Wait, let me rephrase that: cheaters are stupid. You go to school to learn and to gain credibility through attainment of a diploma, so you can hold it up to a prospective employer and say, "Yeah, I’m legit." Post-high school, people actually pay money for this opportunity. So it doesn’t make any sense when you hear of cheating becoming so prevalent in today’s universities. That’s like buying lunch, throwing it in the trash without eating it, and then showing off the receipt just to show that you ate there. Like I said: stupid.

There are a thousand sorry excuses out there about why cheating is happening and even why it is more acceptable now. So-called experts will claim that it shows a greater level of intelligence when students find "shortcuts." Relativists will assert that constructs like test rules are outdated and that kids can’t be expected to obey those archaic things.

Just to show how foolish these arguments are, let us take a quantum leap into the future where these kids are running the businesses, homes, and government of America. Imagine, if you will, these kids finding "shortcuts" to providing for their families. Imagine them deciding that the laws of our society, like driving on the right side of the road, selling drugs, and not hurting others, are outdated and that they shouldn’t have to follow them anymore. Pretty scary.

Picture them at the workplace without even a foundational knowledge of the concepts they will need to be successful. When it comes to cheaters, you really have no guarantee that they will do anything they say they will do or that they will follow any rules.

Given the frightening consequences of tolerating cheating, schools and parents need to take action now to teach the valuable lesson that cheaters never prosper.

One of our January articles highlighted some of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S, based on number of deaths per 100,000 workers in 2007. Commercial fishing topped the list. I have to admit, I really just wanted the opportunity to draw this comic (for some reason, Death sitting in a benign setting is always good for a laugh). But while I’m here, how about a little rant? 

Why do people keep going into these careers?!

Opportunities abound for people to get better, safer jobs, at least in the U.S. Higher education is more widely available than ever before. The myth that people born into a certain social class or career are destined to remain there is obsolete. Anyone, with the right amount of determination and hard work, can get a better education and a better job. This has never been so true as it is now. 

Get yourself some schooling, regardless of the cost. Find a career that will allow you to make your living without a high risk of dying. Sitting at home every night, with all of your fingers still in place and a soft office belly under your shirt, you’ll be glad you did.

Is it just me, or are good jobs getting harder to come by? I have been in the midst of a job search for the last few months and have grown accustomed to checking job search sites, skimming the classifieds, and working the network. In the last few weeks, however, I have noticed a troubling trend. It could just be my recession-phobic imagination, but it looks like the good jobs are disappearing. Sure, you can always find a job as a customer service rep in some call center or as a security guard scanning irate travelers at the airport. But with food and gas prices skyrocketing, who can live on $10 an hour? What is happening to all the jobs for people who are looking for high salaries and challenging tasks?