Posts Tagged marriage
Tribal Tattoo Designs – 5 Tips
Posted by Metro in Uncategorized on March 12, 2012
Tribal tattoo designs have been very popular for the past fifteen years or so. in fact, there is something of a backlash against tribal tattoos, as they are now sometimes seen as being for people who simply want to jump on the bandwagon. this doesn’t have to be the case, though. you can still find tribal tattoos that have real meaning for you. here are five tips to help you make a good choice if you are considering a tribal tattoo design.
- Don’t be in a Hurry. a tattoo is a long-term, usually lifelong commitment. on average, a tattoo lasts longer than a job, place of residence or a marriage so there’s no reason to rush into it. even if you think you’ve made a choice, consider other possibilities. you can find many images to look at, either online or at a tattoo parlor. you may find something you like even better. also give a lot of consideration to where you want to place your tattoo. this is especially the case with tribal tattoos, which other people can react to in ways ranging from curiosity to hostility (often because they don’t know what it means).
- Learn the Meaning. some people choose designs simply because they think something looks cool. this is fine as a way to pick a tattoo, but only if you first do a little research. It’s like seeing a person and falling in love at first sight. you don’t necessarily want to marry the person right away; you should first get to know them a bit With tribal tattoos, a particular symbol can have a specific meaning. you should at least know what it is. also remember, after you get your tattoo, lots of people will ask, what does it mean?
- Respect the Tradition. Tribal tattoos are sometimes considered disrespectful. this is from the perspective of traditional people who come from a certain ethnic background and see people who don’t share this heritage displaying these symbols. now you may not be able to change the mind of anyone who is a strict traditionalist, but you can still research the tradition whose symbols you are borrowing and take it into consideration before you get your tattoo. for example, you may not want to display a religious symbol when you don’t belong to that religion; or display a sacred tribal design next to another tattoo that might be seen as vulgar or sacrilegious.
- Know Your Artist. if you are getting a tribal tattoo, make sure the artist who is going to do it is comfortable working with this kind of design. There are great tattoo artists who can do almost anything well, but there are others who are better at some kinds of designs than others. Just because someone can do a great eagle tattoo doesn’t mean they can be trusted to do Chinese calligraphy, for example -and vice versa.
- Ask Yourself if the Tattoo Fits With Your Lifestyle. this is true of any tattoo. in some cases, when you think about your overall lifestyle, such as the job you have, the company you keep and so forth, you may decide to put your tattoo in a less obvious place. in some cases, you may decide on a less brash design. Just because you are drawn to a design or find it exciting or beautiful doesn’t mean it’s right on your body. maybe it is, but you should really think it through first.
Tribal tattoo designs will probably never go completely out of style. They offer a wide range of possibilities and can be a great form of self-expression.
Tribal Tattoo Designs – 5 Tips
Deportation could split up lesbian Vermont couple
Posted by Metro in Uncategorized on December 28, 2011
MONTPELIER, Vt. — Frances Herbert and her wife, Takako Ueda, were looking forward to the New Year’s Eve family concert at the Baptist Church, the town fireworks on the pond and then a night at home to celebrate the arrival of 2012.
But federal immigration authorities have told Ueda she needs to leave the United States for her native Japan by Dec. 31, a move that would split up a couple who have been together more than a decade and were married under Vermont law in April.
Their relatively rare case illuminates the difficulties that binational gay couples face at a time when the Obama administration has pledged not to uphold federal marriage law in courts but the rest of the executive branch — including immigration authorities — still follows the letter of the law.
Federal immigration authorities demand extensive documentation showing that a binational couple claiming to be married really are: witness statements, property records, utility and other household bills showing both names and the like often are required. Herbert said she and Ueda submitted 600 pages of such evidence with their application.
“It’s despicable,” Herbert said. “We had 600 pages of proof, and 599 of them were completely ignored. one line on one page” — the one that said they were both women — “is what they paid attention to.”
Herbert, a 51-year-old home care provider, and Ueda, a 56-year-old graphic designer, live in the southern Vermont town of Dummerston and got letters Dec. 1 from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, telling them that Ueda had to leave the country within 30 days. Ueda’s student visa expired in July.
They had applied for “relative alien” status on the basis that she was the spouse of a U.S. citizen, but the federal agency denied that petition.
The letter to Herbert, who had applied to be Ueda’s sponsor, said that under the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law saying the government would not recognize same-sex marriages, they couldn’t be considered spouses. DOMA defines marriage as “only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.”
“Your spouse is not a person of the opposite sex,” wrote Robert Cowan, a U.S. CIS official. “Therefore, under the DOMA, your petition must be denied.”
Only a handful of states recognize same-sex marriages. Experts say there are not reliable numbers on how many couples find themselves in a similar situation to that of Herbert and Ueda, but it’s believed the number is small. Many binational same-sex couples don’t seek spousal status for fear of being rejected because of DOMA.
Steve Ralls, spokesman for Immigration Equality, a nonprofit legal aid group that works on immigration and sexual orientation issues, said one San Francisco couple remained together despite getting government notices that one of the men, an Australian, needed to leave the country, while a New Jersey man’s partner had been deported to Peru.
President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. announced in February that the administration would no longer defend DOMA in court in the cases in which it is being challenged. but until the issue is resolved, executive branch agencies, including those within the Department of Homeland Security, it remains the law of the land.
But Leslie Holmans, second vice president of the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association, said that even after getting the types of letters Herbert and Ueda got, some same-sex, binational couples benefit from “prosecutorial discretion” by immigration authorities.
She said many federal prosecutors believe “our systems are so overcrowded that what we really need to be doing is concentrating on people who are a risk to our country. What’s happened is that we have seen some same-sex couples go before the immigration court and ask for prosecutorial discretion.” Government lawyers often respond by “either dismissing cases or they’re not enforcing the notice of deportation.”
Holmans said the situation is far from ideal because affected immigrants are left in “legal limbo,” still without recognized immigration status and unable to get a job or seek other government benefits.
Scott Titshaw, a professor at Mercer University Law School in Georgia who has practiced immigration law and written articles on DOMA, said Ueda and Herbert most likely shouldn’t fear Ueda’s imminent arrest but “still have plenty to worry about.” He said if Ueda traveled abroad, then she might be barred from re-entering the U.S. With local authorities in some states cracking down on illegal immigrants, Ueda might also want avoid travel to places like Arizona and Alabama, which both have strict immigration laws.
Arrest Records – Know the Person Before You Hire
Posted by Metro in Uncategorized on November 10, 2011
Nowadays, we talk a lot about maintaining transparency and responsibility in our society. All this has emerged in the 21st century world due to the dangers of terrorism. The public records are now accessed even more frequently than done before. Do you know the reason? we all want to make a proper background check about the individuals who are strangers to us or are new to our society. The federal law has awarded the freedom to check the public records for the citizens of America. There are a lot of public records like marriage record, death records, criminal records, police records, real estate records, voter registration, birth records and divorce records. The criminal records keep a track of the arrest records, sex offender, court records etc.
The most widely searched about is the arrest records. The unique aspect about this category is that all arrests are recorded irrespective of their results. The arrest records are usually the documents that are detain or take an individual into custody. these are enforced by the law and military agencies if there are grounds of suspicion or criminal violation against a person. As stated earlier the arrest records come into the category of the public records. this makes these records accessible to common man as long as they follow the normal procedures to obtain these records. you can obtain these records from various government agencies like the police department, FBI, and even the local Court. you will have to forward a requisition to these agencies and will have to wait to achieve your information. The information will either be mailed to you or you will have to visit the government agency in person to get it. but the trouble is that these arrest records have a special regulation on them and a requisition might also not be fulfilled. Nowadays, there are commercial agencies that also give out the information.
There are a number of reasons why you should perform a search on the arrest records. They are for your safety, when you are employing a new person for a job, you have a new tenant, a new neighbor around, business partner or even the person you think you have fallen in love with. The arrest records will give you a lot of information about the person. To begin with the basics, it will contain the description of the person, personal information, the details of arrest like the time, place kind of offense, case number, arresting agency and warrant. There is other related information that you will also get from the arrest records.
You can access the criminal records online nowadays; there are a lot of websites that host the information. There are official governmental websites that host the information. but, the information is also available in lots of commercial websites. They keep an extensive database and you will just have to pay a small fee for making your search. but, the paid websites keep comprehensive information on the public records. you will get the information immediately on these websites and will receive immense satisfaction.
Family Law Solicitors
Posted by Metro in Uncategorized on November 6, 2011
Family law solicitors focus in those areas of law that specifically involve family matters. a relationship breakdown can be both emotionally and financially taxing. this necessitates the role of a lawyer, who aids in attaining an outcome that facilitates the client’s financial and familial requisites.
Family Law Solicitors: Legal Matters
A family law solicitoracts as a mediator between the family members in the following familial concerns:
* Cohabitation – Living together without legal or religious sanction has various legal implications. in such matters, family solicitors advise clients on their legal rights and suggest a definite course of action if matters do not work out between the couple.
* Civil partnerships – this term is used to denote same sex couples who register as civil partners. they can take the aid of their family lawyer to know the legal implications of their decision to live together or on the occasion of a relationship breakdown.
* Pre-nuptial agreements – These agreements ensure the financial well-being of one or both partners bonded by marriage. they can advise you on whether your marriage is eligible for such an agreement.
* Separation and divorce – Family solicitors are a must in this case, since they can legally settle disputes between couples or recommend the process of separation.
* Maintenance of children and spouse – Residential or contractual arrangements for children after the marital bond between a couple ends is suggested by family solicitors.
Family Law Solicitors: Services
The services of a family law solicitor include:
* Property settlement
* Financial agreements
* Injunction and personal protection orders
* Court representation
Family Law Solicitors: How to choose the Best
There are a few points to be kept in mind while selecting a family law solicitor:
* use a family solicitor who has represented the opposing party in any previous case is not a good option. however, you may ask for his or her suggestion and hire a solicitor who can maintain a neutral attitude and remain objective in your case.
* give preference to experienced solicitors as opposed to lawyers who charge a lesser fee. Solicitors charging less might also have limited skills or experience in fighting cases. Lawyers with substantial experience can deal with your matter more professionally and speedily, while also guaranteeing a favourable outcome.
Court acts to stop arranged wedlock
Posted by Metro in Uncategorized on October 7, 2011
A 16-YEAR-OLD girl has been placed on a nationwide airport watch list to stop her being sent to Lebanon against her will for an arranged marriage.
In what a magistrate has called an ”act of great bravery”, the girl sought a court order to stop her parents taking her out of Australia to marry a man she has met only once.
The girl, who cannot be named, approached the Legal Aid Commission in Sydney after her parents organised the wedding despite her saying she did not want to marry the man.
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In the Federal Magistrates Court yesterday, magistrate Joe Harman granted an ex parte application and placed the girl on the PACE Alert system at all points of departure from Australia to prevent her parents spiriting her out of the country.
Mr Harman praised the girl’s bravery in using the legal system to challenge her parents’ authority. the girl, given the pseudonym Ms Madley by the court, was fearful of her mother’s reaction once she found out about her application, he said.
He ordered her parents not to assault, harass, threaten or intimidate her, or question her about the proceedings. ”Her actions in approaching the Legal Aid Commission, let alone this court, might be perceived as disrespectful of her parents and disobedient of there will,” he said.
He said the girl had displayed maturity not only by taking legal action to protect herself, but also in challenging part of the Lebanese Islamic culture in which she was brought up. ”It is not the right of any parent to cause their child to be married against their will, whether in accordance with the Australian law or otherwise.”
He said there was a psychological risk to Ms Madley if he did not make orders preventing her being forced into marriage she did not want, which he described as ”a principle that is contrary to all our legal processes hold dear and which would indeed, under Australian law, render the marriage void, as it is absent genuine consent.”
However, he said he was not criticising any culture that had arranged marriages. ”The arrangements proposed should not be judged or criticised from a Western perspective, but must be viewed through the eyes of those who live and appreciate that culture,” he said.
