German Constitutional Court expands adoption rights to same-sex couples

The German Constitutional Court, the highest court of Germany, has just ruled that any people should be allowed to adopt a child already adopted by his/her partner before, and has declared that the same-sex legal couples have the same right, otherwise would be discriminatory.  

"In marriage as in a civil partnership, adoption provides the child in the same way with legal security and material advantages in terms of care, support and inheritance law", has said the court. "The exclusion of successive adoption by registered partners violates the general principle of equality", has added.

That means, if one of the legal couple's member has adopted a child then his/her partner will can adopt that child too, which is called "successive adoption", and don't mind if the partners have the same sex.

However, the same-sex couples are not allowed to marry in Germany and they can only form civil unions. For that reason, althought the court has expanded the successive adoption right to the same-sex legal couples, for now they can not adopt in common because that right is still only allowed to married couples.

There is another recent court decision in similar sense. The European Court of Human Rights ruled against Austria's decision to deny a lesbian woman the right to adopt her longtime partner's son. The court, located in Strasbourg (France), found there was no persuasive reason to treat the same-sex couple differently from an heterosexual couple in the child's adoption. The ruling will force to change Austrian resolutions in identical cases.

The judges of German Constitutional Court

Chinese Lantern Festival 2013

猜 灯 谜

cāidēngmí

Fifteen days after the Chinese New Year there is the Lantern Festival. This traditional festival is celebrated in China, but in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Koshogatsu in Japan too. This event officially ends the Chinese New Year celebrations on the fifteenth lunar day.

There are many different beliefs about the origin of the Lantern Festival. 

One belief is about Taiyi, the God of Heaven, who controlled the destiny of the human world. Since first one, all the Chinese emperors ordered splendid ceremonies each year to ask Taiyi to bring favorable weather and good health to him and his people.

Another belief is this day is the birthday of Tianguan, the Taoist god responsible for good fortune, who liked all types of entertainment, so followers prepared various kinds of activities during which they prayed for good fortune.

A common legend is the humans angered the Jade Emperor in Heaven, and the divinity planned a storm of fire to destroy the villages on the fifteenth lunar day. To prevent the punishment, people hung red lanterns around their houses, carried lanterns and did set up bonfires on the streets and exploded firecrackers. This would give the villages the appearance of being on fire. The Jade Emperor was deceived and everyone avoided the destruction. After that, the emperor decreed that people should do the same thing every year.

In any case, the brightest lanterns and red color are symbolic of good luck and hope in China.

During the Lantern Festival, people traditionally hang paper lanterns around houses and go out on the streets carrying small lanterns at night. Today, the light of lanterns is from the electricity, and people likes to design lanterns using zodiac animals, historical figures, saints and gods of Taoism or Buddhism. The current year's animal symbol of the Chinese calendar is also a very popular subject. The modern Lantern Festival has evolved into exchange event which is full of cultural content but commercial value too.

 

You can review last post about Chinese New Year 2013

The Big Wheel at Dark Shores Fishing Bay

If you would like a good seaview and you are not afraid of heights, or you do not get dizzy, you should visit the Big Wheel at Dark Shores Fishing Bay, at Tumblebrutus Sim. Do not hesitate to ride in one of the gondolas and enjoy!

Here is your LIMO to Tumblebrutus

The Soccer Player Robbie Rogers Wins his Main Match

Robert "Robbie" H. Rogers, born in 1987 in Rancho Palos Verdes (California), has recently announced on his web that he is gay and he retires from professional soccer.

As soccer player, Rogers has represented the United States U18, U20 and U23 soccer team, playing most matches and scoring several goals. He participated in 2006 Milk Cup, 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup and 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. As senior, he was called for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifications matches and he was included in 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.

He really started playing soccer very younger and, after playing in various youth leagues, he turned professional in 2006 when he signed a contract with SC Heerenveen, a Dutch club of the Eredivisie, the main league of Netherlands' soccer.

In 2007, he returned to the US because he was acquired by Columbus Crew (Ohio) to play in MLS. He played with Columbus Crew during five seasons, he made 138 appearances, scored 17 times and won the MLS Cup in 2008.

In 2011, he signed for Leeds United, a club of the English League Championship, but the first six months were blighted by injury. In August 2012, he joined to Stevenage FC, a team of the English League One, until January 2013. At the end of loan agreement at Stevenage, he briefly returned to Leeds before his announcement to leave the club by mutual consen.

On February 15th, 2013, Robbie has decided to declare publicly that he is gay and he leaves professional soccer. He has announced it with a sincer and emotive post on his web. You can read his own words here. Robbie confesses he has been afraid and he has felt different for the past 25 years, but now he knows he shouldt not have and he is a free man who can lives as he wishes. I really think he has won the main match of his life, and the prize is the right to be himself and to be happy.

Congrats!!!!

10.000 Views Reached!

On November 19th of last year, I published my first post in this blog. Nearly three months after the blog has reached 10.000 views.

Again I have to thank all my readers and followers their interest and support, they motivate me to continue and they let me to improve with their comments and messages.

Of course, nothing of that could be possible without help and advices of my partner and fiance Ryce Skytower. 

10.000 VIEWS REACHED

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

14 Valentine's Day Ideas

February 14th

Happy Valentine's Day! 

Here there are 14 ideas that your love will like sure!

A red rose

A sincere smile

A big hug

A passionate kiss

A pleasant massage

A walk on the beach

A surprise party

A lovely teddy

To share an unforgettable sunset

A relaxed bath

A fluffy cushion

Together by the fireplace

A skimo kiss

To love by moonlight

 Much better if you practice all

Loves!!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chinese New Year 2013: The Year of Black Water Snake

Happy Chinese New Year

 新 年 快 樂

Xin Nian Kuai Le

Chinese New Year, also called as the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival and public holiday in China. The Chinese New Year 2013 starts in February 9th (Chinese New Year' Eve) and ends in February 24th with Lantern Festival.

  

 

The festival is celebrated grandly and extensively across the country, and outside too by Chinese communities settled down around the world. Many cultural activities such as lighting fireworks, spectacular parades, dragons and lions dancing and other traditional performances take place in parks and streets of all Chinese cities and towns.

Every family cleans the house, sweeps the floors and washes daily things, because a house cleaning is believed to drive away ill-fortune and bring good luck in the coming year. Moreover, windows and doors are decorated with red paper-cuts, red lanterns and couplets.

Red is an important color in Chinese culture, symbolizing prosperity. Many people will wear red clothing during the New Year celebrations, and houses will have many red decorations such as Chinese knot work. Also having a kumquat tree (Gam Gat Sue) and peony which symbolize abundance of wealth and good luck.

On the first day of the Chinese New Year everybody wears new clothes, and greets relatives and friends with bows, saying Gongxi (congratulations), and wishing each other good luck and happiness. It is also customary for the younger generations to visit the elders, wishing them health and longevity. In recent years, a new way to do New Year greetings has appeared in large cities, where busy people who don't have time to visit their friends will opt to send a New Year Card, or a text message to their friends or relatives. 

Chinese New Year Foods are very important to Chinese people. All family members come together to eat at this time. It is traditional to eat certain foods over this festival: Chinese Dumplings, Fish, Spring Rolls or Nian Gao are usually eaten at this time.

This year is The Year of Black Water Snake. In fact, 2013 is the year of water snake, but the color of water in Chinese five elements system is related to black. Therefore we can say 2013 is the black snake, water snake or black water snake year. The Snake, also called the Junior Dragon, is the sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 Animal Signs. The snake is the enigmatic, intuitive, introspective, refined and collected of the Animals Signs. Ancient Chinese wisdom says a snake in the house is a good omen because it means that your family will not starve. 

People born in the Year of the Snake are keen and cunning, quite intelligent and wise. They are great mediators and good at doing business. Therefore, you should have good luck if you are born in this year.

 Good luck for the year 2013 

2013  年 行 大 運

2013 nián xíng dà yùn 

 

Venice's Famous Carnival is Here

Carnival has already come and, undoubtedly, one of the famous Carnival in the world is Venice's Carnival. 

In Second Life there is an amazing destination themed in Venice city. You can be into a very realistic reconstruction of the Italian city of canals at Dance Park Prada Sim, in the virtual world.

Of course, you can visit St. Mark's Square, the Cathedral, the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge, its palaces, sail on gondola, etc.

Always is a good time to visit this wonderful city, but in Carnival would be essential.

Enjoy!

Here is the taxi to Venice in Second Life