Students at the Pulaski Middle School have the opportunity to participate in an artificial society after school which includes “jobs, [paying] personal and business bills and [running] government meetings in the school-based microsociety.”  The society is “an after-school program aimed at teaching kids life lessons—work hard, pay taxes, respect each other and, when there’s a break, have fun.”

My first reaction after reading the article was jealousy that the kids had something cooler to do after school than I did.  I was intrigued by the creation of a fake society, and thought it would be neat to have a job and manage a business while I was in middle school.  Of course, my older, jaded mind instantly started to wonder how long it would take for crime and corruption to take hold in the small community.

My other reaction was one of disappointment.  I’ve always had this feeling that kids are being forced to grow up faster and faster as time goes by.  I miss the days back when kids were allowed to be kids.  I think I was finishing the eighth grade when I got my first job officiating recreational soccer games.

Everything seems better when I was younger, especially cartoons.  I can’t believe what kids have to watch for entertainment today.  I can remember when the Ninja Turtles were all about pizza and being rad, but nowadays it seems like all they want to do is fight.  And I can’t believe I can’t ever watch Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network.

Sure the program is only about an hour or so after school, but the message is pretty clear that it’s time for the kids to start being adults.  There is so much time left in their lives after graduation it seems ridiculous to start working and stressing over bills already.

–Jonathan VanDerveer

http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/3counties/wb/185475

While our economy is the primary concern for many people right now, it is easy to forget about the military conflicts occurring that need support as well.  The Army needs vehicles to move its troops around.  Tanks, helicopters, and hummers are the first vehicles that come to mind, but the Army also utilizes Mack trucks.  

Well right here in the New River Valley, down at the Dublin Volvo plant, spokesperson John Walsh hopes to receive an order for 152 Mack trucks from the Army.  The order has already been placed, but Volvo is still deciding which plant will process it. With $28.5 million and three years of work produced by the contract, this deal would provide a huge boost to a small town manufacturer. 

The Dublin plant has 1,400 employees, with 973 of them classified as permanently laid off. I believe this contract would help create more jobs at the plant and bring more attention to a local business.  

-Philip Bloxam 

http://www.roanoke.com/business/wb/181271