The State of Us

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 futur...

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, renewab...

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,...

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, d...

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, compr...

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, int...

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, scho...

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, rep...

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,...

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 schoo...

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...

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, gratifi...