There have been some wildly inaccurate claims in the news lately about autism and autistic people. There is a specific political agenda making the case that rates of autism are rising. Further, recent comments from RFK jr. have motivated us to respond and critique his asinine behavior. Autism is part of the human condition. Vaccines don't cause autism. We make an empassioned case against the misinformation ecosystem.

Recommendations

• Abraham: Deafheaven - “Lonely People With Power” (https://deafheavens.bandcamp.com/album/lonely-people-with-power) 
• Shane: Thunderbolts* (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20969586/)
• Bonus Recommend: Profound Autism Summit (https://www.profoundautismsummit.org/)

Holidays (5/14/2025):

• International Dylan Thomas Day
• National Buttermilk Biscuit Day
• National Dance Like a Chicken Day
• World Stationary Day
• International Chihuahua Appreciation Day
• Online Romance Day
• National Children’s Day in the UK
• National Receptionists Day
• National Third Shift Workers Day
• National Decency Day
• Shades Day
• Economic Development Week
• Food Allergy Awareness Week
• Hospital Week

Links and References: 

1. https://www.theautismservice.co.uk/news/the-history-of-autism/#:~:text=Born%20in%20the%20Russian%20Empire,t%20read%20or%20recognise%20faces.
2. https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/what-is-autism/the-history-of-autism#:~:text=Kanner%20syndrome,former%20London%20Borough%20of%20Camberwell.
3. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Autism-History.aspx
4. https://beyondthespectrummovie.com/a-history-of-autism/#:~:text=Experts%20now%20believe%20that%20humans,with%20autism%20appeared%20circa%201800. 
5. Lovaas, O. I. (1987). Behavioral treatment and normal educational and intellectual functioning in young autistic children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.55.1.3
6. https://www.factcheck.org/2023/08/scicheck-what-rfk-jr-gets-wrong-about-autism/ 

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Facilitating prosocial behavior is something humans have struggled with for a long time. We unfortunately discovered that coercion was effective at directing some behaviors to some degree. This lead to a pervasive tendency to focus on punishment to try to influence behavior, as opposed to reinforcement and encouragement. This is a guide for shifting emphasis back toward acknowledging what's working as a more effective behavior management strategy.

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Links and References: 

1. https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-magic-relationship-ratio-according-science/
2. Friman, P. C. (2021). There is no such thing as a bad boy: The circumstances view of problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 54(2), 636-653. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.816
3. Allison, Wade, & Nichols, Allison. (2016). Catch ‘Em Being Good:” An Extension Service and State School System Team Up to Promote Positive Outcomes for Youth. Journal of Youth Development. 3. 144-153. 10.5195/JYD.2008.293. 
4. https://www.tiee.org/teaching-fundamentals/positive-behavior-intervention-in-schools-pbis/ 

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

A lot of engenuity has come out of various human endeavors over time. One system by which invention is motivated is the competition of capitalism. Thus, many people laud capitalism and private enterprise as the solution to most or all problems. We wanted to explore the motivations and science behind the management of a system that is government operated compared to a system that is privately operated to look for effects on human behavior and society. Turns out, the answers are nuanced. 

Recommendations

• Abraham: Wheel of Time (season 3; https://www.primevideo.com/detail/The-Wheel-of-Time/0O0T3QWQ2OOTT8KCKC1PW233XW) 
• Shane: Wax Trax Records (https://www.waxtraxrecords.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopFbU71sLzY5hnnVkFQZWtSjwQQT2ymHHu0_i5PwRho65Xh1F1t)

Holidays (5/7/2025):

• Great American Grump Out
• National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day
• National Barrier Awareness Day
• National Cosmopolitan Day
• National Day to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
• National (Deaf) Interpreter Day
• National School Nurse Day
• National Skilled Trades Day
• National Tourism Day
• National Walk Bike & Roll to School Day
• Occupational Safety and Health Professionals Day
• Paste Up Day
• Protect Aces Day
• Air Quality Awareness Week
• Arson Awareness Week
• Be Kind to Animals Week
• National Hug Holiday Week
• National Hurricane Preparedness Week
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• ASL Awareness Month
• National Wildfire Awareness Month
• Jesse Spiker’s Birthday

Links and References: 

1. https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/501/economics/advantages-of-privatisation/ 
2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2016.04.002
3. https://www.downsizinggovernment.org/privatization#:~:text=Railroads%2C%20airports%2C%20energy%20companies%2C,bypassed%20our%20own%20federal%20government.
4. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/privatization-of-non-inherently-governmental-functions-why-public-private-partnerships-are-so-effective-and-so-rare-in-the-federal-government/
5. https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2020/09/15/privatized-prisons-lead-inmates-longer-sentences-study-finds/ 
6. https://www.afge.org/article/do-private-prisons-really-save-us-money/#:~:text=And%20on%20top%20of%20jeopardizing,to%20federal%20and%20state%20facilities.%22 

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Airlines have tried various methods to herd people onto a plane efficiently. Governing a lot of moving people is tricky. Which methods work to get people boarded? Did you know there is no standard way to do this? We'll break down the issues with boarding. 

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

Links and References:

• https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/by_the_numbers
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/there-are-quicker-ways-to-board-a-plane-so-why-dont-airlines-use-them/

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Last episode we spent a lot of time discussing some history about text-based communication in general, so we barely touched on the concepts you would need to get started teaching reading. This episode, we describe most of the remaining phonetic rules to teach reading in the bizare code that is the English language. 

Recommendations: 

• Abraham: Sinners (https://slate.com/culture/2025/04/sinners-movie-michael-b-jordan-horror-how-scary.html) 
• Shane: Spaceships over Glasgow by Stuart Braithwaite (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60891783-spaceships-over-glasgow)

Holidays (4/30/2025)

• Bugs Bunny Day
• Day of the Child
• Denim Day
• Hairstyle Appreciation Day
• Honesty Day
• International Guide Dog Day
• International Jazz Day
• National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
• National Animal Advocacy Day
• National Bubble Tea Day
• National Mr. Potato Head Day
• National Oatmeal Cookies Day
• National Raisin Day
• National Sarcoidosis Day
• National Therapy Animal Day
• Spank Out Day
• Stop Food Waste Day
• Go Diaper Free Week
• National Auctioneers Week
• National Green Week
• National Scoop the Poop Week
• National Youth Violence Prevention Week

Links and Reference: 

1. https://www.mheducation.com/prek-12/resources/science-of-literacy.html#:~:text=Let's%20start%20thinking%20in%20terms,readers%2C%20writers%2C%20and%20thinkers.
2. https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/#:~:text=The%20science%20of%20reading%20is%20a%20vast%2C%20interdisciplinary%20body%20of,School%20Psychology

https://www.reallygreatreading.com/blog/scarboroughs-reading-rope?srsltid=AfmBOopp-Hyjo_pG4GWpfCGsXJJgUgy2ca7hHNWZn8coyLQYFY3hytah

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

How many names do you have? In America, it is very common to have three names, with the second name, called the "middle name," being a way to honor family, or just sound cool. We explain the history and uses of middle names. Listen in and support us if you can: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links and Reference: 

1. https://blog.myheritage.com/2024/10/exploring-the-diverse-origins-of-middle-names-from-tradition-to-trend/
2. https://www.plansponsor.com/trivial-pursuits-middle-names-first-used/
3. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/why-no-middle-names.htm

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

We are giving away the secret sauce. This is how to teach reading in Enlighs and how to do it efficiently. It's the rare trifecta of quick, cheap, and good. This first discussion needs to first carefully explain what reading is so that it is clear how teaching it works. Come back for part two to hear the builk of the sequence of curriculum. 

Recommendations

• Metal Lords: https://www.netflix.com/title/81207588
• Shane: Bon Iver - SABLE,fABLE (https://open.spotify.com/album/3L3UjpXtom6T0Plt1j6l1T?si=8mIX_zWwTia7NCex2xq67g)

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

Holidays (4/23/2025):

• Administrative Professional’s Day
• Canada Book Day
• English Language Day
• Impossible Astronaut Day
• International Pixel-stained Technopeasant Day
• Lover’s Day
• Movie Theatre Day
• National Cherry Cheesecake Day
• National Lost Dog Awareness Day
• National Picnic Day
• Slay a Dragon Day
• Take a Chance Day
• Spanish Language Day
• Talk Like Shakespeare Day
• American Quilters Society Week
• Chemists Celebrate Earth Day
• Every Kid Healthy Week
• International Mariachi Week
• National Karaoke Week
• Holocaust Remembrance Week

Links and References: 

1. https://www.mheducation.com/prek-12/resources/science-of-literacy.html#:~:text=Let's%20start%20thinking%20in%20terms,readers%2C%20writers%2C%20and%20thinkers.
2. https://www.thereadingleague.org/what-is-the-science-of-reading/#:~:text=The%20science%20of%20reading%20is%20a%20vast%2C%20interdisciplinary%20body%20of,School%20Psychology
3. https://www.reallygreatreading.com/blog/scarboroughs-reading-rope?srsltid=AfmBOopp-Hyjo_pG4GWpfCGsXJJgUgy2ca7hHNWZn8coyLQYFY3hytah 

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 idea of holding someone hostage had to start somewhere. Actually, it started much more peacefully than what it evolved into. This episode is an exploration of the history of a word by reviewing Norse mythology. It is a blast, if we do say so ourselves. You're welcome.

Join our membership group: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links: 

1. https://norse-mythology.org/tales/the-aesir-vanir-war/#:~:text=The%20Aesir%20fought%20by%20the,cheated%20in%20the%20hostage%20exchange.
2. https://www.etymonline.com/word/hostage
3. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/hostage#:~:text=Definitions%20of%20hostage,captive%2C%20prisoner
4. https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3244331/how-word-hostage-used-mean-something-quite-different-its-modern-definition-israel-gaza-war-rumbles

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

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Special guest, journalist Ben Miller, joins us to talk about journalism compared to other forms of "news" and the importance of journalism to a functioning democracy. What do we do to combat the slew of misinformation propogated by real and false "journalists?" Ben has some ideas. Listen in and share your thoughts with us. 

Recommendations

• A Complete Unknown (https://www.searchlightpictures.com/a-complete-unknown)
• Doctor Sleep by Stephen King (https://stephenking.com/works/novel/doctor-sleep.html) 

Join our membership program: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

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

Everyone knows these squishly, novelty door prizes. Stress balls are touted as being able to help reduce your stress via the mechanical action of squeezing. Do they work to this end? Maybe! We'll explain in this brief, Monday mini. 

Join our membership: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast

Links: 

1. Yüksel & Güneş (2024). The Effect of Stress Ball on Anxiety and Pain Levels in Angiography: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Cardiovascular Therapeutics. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2024/5049092
2. https://www.paperstone.co.uk/News/articles/stress_ball#:~:text=In%201988%20Carswell%20patented%20the,the%20palm%20of%20the%20hand.
3. Srivarsan, R. and Sridevi, G. and Preetha, S. (2021) An Evaluation on Use of Stress Ball Exercise on Stress Management among Student Population – A Cross Section Study. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 33 (47B). pp. 506-514. ISSN 2456-9119
4. https://minds.wisconsin.edu/handle/1793/80293
5. Kasar, Erzincanli, & Akbas (2020). The effect of a stress ball on stress, vital signs and patient comfort in hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial. Complimentary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
6. Nurdina, G., Anggraini, D. ., Herdiman, & Hilda Novyanda. (2022). Effect of Stress Ball on Stress and Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients . Jurnal Keperawatan Komprehensif (Comprehensive Nursing Journal), 8(Special Edition). Retrieved from https://journal.stikep-ppnijabar.ac.id/index.php/jkk/article/view/385
7. https://www.healthline.com/health/stress/do-stress-balls-work#effectiveness
8. https://www.calm.com/blog/stress-balls
9. https://www.brownmed.com/uncategorized/do-stress-balls-really-work/ 

Ozen, N., Berse, S., & Tosun, B. (2023). Effects of using a stress ball on anxiety and depression in patients undergoing hemodialysis: A prospective, balanced, single-blind, crossover study. Hemodialysis international. International Symposium on Home Hemodialysis, 27(4), 411–418. https://doi.org/10.1111/hdi.13102

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Support our podcast: www.patreon.com/wwdwwdpodcast