Future Perfect 16

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Editor Mark Dallas Cover design Natalia Saj Layout Natalia Saj Mark Dallas Layout Assistant Isadora Look Azevedo With article contributions by Aboutfish, Alexandre Rodrigues de Aguiar, Edna Ivonne de Los Rios Jimenez, Isadora Look Azevedo, Natalia F. de Toledo Mendes, Natalia Saj, and Tae Won Yoon Images used are either used with permission, public domain or creative commons license (see p40) This year, English through Journalism will be available* in odd-numbered sessions (5, 7, 9, and 11). *Subject to demand

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Transcript of Future Perfect 16

  • Editor

    Mark Dallas

    Cover design

    Natalia Saj

    Layout

    Natalia SajMark Dallas

    Layout Assistant

    Isadora Look Azevedo

    With article contributions by About sh, Alexandre Rodrigues de Aguiar,

    Edna Ivonne de Los Rios Jimenez, Isadora Look Azevedo,

    Natalia F. de Toledo Mendes, Natalia Saj, and Tae Won Yoon

    Images usedare either used with permission,

    public domain or creative commons license (see p40)

    This year, English through Journalism

    will be available* in odd-numbered

    sessions (5, 7, 9, and 11).

    *Subject to demand

  • FUTURE PERFECT

    ISSUE #16: MAR '15

    Taiwan, Thailand or China?

    About sh

    Dreams and Nightmares: Do They Mean Anything?

    Isadora Look

    Body Image: The Thin Line Between Choice and Illness

    Natalia Saj

    Make Up for Men Makes a Comeback

    Tae Won Yoon

    The Perils of TV-show Addiction

    Natalia Saj

    Effectiveness of the Death Penalty

    Alexandre Aguiar

    What Causes People to Emigrate?

    Natalia Mendes

    How does fame affect Teenagers?

    Ivonne De los Ros

    Picture Credits

    Where the money went last time

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    8

    12

    16

    20

    26

    32

    36

    40

    41

    Send comments to [email protected]

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    By About sh

    Im from Taiwan.

    Every time I say that, 5 out of 10 non-Asian people immediately respond: Oh, Thailand is very beautiful!

    Then I have to explain: No, Taiwan is not Thailand. Its a fantastic island in East Asia, and is located between Japan and the Philippines.

    Four of them might say: I know! Taiwan is part of China, right?

    Of course, wrong. I have to explain even more: Taiwan owns its history and culture. 23 million Taiwanese can elect their president under a democratic constitution, and the Communist Party of China (CPC) never governs Taiwan.

    The cradle of Austronesian Taiwan is the cradle of Austronesian languages according to extensive research carried out throughout the islands of Southeast Asia, Madagascar and the Paci c. Anthropologists have found traces of ancient se# lements in Taiwan from up to fty thousand years ago. Jewels made of Taiwanese Jade three thousand years ago can be found in the Philippines and Vietnam, which reveals a prosperous civilization in those days. However, the destiny of Taiwanese aborigines has

    been totally miserable since Han Chinese from mainland China began immigrating to the island in the 17th century. The Dutch, the Spanish, the Great Ming and Qing Empires, the Japanese, and nally, the Republic of China (ROC) have colonized Taiwan over the last 400 years. As a result, hundreds of thousands of native people have been killed, and there are only about 540,000 of them left now. The population of the smallest tribe is only 142.

    ROC in Taiwan vs CPC in China Governed by the Kuomintang (KMT)a

    Taiwan, Thailand or

    China?

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    party from mainland Chinathe ROC reclaimed Taiwan from Japan after World War II. Nevertheless, Chen Yi, the KMT Chief Executive of Taiwan, was a butcher who led the 228 massacre in 1947. 18,000 to 30,000 innocent people died, including journalists, doctors, writers, professors and representatives, even mothers and their children. It has changed the relationship between Taiwan and China forever.

    During the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the KMT lost its Chinese territory to the CPC, which established the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). Then the KMT leader Chiang Kai-shek evacuated his ROC government to Taiwan. He and his son began a reign of terror over Taiwan for the next 39 years. Citizens, especially journalists, were imprisoned and executed just for reading communist books or criticizing the KMT. Fathers and sons were taken away by the secret police at midnight

    and their families never saw them again, even their bodies. The last Chinese president had died 27 years before. However, the KMT never published the truth about the period of the White Terrorto the public. According to o cial estimates, there were around 140,000 victims, but some estimates reach 200,000. Such events have led some Taiwanese to hate the Chinese their whole lives. Rebels organized an opposition called the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in 1986 and won the presidential election in 2000 and 2004. The ROC in Taiwan was a member of the United Nations until 1971. Since the political and economical power of China has grown stronger during these years, Taiwan has been forced to face a very tough situation.

    Only 21 member states of the UN recognize the ROC (Taiwan) as a sovereign state. As Taipei is the capital, Taiwan can only use the

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    title Chinese Taipei at international occasions such as the Olympic Games. Although the United States doesnt recognize Taiwan as a country, its paramount geostrategic importance affects the relationship among the USA, Taiwan and China. CPC declare that Taiwan is part of China everywhere as loudly as they can, but their claim does not reflect reality.

    Famous Taiwanese in the world Ang Lee, winner of Best Director at the 2005 and 2012 Oscars, is Taiwanese (not Chinese or American). Once, the Chinese media asked Angelina Jolie, With which Chinese director do you want to cooperate most? She answered, "I am not sure if you consider Ang Lee Chinese. He's Taiwanese." Three popular movies directed by Ang Lee are Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000),

    sports shoes sold worldwide are made in Taiwan, among them being Nike, Adidas and Air Jordan. Agricultural technology is also well developed, especially horticulture. You can eat hundreds of kinds of fruit in Taiwan, such as apple- avoured pineapples or cube-shaped watermelons. T a i w a n e s e food has great variety, too. Most importantly of all, they are cheaper than those from most d e v e l o p e d countries. One boxed meal costs only CAD$3 and you could have a plate of seafood for $4.

    A paradise for tourists Except for accommodation, tourists can enjoy cheap travel, entertainment, and souvenirs. In Taipei and New Taipei, you can take any bus or subway train using a Taipei pass, which

    Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Life of Pi (2012). Other famous Taiwanese are Nobel Prize winners in physics and chemistry: Samuel C. C. Ting (1976) and Yuan-Tseh Lee (1986). In sports, professional baseball pitcher Chien-Ming Wang won 19 games in the 2006 and 2007 season, which set a record for Asian pitchers

    in MLB. NBA player Jeremy Lin was born in the USA, but also has ROC citizenship since his parents are both Taiwanese. Kingdom of PCs, bikes, shoes and fruit

    Nowadays, Taiwan is known as the kingdom of personal computers, bicycles and the sports shoe industry. Acer and Asus are the fourth and fth biggest PC manufacturers respectively in the world, which held 15% of the global market share in 2014. Giant is one of top 10 most popular bicycle brands in the world and the best selling brand in China. 25% of

    costs $17 and lasts 3 days. Theres no need to pay tips or taxes in 99% of situations. Most Taiwanese can speak English and are usually very friendly to foreigners (but sometimes Chinese tourists might get a di erent reception). There are 9 national parks from high mountains to beautiful beaches. Mountain climbers

    see Taiwan as a holy land because the top 100 mountains are all higher than 3000 m. The highest is Jade Mountain ( Y u s h a n ) ,

    rising 3,952 metres above sea level. Taipei 101 was the highest building in the world from 2004 to 2009 and is now the sixth, remaining one of Taiwans most popular sights.

    According to lifestyle9.com, Taiwan is the second safest country in the world (Japan being the rst). Welcome to Taiwan and experience more di erences from Thailand and China!

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    By Isadora Look

    The concept that dreams have a scientific explanation started to be discussed a long time ago in Ancient Greece. People used to believe that dreams were messages from the Gods. Psychoanalysts believe that dreams bring our most repressed desires from the subconscious to the conscious, but in dreams we are able to live them.

    R e c e n t l y , s c i e n t i s t s discovered that even babies in utero have a stage of sleep called rapid-eye movement (REM). It happens when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. The length of a dream varies from 2030 minutes and people are more likely to remember

    them if they wake up during the REM phase.

    Opinions about the meaning have changed and varied through time, culture and religion, but for psychologists to understand what they really mean is a challenge of interpretation.

    Freud used to say that a dream is like writing a poem. People try to put their thoughts into the most summarized form and then translate them into a concrete form represented by images.

    There are many different types of dreams. Psychologists have been studying and dividing them into groups.

    Dreams and Nightmares: Do they Mean Anything?

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    something really similar happens in real life. Repetitive dreams are the kind of dream that usually happen when the individual has a constant worry or something permanent happening in his or her life. Sensuous dreams happen during a phase of a lack of affection or after a breakup. People tend to have these when they really miss someone.

    The scientific study of dreams overlaps with neurology and can vary from quantifying dreams to analysing brain waves during sleep. The study of dreams as a function of brain activity could bring great gains to science, though there are a lot of things that we don't know about the brain.The debate continues about the purpose and origins of dreams and this unexplored area of life.

    Creative dreams are used as a channel for creative thinking, represented by images, paintings or even books. Nightmares are an accumulation of bad thoughts and worries that the person had during the day. The word nightmare derives from the Old English mare, which was a mythological demon who torments others during the night. Nightmares are dreams that can cause strong emotions such as fear, horror, despair, anxiety and sadness.

    People who have lucid dreams know that they are dreaming and know how to control their dreams just like a movie. Predictive dreams seem to predict things that will happen in the future. The person has a dream, and sooner or later,

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    By Natalia Saj

    Although the feminist power is growing all over the world, body image discussions are always top rated and polemic. That is because many people of all ages su er every day from two di erent pressures, and neither one of them is easy to deal with.

    The rst one is the impossibly high standard of beauty presented in magazines. 99% are photoshopped images and may vary from each country. The main perfect shape is to have a thin waist, long legs, big breasts and a big bu# . Somewhat like Kim Kardashian but less scary. The second one is even more dangerous and is about body shaming and bullying: mostly with girls and

    women. Sentences like Ew, shes too skinny, or Shed be pre! y if she were skinnier, are just common in our societyand they shouldnt be.

    Body shaming and media scare tactics are responsible for a legion of pro-Anna/Mia girls (it means they are in favour of anorexia and bulimia, two dangerous eating disorders) and also of depression and even suicide.

    So how can we face these forces and still be happy and con dent?

    It is a hard challenge to accept yourself as you are. Lots of superstars have also had eating disorders: according to the Brazilian eating disorder combat website AnnarexicKiller.com, Lily Allen, Christina Ricci, Demi Lovato, Anah Portillo and Victoria Beckham are just some of the thousands

    of celebrities with famous cases of eating disorders and depression due to front-runner body issues.

    We can see Beyonc singing Pre! y Hurts and condemning the rules applied by TV and magazines as theyre so far from the truth. The song protests about the obsession of being thinner and thinner and declares that Perfection is a disease of a nation.

    131313131313131313131313131313

    So how can we face these of celebrities with famous

    Body Image: The Thin Line Between Choice and Illness

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    On the other hand, the Fat Pride or Size Acceptance movement is growing in several fields. For example, we are now seeing the appearance of plus-sized models on runways and in music hits as well.

    Meghan Trainor sings in All About That Bass that I see the magazine workin' that Photoshop, we know that shit ain't real. C'mon now, make it stop. If you got beauty, just raise 'em up, and states that Every inch of you is perfect from the bo! om to the top.

    The main issue we have today is not about being thin or being

    big: its all about accepting yourself and, above all, of respecting each other. Theres nothing wrong with being size 7 and wanting to be size 2, or wanting to gain 10 kilos or lling yourself up with silicon to get curves. At the end of the day, the important

    thing is to feel good about your own body, and as long as you are doing this healthily and for yourself and not to be accepted in society.

    After all, if people judge you for what you look like and not for who you truly are, you shouldnt bother with them. Happiness is inside you and that is beautiful.

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    By Tae Won Yoon

    Have you ever seen a man who puts on makeup? If you are a man, have you ever put on makeup? What do you think about men who wear makeup?

    Recently, men are ge# ing interested not just in grooming but also in using cosmetics and makeup. They want to slim down and do exercise so they can wear nice clothes, and they are fascinated with following fashion trends. Actually, the market for men is rapidly being expanded not only in fashion but also in grooming and makeup all over the world.

    This is especially, the case in Asia. If you watch a South Korean music program, you can see most idols are performing on the stage wearing makeup and wearing ashy out ts that are both fashionable and eye-catching. Furthermore, you can see a lot of men are walking around with BB cream (Blemish

    Balm) on their faces and wearing cologne. Some even wear eyeliner!

    A Brief History of Mens Grooming and Makeup

    There is lots of evidence that men have applied makeup and cared about their appearance since the beginning of human history.

    The association between men and makeup was even mentioned in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 23:40):

    They even sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and behold, they came. For them you bathed yourself, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments.

    Egyptian burials dating back to 10,000 BCE suggest that men used to wear eyeshadow. Grooming originated as a way of keeping hygiene and health. It was used to protect the skin from the hot sun and dry winds by using oil and creams.

    Make Up For Men Makes a Comeback

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    a terrible result, It was still popular. By Victorian times, mens makeup was considered the devil's making, and as a result, mens grooming and

    their use of makeup faded.Banker and manufacturer Anthony Overton was the rst African American to lead a major business conglomerate. He created a face powder called High Brown to be marketed to African Americans, which was hailed as "the rst market success in the sale of cosmetics for black women and was completely successful in the womens grooming market, but not the mens.

    In the late 20th century, mens grooming, skincare and makeup emerged to become

    After Alexander the Great won the ba# le of Issos in Persia, he entered the tent of King Darius. He found the makeup box which had kept priceless grooming products like ointments and perfumes, and then Alexander threw it out. Ironically, when he later traveled in Asia, he himself became addicted to mens grooming.

    Around 100 CE, Romans were fascinated with mens grooming and makeup. They used to put on barley our, bu# er on pimples, and sheep fat and blood on ngernails.

    During the early Middle Ages, the church strongly restricted mens grooming and makeup. It was frequently criticized by religious zealots.

    Then by the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, it had become popular again. Men washed their hair with rosemary water and used sage (salvia) to whiten teeth. Unfortunately, lead and arsenic were included in the makeup that was used to whiten skin, so it brought about many early deaths. Even though it brought about

    popular again. Men began to focus on grooming and makeup for their appearance just as the Egyptians and Romans did before them.

    Mens grooming market Expands around the world

    Nowadays, many men use some sort of grooming product for their appearance. The mens grooming industry generated $964 million in US department store sales in 2011, an increase of 11% compared to the previous year. Facial cleansers, lotions/moisturizers and lip products are the most commonly used products among males.

    Recent studies have shown a worldwide increase in the use of mens grooming products, a trend that looks like it will not slow down anytime soon.

    According to entertainment writer Adams Hopper, you should use a foaming cleanser once or twice a day to remove dead skin cells and excess oil. Instead of using moisturizer each morning, consider using a ma# e BB cream that matches your natural skin tone."

    He goes on to say that "too much is even worse than less. This will not only even colour correct your skin tone, cover your blackheads and moisturize your skin for the day also protect your skin safely from UV (the suns ultraviolet).

    Use a heavier moisturizer on your skin at night to improve your skins appearance and prevent wrinkles. Once a month use a pore strip to help remove blackheads and improve the appearance of your pores.

    If you are not sure that you will carry out what I write, at least wash your face every morning and evening with an exfoliating facial soap. After washing, apply a light moisturizer to your face as well as a high-SPF sunscreen. If you have to go outside in cold weather, apply lip balm and a heavier moisturizer.

    If you are one of those men who think that wearing makeup is just for girls, just remember that you dont have to end up looking like a drag queen. Its about enhancing what you have and reclaiming an old tradition.

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    The Perils of TV-show

    addictionFacing the dark side of the TV-Show parallel universe and how far people go to watch their favourite episodes.

    By Natalia Saj

    TV shows are, most of the time, our bread and circuses: they help us to forget our problems and relax after a tough day at work, entertain us on bad weekends or even heal the wounds of a broken heart. But at which point do they become dangerous to our health and social relations? A recent survey done at Texas University analyzed the behaviour of 316 young people between 18 and 25 years old, and the result was that watching more than one sitcom at once can be a sign of depression or loneliness. Also, this habit can cause health issues such as obesity and ophthalmological lesions.

    After interviewing 33 students of the same age, Future Perfect uncovered some surprising data. 58% of those interviewed watched series every day and 39% watched 4 shows or more during the same period. However, 79% believed that the TV-show addiction would not harm their interpersonal relationships or their health.

    Looking at this scenario, I interviewed a student from ILSC, whom I refer to as Talia to protect her identity.

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    Future Perfect: Talia, you consider yourself a TV-series addict. How did it start? Was there a special event?

    Talia: I guess it started about 8 years ago. I was 15 and I received a DVD from HBO with the pilot episodes of The Sopranos, Six Feet Under and three other series I cant remember now. I watched the whole season of SFU and, before I realized, I was watching three series at the same time! FP: Wow, 8 years is a really long time. How many series have you watched already?

    Talia: There were so many. I can hardly remember all of them. But the ones Ive watched all seasonsor at least a big part of themas soon as they aired on TV were House M.D., Law and Order, Greys Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, The

    Big Bang Theory, Skins, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Six Feet Under, Pre! y Li! le Liars, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Sons of Anarchy, Gossip Girl, The Borgias, House of Cards, Mad Men, Lost, Crossing Jordan I guess Ive forgo# en a lot of them. FP: Oh my God! So how do you deal with all these series? Dont you forget what is going on or get the characters mixed up?

    Talia: I dont usually watch two series with the same themes at the same time. Also, I rather prefer to watch one entire season before changing series, except if two series have new episodes at

    the same time. In t h o s e cases, I u s u a l l y get the episodes as soon as they are

    on air. Its pre# y much what is happening now with The Walking Dead and Be# er Call Saul: I watch them as

    soon as they are available for download or on Net ix (which is the case with BCS).

    Thats become another habit of mine, reducing the names to initials, so The Walking Dead becomes TWD, Game of Thrones is GoT And that is the way I usually discuss them with my friends.

    FP: So as I can see that The

    Walking Dead is your favourite show for now. What do you think about this season?

    Talia: Well, here in Toronto I dont have AMC channel on cable and cant download the episodes either. So since I got here, Ive already lost two episodes of The Walking Dead. So Ive asked my boyfriend to download the chapters for me and send them by WhatsApp as li# le

    videos so I can watch them using the subway wi- without downloading them.

    Of course, there were other things, too. For example, I left a party early on a Monday night because TWD mid-season would return that night, so my boyfriend and I ran like crazy people just to get to his place on time. FP: And you think that this addiction is harmful to you in any way?

    Talia: I wouldnt say harmful, but sometimes I feel it is really annoying to wait for a new episode. Even the waiting time is about a week, and this may be dangerous.

    Sometimes, I dont schedule events when theres a new episode coming out, but it is pre# y rare. As they are shortabout 3045 minutesits nothing that can damage my health and de nitely does not a ect my relationships, because they are another subject to talk about to my friends.

    "(...) before I realized, I was watching three

    series at the same time!"

    "I feel it is really annoying

    to wait for a new episode."

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    FP: So do you take any care to avoid this addiction causing damage to your health or your relationships?

    Talia: My grandmother used to say that too much of anything is not good, so I keep everything within healthy limits. I do not spend more than three hours watching TV without doing anything else and mixing it with other activities. As I like to go out frequently, it helps me to keep a balance. FP: Good strategy. Do you have any tips for our readers?

    Talia: Dont lose yourself in the episodes and dont forget they arent real: sometimes we are in this paradise world created by shows and we often fail to remember that real life is outside and not on Net ix.When you watch more than a whole season at one binge session, it is time to review your concepts and get out of the house!

    As we can see from Talia's interview, TV shows are a good entertainment tool for our activities, but they should be carefully watched in order to not become a bad habit.

    From the surveys, we can learn that people actually become addicted to TV series, and they are dangerous enough to harm health or even social relationships.

    So do TV shows a ect you?

    Stay tuned for the next episode of...

    ...Future Perfect!

    Did you know you can

    read all the back issues of

    Future Perfect online?

    Go to j.mp/futureperfects

  • 26 27

    By Alexandre Aguiar

    Currently, there are many di erent kinds of executions used around the world, including beheading, electric chair, gas chamber, hanging, lethal injection and shooting. Moreover, many are the reasons for convictions, such as drug-related crimes, religious edicts, o ences 'against the person', and war crimes.

    The main controversy about this subject is to de ne how e ective the death penalty is in preventing crime. While many defend that capital punishment really works against criminality, others argue that there is no evidence about its e ectiveness.

    Actually, people who are against death penalty allege di erent pleas to justify their opinion.

    Formally, the death penalty (or capital punishment) is the result of a legal process whereby the state decides to put a person to death as a punishment for a crime. Nowadays, there are 103 countries where the death penalty was completely abolished for all crimes, 6 countries where the capital punishment was abolished, except in exceptional/special circumstances, 50 nations where executions are not used in practice, although they are in law, and 36 states where there is legal provision and the penalty is e ectively practiced.

    The rst one is a logical religious reason: if God created the universe and gave us our lives, only he has the right to decide about human death. This is a frequent argument to refuse every kinds of capital punishments. They also believe that while a criminal is alive, he has the possibilityand the rightto regret, rehabilitate and change his behavior.

    Likewise, there are some moral averments. For instance, the criminal death would be a revenge, which is not the best solution to prevent crimes and punish for them. Even if a criminal had killed someone, his death just would cause more pain to other people, besides it would not give comfort or relief to the murdered family. Thus, in most cases, capital punishment would not have any practical result to e ectively combat crimes.

    Many people have the opinion that most murders are also the responsibility of the government. In other words, the authorities do not

    o er basic conditions to the people, in terms of health care, education, job opportunities and many others, so part of the population decides for the commitment of crimes. Based on these facts, the state could not kill a criminal, if the own state collaborate to the happening.

    Finally, there are factual arguments to be against the capital penalty, especially about its e ectiveness. Actually, there are many such ndings, but they have di erent results.Some point to a decrease in criminality, and others that do not identify this. Because of the doubt and uncertainty about the real statistics that determine the e ectiveness, many people adopt the most conservative side, disagreeing with the death penalty.

    On the other hand, people who defend capital punishment claim that criminals would be afraid of the possible death sentence, and that this would decrease crime, while others believe that criminals do not think about the penalties

    Effectiveness of the Death Penalty

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    who are irrecoverable. Even if governments made e orts to rehabilitate criminals, they would not change their behaviour. Therefore, o enders would remain a risk, and feared as a danger to society. That is why, for them at least, capital punishment would be supposedly the only possible and reasonable solution.

    Moreover, such defenders of the death penalty argue that, given that judges only convince a person when there is unquestionable evidence, there is li# le risk of eventual mistaken

    before commi# ing an illegal action. For instance, the United Nations has the opinion that executions do not interfere in the statistics of criminality, and that is why this important i n t e r g o v e r n m e n t a l organization is absolutely against the death penalty.

    The death penalty defenders believe that impunity encourages people to keep commi# ing crimes. To their minds, as long as laws and their enforcement are strict, the rate of crimes will remain lower. Furthermore, they believe that there are many criminals

    judgement. However, even if a wrong verdict is given, the authorities can rely on the famous legal principle of abusus non tollit usum, a Latin legal term meaning, "Abuse does not hinder use". This means that, if everything that involves risk of mistake is unlawful, every human act that involves danger would be illegal simply because of the risk. For example, many vehicles are being produced in the world, and people know that a few of them have manufacturing d e f e c t s . Nevertheless, even though they are aware of the risks, consumers agree that the vehicles should keep being produced because of their usefulness. The same principle can be applied to death penalty: Since they are deemed useful to society, the risks do not preclude executions.Ultimately, there is an

    economical argument. Research suggests that the cost of a capital sentence is 70% higher than a prison conviction. Therefore, the money spent on this kind of penalty would be better spent on improving the essential services offered by governments instead of ineffective punishment.

    Based on the facts, research and statistics, what would be better to prevent crime?

    R e s e a r c h carried out in the US points out

    that, in 2004, the rate of murder was 5.71 per 100,000 inhabitants in the States that exercised the death penalty. By contrast, this number was 4.02 per 100,000 in the states where capital punishment is abolished. This indicates that capital punishment does not deter crime.Likewise, in 2003, 27 years

    "The death penalty

    defenders believe that

    impunity encourages

    people to keep commi# ing

    crimes.

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    the death penalty was temporarily suspended in the United States, researchers gathered murder statistics across the country. In 1960, there were 56 executions in the country and 9,140 murders.

    By 1964, when there were only 15 executions, the number of murders had risen to 9,250. In 1969, there were no executions and 14,590 murders, and in 1975, after six more years without executions, 20,510 murders were commi# ed, rising to

    after the death penalty was abolished, homicide rates in Canada had dropped 44%. A c c o r d i n g l y , i n s t e a d of a safer society, the application of the death penalty has had a detrimental effect because it only serves to legitimize the use of force by the state and perpetuate the cycle of violence.

    Conversely, there is also data that suggests the opposite.

    From 1972 to 1976, when

    23,040 in 1980 after only two executions since 1976.

    In summary, between 1965 and 1980, the number of annual murders in the United States increased from 9,960 to 23,040, an increase of 131%. The murder rate doubled from 5.1 to 10.2 homicides per 100,000 persons. So the number of murders grew as the number of executions shrank.

    Still, according to Dudley Sharp of the criminal justice reform group Justice For All, from 1995 to 2000, executions averaged 71 per year, a 21,000 percent increase over the 19661980 period. The murder rate

    dropped from a high of 10.2 (per 100,000) in 1980 to 5.7 in 1999a 44% reduction. The murder rate is now at its lowest level since 1966.

    Cognizant of the claims against and in favour of the death penalty, it is up to each person to decide whether to support or refute this severe legal remedy.

    Which side are you on?

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    By Natalia Mendes

    For decades, people have moved from their home countries for many reasons. The emigration rate is higher every year and I decided to write this article to be# er understand what causes people to face this radical change.

    Here I have listed some pull reasons, which means that other countries o er be# er conditions in some ways, such as good economy, job opportunities, cheaper transportation and with easy access, and a language of interest.

    Yet, in this article, I have included push reasons, which make people emigrate because of the bad conditions in their native countries, such as poverty, internal con ict, and lack of prospects for career advancement.

    TOP 8 Reasons for why people emigrate:

    1. Financial Stability: People are constantly pursuing nancial stability and be# er future conditions. Minimum wage varies from one country to another. In some developed countries, even earning the minimum wage, people can a ord to pay a rent, food, transportation, cell phone account and go out sometimes. In other undeveloped countries the minimum wage is totally incompatible with the cost of living, which drives people to a state of poverty.

    What causes people to emigrate?

    2. Political Reasons: Some countries have serious political problems, such as corruption, lack of solutions by the government to social problems and a lack of fundamental rights. Many people emigrate in order to gain a new identity andor to gain political rights. Besides this, some countries have internal con icts and wars, which make people think twice about built their family in such a country.

    3. Good education: People emigrate in search of good and unpaid educational opportunities, no ma# er in which level they are: kindergarten, high schools, colleges or universities.

    4. High Standard of Living: It is often seen that parents send their children abroad to a# ain a be# er lifestyle. The reality is that they try their best to provide be# er career prospects and lifestyle to their children which they themselves might not have acquired in their lives.

    5. Relationship: Many people travel abroad to study and end up in a marriage. This makes people emigrate and start a new life in another country.

    6. Work Opportunities: Some countries face the lack of professionals in speci c and strategic areas. Because of this, they pay a considerable salary for those who are quali ed and t the positions. Yet, in these situations the country encourage people to immigrate, providing a# ractive and well structured immigration programs.

    7. Following people who did and succeeded: If a person emigrates and succeed abroad, his/her friends and family may start a chain and emigrate to the same country or another country to pursue future prospects.

    8. New lifestyle: Some people dont identify with

    Immigrants and non-permanent

    residents of Canada in 2001

    by country of birth

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    their native countries so they travel and eventually nd a country that ts with their personality.

    CANADA

    Canada in known as the most immigration-friendly country in the world. Its multiculturalism, high standard of living and employment opportunities catch the a# ention of those who want to emigrate.

    Since 2014, Canada's immigration target is to accept around 250,000 new permanent residents per year, considering mainly skilled workers and people with family members already in the country.

    Most of Canada's foreign-born population is from the United Kingdom, however most of these people immigrated a long time ago. The newcomers generally chose the major urban areas of Toronto and Vancouver to start their new lives. Since the 1990s, the majority of Canada's immigrants have come from Asia. China, India and the Philippines are the leading emigrating countries to Canada.

    AUSTRALIA

    Although Australia has one of the highest standards of living in the world, its also one of the most expensive places to live. The main characteristics that a# ract people who want to emigrate are the pleasant weather, employment support, healthcare services and high wages.

    Before the 1970s, Australia had an immigration policy in which British people could become an Australian just by living there for a while. Things have changed since then, but still today the United Kingdom is the biggest source of Australias immigrants, followed by New Zealand.

    The level of immigration to Australia has grown considerably in previous decades. From 1993 to 2003, it increased about 290%. The main immigrants were skilled workers or people who applied for family re-union programs.

    Australia is one of the countries with the highest proportion of immigrants in the world,

    a quarter of its population having been born outside the country.

    EXPERIENCE

    In order to know real cases of emigrations, Future Perfect interviewed M. Jo (Her name has been altered) who immigrated to Canada in 2005.

    M. Jo is from Japan and immigrated to Canada to experience things that she couldnt have in her country, such as job opportunities, to live in a multicultural city and try many kinds of food.

    One year after her arrival in Canada, she got a job in a language school for foreign students as a Japanese consultant. She mentioned

    that her lifestyle in Canada is totally di erent from the one she had in Japan and all her goals were achieved.

    We also talked to Brenda S., who immigrated to Canada in 2009. As a teenager who had the initial goal of taking part in an interchange to study English and live in Canada for only one year, Brenda S. came from Brazil in 2008 and, during her interchange, she met her current husband. She fell in love and got used to the Canadian life.

    She noticed that the country had good job opportunities and it was a perfect place to build a family as education and social security are very e cient.

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    How Does Fame AffectTeenagers?

    By Ivonne De Los Rios

    Everybody has to live through that terrible phase called adolescence . The point is that when you are a teenager, you are not a child, but neither are you adult. Many things become confused, and it seems that the entire world is against you just because you got a new pimple on your face.

    Whatever, the parents pay for every single mistake in their lives and they have to live with those horrible people that used to be their sweet children.So what happens if, after this complicated situation, you add the word FAME?... Boom!

    Many children become famous after they can realize what it means. Everybody wants to take a picture of (or with) them, and suddenly everybody seems to love everything they do. When

    teenagers do something wrong, their parents will stop them or punish them, even by not giving them their allowance But how can a famous persons parents stop their children? That's right, they cant!

    There have been many cases like this, about very talented people that promise to become huge actors or singers, but they are not only having adults lives receiving exorbitant amounts of money. They are also not going to school but going to work, so that can be very dangerous.

    Let's talk about some of the teen stars that have had to ght the clutches of fame.

    Once upon a time, a beautiful blond girl called Britney Spears became a pop princess. She was amazing.She was a very impressive

  • 38 39

    Lohan has extraordinary talent, and now she is trying to make a comeback, but it will be very hard for sure.

    When the teenagers world is combined with fame, it becomes dangerous and unstoppable because there's no way to control someone that already has enough money to do whatever he or she wants, whether it is right or wrong. The stars entourage have to do what theyre told because their jobs depend on it, and their boss has the last word. In most cases, people gather around just for money or fame by association, pretending to be their friends, but usually they are not. It is really hard to nd a real friend in such an environment. In the end, the only way to keep their feet on the ground is for their parents to stay with them, communicate with them, be patient and never forget who the adult is.

    dancer with an incredible body and a huge voice, not to mention a stupid amount of money, and all this before she was 25. She got married in Vegas and got divorced few hours later, then she had another relationship, became a mommy and also became crazy. Suddenly, she shaved her head in front of hundreds of photographers, but still she survived. A long time ago in a small town in Canada called Stratford, a li# le boy named Justin Bieber used to sing at the subway stairs. His mom decided to record him and surprise: he became a

    tremendous success on Youtube.

    Not only J u s t i n Timberlake but also U s h e r

    wanted to make him a superstar, and that happened. Years later, the kid was involved in drugs, crazy parties, love problems with another superstar, and nally, he was thrown in jail for drunk driving. After all this, he seems to have returned to normality and has calmed down. At the end of 90's, a ginger girl seduced the world with her amazing interpretation of twins in the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap.

    Then she starred in Disneys Freaky Friday, Mean Girls and Herbie. Suddenly, she got involved with drugs, became skinny, explored her sexuality for a few months, and was in and out of jail and rehab (many times). Lindsay

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    Where the money went last time...

    The January 2015 Journalism Class gave half the money (more than $100) away as a prize to a lucky Future Perfect reader.

    The Picture Credits forthis issue

    Picture credits for and links to photographs, graphs and

    illustrations used in this issue can be seen at

    j.mp/fp16credits

    We gave the rest away to two very happy street people. Gord (above-centre) was one of them.

    If you have any ideas for content or charities for future issues of Future Perfect, or if you would like to advertise, contact us at [email protected]

    The money for this issue will be distributed in much the same way.