Cover photography & post production Marcio Fonseca All other photographic material herein is ___

Magazine layout & editing Mark Dallas

FUTURE PERFECT
Issue #6: Dec '12
send comments to futureperfect.editor@gmail.com
This Months Contributors Mini-bios of those who made it possible ___________________2 Introduction By the Editor _________________________________________3 Hipster Hunting Hints
Loana Gatti examines a subspecies under the microscope __________________________________________4

Bricks as Canvas

Yi-Wen Mandy Huang interviews 2 of Torontos Most Notorious _________________7

Subway Suicides and the Slippery Slope

Maria Franchi interviews a health professional about the link between mental illness and ending it all ___________11

Waking up to Black Friday

Alejandro Mejia Yepes looks at why more people each year choose to not spend money for 24 hrs ________14

Finding your Niche in Toronto We (Also) Exist

Marcio Fonseca gets kicked out of a fetish club __________16 Andrija de Araujo & Marcelo de Carvalho discuss problems facing young people kicked out of home for being themselves ________________________________18

Staying Safe on the Subway

Priscilla Rodrigues tells you how to avoid becoming a statistic under ground _________________________________20

Where the money went last time __________________23

THIS MONTHS CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Dallas is the founder and Editor of Future Perfect. The 1986 Pontins Knobbly Knees champion sometimes wears a kilt. His dream is to learn how to play the bagpipes. Alejandro Mejia Yepes studies business in EAFIT University and has experience in sales and textiles. Andrija Fontebasse de Araujo is a 21-year-old Brazilian soccer-player wannabe who loves traveling, drinking wine and driving her 1986 VW Beetle (but not at the same time). Shes about to graduate Advertising University. Loana Gatti is a weird chick who writes weird things about weird people (i.e. hipsters). She likes trains. Marcelo Silva Galvao de Carvalho is a 26-year-old student who loves movies, his friends and drinking beer or vodka and is passionate about life. In Brazil, he studied advertising, direction and screenplay in cinema and TV , and knows how to appreciate a good movie. Marcio Roberto Jordo Fonseca is a Brazilian advertiser and amateur photographer. He has worked in some ad agencies where he had the opportunity to learn a lot of stuff from a few creative minds. Travelling and reading are his passions, and he also believes that meeting different people and hearing their stories helps him live a better life. Maria Claudia Franchi has a Bachelors Degree in Literature from the University of So Paulo and is currently on a one-year Work Experience Program. Her favourite hobbies are singing, dancing bossa nova and listening to jazz. Priscilla Ferreira Rodrigues is a 26-year-old Brazilian journalist and post graduate in script writing for lm and TV . In her free time, she likes to discover new things, through travelling, talking, reading or asking questions. Yi-Wen Mandy Huang () is a TV & Broadcasting major from Taiwan who spends a lot of her time watching movies and listening to music. One day she hopes to own a coffee shop.

EDITORS

INTRODUCTION to the UNDERGROUND ISSUE

The word underground has several meanings. Taken literally, it means subterranean, such as are most rapid transit systems. Two of this issues articles feature the Toronto subway system: one about how to avoid becoming a victim of crime while riding the rocket, and the other asks a mental health professional about what drives people to throw themselves under it. The other meanings of underground are more gurative. One describes an activity that is secret and sometimes illegal or against a government. Underground art is often political, usually appears in public places and has a following independent of commercial success. In this issue we interview 2 Toronto artists who have appeared in the news because of their work. One writer confronts consumerism on Buy Nothing Day. Another meaning of underground points to members of society who try new and often shocking ways of living. Two of the articles feature chosen underground ways of living: we track down hipsters riding their xies and drinking ironic bottles of Pabst Blue Ribbon, while another delves into the exotic world of fetish clubs and other nightlife. Happy reading. 3

Mark Dallas

Hipster Hunting Hints

Loana Gatti
ipsters. Who are they? Where are they? Do they represent a threat to our society? Here are the most frequently-asked questions when it comes to these unfriendly and hated martyrs. Hipsters appeared only a few years ago, so they are not used to behaving like other humans. However, their communities and settlements spread at light4 ning speed, and their remaining divergence from our society draws the attention of onlookers and tourists around the world. Because they are often hated, they tend to isolate themselves, creating an almost indestructible social barrier. The following advice I am about to give you will help to break the ice and discover more about this extremely odd and fascinating species! I will therefore expose tactics and other subterfuges to go unnoticed in these hostile lands. This guide will reveal all you need to know about the hipster.

First of all, you have to know that hipsters follow a very strict dress code. In addition to allowing him to assert his identity regarding the clan, the hipster can be recognized in any community. To spot a hipster, you do not need to be extremely aware: they detach themselves easily from the crowd. Males as well as females usually wear used and worn supertight jeans. The tank top is also very popular for both, with a preference for sizes XXS for females: the tinier, the better. Shoes vary from fancy sneakers to beige moccasins, to unisex laced leather shoes, not to mention the essential accessory: the backpack. It allows hipsters to carry with them any other random items, such as a lm camera, a pair of Wayfarer glasses, a moleskin notebook and last but not least, a Macbook. This is the key symbol of the hipster community, representing the ultimate success and achievement. Then you should know that

+
For more info, see hipsterhandbook.com

the hipster adopts a very specic behaviour when it comes to socializing with the enemy, in other words, you. First of all, the hipster always denies. The goal is to look casual in the eyes of the non-hipster. The hipster is dangerously arrogant and indifferent to everything. Do not take it personally; it is only a defense mechanism, which is quite understandable, regarding the hostile land they live in. Adopt the same behaviour; the hipster will probably appreciate it even if he does not show it. The hipster does not ask 5 questions: he is too proud. To converse with a hipster, think about controversial topics of conversation such as consumerism and global warming: the hipster cannot help but show his disgust for global capitalism. Beware! He is most likely to use to cynicism in order to hide his feelings and real thoughts. The interests of our subject vary despite a clear preference for creative businesses and hobbies. Film photography is one of the most common activities among the hipster community. Knitting, sewing and crafts are also popular pastimes.

You should know that this species tends to idolize techniques from the past: this makes their habitat look both retro and modern. Musically, it is difcult to identify a specic genre, but what is certain is that they advocate the random combination of any existing sounds and noises, creating a very particular melody to which it is impossible to dance. It is for this reason that you will never see a hipster nod or move to the rhythm of a 6 popul a r a n d catchy song. The hipster is stoic in his music: it is all in the head Do not dance under any circumstance, even if it is a dancing party! This will expose you as an outsider. In all cases, adopt an indifferent attitude and look bored. They will never spot you that way. Do not try to make friends and socialize by spontaneously approaching strangers with a smile on your face as this will immediately betray you!

Now that you know all the details associated with these funny creatures, you are able to come into direct contact with the community and maybe even gain their condence! If you want to participate in their meetings and ethnic ceremonies, you will have to take the bull by the horns and go for a walk in the dark areas of the city: the industrial zone, abandoned factories, wastelands, everything is good for a hipster as long as anyone would think to set foot there. You can also wander the streets and look for the independent contemporary art galleries and coffee shops selling colourful cupcakes. Hipsters frequent unusual venues. Dear reader, you are now able to integrate seamlessly into the hipster community. But still, try not to be beaten at your own game! Hipsters are deceptive creatures; they will attempt to subvert you as soon as they understand that you are not one of them. Anyway, good luck and happy hipster hunting!

Bricks as Canvas

Yi-Wen Mandy Huang interviews 2 of Torontos Most Notorious

design done by an artist, usually improved on-the-go. A piece, however, can be done in a group and are pre-planned. Most of the time, a piece tells a story or is intended to deliver a message. Generally speaking, street art contains traditional grafti artwork, murals and stencils. Toronto City Hall denes grafti art as markings made or afxed to properties that are approved by the property 7 owner or occupant, whereas grafti vandalism is any deliberate markings on property without permission of the owner [promotes] hatred or violence or contains profane vulgar or offensive language. We interviewed two artists who are well known in Toronto for their art on the street. We asked them the same questions in separate
Suitman by Joel Richardson

hat do you think of grafti? Is it street art? Some people see it as public art that beauties our streets, while others see it as vandalism and a crime. Whatever you think, its an always-changing, inescapable and fascinating part of modern culture. Grafti can include anything from simple written words to elaborate wall paintings. It has existed for a long time, and examples have even been found on walls left over from Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. There are three main types of Grafti: tags, throw-ups and pieces. A tag is the most basic writing of an artists name. Its simply a handwritten signature in the artists own style. A Throw-ups is just a quick

online interviews, and their answers reveal how their styles are quite different, but their views often overlap. One is Deadboy (his actual name has not yet been revealed). Best known for his stencil grafti, he attended Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts and the Toronto Film School. He is best known for his earlier controversial series of Rob Ford stencils. The other is Joel Richardson, a former portrait painter who now tries to expand traditional portraiture into the realm of 8 social documentation. Do you consider yourself a street artist or a graffiti artist, and what does that imply? DB: Grafti is more about writing script (lettering, sometimes mixed with images) that are created by freehand. Street art is stencils, posters or paint brush. I consider myself a street artist JR: I consider myself an artist. Not just a street artist and denitely not a grafti artist. My work happens in the studio, in galleries, out on the

street, in the forest, and around the world, as well as on screens big and small... I do love working on the street, but that is only one part of what I do. Whats the distinction between street art, graffiti and vandalism? Is this is a true distinction? DB: Many grafti writers think grafti should be illegal at all times and many taggers (grafti writing single names or tags in one quick spray) think it is about just pure vandalism. Street art is more about a creative output onto a public location. JR: I do feel that the intent separates work that I like and work that I dont. I like work that has something to say about the social conditions that we nd ourselves living in rather than just work that sees who can make their name bigger than everyone else.

What role do simple tags and throwups play in street art?

DB: I think all artists want to be known... so at the end of the day, we all want the same thing - but some grafti writers DB: not much...That is more like being purists. They think about repeating a single name doing gallery shows and selling work is selling out. To me, its over and over. just evolution. JR: My job is to share my visions with the world, to provoke conversation and stand up for what I believe, not to label and categorize other peoples work Theres a lot of ego in the street art world. What do you think about artists who are in it to be (in)famous? JR: I am not against fame, or infamy, as long as that notoriety comes from substance. I love the work that Ai WeiWei is doing, and his fame and notoriety has helped him stay out of jail and possibly helped keep him alive. Much of art and culture are driven by large 9 egos, there is something very selsh about telling everyone, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. So, fame for fames sake

seems hollow and shallow, but I believe in my work and I am courting notoriety, I would like to be involved in the cultural conversations happening right now in the world, and for that to happen, people need to pay attention to what youre doing. Have you ever run into a difficult situation while putting a piece up? DB: I was putting up posters once, and a guy came up to me and started taking them down said he didnt want them on this wall. I 10 said, Okay , and took them down (no ghting). Otherwise, its been a positive thing over allI like to work in the early hours; most people are still sleeping when Im doing my thing.

Has anything unusual ever happened while you were working on a piece? DB: Having fans of my work come up to me was pretty funny. When I was rst putting work up, I would go out in the afternoon on weekends. But then, people started to recognize my name and be like, Oh my God! Youre Deadboy?! Thats when I realized I had to change my art work hours. Camera phones are not a good thing for anonymity. JR: I was putting up a large piece in New York State, a 20-foot [high] Financial Revolutionary. The owners of the building lost their shit when they saw it, and it became a lighting-rod issue in the small town, highlighting the large population of underprivileged African American residents. They seemed to get scared when they actually saw it, and the piece was taken down within a few days.

Subway Suicides and the Slippery Slope

Maria Claudia Franchi
themselves in front of a subway train. The one and only TTC report about the matter was released in 2009 and showed that, between 1998 and 2007, 150 persons lost their lives in this way. The gures are even more shocking if we consider that there were hundreds of unsuccessful 11 attempts. Suicide rates in Canada are the concern of many institutions like the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. Both release information and provide help for those who are considered part of a risk group: mainly youth and people with mental illness. In fact, more than 90% of suicide victims have a diagnosable psychiatric illness, and suicide is the most common cause of death among people with schizophrenia. Moreover, the group aged between 15 and 24 has suicide

JR: I have had many difcult situations putting up pieces. I do not support the destruction of private or public property, but I do support freedom of speech, and I support the free, unbridled expression of political dissent, and I believe in our obligation to stand up for what we believe is right. And that may mean at Grafti can have a positive times challenging or breaking a impact on the local environment, law (or two or three). and it can make an important contribution to a neighbourhood.

very time you experience a delay on the TTC, there is a possibility that someone just threw himself in front of a train in search of relief from the pain of being alive. It is undeniable that each one of us is going to die. How and when is a great mystery and, normally, nobody wants to really think about it. But there are those who, for many reasons, decide to take out their own lives and, for that, choose, for example, to throw

as the second leading cause of death (24%), followed by 16% when it comes to people from 16 to 44 years of age. Regarding gender, research shows that although the rates among men are four times higher than women, the latter make three to four times more suicide attempts than men do. I spoke to Aideen Carroll, who is the Advanced Practice Nurse Educator in Mental Health at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto. She said, The highest group at risk for suicide in Canada are elderly single white men, and this has been consistent for the past 5 12 years.

Regarding suicide rates around the world, according to the latest data released by the World Health Organization, instances in Canada are not as high as those in Japan or Korea but not as low as those recorded in Mexico or Brazil. Known as a period of great changesseasonal, personal or even professionallate July and August have the highest suicide rates of all the months of the year. Teens go back to school, people are red or hired and, above all, the cold weather is coming. But the lack of change can also be overwhelming for some people and, not knowing

SUICIDE RATES 2004-2005

(per 100,000)*

40

20

0
Total Men Women

Canada 11,3 17,3 5,4

Japan 24,2 36,1 12,9

Korea 24,7 33 16,5

Mexico 4,1 7 1,4

Brazil 4,6 7,3 1,9

how to cope with the feeling of being always stuck, they might be depressed and more likely to think about suicide. According to Freuds Mourning and Melancholia (1917), () the ego can kill itself only if, () it can treat itself as an objectif it is able to direct against itself the hostility which relates to an object and which represents the egos original reaction to objects in the external world. Nevertheless, Ms. Carroll states that there are warning signs` once someone has decided to end his life: People start giving away possessions, writing a will, seeming happy/ relieved after a bout of depression for example. The person has made a suicide plan and are usually relieved to have made this decision. He may have attempted suicide in the past, may talk about death, looking up sites on death and suicide. Warning signs include IS PATH Total WARM: Ideation, Substance abuse, Purposelessness, Men Anxiety, Trapped, Hopeless, Withdrawn,Women Anger, Reckless, Mood changes.

Effective steps towards the victory against suicide include assisting and following up on those who have already made an attempt, treating those with mental disorders, or else offering help lines for the ones who are depressed and seeking someone for them to talk to. This is everyones battle so, if you ever face this problem or know someone who has been through it, never underestimate her feelings, talk to her, do not leave her alone and, most importantly, nd her some help as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is the main therapy used. Life can be pretty 13 tough and not everybody can handle it alone. For more information: www.suicideprevention.ca www.who.int www.ontario.cmha.ca

*Source: World Health Organization

There are, however, many ways of preventing suicide.

Waking up to Black Friday

Alejandro Mejia Yepes
Can you go cold turkey and stop spending your money for one day? Buy Nothing is an idea which emerged in Vancouver in 1992. Its a global stand against consumerism. The event takes place in North America on 23rd of November to match with Black Friday, and in the rest of the world, on November 24th. The main idea is to create awareness and make a 14 protest of the American standard of life which is destroying our world. Have you ever heard your government say, We need people to go and buy goods to reactivate the economy.? I will put it this way: now we are in a greedy system that always needs to consume more to keep on track. Thats why, when someone is diagnosed with cancer, our GDP grows because that person needs to pay all the medical bills and all the consequences of having cancer. Furthermore, if your parents get divorced or you get divorced, the GDP will grow because instead of living in one house, those people live in two. I can go further with this list and the result will be the same. When a forest is destroyed, or overshing clears out the oceans, our system is corrupt and wrong. This is one of the major problems now in our society. If we dont change, how will we measure our growth? We wont ever get a clear image of what were doing to our environment and society. For this growth, we have been doing things that have huge effects in our world and on society . We are going to face the consequences of our acts. 20% of the world population consumes 80% of natural resources. Those people are mainly from the US, Canada and Europe. Americans are less happy now than 30 years ago even though they have more things and more wealth. This phenomenon occurs because we measure our happiness when we compare our lives with other people, and in that sense America has become in an unequal society .

15 The problems of this consumerism has not only been in America. The worst part is that, to keep prices low, big corporations look to countries with week governments as they are easy to manipulate. These corporations, with the help of the governments, set minimum wage really low in countries like China, the Philippines and others. In these countries, work conditions have fallen to the minimum, and people have been exploited, working long shifts. A lot of non-governmental organizations have accused these corporations for this practice, but this claim has been ignored. I believe there is still hope, and days like Buy Nothing Day remind me that there are people who still think about the future of society, and they are willing to put all the effort into creating awareness. So if you are thinking about buying something, take a moment to breathe and ask yourself these questions. 1. Do I really need this? 2. Where was this product made? 3. Is the company which made the product recognized for good practice?

Finding your Niche in Toronto Urban ways to hang out

Marcio Fonseca
Real fun is not exposed. Forget about regular pubs, fancy nightclubs and Hollywood movie festivals. Theyre common, theyre on front stage. Real and amazing experiences are not in those places; its all hidden from the main lights of the show. Do an exercise: imagine Toronto as a fruit that is composed of a few layers, and for each layer that is taken off, the taste will be 16 better and stronger. Thats how the underground alternative scene works in this city, and now its your chance to check out some stunning places to have fun. Latex, bright lights, extravagant costumes and more latex. These are the main elements that keep rocking the The Latex Fetish Ball. Unfortunately , I wasnt able to get in because as the name of the party clearly suggests - it was mandatory to wear this material or leather, and I just had street clothes on. At least I got some great impressions of the party . Promoted by the Subspace Club, this event is for a big group of people who dont t into a pattern that is considered regular. They like to be tied up and sometimes beaten too and dance to good music in a frenetic way. Heavy makeup is essential: it helps them to increase their night spirit. Combined with this feeling, bartenders create exotic drinks every minute, always in sync with the customers. The DJ is responsible for giving more energy to the environment, and he knows what hes doing. A set list of non-mainstream electronic music is ready to set the fetishers on re, driving them to excitation. To guarantee the registers of everything, photographers and designers work to create some exotic and exclusive material that will be transformed into a calendar for the next year. Sounds weird? It might be for some conservative minds, but its important to remember that these people also work from Monday to Friday in common jobs, and they pay their bills like any citizen. The party goes on in a respectful and friendly atmosphere. They simply

dont care about stereotypes. These fetishers carry a feeling of pride in wearing exotic clothes. And to be honest, thats the difference that makes The Latex Fetish Ball so interesting and incredible. For those who prefer to hang out surrounded by street aesthetic, Sneaky Dees is one of the greatest options. Theres grafti everywhere, and the customers are allowed to put their art on the walls or just write something cool. Its already a tradition to promote independent artists shows different nights of the week. On Wednesdays its Hip Hop and Black Music time to rock out the club. The public appears in a good number and nobody feels too shy to shake their moneymakers. DJs or rappers lead the rhythm of good music and convey a great vibe to the audience all night long; its pretty awesome to see different people interacting no matter which style or colour skin they have. Sneaky Dees also sells bottles of beer for just 3 bucks on this night, and that is great fuel for awesome nights. But if you belong to the classic style, it will be better to save your energy for the week and go there on Saturday. Denitely theres no better day to dance to the 50s

songs and you have the chance to meet some nice buddies too. The club starts to become full around 10pm, and everybody almost immediately grabs a beer, goes to the dance oor and starts to move like old-fashioned people. A feeling of nostalgia is in the air and the music on the ampliers just conrms this. Twist and Shout, La Bamba and a few Canadian popular songs are on the setlist, all of them are sung by the people with a strong will. Just to be clear, all of them seemed to be less than 40 years old. Yes, it may sound clich (and certainly will) but pure 17 music doesnt have barriers. Since 1987, Sneaky Dees has been in business, and having been there myself twice on different nights with different parties, just showed that the owners dont really need to prove anymore how to offer real fun. They have the touch, for sure. Now after reading this article, it will be easier for you to discover more underground options to hang out and live different nights: its all up to you. Dont forget the exercise from the beginning, maybe you can nd a tasty layer that ts with your preferences.

We (Also) Exist
Andrija Fontebasse de Araujo and Marcelo Silva Galvao de Carvalho. They are in everywhere, but you just pretend they dont exist. They are walking among us breathing the same air. The only difference between you and them it is that they dont have a place to call home. Im talking about homeless people, especially lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) 18 homeless people. Thunder Bay Website, one third of Canadas Homeless population is youth, which means close to 65.000 young people are in the streets, struggling to survive everyday. The most intriguing fact it is that 20-40% of Homeless people belong to the LGBTQ Community, based on the Study Young Queer and Homeless in Toronto by Christine WongYou might be wondering why Chong, M.A (2012). so many LGBTQ people are out there. In majority of cases, Alex Abramovich, a Doctoral youth homelessness is caused Candidate in the Adult by abuse and neglect from their Education and Community families when they decide to Development program at the come-out - If you dont know, Ontario Institute for Studies to come-out means that a in Education-University of person reveals being LGBTQ - Toronto, in an interview to therefore, the streets became a website rabble.ca in September better place to live in than their 25, 2012, supported the idea that houses its-self. Furthermore, homophobia and transphobia some families kick them out are, together, the main reason from their houses leaving them for the LGBTQ youth had been nothing but the streets. expelled from their homes. That is a consequence of society that According to Shelter House encourages youth to be who

they really are and come-out. clothes, subway tokens, and As a result, family conicts access to health resources. become the reason number one for those young people turn into Alex believes that shelter homeless. workers either they arent prepared for it or they havent Alex said that there are no been trained to handle with specic shelters for LGBTQ this kind of situation. Second youth and that is an issue, of all, a better way to provide since they usually dont report this training is including to the staff about the violence Anti-Homophobia, Antiwhich they suffer, on the other Transphobia LGBTQ hand, he noticed an increase Terminology and LGBTQ of report about homophobic culture, this could change the and transphobic occurrences ways that things are today. in the shelter system. The main cause of an inexistent specic Finally, when asked about shelter for the LGBTQ youth why he chooses this cause, Alex 19 is, this has much to do with a said that he has been interested lack of funding and essentially in the issues of homelessness a lack of interest from those in for as long as he can remember. positions to make much-needed The main reason is the fact changes, said Alex. he grew up in this situation, young and queer and had Furthermore, Alex explains to deal with homophobia, that is important to provide so he can understand what specialized services, this is the these young people are going only way to this young people through, specically when they to feel safe of being themselves dont receive the support they without worries about need. Now Alex is focused homophobia or transphobia. on his research to ll the gaps In additional to this, Alex in knowledge about LGBTQ pronounced These spaces youth homeless. should include: a place to sleep, hot meals, showers, gender neutral washrooms, clean

Staying Safe on the Subway

Priscilla Ferreira Rodrigues
Last week I took the subway to meet a group of people and go to Quebec. It was 9:30 p.m and the subway was empty. Suddenly, a guy started to talk to me and with all my luggage, it wasn`t hard to imagine that I was going on a trip. The conversation did not have any problem until he started asking 20 strange questions like: Did you bring your camera? and , Did you bring your credit cards?. At that point, alarm bells went off in my head, and I decided not to wait until my subway station, and as soon as the doors opened, I hurriedly got off the train. Maybe he wouldnt do anything, but I wasnt going to hang around to nd out! If in doubt, that is the best choice. Indeed, living in a safe city like Toronto can be a problem sometimes. Just because its the safest large metropolitan area in North America, it doesn`t mean that you don`t need to be careful. Actually, assaults happen every day and everywhere in the world, and you need to be prepared to identify dangerous situations. Imagine a city like Toronto with a population of 2.6 million people, where each year, thousands of visitors come to study, work and see the sights. Toronto is the fth mostdensely populated city in North America. With this picture, it isn`t difcult to imagine how hard it is to keep the population safe. As well as anywhere, Toronto has the usual urban problems such as drug addiction, unemployment, homelessness and crime. It isn`t hard to nd a friend who has had a cell phone or a computer stolen, and if you stop and think about it, the subway is the perfect place for this kind of crime. With four different lines, 71.3 kilometers of track and more than 60 stations, the network

transports 1.5 million people each day. And as everybody knows, everything needs to be fast until the doors close , which provides the time required for an assault. I`m not saying that Toronto isn`t a safe place, but sometimes people think there is no danger and let their guard down. In the 21st Century, everybody needs to be connected all the time with their cellphones, iPads, iPods and laptops, and this fact can be one of the most attractive things for thieves, because these kinds of items are easy to sell. Its hard to nd statistics about this kind of robbery and maybe an explanation for this fact is that kind of thief can only be arrested if caught at the time of theft. Otherwise, nothing happens. But according to a report from CNews this kind of crime is increasing in Toronto. The TTC spokesman Brad Ross, talked about this fact. iPhones, iPads, those types of devices, weve seen an increase in (these thefts) everywhere. It isnt all. Ross also said that people should keep their devices safe, inside their bags while using public transport and always pay

attention to people around you. So if you ask students from South America about safety in Toronto, for example, they will tell you this kind of thing doesn`t happen here. However, this way of thinking can be dangerous. Vanessa Santana, is

21

a Brazilian student who lived in Toronto for one month: I always thought rst world

countries were different in everything. When you come here you do not think there is any danger, but after a time you start to see some situations and hear stories and you change your mind and become more careful. On other hand, almost everybody knows that Toronto subway is a safe place, but as usual, you need to take care. I never heard any stories about about assaults here, but even this way , I always pay attention, because you never know who is by 22 your side, said Michelle Vitorino, another student from Brazil. But how does Toronto deal with this problem? Actually, Toronto Police are more worried about carjacking and other things. But the population can count on TTC Transit Enforcement Ofcers. They are trained to carry out of a variety of activities to enhance public and TTC employee safety and deal with emergencies. As part of TTCs strategy to reduce crime, you can nd the Transit Patrol Section conducting walking and mobile patrols.

The TTCs web site has some tips on how to keep your valuables safe on the subway: Remain alert to whats happening around you. Crowded places like bus stops, buses and subways provide opportunities for thieves. Beware of loud arguments, bumps and other incidents. They may be staged to distract you while a thief takes your wallet or handbag. Carry only what you need. Avoid carrying unnecessary cash, credit cards and documents in your wallet or handbag. Carry your wallet in a place other than your back pant pocket, e.g. a front pocket. Be sure to carry your purse in front of you and close to your body with your hand over it. And never forget: there are opportunists everywhere, and all they need is your moment of distraction. Be street-smart, no matter what!

Where the money went last time...

The September 2012 Journalism Class raised $145 for Autism Ontario, which is dedicated to increasing public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues faced by individuals with autism, their families, and the professionals with whom they interact.. If you have any ideas for content or charities for future issues of Future Perfect, contact us at futureperfect.editor@gmail.com

23

Handing over the cash, left to right: FP5 Journalist Toru Nagaiwa, FP Editor Mark Dallas, Executive Director of Autism Ontario and recipient of the Order of Canada Margaret Spoelstra, and ILSC (Toronto) Instructor Vanessa Delzingaro, who has a relative with autism.

...and where your moneys going this time...

For information about where the money for this issue is going, turn to the back cover.

USEFUL, FUNNY & INTERESTING

Here are some web sites we think you might like...

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By buying this issue, you make a difference by helping a serious and protective charity institution. A s Canadas largest youth s helter, Covenant H ouse T oronto opens doors of opportunity and hope to homeless youth. More than just a place to stay, we provide 24/7 crisis care and have the widest range of services under one roof, including education, counselling, health care and employment assistance. Covenant House has helped thousands of young people move from a life on the street to a life with a future. Our doors are open to youth 16 to 24 regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or the circumstances that have brought them to our threshold. To do all of this, we rely on donors for more than 80% of our almost $19-million annual operating budget.

Thank you for your generous support.

Charitable Registration Number: # 10699 0195 RR0001