The State of Us

Buying an electric car may be financially responsible, but it may not be the right decision for you. Justin and Lance break down the math behind owning an electric vehicle and discuss how driving an EV might change the way you travel. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, car, electric, EV, gas, travel, road, trip, money, finance, price, charging, chevy, ford, GM, tesla, environment

Should a student be allowed to take on $400,000 of student loan debt for a degree that leads to a $75,000 salary? Justin and Lance address the underlying causes of the student loan crisis in America and propose some real changes congress could make to solve this issue. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, student loan, education, money, school, college, university, degree, study, career, salary, planning, finance

4.3 million workers are missing and U.S. jobless claims reach a 52 year low. Justin and Lance discuss three potential options to solve the labor shortage issue in the United States. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, politics, labor, immigration, money, capitalism, automation, jobs, career, worker, unemployed, hiring

How are schools rethinking grade levels for students and the amount of time they spend in class? Justin and Lance discuss how education should shift towards application-level understanding and how unvaccinated college students are costing schools millions of dollars. tags: justin weller, lance jackson, education, school, learning, teaching, teacher, vaccine, money, loans, taxes, technology

How can you best leverage your skills in the strong labor market to get your dream job? Justin and Lance outline some tips on how to gain dream employment and finish the show with anecdotes on how to sustain a fruitful relationship. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, jobs, economy, hiring, employment, relationships, professional, development, work, ethic, money, romance

Should every college program publicly share the return on investment they provide? Justin and Lance are joined by Richy Richardson, a finance and economics student at the University of Cincinnati, to discuss the value of a college degree and how people should attain them. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, richy Richardson, economy, school, college, university, money, loans, education, finance, future, investment, interest

The human species was able to double its own life expectancy in under 100 years - could we do it again? Justin and Lance discuss the history of preventative medicine and what a future with humans regularly living to be 100+ years might look like. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, age, old, medicine, antibiotics, elderly, healthcare, economics, disparities, history, aging, immortality, science, policy, activism

A recent survey found that 93% of college freshmen trust their parents while only 36% of them trust major media outlets. Justin and Lance discuss how children are struggling with mental health, and how rural America is disproportionately affected by mental health challenges because of desolate economic, healthcare, and labor statistics. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, rural america, jobs, mental health, healthcare, economics, children, trust, politics, college

Gen Z spends half of their waking hours tied to a screen. Justin and Lance discuss a simple way to reduce stress and manage time while touching on the benefits of being more intentional with your time. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, phone, tik tok, screen time, walking, nature, family

Globalization has led to the creation of large new labor markets, better technologies, and the prevention of a third world war. Justin and Lance discuss how events in recent history have slowed the success of globalization and ask what price we are willing to pay for the benefits of globalization. tags: tsou, podcast, justin weller, lance jackson, globalization, jobs, money, economy, united states, india, china, russia, africa, politics, war

More companies are implementing a 4-day work week, but will employees work more hours under this system? Justin and Lance discuss the post-pandemic labor force, repurposing vacant office spaces, and reimagining retirement. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, work, labor, boss, office, retirement, week, money, invest, economy, savings

Corporate and political power brokers with access to Washington framed big oil and Christianity as the twin pillars of American exceptionalism in the modern age. Justin and Lance are joined by Darren Dochuk, author of Anointed With Oil, to discuss how Christianity and crude made modern America.tags: tsou, darren dochuk, oil, Christianity, crude, Christian, economy, money, God, Rockefeller, politics, history, america, middle east, canada, justin weller, lance jackson

What is making you more susceptible to being hacked? Justin and Lance breakdown the behavioral science of habituation, task switching, and multi-tasking and their role in increasing your risk of facing an online threat. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, online, internet, scam, safety, attention, memory, task, multi, web, car, EV, computer

Are you thinking about purchasing a new home? You may want to consider a big old house. Justin and Lance discuss the advantages of buying an old home and break down women's investing tendencies as more women take on the breadwinner role. tags: tsou, investing, house, home, family, women, economics, ownership, justin weller, lance jackson, land, career, stock market

People of all ages are becoming more forgetful. Justin and Lance discuss what may be the cause of our memory issues, and how to improve our cognitive ability. Finally, Justin connects these topics to music and shares his personal vinyl collection. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, music, memory, forget, health, physical, walking, partner, cognition, brain, psychology, neuroscience

How did one couple go from despising each other to being happily married for over 20 years and what can we learn from them about how to like people we find annoying? Justin and Lance break down four key ways to get to know people better and touch on AARP for the young. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, relationships, people, communication, annoying, aarp, young

How we teach history to our children will shape how they make decisions in the future. Justin and Lance discuss how schools should approach teaching the good and bad things about our nation's history.tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, race, theory, school, education, politics, democrat, republican, truth, debate, racism, America, united states, school, children

Why are the debt costs of landlords skyrocketing in 2023? Justin and Lance discuss why more are investing in storage units with the expectation that Americans will continue to accumulate more stuff and what these trends mean for you as a consumer. tags: tsou, podcast, justin weller, lance jackson, property, money, investment, land, storage units, apartments, wealth, home, stuff, items, land, debt, landlord, cost, rent

What is making you more susceptible to being hacked? Justin and Lance breakdown the behavioral science of habituation, task switching, and multi-tasking and their role in increasing your risk of facing an online threat. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, online, internet, scam, safety, attention, memory, task, multi, web, car, EV, computer

What should be required to gain American citizenship? Justin and Lance discuss how voting rights in America have changed throughout history, and suggest new ways to attain an involved, informed populous. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, voting, citizenship, rights, immigration, election, service, family

Will paper money be replaced or integrated into modern society and what might the future of spending look like? Also, young people are taking classes on how to better relate to older adults. Justin and Lance discuss the importance of having intergenerational interaction and the term 'senior.'tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, money, credit, generations, spending, education, learn

What is causing fewer people to work and how are baby boomers and generation z contributing to the falling labor force participation rate? Justin and Lance discuss the economic threat of a shrinking workforce and identify the root causes of this issue. tags: tsou, podcast, justin weller, lance Jackson, work, labor, job, market, mental health, money, family, parent, baby bommer, generation z

Kevin McCarthy made a series of promises to conservative Republicans to win the house speakership and keep legislation on track, but with a possible government shutdown and his own job on the line, things are coming due. Justin and Lance discuss the turmoil between McCarthy and the republican party. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, Kevin McCarthy, speaker, republican, house of representatives, government, politics, voting, laws, bills, united states

How much do you know about the foods you eat every day? Justin and Lance break down how your food is made and how to decode all the labels you come across in the grocery store.tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, meat, food, agriculture, cattle, sheep, chicken, farming, midwest, population, eating, grocery store

Voters are not looking forward to a repeat of the 2020 election - how will this impact voter turnout and the outcome of the 2024 election? Justin and Lance discuss the candidates running for the presidency and how the parties manipulate voter consensus. tags: tsou, podcast, justin weller, lance jackson, voting, president, 2024, election, government, politics, money

What's more important - life experiences or money and can you have both? Justin, Lance, and Levi discuss one homeowner who left the American dream behind to find more life experiences at the expense of his finances. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, money, finance, experience, life, house, apartment, family, career, planning

The national debt is significantly larger than the national GDP yet there is no clear path forward to resolve the debt crisis. Justin and Lance discuss how Democrats and Republicans are clashing over strategies to address the nation's mounting debt. Tags: tsou, Debt ceiling, National debt, Democrats, Republicans, Political debate, Economic policy, Fiscal responsibility, US economy, Financial future, Policy implications, justin weller, lance jackson

Is it ever necesary for all employees to come into the office? Also, what industries and companies are compensating their employees the most? Justin and Lance discuss office logistics, wage growth, and global business in China. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, china, business, money, salary, office, work, job, meeting, economy, capitalism, communism, america

How have real wages grown since 1980 but the quality of life has decreased? Justin and Lance discuss modern financial problems like housing, family dynamics, and cost of living. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, money, finance, cost of living, housing, family, planning, college, house, retirement, mortgage, wages, salary

What does the supermarket of the future look like and how will it impact small towns around the country? From in-store restaurants to data tracking, Justin and Lance discuss the changes that could be coming to a supermarket near you. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, supermarket, shopping, walmart, target, kroger, grocery, money, spend, savings, food, meal, budget, information, data

Justin and Lance are joined by Robin Erickson, Vice President of Human Capital at the Conference Board, to discuss what Generation Z values in the workplace and how employers can prepare to recruit the next generation of workers. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, robin erickson, conference board, economics, labor, gen z, boomer, millennial, money, salary

National debate continues to determine the optimal relationship between farmland and solar panels. Do we have to choose one at the expense of the other or can they coexist and benefit each other? Justin and Lance breakdown new agricultural research that highlights the promising future of solar panels and farmland. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, farm, land, solar, panels, energy, renewable, research, ohio, Indiana, corn, beans, farmer, economy, climate, change

How will career and retirement planning change as life expectancy increases? Justin and Lance discuss the possibility of the 60-year career and how it will change how we view retirement, education, and career switching. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, retirement, planning, job, career, social security, government, boss, money, paycheck, school, education

How does a community with a rising crime rate decide between offering the community a library or a more prominent police presence? Justin and Lance dissect this dilemma in a small Californian town and ask if compromises can be made to keep both. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, police, library, violence, crime, community, town, poverty, safety, children, school

Is it fair to judge past generations with the lessons and values of the modern day? Justin and Lance break down the complex character of Thomas Jefferson and ask how the United States should approach teaching its history. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, andrew jackson, history, America, united states, great britian, revolution, independence, founding fathers, adams

How did Thanksgiving become a customary holiday in American culture? Justin and Lance break down the history of Thanksgiving and how they celebrate the holiday with traditions, meals, and time with family. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, thanksgiving, family, time, cooking, turkey, dinner, lunch, cook, meal, food, America, history, holiday, tradition

What are the strengths and areas of most potential improvement for artificial intelligence? Justin and Lance discuss if AI is actually intelligent and how big tech companies are using it to better garner your attention. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, ai, artificial, intelligence, technology, education, economy, facebook, apple, meta, google, streaming

Marriage has proved to improve people's health, finances, and longevity - so, why are fewer people getting married? Justin and Lance discuss dating for lower-income males and how the dynamic between men and women has changed in modern marriage. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, money, career, men, women, family, children, caretaker, domestic, chores, school, marriage, dating, relationship, health

At the root of the mental health crisis and falling test scores may be the relationship that kids have with their phones. Justin and Lance cover the issues of phone usage in the classroom and apps putting children at risk of being exploited. tags: tsou, podcast, Justin weller, lance jackson, children, school, phones, technology, social media, tiktok, instagram, youtube, addiction, mental health, dopamine, reward

The political right and left are both convinced that the ideology opposite to theirs will lead to the downfall of American society. Justin and Lance discuss the data behind the political polarization in the United States and question what will be needed to reach a compromise. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, politics, voting, republican, democrat, right, left, government, polarized, compromise, social, culture

With the cost of college rising it is more important than ever to enter college with a detailed financial plan. Justin and Lance discuss 8 things that parents and students should consider before starting higher education. tags: tsou, podcast, justin weller, lance jackson, money, finance, school, college, university, tuition, loans, credit, score, debt, purchase

More than $1.5 trillion in commercial property loans come due by the end of 2025 and banks are becoming more conservative with their lending. Justin and Lance discuss how continued high interest rates will impact buying cars, houses, and apartments. tags: tsou, podcast, justin weller, lance jackson, money, finance, tax, interest, loans, bank, policy, card, credit, property, home, apartment, car

Today's consumers have many options to pay for goods and services. Justin and Lance break down how each payment method works, which methods they use, and the inherent risks involved with each payment method to help you decide what is best for you. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, payment, cash, credit, debit, apps, venmo, cashapp, money, saving, bank, spending, debt, interest, wealth, interest, score

Telecom giants have left behind a large network of cables covered in toxic lead and they are contaminating the places that Americans live, play, and learn. Justin and Lance discuss the severity of lead exposure and how this issue has been neglected by large corporations and government agencies. tags: tsou, podcast, justin weller, lance jackson, lead, cables, verizon, att, tmobile, poisioning, school, playground, children, public health, epa, government, safety

The 2024 election could be the second time in American history that there is a rematch for the presidency, and the novelties do not stop there. Justin and Lance break down 5 ways the expected rematch in the 2024 election will make history. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, donald trump, joe biden, america, united sates, voting, president, democracy, states, electoral college, politics, republican, democrat, government

The United States has lost 100 nursing homes per year over the last six years. Justin and Lance discuss how this is connected to the new housing trend of ditching bathtubs and combining essential rooms in the home. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, housing, home, family, money, finance, mortgage, bank, loan, interest, market, wealth, america, dream

Schools have sacrificed teaching history and civics in favor of prioritizing math, science, and reading. Justin and Lance discuss if this was a worthy sacrifice, and if the solution to low history scores lies in funding, allocating, or teaching. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, reading, math, science, history, civics, american, students, scores, tests, academics, high school, middle school, teach, learn

American voters are going through all five stages of grief leading up to a likely rematch of the 2020 election in 2024. Justin and Lance touch on how different groups of the American population are reacting to a Trump and Biden rematch and assess different possibilities for 2024. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, trump, biden, voting, politics, government, president, 2020, 2024, republican, democrat

What do you remember about summer camp? Kids today can expect a call for medications and therapy accommodations. Justin and Lance discuss the role that TikTok and related platforms have on the mental health of children and the increased focus on mental issues. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, tiktok, social media, instagram, youtube, snapchat, addiction, children, phone, dopamine, gratification

Is it possible for companies to take a stand on controversial social issues without starting a war with consumers and their own employees? Justin and Lance are joined by Robin Erickson, VP of Human Capital at The Conference Board, to discuss how companies are addressing this issue. tags: tsou, justin weller, lance jackson, robin erickson, work, business, company, leadership, social, culture