration: Greg Boudreaux
This list wouldn't be complete without Havoc, Miles and the quirky 'scooby gang'. I think I was a minute into the sample for Happy Endings before deciding to buy it, and I never looked back.
Greg Boudreaux worked his magic to bring Alice Winters' characters to life with her signature humour and snappy dialogue. Miles and Havoc are two of my favourite characters and I loved listening to them come alive.
If you haven't listened to Alice Winters yet in audio, this is a great place to start.
Reckless ~ Kiki Clark. Narration: John Solo
This is another one I'd classify as MC light, although it does start off a bit darker with Tank's initial club. This is a beautiful story of acceptance and love. John Solo was fantastic in this one, he really made Tank and CJ and whole gang people you could easily visualise in your mind. This one is very hot though, so unless you have a good poker face (I don't) make sure you don't listen to it in public.
The Husband Gambit ~ L.A. Witt.
Narration: Greg Boudreaux & Michael Ferraiuolo
This is my narration dream team! Although both Michael and Greg have distinctly different voices from each other, they worked seamlessly, each copying fairly closely the other's voice for their character. This was my first experience with L.A. Witt, but I've gone on to read many of her titles now. This is a beautiful story of finding love where you don't expect it.
Featherbed ~ Annabeth Albert. Narration: Alexander Cendese & Kirt Graves
The first book of the Vino & Veritas series set the scene for all the books to follow. Featherbed is an age-gap, low angst story about learning to live for the present not the future. This was my first experience with Kirt Graves, but his voice suited the softer and haunted Harrison, while Alexander Cendese captured the essence of Finn who was trying to fill his father's shoes, and in his mind, couldn't quite do it. This was an amazing start to a memorable series.
The Road Home ~ L.A. Witt.
Narration: Michael Ferraiuolo & Greg Boudreaux
Apart from the narration team, this one is a favourite because it made me think. It dealt with a few issues I really hadn't thought much about before: pornography and it's effect on families, and living long term with HIV. Ultimately, this story is about learning that your family is not necessarily the one you were born into, and instead a found family is everything you need.
Beyond the Sea ~ Keira Andrews.
Keira Andrews is one of my favourite authors, and this story is a perfect example of why. The ultimate story of survival, Beyond the Sea is a compelling adventure and an example of finding love where you least expect it. Greg did an amazing job taking this already amazing story to the next level.
Luca ~ L.A. Witt. Narration: Michael Ferraiuolo
Luca is the first of a new but now complete series. Unfortunately it is the only one in audio, but I've got my fingers crossed that others will be converted this year. Luca is just one of those sweet, but very steamy, stories that just make you happy. Michael once again did a wonderful job capturing the strength but hidden vulnerability of both Luca and Ethan.
Update: It's been confirmed the full series is coming to audio in the coming months!
As You Wish ~ Isobel Starling. Narration: Garry Furlong
As You Wish is actually the first book of the Shatterproof Bonds series, but since I haven't finished the entire series yet I'll only list the first book, and my favourite so far. This was my first experience with both the author and narrator. Isobel Starling created wonderful characters with a lot of subtle witty humour. Gary Furlong took these characters and this world and made it come alive. His vocal range of accents and comedic timing took this really good story and made it amazing.
Honey from the Lion ~ Jackie North.
Honey from the Lion acts as a prequel of sorts to Jackie North's Farthingdale Ranch series where the characters are often mentioned. It is a time travel romance that crosses time, as Laurie a modern day guest of the Ranch is transported back to 1891, a time where it is survival of the fittest, and being gay is not only not accepted, it is a life sentence. Greg Boudreaux did a memorable job of expressing the emotion in this intensely sensual and passionate tale. I'll admit I really teared up when I came across the part of the story where the name of the book comes from. This one really just has to be experienced.
The Word Nerd Reviews' Best Books of 2021


As you lie in bed this winter fighting the great Canadian battle with the flu, there will be a moment when you abandon your usual compassion. After days of sneezing, fever, and prayer, you'll be happy to focus what remains of your energy on blame and revenge. The usual suspects? Your spouse. Your child. A co-worker. But what if the manhunt comes up empty? How will you find the guilty party?
Just look for a duck with a runny beak.
Sound crazy? Maybe to the average person. But biologists are very aware that these birds are among the most preferred and fertile breeding grounds for flu viruses. Unlike humans, ducks tend to put out a welcome mat for these viruses because they don't mount an immediate immune response when first attacked. That's what makes them such efficient long-term flu carriers.
And the news gets worse. The flu viruses that infect ducks can develop into powerful new variants that mutate, survive, and thrive-and then go on to become the viruses that are best able to infect humans. Invincible. Quiet and clever enemies that outwit our immune systems year after year. So although you may not actually see a duck blowing its beak, make no mistake; the virus threat is real.
How can we protect ourselves? Although a yearly flu shot may be our first line of defense, our best weapon may turn out to be Kathy Magor.
An Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta's Department of Biological Sciences, Magor is exploring the ways that flu viruses can interact with the cells that make up the body's immune system. These viruses sometimes trick cells into ignoring them, allowing diseases to develop unabated. When this happens, the individual becomes a carrier of the disease, spreading it to others. Kind of like what happens with the ducks.
Magor knows that the cycle of infection depends on the ability of new flu viruses to survive in animals-and people. Although a person's immune system can usually fight off infection if it recognizes the virus, a new unknown strain poses a problem. That's why Magor is studying the genetic weaknesses that make it possible for viruses to avoid detection in those animals-especially ducks.
What's the first step? Magor is cataloguing and sorting through thousands of the genes she'll need to explore the different ways influenza viruses can interact with the cells that make up the body's immune system. These are the genes that flu viruses might "switch off" in order to avoid being detected by the immune system. But to advance her research, Magor must turn the ducks into guinea pigs. If it all sounds like an opportunity to finally make the birds pay for their unwitting participation in our seasonal torture, she reminds us not to worry about the defenseless ducks. Since the research focuses on the molecular interactions within cells, she won't have to trouble the ducks for anything more than a tiny tissue sample. Determining the genetic composition of each sample, however, won't be so painless for Magor. It's a big and complicated job considering the number of possible interactions between viruses and proteins.
Magor says the key to keeping up with this large number of genetic interactions is two pieces of equipment that automatically analyze the DNA samples. One machine is a robotic system for organizing the many specimens of genetic material. The gene arrays can then be systematically analyzed for those genes turned on, or off, by viral infection. The other is a DNA sequencer that can specifically identify the particular genes that are being targeted by a virus. Acquired with support from the CFI, both pieces of equipment represent the latest technology in this field. They also allow Magor to process samples of genetic material in far greater volume-and faster than ever before.
And that's dramatically reducing the time it will take Magor to assemble her library of expressed genes. Instead of 10 years, she's looking at 10 months.
"Without this equipment, this experiment would be unfeasible since thousands of genes would have to be manipulated by hand," she says. "Our only alternative would be to send the DNA to an American company for arraying. Apart from being very expensive, that would also mean the company retains the rights to the collection."
Does Magor see any other benefits? Originally, she was thinking about the equipment in terms of only one project. Now she realizes the equipment will have other important applications, enabling Canadian researchers to study the genetic blueprint of a variety of plants and animals. She also believes the enhanced capability will become an incentive for hiring and retaining new faculty at the university, who would also greatly benefit from the high volume of genetic samples they could process in the course of their research.
Faced with a new strain of the flu virus, how do public health officials determine an appropriate response?
Since they can't predict which strains will be making the rounds from year to year, developing and applying the right flu vaccine can be a hit-and-miss exercise. That's why researchers like Kathy Magor are beginning to look much more closely at how the flu is making its way through the carrier ducks. And trying to determine the best approach to conducting the research, and what equipment and materials she'll need to get the job done.
The research calls for libraries that contain the genomes of ducks and other such animals. But these libraries don't always exist. Without such databases of genetic information, researchers can't begin to study disease resistance in wild or domestic animals. And without that research, they can't examine the possibility of limiting the transmission of diseases from animals to humans.
Magor's research is especially significant for a number of reasons. It's among the first attempts in Western Canada to address the problem of a lack of organized, accessible information-catalogued and contained in a database. It's also using technology that has the potential to spawn new commercial enterprises.
As the world of science moves forward, and a new and vigorous emphasis is placed on genomics research, libraries of genetic information promise to be the source of significant biotechnical applications in medicine and industry.
Among the major supporters of Kathy Magor's investment in infrastructure is the Alberta Network for Proteomics Innovation, a division of Alberta's Innovation Science Research Investment Program.
Magor's research has also been supported by the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR). Established by the province in 1980, this foundation sponsors biomedical and health research at Alberta universities and affiliated institutions. The AHFMR upholds international standards of excellence for research, with the expectation of improved health and medical care for the province's population.
The AHFMR is also responsible for several important initiatives. This includes programs for training physicians to deliver better patient care, as well as research into the complex legal and ethical questions that are arising out of the medical application of genetics.


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2011 Oscar Nomination Predictions
UPDATED: So here we have it people, the moment everyone in the world has been eagerly waiting for: the Oscar nominations have been revealed! There were some surprises, but not too many outright shocks. In Best Picture, Winter's Bone edged out The Town (which only received one nomination for Jeremy Renner). Also John Hawkes, who had scored a surprise SAG nod, edged out Andrew Garfield of The Social Network, I thought that could happen to him or Mark Ruffalo, who got in. I think I'm mostly surprised by Christopher Nolan's Best Director snub (both the Coens and David O. Russell got in) which must certainly sting especially after haven been snubbed for The Dark Knight in 2008. but he is a best picture and best screenplay nominee. Inception didn't even get an editing nomination, which pretty much nulls its Best Picture chances, but let's be honest, did it even have a shot? Hailee is in Supporting, but so is Jacki Weaver, who booted out Mila Kunis. And good job for nominated Michelle Williams who is great in Blue Valentine. Javier Bardem knocked out Robert Duvall, which I thought could happen, thank god, because i have no desire to watch Get Low. I think I'm surprised Waiting for Superman didnt make it into the Documentary category since it was the perceived frontrunner. And only four song nominations and none for Burleseque! Cher is pissed that she won't be able to perform at the Oscars! I'm glad the Academy's music branch showed it could be hip and cool by actually nominating "The Social Network" for Best Score; could it actually win? Danny Elfman gets skunked again. I'm proud of my Unstoppable prediction in the Sound Editing field which no one seemed to predict except me. And I'm not quite sure why The King's Speech is nominated for Sound Mixing, but oh well. Overall there were enough surprises to keep things fun and not enough snubs to truly piss me off. I wish The Town was a best picture nominee, mostly because I just assumed it would make it months ago, oh well. See you on Feburary 27th!
I correctly predicted 83 of the 107 nominees.
Check out all the nominees here:
http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/83/nominees.html
[from Saturday]: On January 25the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the nominations for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. Who else is super excited? Trying to predict how the Academy will think it sometimes pretty tricky; and yet sometimes it's painfully predictable. Most of the time most categories will have four sure things and one pesky open slot in which any movie could fit. This year for nearly every category there are six films vying for only five slots. And this is the second year the Academy will nominate ten films for Best Picture and there are eleven solid contenders. Which will they leave out? There are several things I'll be keeping my eye out for this Tuesday. First being, how many nominations will "127 Hours" get? It seemed like a movie that would be Oscar gold, what with director Danny Boyle coming freshly off the Oscar-dominating "Slumdog Millionaire." 127 Hour seems like a movie no one really wants to see because it features a scene of self-amputation. Hopefully it gets more nominations than "Into the Wild" received which was famously snubbed three years ago. I'm curious as to how many nominations the frontrunner "The Social Network" will get. I'm not completely sold that it will get a tremendous showing in the craft categories, but love for the film could find it a lot of love. I'm hoping they find plenty of love for "The Town" which I had been predicting would be invited to the big dance the second after I saw it. While I hope many of my predictions are correct, I really do hope there are plenty of suprises hidden up the Academy's sleeve. Only time will tell, until then check out my predictions below:
"The Kids Are All Right"
"The Social Network"
There are 11 films vying for these ten slots. I believe the well-loved, but little seen indie "Winter's Bone" is on the outs, but it could just as easily sneak in there and bump off "127 Hours" a wonderful film that many just don't even want to see. The only other vulnerable films are "The Town or "The Kids Are All Right" but I can't see anything else (like "Blue Valentine" for instance) besides "Bone" making the cut.
Darren Aronofsky "Black Swan"
David O. Russell "The Fighter"
Christopher Nolan "Inception"
Tom Hooper "The King's Speech"
David Fincher "The Social Network"
I think there are four sure things here. I'm wishy washy with David O. Russell, but he did receive a Golden Globe and Director's Guild nod, so I'm pretty confident. Although the well-liked Coens could edge him out here
Jeff Bridges "True Grit"
Robert Duvall "Get Low"
Jesse Eisenberg "The Social Network"
Colin Firth "The King's Speech"
James Franco "127 Hours"
I'm kind of confident these five actors are sure things. I'm not really sure that Ryan Gosling or Javier Bardem (a former Best Supporting Actor winner) could make it in there, but weirder things have happened (see 2007's surprise nod for Tommy Lee Jones, a former Best Supporting Actor winner).
Annette Bening "The Kids Are All Right"
Nicole Kidman "Rabbit Hole"
Jennifer Lawrence "Winter's Bone"
Natalie Portman "Black Swan"
Hailee Steinfeld "True Grit"
Here is where things start to get interesting. I believe there are four sure things here. I'm going out on limb and predicting the Academy will show some common sense (as BAFTA did recently) and place Steinfeld in the Best Actress category even though the studio has been campaigning for her in Supporting. They did this with Keisha Castle-Hughes in 2003 and most recently with Kate Winslet in The Reader in 2008. If she doesn't make it here, then I can see literally anyone replacing her such as Michelle Williams (certainly deserving), Julianne Moore (fingers crossed!) or even the always likable Hilary Swank, who got a surprise SAG nomination. I'd love it just to see Round 3 of Swank vs. Bening. Although at this point, it's Portman's to lose.
Christian Bale "The Fighter"
Andrew Garfield "The Social Network"
Jeremy Renner "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush "The King's Speech"
An interesting race here, while not as dramatic as the Actress races. Garfield seems weak because he didn't get a SAG nom, but he bounced back with a nod from BAFTA, a group who in general wasn't as warm with The Social Network as much as other groups have been (although to be fair they weren't that warm to The Fighter either). Mark Ruffalo is the only other potentionally weak one, with a possibility of either Sam Rockwell or the SAG-nominated John Hawkes from "Winter's Bone." SAG is notorious for rewarding smaller, more indie type roles, so I think that was really just a fluke.
Amy Adams "The Fighter"
Helena Bonham Carter "The King's Speech"
Mila Kunis "Black Swan"
Melissa Leo "The Fighter"
Jacki Weaver "Animal Kingdom"
And here we are back to the madness of this extremely strong year for female actresses. If Steinfeld does get nominated here she will bump out Jacki Weaver for sure. This fifth slot is also a head scratcher this year because it's possible for a number of different performers to get a surprise nod. Maybe Barbara Hershey from "Black Swan?" (She did get a BAFTA nod). Who knows, maybe Kunis gets bumped out too? Could critic darling Leslie Manville get placed here (she's also a possibility in Lead although from what I hear she's really part of an ensemble). I'm not confident that Weaver gets in and in fact this the category I'm probably the least confident in.
I'm debating how much love the Academy will give "127 Hours" a film that has terrific direction, writing, acting, cinematography, editing, music, sound etc. and yet I can actually picture it getting the shaft just because it features a difficult-to-watch amputation scene (the Academy wasn't very kind to the similar "Into the Wild" three years ago). So having said that, I'm not very sure whether "127 Hours" can make it here and if it doesn't it'll certainly make room for "The Town" the more likely of the weaker Best Picture possibilities.
"The King's Speech"
This is another category that will be tough to call. I want to say that Mike Leigh will get in for "Another Year" but with it's awards chances waning over the past coupe months I'm not too sure about that which is why I think "Black Swam" and "The Fighter" are better possibilities, but not sure things.
Best Art Direction
Best Makeup
"Barney's Version"
"The Wolfman"
'Haven't Seen the Last of Me' from "Burlesque"
'If I Rise' from "127 Hours"
'I See the Light' from "Tangled"
'We Belong Together' from "Toy Story 3"
'Shine' from "Waiting for Superman"
Animated Feature Film
Foreign Language Film
Algeria, "Hors la Loi" ("Outside the Law")
Canada, "Incendies"
Denmark, "In a Better World"
Mexico, "Biutiful"
South Africa, "Life, above All"
Posted by Chris at 11:29 AM
I'd bump Toy Story 3 off the Best Picture list, because the animated category was supposedly created to avert the crisis of a cartoon being best picture.
Best Director looks right on.
Robert Duvall for "Get Low"? Really?
The Best Actress category is pretty loaded, if you win that you've really done some good work.
Best Supporting Actor, go away King's Speech, stop eating up all the nominations
Best supporting actress, see above.
Best adapted, give it to Winter's Bone, it would be the right thing to do.
Best original, academy show some compassion and give it to Inception, easily the most "original" screenplay in a long time, no?
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ghada said...
▼ Jan 2011 (7)
The 6th Annual Golden Gallo Awards
Lost in Rotation: "Somewhere" Reflects the Dullnes...
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text:
Home The American Neptune: A Quarterly Journal of Maritime History and Arts Nathaniel Bowditch, Page 108
Volume V. No. 2 April 1945
Nathaniel Bowditch, Page 108
108 NATHANIEL BOWDITCH
In 1817 Mrs. Eliza Wetmore (later Mrs. Daniel Appleton White) and
her brothers Samuel and Joseph Orne established the Orne Fund in
memory of their deceased brother Charles Henry Orne, for the support
of the ministers of the First Church in Salem, and the following trustees
were appointed: Jonathan Hodges, Nathaniel Bowditch and George
Cleveland. This is said to mark the beginning of professional trusteeship.
Before that time men who had money in trust merely added it to what
they had from other sources, and if financial disaster overtook them the
money in trust shared the common fate of their funds. Jonathan Hodges
had been Bowditch's first employer; he was a merchant, and treasurer of
the town of Salem. His niece was Nathaniel Bowditch's second wife, and
she was a warm friend of Mrs. Wetmore who was 'Aunt Wetmore' to the
Bowditch children. Nathaniel Bowditch was the president of the Essex
Fire and Marine Insurance Company in Salem. George Cleveland was the
president of the Salem Commercial Insurance Company and the son-in-law
of Jonathan Hodges. It sounds like a close corporation with Hodges as the
point of focus. Perhaps Bowditch's experience as supercargo gave rise to
the idea that each trust should be kept rigidly independent of every other
-a set of water-tight compartments as it were-so that a loss or a gain in
one could not affect another. At all events, this must have been how supercargoes
managed their finances, for on any voyage a considerable part of
the cargo was made up of independent 'adventures' entrusted to the supercargo
to dispose of at the best advantage. Bowditch's own first adventure
was a box of shoes which he sold in Ile de France; a later one was compasses
which found a ready market in Manila. In the hands of able and
honest men of business a trust fund would prosper, and such has been the
history of the Orne Fund.
As early as 1818 Bowditch was offered the presidency of an insurance
company in Boston, but declined, on the ground of his unwillingness to
leave the town of his birth. Later he was asked to become the actuary of the
Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company and the president of
the Commercial Insurance Company (Fire and Marine), both in Boston,
and for a long time declined again. The amount of his proposed salary was
raised again and again, and finally he saw that his acceptance would mean
that by careful management he would be in a position to publish the
translation of the Mecanique Celeste on which he had been engaged since
1814. On 31 January 1823 he accepted both offices and prepared to move
to Boston. In April he visited New York and Philadelphia, presumably
to study the methods followed there; in July he sold his house in Salem;
in August he resigned the presidency of the Essex Fire and Marine Insur-
Title Volume V. No. 2 April 1945
Description Articles include: Nathaniel Bowditch by Harold Bowditch; 'Letters Taken in Prizes,' 1778-1780 by William D. Hoyt, Jr.; A Light-vessel of 1823 built by Henry Eckford by Cedric Ridgely-Nevitt; Amphibious Operations in the Gulf of California, 1847-1848, A Contemporary Account Edited by John Haskell Kembell; Five-masted Schooners by John Lyman; and Square Sails and Raffees by Captain P. A. McDonald. Notes, Documents, Queries, and Book Reviews are also included.
Date 1945, April
Subjects Amphibious warfare; Astronomy; Bowditch, Harold, 1883-1964; Bowditch, Nathaniel, 1773-1838; Business correspondence; Craven, Augustus Macdonough, 1813-1864; Eckford, Henry, 1775-1832; Hoyt, William D., Jr.; Journals; Kemble, John Haskell, 1912-1990; Letter writing; Letters; Lighthouses; Lightships; Lyman, John, Dr., 1915-1977;Marine architecture; Masts and rigging; McDonald, P. A., Captain; Mexican War, 1846-1848; Nautical astronomy; Ridgely-Nevitt, Cedric; Sailing ships; Sails;Salem (Mass.); Schooners; Ship letters; Shipbuilding; Square-rigged ships; Square-riggers; Surveying; Thompson, Jonathan; Trade routes; Trade
Title Nathaniel Bowditch, Page 108
Author Harold Bowditch
Description 108 NATHANIEL BOWDITCH In 1817 Mrs. Eliza Wetmore (later Mrs. Daniel Appleton White) and her brothers Samuel and Joseph Orne established the Orne Fund in memory of their deceased brother Charles Henry Orne, for the support of the ministers of the First Church in Salem, and the following trustees were appointed: Jonathan Hodges, Nathaniel Bowditch and George Cleveland. This is said to mark the beginning of professional trusteeship. Before that time men who had money in trust merely added it to what they had from other sources, and if financial disaster overtook them the money in trust shared the common fate of their funds. Jonathan Hodges had been Bowditch's first employer; he was a merchant, and treasurer of the town of Salem. His niece was Nathaniel Bowditch's second wife, and she was a warm friend of Mrs. Wetmore who was 'Aunt Wetmore' to the Bowditch children. Nathaniel Bowditch was the president of the Essex Fire and Marine Insurance Company in Salem. George Cleveland was the president of the Salem Commercial Insurance Company and the son-in-law of Jonathan Hodges. It sounds like a close corporation with Hodges as the point of focus. Perhaps Bowditch's experience as supercargo gave rise to the idea that each trust should be kept rigidly independent of every other -a set of water-tight compartments as it were-so that a loss or a gain in one could not affect another. At all events, this must have been how supercargoes managed their finances, for on any voyage a considerable part of the cargo was made up of independent 'adventures' entrusted to the supercargo to dispose of at the best advantage. Bowditch's own first adventure was a box of shoes which he sold in Ile de France; a later one was compasses which found a ready market in Manila. In the hands of able and honest men of business a trust fund would prosper, and such has been the history of the Orne Fund. As early as 1818 Bowditch was offered the presidency of an insurance company in Boston, but declined, on the ground of his unwillingness to leave the town of his birth. Later he was asked to become the actuary of the Massachusetts Hospital Life Insurance Company and the president of the Commercial Insurance Company (Fire and Marine), both in Boston, and for a long time declined again. The amount of his proposed salary was raised again and again, and finally he saw that his acceptance would mean that by careful management he would be in a position to publish the translation of the Mecanique Celeste on which he had been engaged since 1814. On 31 January 1823 he accepted both offices and prepared to move to Boston. In April he visited New York and Philadelphia, presumably to study the methods followed there; in July he sold his house in Salem; in August he resigned the presidency of the Essex Fire and Marine Insur-
Front Matter Pg 95
Nathaniel Bowditch Pg 99
Nathaniel Bowditch Pg 100
Letters Taken Pg 111
Light-vessel Pg 115
Amphibious Operations Pg 121
Five-masted Schooners Pg 137
Five-masted Schooners P 9
Five-masted Schooners P 10
Square Sails Pg 142
Square Sails P 11
Queries and Answers Pg 163


I wanna find You with my eyes closed fast asleep.
I wanna find You sitting by my side unseen.
And in daylight as well when I wake.
I wanna find You in every breath I take.
But right now, I just wanted to find You here tonight.
Know that there's always a beginning.
Love your reason to what's right.
Know that many things are in your hands.
Love your reason most selfless.
Know yourself to the core.


It is fashionable to have an outdoor wedding, for example a beach or garden. But in such cases a classic wedding dress will look preposterous. It is better to choose a short wedding dresses. These dresses are more and more gaining popularity and they are so comfortable for the bride. They can be different style and some of them include train. Except of these they are perfect for petite brides, making accent on their small height as great advantage. Look at these short wedding dresses for bridal style inspiration!


Grand Forks city is located in Grand Forks County, North Dakota State, US.
Zip Code is 58201 and Currently there are 60 clinics and Health/Urgent Care Locations in our database for Grand Forks City.
A Walk-in Grand Forks clinic describes a very broad category of medical facilities only loosely defined as those that accept patients on a walk-in basis and with no appointment required. A number of healthcare service providers fall under the walk-in clinic umbrella including urgent care centers, retail clinics and even many free clinics or community health clinics. Walk-in clinics offer the advantages of being accessible and often inexpensive.
You can search also for: Grand Forks Pharmacies and Grand Forks Assisted Living Homes.


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Shipping charges depend on the products' size and weight, and the delivery distance. Shipping is calculated automatically and is included in your order total. In many cases free shipping may be offered as an incentive.
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How can I contact the shipping service?
This information will be included in your order confirmation.


text:
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Interview: Local musician Yhan Leal
April 15, 2019 June 19, 2019 2bbb Radio	0 Comments 2bbb, bellingen musician, community radio, live music, mid north coast, yhan leal
Yhan Leal: A Journey into the Musical Sublime
Interview by Nicole Hind
You've described your music style as chilled, ethereal and meditative. It's the perfect sound for the Bellingen Shire, but is this region the main source of your inspiration or have you always had a bit of 'ocean-forest pixie' in you?
I think I've always had it. My favourite songs on albums are almost always the mellow ones. My earliest memory of a connection to nature in a serene and calming way is when I was a boy in Colombia. My mother would take us to the river and we'd swim and sit on rocks and I remember the sound clearly, it was alive and soothing at the same time. When I go to the Never Never it's similar, and I relive those memories.
What does performing your music to a live audience mean to you?
Everything, it's a way of life. Music is a way of communicating beyond words and gestures. Even I don't always know what I'm communicating, but the music has a way of resonating with the deeper parts of myself, the more sublime parts. Playing live is also like exploring reality in a different way, a more spontaneous and playful way.
How does your Colombian background influence your creative process?
That's interesting. Lately I've been reading some Colombian novels and getting inspiration for my songs. I do ponder my past, my roots and it's part in my creative process. My Great Great Grandfather Carlo was Italian and a multi-instrumentalist. He made his living as a musician before immigrating from Italy to Venezuela. He had a son also called Carlos who had my dad Armando who had me. It's all there, you can't escape your roots.
Are you writing any new songs at the moment? Can you reveal anything special listeners might like to know about your latest offering?
Yes I'm writing a lot, I actually have 10 new demos on my new Fan-Club website http://yhanleal.com, I'm trying to release a new song every month, hopefully with a video. The goal is to write over twenty before I choose the tracks for album four. I've recently dropped a new song called 'Luna" which is a love letter to a past lover and recorded a video in a really beautiful space. I'm excited.
Recently you've been playing with a band in addition to going solo. What's the biggest difference in having Scot Aird on bass and Lawrence Pastro on drums involved in your sound?
Having a band is such a satisfying experience, to feel the bass and the amazing vibe it adds to the songs. Then to feel the drums create movement and rhythm, and when the whole thing becomes one, amazing. The chemistry is the biggest difference, vibing off each other and hearing the song bigger and better than the solo version. It also lends my songs to a wider audience; it's not as subdued, or as mellow. The band is called Yhan Leal and the Neverland Band, which a special friend named for us!
We love playing your beautiful recordings here at 2bbb. Like a number of artists these days, you mentioned you have a crowdfunded fan club to support you to continue to produce music. How does that relationship work?
Thank you, I love Triple B and all the crew, so supportive of the local and touring musos. My last record was crowdfunded and it made all the difference. For this next album I'm allowing fans to subscribe to my website in return for exclusives such as being the first-to-see and receive content, like my demos, secret songs, and videos. The goal is to create a community of patrons that value my work especially, and it gives me not only the monetary means to create and record music, but also inspiration and unique feedback from dedicated fans.
You're a keen surfer… would you be willing to tell us one of your favourite local surfing spots?
I discovered surfing in Lennox Head when I lived there. It was the soothing sound and feeling of water. I've become a devotee of the ocean and it's magical elixir. On the East Coast the good waves are plentiful, so wherever I'm playing, I'm surfing. Or swimming. Or floating about. I do spend a fair time busking and playing in and around Coffs, so I always love the breaks there. As for my favourite wave, I'd like to keep that to myself, but I may see you out there! Aloha
Yhan will be performing over the upcoming 2019 Bello Winter Music Festival. To find out where else you can catch Yhan follow him on Facebook HERE. Check out the Fan Club HERE.
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STRAP YOURSELF IN. PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE UNTITLED HAN SOLO STAR WARS STORY IS UNDER WAY.
Cameras are rolling on the adventure-filled past of the iconic scoundrel and everyone's favorite Wookiee; principal photography on the untitled Han Solo Star Wars Story officially began February 20 at Pinewood Studios, London.
Clockwise from bottom left: co-director Christopher Miller, Woody Harrelson, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Joonas Suotamo as Chewbacca, co-director Phil Lord, and Donald Glover. Photo credit: Jonathan Olley ©2017 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Crewing the ship will be some of the industry's top talent, including Academy Award nominee for his work on Arrival, Bradford Young (Director of Photography), Chris Dickens (Editor), Dominic Tuohy (SFX Supervisor), Rob Bredow (VFX Supervisor), Jeanne Carthy (US Casting), and Brad Allan (Action Designer).
They will be joining returning Star Wars veteran crew members Neal Scanlan (Creature & Droid FX Creative Supervisor), Neil Lamont (Production Designer), Dave Crossman and Glyn Dillon (Co-Costume Designers), Jamie Wilkinson (Prop Master), Lisa Tomblin (Hair), Amanda Knight (Make-Up), and Nina Gold (UK Casting Director).


text:
Made in 1970, this remarkable study of the human body is neither scientific nor medical; it is, rather, a deeply intimate feature-length film exploring the physical experience of being human. Narrated by Vanessa Redgrave and Frank Finlay with a commentary by poet and playwright Adrian Mitchell, The Body traces the human life-cycle from conception to death. Photographic techniques never seen by cinema audiences at the time of release - including the use of internal cameras - allow an unprecedented insight into the body's functions; these visuals are beautifully complemented by a soundtrack by Pink Floyd's Roger Waters and pioneering composer Ron Geesin, incorporating the latter's experiments in biomusic - in this case, sounds created by the human body itself. The Body is presented here uncut, in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio. SPECIAL FEATURES: [] Full frame as-filmed version of main feature [] Original theatrical trailer [] Image Gallery [] Promotional material PDF
Roy Battersby
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text:
Publication type: All Forthcoming Preprint Journal Conference Proceedings Book chapter Thesis
Year: All 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
T. Gerstenberg (in preparation). What explains causal judgments? Counterfactual versus hypothetical simulations.
Poster Video
K. A. Smith, J. B. Hamrick, A. N. Sanborn, P. W. Battaglia, T. Gerstenberg, T. D. Ullman, J. B. Tenenbaum (submitted). Probabilistic models of physical reasoning.
L. Kirfel, T. F. Icard, T. Gerstenberg (2022). Inference from explanation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Preprint PDF Poster Video Github OSF
F. A Sosa, T. D Ullman, J. B Tenenbaum, S. J Gershman, T. Gerstenberg (2021). Moral dynamics: Grounding moral judgment in intuitive physics and intuitive psychology. Cognition.
Preprint PDF Link Github OSF
T. Gerstenberg, S. Stephan (2021). A counterfactual simulation model of causation by omission. Cognition.
A. F. Langenhoff, A. Wiegmann, J. Y. Halpern, J. B. Tenenbaum, T. Gerstenberg (2021). Predicting responsibility judgments from dispositional inferences and causal attributions. Cognitive Psychology.
T. Gerstenberg, N. D. Goodman, D. A. Lagnado, J. B. Tenenbaum (2021). A counterfactual simulation model of causal judgments for physical events. Psychological Review.
Z. J. Davis, K. R. Allen, T. Gerstenberg (2021). Who went fishing? Inferences from social evaluations. Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
J. F. Kominsky, T. Gerstenberg, M. Pelz, M. Sheskin, H. Singmann, L. Schulz, F. Keil (2021). The trajectory of counterfactual simulation in development. Developmental Psychology.
K. Vodrahalli, T. Gerstenberg, J. Zou (2021). Do humans trust advice more if it comes from AI? An analysis of Human-AI interactions. arXiv.
Preprint PDF
T. Gerstenberg, T. F. Icard (2020). Expectations affect physical causation judgments. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
A. Beller, E. Bennett, T. Gerstenberg (2020). The language of causation. Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Poster Video Github
S. Bridgers, C. Yang, T. Gerstenberg, H. Gweon (2020). Whom will Granny thank? Thinking about what could have been informs children's inferences about relative helpfulness. Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Poster Video
G. Grinfeld, D. A. Lagnado, T. Gerstenberg, J. F. Woodward, M. Usher (2020). Causal responsibility and robust causation. Frontiers in Psychology.
PDF Link Github
L. Niemi, J. Hartshorne, T. Gerstenberg, M. Stanley, L. Young (2020). Moral values pervade implicit and explicit causal attribution: Evidence from basic language processing. Cognitive Science.
I. Yildirim, B. Saeed, G. Bennett-Pierre, T. Gerstenberg, J. B. Tenenbaum, H. Gweon (2019). Explaining intuitive difficulty judgments by modeling physical effort and risk. Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
N. R. Bramley, T. Gerstenberg, R. Mayrhofer, D. A. Lagnado (2019). Intervening in time. Time and Causality Across the Sciences.
A. Morris, J. Phillips, T. Gerstenberg, F. Cushman (2019). Quantitative causal selection patterns in token causation. PLoS ONE.
PDF Github
J. F. Kominsky, T. Gerstenberg, M. Pelz, H. Singmann, M. Sheskin, F. Keil (2019). The trajectory of counterfactual simulation in development. Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF OSF
N. R. Bramley, T. Gerstenberg, R. Mayrhofer, D. A. Lagnado (2018). Time in causal structure learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition.
N. R. Bramley, T. Gerstenberg, J. B. Tenenbaum, T. M. Gureckis (2018). Intuitive experimentation in the physical world. Cognitive Psychology.
Preprint PDF Github Press: Medium
T. Gerstenberg, T. D. Ullman, J. Nagel, M. Kleiman-Weiner, D. A. Lagnado, J. B. Tenenbaum (2018). Lucky or clever? From expectations to responsibility judgments. Cognition.
PDF Github OSF
K. Koskuba, T. Gerstenberg, H. Gordon, D. A. Lagnado, A. Schlottmann (2018). What's fair? How children assign reward to members of teams with differing causal structures. Cognition.
A. Morris, J. Phillips, T. Icard, J. Knobe, T. Gerstenberg, F. Cushman (2018). Judgments of actual causation approximate the effectiveness of interventions. PsyArXiv.
M. A Gates, T. L Veuthey, M. Henry Tessler, K. A Smith, T. Gerstenberg, L. Bayet, J. B Tenenbaum (2018). Tiptoeing around it: Inference from absence in potentially offensive speech. Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, M. H. Siegel, J. B. Tenenbaum (2018). What happened? Reconstructing the past from vision and sound. Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
Preprint PDF Poster Github
T. Gerstenberg, M. Peterson, N. D. Goodman, D. A. Lagnado, J. B. Tenenbaum (2017). Eye-tracking causality. Psychological Science.
PDF Link Github OSF Press: MIT News Press: Seeker Press: MedicalResearch.com
N. R. Bramley, R. Mayrhofer, T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2017). Causal learning from interventions and dynamics in continuous time. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
D. A. Lagnado, T. Gerstenberg (2017). Causation in legal and moral reasoning. Oxford Handbook of Causal Reasoning.
T. Gerstenberg, L. Zhou, K. A. Smith, J. B. Tenenbaum (2017). Faulty towers: A hypothetical simulation model of physical support. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Slides Github
T. Gerstenberg, J. B. Tenenbaum (2017). Intuitive Theories. Oxford Handbook of Causal Reasoning.
S. Stephan, P. Willemsen, T. Gerstenberg (2017). Marbles in inaction: Counterfactual simulation and causation by omission. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Slides
I. Yildirim, T. Gerstenberg, B. Saeed, M. Toussant, J. B. Tenenbaum (2017). Physical problem solving: Joint planning with symbolic, geometric, and dynamic constraints. Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Poster Github
L. Niemi, J. Hartshorne, T. Gerstenberg, L. Young (2016). Implicit measurement of motivated causal attribution. Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
N. R. Bramley, T. Gerstenberg, J. B. Tenenbaum (2016). Natural science: Active learning in dynamic physical microworlds. Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
S. J. Gershman , T. Gerstenberg, C. L. Baker, F. Cushman (2016). Plans, habits, and theory of mind. PLoS ONE.
T. Gerstenberg, J. B. Tenenbaum (2016). Understanding ``almost'': Empirical and computational studies of near misses. Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
D. A. Lagnado, T. Gerstenberg (2015). A difference-making framework for intuitive judgments of responsibility. Oxford Studies in Agency and Responsibility.
M. D. Alicke, D. R. Mandel, D. Hilton, T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2015). Causal conceptions in social explanation and moral evaluation: A historical tour. Perspectives on Psychological Science.
J. F. Kominsky, J. Phillips, T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado, J. Knobe (2015). Causal superseding. Cognition.
N. D. Goodman, J. B. Tenenbaum, T. Gerstenberg (2015). Concepts in a probabilistic language of thought. The Conceptual Mind: New Directions in the Study of Concepts.
K. Allen, J. Jara-Ettinger, T. Gerstenberg, M. Kleiman-Weiner, J. B. Tenenbaum (2015). Go fishing! Responsibility judgments when cooperation breaks down. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, N. D. Goodman, D. A. Lagnado, J. B. Tenenbaum (2015). How, whether, why: Causal judgments as counterfactual contrasts. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Dataset Poster
M. Kleiman-Weiner, T. Gerstenberg, S. Levine, J. B. Tenenbaum (2015). Inference of intention and permissibility in moral decision making. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, J. Y. Halpern, J. B. Tenenbaum (2015). Responsibility judgments in voting scenarios. Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Dataset
T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2014). Attributing responsibility: Actual and counterfactual worlds. Oxford Studies in Experimental Philosophy.
J. F. Kominsky, J. Phillips, J. Knobe, T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2014). Causal supersession. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, N. D. Goodman, D. A. Lagnado, J. B Tenenbaum (2014). From counterfactual simulation to causal judgment. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Dataset Demo
N. R. Bramley, T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2014). The order of things: Inferring causal structure from temporal patterns. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Demo
T. Gerstenberg, T. D. Ullman, M. Kleiman-Weiner, D. A. Lagnado, J. B Tenenbaum (2014). Wins above replacement: Responsibility attributions as counterfactual replacements. Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
PDF Dataset Poster Demo
T. Gerstenberg, C. Bechlivanidis, D. A. Lagnado (2013). Back on track: Backtracking in counterfactual reasoning. Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
D. A. Lagnado, T. Gerstenberg, R. Zultan (2013). Causal responsibility and counterfactuals. Cognitive Science.
T. Gerstenberg (2013). Making a difference: Responsibility, causality, and counterfactuals. Unpublished PhD thesis.
R. Zultan, T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2012). Finding fault: Counterfactuals and causality in group attributions. Cognition.
T. Gerstenberg, N. D. Goodman, D. A. Lagnado, J. B. Tenenbaum (2012). Noisy Newtons: Unifying process and dependency accounts of causal attribution. Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, N. D. Goodman (2012). Ping Pong in Church: Productive use of concepts in human probabilistic inference. Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2012). When contributions make a difference: Explaining order effects in responsibility attributions. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.
J. McCoy* , T. D. Ullman* , A. Stuhlmüller, T. Gerstenberg, J. B. Tenenbaum (2012). Why blame Bob? Probabilistic generative models, counterfactual reasoning, and blame attribution. Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
S. Schächtele, T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2011). Beyond outcomes: The influence of intentions and deception. Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, A. Ejova, D. A. Lagnado (2011). Blame the skilled. Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado, M. Speekenbrink, C. Cheung (2011). Rational order effects in responsibility attributions. Proceedings of the 33rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
B. Meder, T. Gerstenberg, Y. Hagmayer, M. R. Waldmann (2010). Observing and Intervening: Rational and Heuristic Models of Causal Decision Making. Open Psychology Journal.
T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado (2010). Spreading the blame: The allocation of responsibility amongst multiple agents. Cognition.
T. Gerstenberg, D. A. Lagnado, Y. Kareev (2010). The dice are cast: The role of intended versus actual contributions in responsibility attribution. Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society.
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If you want to improve government services you have to tackle complex issues. Sometimes even something as seemingly simple as a long line can be a challenge to overcome.
As leaders in county government we have made a promise to ourselves and to the residents of the county that we want to improve government services. We want to make them faster, more accessible, better.
Which is where our tax collection experience comes in. Twice a year our fiscal department is charged with collecting real estate taxes.
While our real estate tax collecting process includes seven different ways to pay: https://treasurer.cuyahogacounty.us/ there are still many property owners who choose to pay their taxes in person. Each year Cuyahoga County collects about $2 Billion in property taxes for more than 500,000 parcels. Based upon data for the 2014 and 2015 tax year, we anticipated processing about 4,000 property tax payments during the last four days of the July 2016 tax collection period. That's one thousand individuals a day! The revenue we collect is crucial for the support of our 59 municipalities and their school systems.
Last year we saw our residents who came downtown to our County Administration Building experience limited space in our lobby, system outages, unclear communication about the process, stressed out county staff and lines that extended outside the County building -- all these factors contributed to a customer experience comparable to waiting in line at the airport during Thanksgiving. Not good!
We knew that our real estate tax collection experience was broken. It should be noted that when we began to investigate other county tax collections systems to look for best practices, we found that this is a national issue.
Sharon Sobol Jordan our Chief of Staff and our Treasurer, Christopher Murray pulled together a team of senior leaders to address our customer experience. The Office of Innovation and Performance in our role as facilitators and partners in improving processes was charged with facilitating the session and helping to project manage throughout the work.
First though, we had to define the problem. Interestingly, in our first meeting, we found that there was not consensus regarding the problem. How long is too long to wait in line? Ten minutes? One hour?
The group decided that our main goal was to improve both the employee and customer experience and ensure that no taxpayer waited outside of the county building at any point in time.
The Fiscal Office created a separate station for credit card payments.
The Cuyahoga County Treasury established separate stations for handling cash and checks.
The Public Works department designed rope lines to ensure for the smooth flow of our residents through the line.
The Communications Office created easy to read frequently asked questions (FAQs) and partnered with the Department of Consumer Affairs to advertise the FAQs via social media.
The Department of Senior and Adult Services provided volunteers who answered questions.
Youth Opportunities Unlimited sent youth to the county to serve as customer aides and direct the flow of people.
The Department of Information Technology ensured that the printer stations were working properly for tax bills and IT staff were available for any potential system outages.
The Department of Human Resources provided volunteers and worked to address staffing issues.
Transaction times were reduced dramatically. People who paid by credit card were in and out of the building in less than a few minutes. People who paid by check were in and out the building in five minutes or less. Those who paid by cash had the longest wait times but some finished with county business in 15 minutes or less on average.
One customer brought lunch to the County Administrative Headquarters expecting a two-hour wait time based upon prior experiences; she did not eat lunch. Another customer brought a book and did not read it. Surprised by the short lines, other customers did not believe that they were actually in the County Building.
Overall, taxpayers were highly satisfied!