Why We Do What We Do

Did you ever notice those stickers on commercial vehicles that ask "How is my driving?" with a corresponding phone number? We were curious, what is the purpose of this sticker? Is it for the driver? For other drivers on the road? For praise? For cricitism? We do a quick investigation into this sticker, where it came from and how it works. 

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Links and References: 

1. https://www.safetyalert.com/about.html
2. https://blog.drivedifferent.com/blog/why-your-company-needs-a-hows-my-driving-decal-program
3. https://www.azuga.com/blog/how-is-my-driving-sticker
4. https://www.automotive-fleet.com/145469/do-hows-my-driving-programs-really-work
5. https://www.ttnews.com/articles/does-it-do-any-good-call-hows-my-driving-phone-number

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

The electoral college is a strange system in the United States by which the president is "chosen" by a slate of people who represent the will of the voters, except when it doesn't. In this first episode, we explore the history of the electoral college and some of the unique instances in which a president achieved office without the majority of votes from the people because this system allows it. Next time, we will unpack the arguments for and against the electoral college. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes  (https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes)
• Shane: Press Club - Late Teens LP ( https://open.spotify.com/album/0qTuN1DHKnuCKMIkSxZR9a?si=c3G1KIU5SHO2o_pD9POy6A)

Holidays for 08/21/2024:

• Spumoni Day
• Finance Brokers Day
• Brazilian Blowout Day
• International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
• Internet Self Care Day
• National Medical Dosimetrist Day
• Poet’s Day
• Senior Citizen’s Day
• World Goat Day
• Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over (Week)
• Minority Enterprise Development Week
• National Aviation Week
• Little League World Series
• Hayden Panettiere’s bday

Links and References: 

1. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/its-time-to-abolish-the-electoral-college/
2. https://saveourstates.com/blog/yes-other-countries-have-electoral-colleges-too
3. https://people.howstuffworks.com/10-countries-besides-us-have-electoral-colleges.htm
4. https://www.usa.gov/electoral-college
5. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/11/22/among-democracies-u-s-stands-out-in-how-it-chooses-its-head-of-state/
6. https://www.archives.gov/electoral-college/history#:~:text=The%20Founding%20Fathers%20established%20the,popular%20vote%20of%20qualified%20citizens.
7. https://www.heritage.org/the-essential-electoral-college/the-current-threat#:~:text=If%20the%20Electoral%20College%20was%20eliminated%2C%20the%20power%20to%20elect,voice%20of%20smaller%20populated%20states.
8. https://stanfordmag.org/contents/should-we-abolish-the-electoral-college
9. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2019/05/23/killing-electoral-college-means-rural-americans-would-be-serfs-column/3770424002/
10. https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/publications/youraba/2019/october-2019/q--the-electoral-college--is-it-open-for-interpretation-by-the-c/
11. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/09/25/majority-of-americans-continue-to-favor-moving-away-from-electoral-college/
12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi7uownWRmQ
13. https://youtu.be/ajavsMbCapY?si=vXojc85LpkmDbCrb
14. https://www.history.com/news/presidents-electoral-college-popular-vote

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

In the small field of Behavior Analysis, there is a smaller subset of practitioners who champion the use of a particular data graphing display called the "Standard Celeration Chart." We explain what is going on with this weird blue chart.

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Learn more about the Standard Celeration Chart: www.celeration.org



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This discussion concludes by exploring how empathy develops. This can result in people with extremely high empathy and extremely low empathy. Where do you fall on the spectrum of empathy? Consider that wherever you, you can be somehwere else on this spectrum. 

Recommendations:

• Abraham: Deadpool & Wolverine (https://www.marvel.com/movies/deadpool-and-wolverine)
• Shane: Try a nutritionist

Links and References: 

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy
2. Luciano, et al. (2020). Perspective taking, empathy, and compassion. In Applied Behavior Analysis of Language and Cognition (Fryling et al, Eds). Oakland, CA: Context Press
3. Wilson, D. S., & Hayes, S. C. (2018). Evolution and contextual behavior science. Oakland, CA: Context Press. 
4. Barnes-Holmes et al. (2001). Psychological development. In Relational Frame Theory: A Post-Skinnerian Account of Human Language and Cognition. New York, NY: Klewur Acadmic/Plenum Press
5. Skinner, B. F. (1974). About behaviorism. New York, NY: Random House.
6. https://www.humintell.com/2019/05/the-cultural-significance-of-smiling/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6169872/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10427576/#:~:text=Several%20studies%20showed%20that%20adults,develop%20alexithymia%20and%20low%20empathy.
9. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1541204020939647
10. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-88174-004
11. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13554794.2013.826695
12. https://uktherapyguide.com/empathy-disorder-what-is-it-symptoms-and-how-to-overcome-it
13. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/apr/29/confessions-of-a-hyper-empath
14. https://www.verywellmind.com/hyper-empathy-in-autism-8426957
15. https://www.theedgetreatment.com/hyper-empathy-disorder-what-happens-when-you-feel-too-much/
16. https://www.psychalive.org/empaths/
17. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-finesse/202202/the-challenges-being-empath

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

These are the things we cut our teeth on... Did you know what a "trick cyclist" was? We didn't. Some sayings stick around in the lexicon, some seem to fade into obscurity. We have a lot of fun exploring the history of weird things English speakers have said that we likely wouldn't recognize today. 

Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and references:

1. https://promova.com/blog/vocabulary-from-the-early-2000s
2. https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/25-english-expressions-might-encounter/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Empathy is a common term that has an elusive definition and nebulous parameters. In this first episode, we set out to walk through definitions of empathy and try to narrow it down to its most critical features. Further, we describe the scientific attempts to objectively measure empathetic observation. Next week, we will explain the development of empathy and when people become extremely empathetic or deficient in empathy. 

Recommendations part 1

• Abraham: The Bear (season 3; https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-bear)
• Shane: Gojira performing at the Olympics (https://loudwire.com/gojira-first-metal-band-play-olympics-opening-ceremony-watch/)

Holidays (08/07/2024:

• Aged Care Employee Day (Australia)
• Mom’s Equal Pay Day
• National Beach Party Day
• National Lighthouse Day
• National Psychiatric Technician Appreciation Day
• National Raspberries and Cream Day
• National Opportunity Day
• National Sea Serpent Day
• Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day
• Professional Speakers Day
• Purple Heart Day
• Exercise with your Child Week
• International Assistance Dog Week
• International Clown Week
• International Mathematicians Week
• National Bargain Hunting Week
• National Minority Donor Awareness Week
• Simply Your Life week
• Weird Contest Week
• World Breastfeeding Week
• Marine Week
• Child Vision Awareness Month
• National Breastfeeding Month
• Beautiful in your Skin Month
• Cheerleading Safety Month

Links and References:
Links: 

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy
2. Luciano, et al. (2020). Perspective taking, empathy, and compassion. In Applied Behavior Analysis of Language and Cognition (Fryling et al, Eds). Oakland, CA: Context Press
3. Wilson, D. S., & Hayes, S. C. (2018). Evolution and contextual behavior science. Oakland, CA: Context Press. 
4. Barnes-Holmes et al. (2001). Psychological development. In Relational Frame Theory: A Post-Skinnerian Account of Human Language and Cognition. New York, NY: Klewur Acadmic/Plenum Press
5. Skinner, B. F. (1974). About behaviorism. New York, NY: Random House.
6. https://www.humintell.com/2019/05/the-cultural-significance-of-smiling/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6169872/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10427576/#:~:text=Several%20studies%20showed%20that%20adults,develop%20alexithymia%20and%20low%20empathy.
9. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1541204020939647
10. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-88174-004
11. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13554794.2013.826695
12. https://uktherapyguide.com/empathy-disorder-what-is-it-symptoms-and-how-to-overcome-it
13. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/apr/29/confessions-of-a-hyper-empath
14. https://www.verywellmind.com/hyper-empathy-in-autism-8426957
15. https://www.theedgetreatment.com/hyper-empathy-disorder-what-happens-when-you-feel-too-much/
16. https://www.psychalive.org/empaths/
17. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-finesse/202202/the-challenges-being-empath

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Today, wiping our anuses after defectating seems so natural as to be just a part of being human. But, most animals do not wipe their anuses. And, toilet paper is a relatively recent invention. How did toilet paper become the ubiquitous necessity that it is now? We explore a brief history of toilet paper in this mini.

Links and References: 

1. https://youtu.be/5vZ4-UHszs4?si=jZi61Go5u0nQmEYh
2. https://youtu.be/IVTRpTHPs3o?si=cvQs7cSm7TV3sZtj
3. https://youtu.be/50_O6YWJPMk?si=KyNJ07QxrX6SI73D
4. https://www.history.com/news/toilet-paper-hygiene-ancient-rome-china
5. https://www.livescience.com/42921-why-humans-need-toilet-paper.html

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

The second part of this discussion explores that actual attempts at implementing some version of UBI in various parts of the world. It sounds good, but would it even work? If so, how? There are many reasons to be skeptical that anything like this will ever work at scale, but let's see what we can learn about how it has performed and what, if anything, that tells us about what we can do in the future. 

Recommendations:
Abraham: Abbot Elementary (https://abc.com/show/e4f28254-2fc4-4cc1-b9bb-eee0564c178e)
Shane: DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History and Science of Masturbation by Dr. Eric Sprankle (https://www.drsprankle.com/)



Holidays (07/31/24):

• Cotton Candy Day
• Jump for Jelly Beans Day
• Shredded Wheat Day
• National Avocado Day
• National Raspberry Cake Day
• National Mutt Day
• National Jump for Jelly Beans Day
• Black Tot Day
• World Ranger Day
• Uncommon Instrument Awareness Day
• National Marine Week
• Beans Month
• Anti-Boredom Month

Links and References: 

1. https://youtu.be/m25YLByFVRw?si=n684PjQnuWhFLRd3
2. https://youtu.be/Sgcvtjoi8Bs?si=-XQ5oXxR5qx9D7As
3. https://youtu.be/UqESogRgrYw?si=IY5EwFEYgioO8aGK
4. https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/11/25/20973151/givedirectly-basic-income-kenya-study-stimulus
5. Hoynes, H., & Rothstein, J. (2019). Universal basic income in the United States and advanced countries. Annual Review of Economics, 11(1), 929–958. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-economics-080218-030237
6. https://www.procon.org/headlines/universal-basic-income-top-3-pros-and-cons/
7. https://college.unc.edu/2021/03/universal-basic-income/
8. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/basic-income.asp
9. https://www.denverbasicincomeproject.org/research#:~:text=The%20Denver%20Basic%20Income%20Project,guaranteed%20income%20for%20unhoused%20people.
10. https://www.businessinsider.com/denver-basic-income-reduces-homelessness-food-insecurity-housing-ubi-gbi-2024-6#:~:text=Denver%20gave%20people%20experiencing%20homelessness,participants%20said%20they%20had%20housing.&text=The%20Denver%20Basic%20Income%20Project%20gave%20cash%20to%20more%20than,payment%20structures%20might%20benefit%20them.
11. https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-deep-and-enduring-history-of-universal-basic-income/#:~:text=Joseph%20Charlier%2C%20a%20Belgian%20utopian,persistent%20poverty%20despite%20economic%20progress.
12. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/10/24/universal-basic-income/
13. https://www.cato.org/commentary/universal-basic-income-might-fix-our-broken-welfare-system-give-it-serious-scholarly
14. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/michigans-55m-experiment-guaranteed-income-begins-flint-moms

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

How much money is your life worth? In the transactional scheme of our modern world, some people have taken on the somewhat macabre task of assigning a dollar amount to human lives. So, how is this calculated? We'll tell you all about it here. 

Support us at www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links: 

1. https://www.kotaklife.com/insurance-guide/about-life-insurance/how-to-calculate-human-life-valuehlv

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Universal Basic Income is a policy proposal to provide everyone in a closed system with a no-strings-attached cash infusion on a regular schedule such as every month. Some people love it, some people hate it, most people have never heard of it. In part one, we mostly review the history and arguments for and against this idea. Would you like $1,000 just because?

Recommendations

• Abraham: Toshiba: https://www.toshiba-lifestyle.com/us/air-conditioners/portable-air-conditioners/14000-btu-ashrae-1200-btu-saccsmart-inverter-portable-air-conditioner1
• Shane:  The Flow Trip (https://shop.flow.life/products/subscribe-to-the-flow-trip)

Holidays (7/24/2024)

• Amelia Earhart Day
• Cousins Day (George RR Martin’s day)
• International Self-Care Day
• National Drive-Thru Day
• National Tequila Day
• National Thermal Engineers Day
• National “Talk to Us” day
• Pioneer Day (State Holiday in Utah)
• Tell an Old Joke Day
• National Independent Retailers Week
• National Moth Week
• National Scrabble Week
• National Zoo Keeper Week
• Restless Leg Syndrome Education & Awareness Week

Links and References: 

1. https://youtu.be/m25YLByFVRw?si=n684PjQnuWhFLRd3
2. https://youtu.be/Sgcvtjoi8Bs?si=-XQ5oXxR5qx9D7As
3. https://youtu.be/UqESogRgrYw?si=IY5EwFEYgioO8aGK
4. https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/11/25/20973151/givedirectly-basic-income-kenya-study-stimulus
5. Hoynes, H., & Rothstein, J. (2019). Universal basic income in the United States and advanced countries. Annual Review of Economics, 11(1), 929–958. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-economics-080218-030237
6. https://www.procon.org/headlines/universal-basic-income-top-3-pros-and-cons/
7. https://college.unc.edu/2021/03/universal-basic-income/
8. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/basic-income.asp
9. https://www.denverbasicincomeproject.org/research#:~:text=The%20Denver%20Basic%20Income%20Project,guaranteed%20income%20for%20unhoused%20people.
10. https://www.businessinsider.com/denver-basic-income-reduces-homelessness-food-insecurity-housing-ubi-gbi-2024-6#:~:text=Denver%20gave%20people%20experiencing%20homelessness,participants%20said%20they%20had%20housing.&text=The%20Denver%20Basic%20Income%20Project%20gave%20cash%20to%20more%20than,payment%20structures%20might%20benefit%20them.
11. https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-deep-and-enduring-history-of-universal-basic-income/#:~:text=Joseph%20Charlier%2C%20a%20Belgian%20utopian,persistent%20poverty%20despite%20economic%20progress.
12. https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2022/10/24/universal-basic-income/
13. https://www.cato.org/commentary/universal-basic-income-might-fix-our-broken-welfare-system-give-it-serious-scholarly
14. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-health-watch/michigans-55m-experiment-guaranteed-income-begins-flint-moms

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/why-we-do-what-we-do--3419521/support.

Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast