Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files: War Cry #2
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How one Kenyan community is building a new future on reclaimed ground
May. 14th, 2026 08:00 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
globalvoices_human_feedPostcolonial land rights remain deeply contested across Kenya, particularly where formal title conflicts with long-standing occupation.
Originally published on Global Voices
A woman sells beadwork outside a traditional Maasai dwelling. Photo by Cooper Austen. Used with permission.
By Sydney Leigh Smith and Cooper Austen
This post is part of Global Voices’ May 2026 Spotlight series, “Global crisis, local solutions.” This series will offer stories of resistance and successful climate action, insight into how communities in the Global South are fighting back against the crisis, analysis of what this might mean for future generations, and more. You can support this coverage by donating here.
In 2022, Kenya’s Lekiji community secured legal rights to the land they had occupied for more than sixty years. What followed has reshaped how land, power, and gender operate within the community.
On July 11, 2022, Kenya’s then Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, issued 766 land title deeds to residents of the Lekiji community, a pastoral settlement in Northern Kenya’s Laikipia County. With a stroke of the pen, hundreds of pastoral families who had lived on the land for decades as squatters became its legal owners.
Until this settlement, the Lekiji were not recognized as the rightful occupants of their land under the Constitution of Kenya (2010). They possessed no legal deed and no formal proof of residency beyond the roads, schools, and homes they had spent sixty years constructing. Questions of postcolonial land rights remain deeply contested across Kenya, particularly where formal title possession conflicts with long-standing occupation.
A history of dispossession and legal contestation
Conflict over land rights in Laikipia can be traced back to the period surrounding the Mau Mau uprising. In 1960, a white colonial-era farmer allocated small parcels of land to his former workers, who established a pastoral settlement of around three hundred families. These arrangements were never formalized through legally recognized titles.
In later years, the same land was transferred through what residents describe as a series of “corrupt transactions” to a private owner, Nigel Trent. By the early 2000s, Trent began threatening eviction.
Trent’s claim rested on formal ownership. Yet that ownership derived from a colonial land transfer that many postcolonial legal scholars would argue lacked a legitimate original title. The dispute, therefore, raised a deeper legal question about the relationship between formal property rights and historical dispossession.
In 2012, following a petition by Trent, the High Court of Nakuru issued an eviction order affecting more than 400 Lekiji families. Residents were given 90 days to vacate or face prosecution. The ruling affirmed the legal weight of formal title and declined to grant a stay of eviction, emphasizing that the registered owner had a right to “enjoy the fruits of their judgment.”
Over the previous five decades, the community had built a social and economic life on this land. Leaving was not a viable option.
With support from NGOs such as IMPACT Kenya, the community resisted. They delayed the eviction order and used that time to pursue legal avenues to reclaim their land.
The case was framed in court as a conflict between competing rights. Residents argued that eviction would cause substantial loss, pointing to homes, schools, and long-term settlement. The court, however, concluded that the titleholder would suffer greater loss if denied possession.
The conflict extended beyond legal proceedings. Between 2012 and 2022, violent confrontations between police and community members became part of everyday life. Community leaders established a perimeter defense system, staffed around the clock. In 2020, one resident recalled that two members of the community were killed in clashes with law enforcement.
State settlement and legal resolution
The dispute was ultimately resolved through state intervention rather than judicial recognition of customary rights.
Earlier court decisions had already prioritized formal title over long-term occupation, even where communities demonstrated a potential substantial loss if evicted.
In 2022, the Kenyan government purchased the land from Trent and transferred ownership to the Lekiji community, subdividing it among approximately 300 households. Each household received about 2.25 acres.
This outcome reflects a broader pattern in land governance, where the state resolves competing claims through purchase and redistribution rather than fully adjudicating the legality of historical ownership.
For residents like Eunice Amira, the impact was deeply personal. Born in 1980, she had lived her entire life as a squatter. She watched her family engage in repeated legal battles in Nakuru and Nairobi, which drained them financially and shaped her sense of identity and belonging. When the title deeds were issued, she told the Kenya News Agency that she felt as though she had “been born again.” She added that “some have died trying to get the same.”
The government’s decision provided legal certainty and recognition for families who had long existed outside formal property systems.
Women welcome visitors to their community with a traditional dance. Photo by Cooper Austen. Used with permission.
Women, land, and economic transformation
While the 2022 decision resolved the question of ownership, the use of that land has driven further change within the community.
Lekiji remains a patriarchal society, where men traditionally control income-generating activities such as farming and herding, while women manage domestic responsibilities. These economic structures are under increasing strain. As Fardosa Hassan, Community Outreach Officer at the neighboring Mpala Research Center and a Lekiji resident, explained, traditional livelihoods often fail to provide sufficient income or long-term security. As a result, many young people leave in search of employment, education, and more diverse opportunities.
In response, community leaders have expanded women’s economic roles.
Following the land settlement, five acres were allocated exclusively for women to develop income-generating activities. This represents less than 0.5 percent of Lekiji’s total land, but it has become a focal point for economic diversification.
Women in the community have developed multiple projects on this land. They sell beadwork to tourists visiting nearby conservancies. They are constructing a guesthouse where visitors can stay and experience local ways of life. They grow fruits and vegetables for sale in local markets. They have installed a solar-powered well to support irrigation. They also operate a chicken farm, producing eggs and meat for both consumption and sale.
According to Hassan, “these activities provide women with a source of income that is flexible and controlled directly by them,” allowing women to support household needs such as school fees, food, and healthcare. She also emphasized that these initiatives create opportunities for women to develop skills in design, marketing, and business management, supporting longer-term economic participation.
Lekiji community kids walking home from school. Photo by Cooper Austen, Laikipia County, Kenya, March 2026. Used with permission.
Shifting power within the community
The effects extend beyond income.
Access to independent financial resources has changed household dynamics. Women who previously had limited economic autonomy now have greater control over decision-making. Some have been able to navigate or leave difficult relationships. Others have remained within the community with increased independence.
The Lekiji case illustrates a broader legal and social dynamic. Formal land rights establish a foundation, but the distribution of access and control determines how those rights reshape power within communities.
These changes reflect a broader shift in how land rights operate at the local level. Legal ownership provides a foundation. The distribution of access and control determines how that foundation is used.
Looking ahead
Communities like Lekiji continue to face pressures from climate change, evolving conservation policies, and changing economic conditions. These pressures affect both livelihoods and long-term stability.
Securing land rights addressed one dimension of vulnerability.
The longer-term challenge lies in how those rights are exercised, particularly in contexts where law alone has not resolved the legacies of dispossession.
In Lekiji, expanding women’s participation in economic life has become part of that process. For postcolonial communities, ownership is only one dimension of justice. Who benefits from the land may ultimately determine whether communities can remain on it.
How one Kenyan community is building a new future on reclaimed ground
May. 14th, 2026 08:00 amglobalvoices_gender_feedPostcolonial land rights remain deeply contested across Kenya, particularly where formal title conflicts with long-standing occupation.
Originally published on Global Voices
A woman sells beadwork outside a traditional Maasai dwelling. Photo by Cooper Austen. Used with permission.
By Sydney Leigh Smith and Cooper Austen
This post is part of Global Voices’ May 2026 Spotlight series, “Global crisis, local solutions.” This series will offer stories of resistance and successful climate action, insight into how communities in the Global South are fighting back against the crisis, analysis of what this might mean for future generations, and more. You can support this coverage by donating here.
In 2022, Kenya’s Lekiji community secured legal rights to the land they had occupied for more than sixty years. What followed has reshaped how land, power, and gender operate within the community.
On July 11, 2022, Kenya’s then Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, issued 766 land title deeds to residents of the Lekiji community, a pastoral settlement in Northern Kenya’s Laikipia County. With a stroke of the pen, hundreds of pastoral families who had lived on the land for decades as squatters became its legal owners.
Until this settlement, the Lekiji were not recognized as the rightful occupants of their land under the Constitution of Kenya (2010). They possessed no legal deed and no formal proof of residency beyond the roads, schools, and homes they had spent sixty years constructing. Questions of postcolonial land rights remain deeply contested across Kenya, particularly where formal title possession conflicts with long-standing occupation.
A history of dispossession and legal contestation
Conflict over land rights in Laikipia can be traced back to the period surrounding the Mau Mau uprising. In 1960, a white colonial-era farmer allocated small parcels of land to his former workers, who established a pastoral settlement of around three hundred families. These arrangements were never formalized through legally recognized titles.
In later years, the same land was transferred through what residents describe as a series of “corrupt transactions” to a private owner, Nigel Trent. By the early 2000s, Trent began threatening eviction.
Trent’s claim rested on formal ownership. Yet that ownership derived from a colonial land transfer that many postcolonial legal scholars would argue lacked a legitimate original title. The dispute, therefore, raised a deeper legal question about the relationship between formal property rights and historical dispossession.
In 2012, following a petition by Trent, the High Court of Nakuru issued an eviction order affecting more than 400 Lekiji families. Residents were given 90 days to vacate or face prosecution. The ruling affirmed the legal weight of formal title and declined to grant a stay of eviction, emphasizing that the registered owner had a right to “enjoy the fruits of their judgment.”
Over the previous five decades, the community had built a social and economic life on this land. Leaving was not a viable option.
With support from NGOs such as IMPACT Kenya, the community resisted. They delayed the eviction order and used that time to pursue legal avenues to reclaim their land.
The case was framed in court as a conflict between competing rights. Residents argued that eviction would cause substantial loss, pointing to homes, schools, and long-term settlement. The court, however, concluded that the titleholder would suffer greater loss if denied possession.
The conflict extended beyond legal proceedings. Between 2012 and 2022, violent confrontations between police and community members became part of everyday life. Community leaders established a perimeter defense system, staffed around the clock. In 2020, one resident recalled that two members of the community were killed in clashes with law enforcement.
State settlement and legal resolution
The dispute was ultimately resolved through state intervention rather than judicial recognition of customary rights.
Earlier court decisions had already prioritized formal title over long-term occupation, even where communities demonstrated a potential substantial loss if evicted.
In 2022, the Kenyan government purchased the land from Trent and transferred ownership to the Lekiji community, subdividing it among approximately 300 households. Each household received about 2.25 acres.
This outcome reflects a broader pattern in land governance, where the state resolves competing claims through purchase and redistribution rather than fully adjudicating the legality of historical ownership.
For residents like Eunice Amira, the impact was deeply personal. Born in 1980, she had lived her entire life as a squatter. She watched her family engage in repeated legal battles in Nakuru and Nairobi, which drained them financially and shaped her sense of identity and belonging. When the title deeds were issued, she told the Kenya News Agency that she felt as though she had “been born again.” She added that “some have died trying to get the same.”
The government’s decision provided legal certainty and recognition for families who had long existed outside formal property systems.
Women welcome visitors to their community with a traditional dance. Photo by Cooper Austen. Used with permission.
Women, land, and economic transformation
While the 2022 decision resolved the question of ownership, the use of that land has driven further change within the community.
Lekiji remains a patriarchal society, where men traditionally control income-generating activities such as farming and herding, while women manage domestic responsibilities. These economic structures are under increasing strain. As Fardosa Hassan, Community Outreach Officer at the neighboring Mpala Research Center and a Lekiji resident, explained, traditional livelihoods often fail to provide sufficient income or long-term security. As a result, many young people leave in search of employment, education, and more diverse opportunities.
In response, community leaders have expanded women’s economic roles.
Following the land settlement, five acres were allocated exclusively for women to develop income-generating activities. This represents less than 0.5 percent of Lekiji’s total land, but it has become a focal point for economic diversification.
Women in the community have developed multiple projects on this land. They sell beadwork to tourists visiting nearby conservancies. They are constructing a guesthouse where visitors can stay and experience local ways of life. They grow fruits and vegetables for sale in local markets. They have installed a solar-powered well to support irrigation. They also operate a chicken farm, producing eggs and meat for both consumption and sale.
According to Hassan, “these activities provide women with a source of income that is flexible and controlled directly by them,” allowing women to support household needs such as school fees, food, and healthcare. She also emphasized that these initiatives create opportunities for women to develop skills in design, marketing, and business management, supporting longer-term economic participation.
Lekiji community kids walking home from school. Photo by Cooper Austen, Laikipia County, Kenya, March 2026. Used with permission.
Shifting power within the community
The effects extend beyond income.
Access to independent financial resources has changed household dynamics. Women who previously had limited economic autonomy now have greater control over decision-making. Some have been able to navigate or leave difficult relationships. Others have remained within the community with increased independence.
The Lekiji case illustrates a broader legal and social dynamic. Formal land rights establish a foundation, but the distribution of access and control determines how those rights reshape power within communities.
These changes reflect a broader shift in how land rights operate at the local level. Legal ownership provides a foundation. The distribution of access and control determines how that foundation is used.
Looking ahead
Communities like Lekiji continue to face pressures from climate change, evolving conservation policies, and changing economic conditions. These pressures affect both livelihoods and long-term stability.
Securing land rights addressed one dimension of vulnerability.
The longer-term challenge lies in how those rights are exercised, particularly in contexts where law alone has not resolved the legacies of dispossession.
In Lekiji, expanding women’s participation in economic life has become part of that process. For postcolonial communities, ownership is only one dimension of justice. Who benefits from the land may ultimately determine whether communities can remain on it.
Heh
May. 14th, 2026 01:20 amysobelSo I've been watching the Poirot that aired on PBS back in the 90s, with David Suchetand I'm watching this one episode, and one of the characters looks familiar.
Now I'm not always great at placing actors, and I'm not super good at remembering names. But some people have distinctive... well in this case, a combination of ears and nose and way of moving his mouth. And I say to myself, either that is Christopher Eccleston, about ten years younger than Ninth Doctor, or it's someone very much a lookalike.
(It was CE, per credits. Ten points!)
Now I'm not always great at placing actors, and I'm not super good at remembering names. But some people have distinctive... well in this case, a combination of ears and nose and way of moving his mouth. And I say to myself, either that is Christopher Eccleston, about ten years younger than Ninth Doctor, or it's someone very much a lookalike.
(It was CE, per credits. Ten points!)
YMI -- ODB: 14 May 2026
May. 14th, 2026 02:07 amsparoweODB: Good Soil in God
May 14, 2026
READ: Luke 8:4-8, 11-15
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown. Luke 8:8
In late spring each year, I plant cucumber seeds in our garden. The seeds produce leaves quickly, but it takes time to see the fruit. In fact, one summer after I watered the seeds and waited, I questioned whether I’d get any cucumbers at all. I thought, Did I put too many seeds too close together, or was the ground not warm enough when I’d planted them? But one day, I spotted a green bulb. The next week, I spotted another. Then another. Within a few weeks, we moved from only vines to almost enough fruit to make salad for a week.
Spiritual growth looks like that sometimes. We don’t always see the things we’ve been praying for: patience, self-control, being gentle and loving (see Galatians 5:22-23). But if we ask God to help us create the conditions needed for growth—prayer, studying the Scriptures, worship, serving others—the Holy Spirit will produce the growth.
This is the crux of the parable Jesus shares in Luke 8: “A farmer went out to sow his seed” (v. 5). “The birds ate” some of the seeds that fell on the path (v. 5). Others landed on rocky ground, where they received no moisture and withered (v. 6). Some more fell among thorns and were choked before they could grow (v. 7). But the seed that was planted on good soil yielded a crop that was “a hundred times more than was sown” (v. 8).
As God helps us, let’s cultivate “good soil” and grow in Him.
— Katara Patton
How is God helping you cultivate “good soil”? Where have you observed growth in your life?
Master Gardener, please help me produce good fruit from good soil.
For further study, read The Forever Race: A Model of Spiritual Growth.
Minmaxing II: Max Probably Knows a Few Cokeheads--JLA INCARNATIONS #6, MARTIAN MANHUNTER #33
May. 13th, 2026 10:09 pmtcampbell1000 posting in scans_dailyPart 95b of 105.
When I started looking into this, I believed Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1 was the first story to suggest Max was a straight-up bad guy, even after his ordeal with the sentient computer. This is not true. His last appearance in JLA, in 1996, is at least ambiguous…
And two John Ostrander stories in 2000 and 2001 also tinkered with Max’s moral alignment, one much more blatantly than the other. ( Maybe Ostrander was angling to get Max onto the next Suicide Squad? )
When I started looking into this, I believed Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1 was the first story to suggest Max was a straight-up bad guy, even after his ordeal with the sentient computer. This is not true. His last appearance in JLA, in 1996, is at least ambiguous…
And two John Ostrander stories in 2000 and 2001 also tinkered with Max’s moral alignment, one much more blatantly than the other. ( Maybe Ostrander was angling to get Max onto the next Suicide Squad? )
otw_news_feedDo you have experience in managing or leading people? Are you a frequent Bluesky, Twitter | X, or RedNote user who enjoys helping others? Are you interested in the rescue and preservation of fanworks? The Organization for Transformative Works is recruiting!
We’re excited to announce the opening of applications for:
- Fanlore Chair Track Volunteer – closing 20 May 2026 at 23:59 UTC or after 40 applications
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- Open Doors Import Assistant – closing 20 May 2026 at 23:59 UTC or after 40 applications
We have included more information on each role below. Open roles and applications will always be available at the volunteering page. If you don’t see a role that fits with your skills and interests now, keep an eye on the listings. We plan to put up new applications every few weeks, and we will also publicize new roles as they become available.
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Fanlore Chair Track Volunteer
Do you have experience in managing or leading people? Are you an organizational wizard? Do you have an interest in preserving fannish history or experience in wiki editing? The Fanlore committee is looking for new Chair Track Volunteers to join our team!
Fanlore is the committee responsible for maintaining and promoting the Fanlore wiki. We promote Fanlore on social media, run Fanlore editing challenges, support Fanlore editors, write the wiki’s policy and help pages, and respond to emails from editors and readers. The Chair Track Volunteer position is for people who have the time and dedication to learn all about our operations so that they can be considered for the role of committee Chair.
We’re looking for someone who has experience in wiki editing and an understanding of social media, who is comfortable with personnel management and training new recruits, and who is experienced in leadership or management whether in a business or nonprofit environment. Candidates also need strong time management skills and the ability to work on and track multiple tasks at a time. If that’s you, please apply!
For your application to be considered, you will be required to complete a short task within one week of submitting your application.
You must be 18+ in order to apply for this role.
Applications are due 20 May 2026 or after 40 applications
Apply to be a Fanlore Chair Track Volunteer at the volunteering page! If you have further questions, please contact us.
Communications Social Media Moderator
Are you familiar with Bluesky and Twitter | X? Do you want to help connect the public with the OTW?
The Communications committee is recruiting for Social Media Moderators to help us manage our Bluesky and Twitter | X. Social Media Moderators will help the OTW maintain an active presence on their platform, creating or reblogging a range of posts of relevance and interest to the OTW’s userbase, and doing outreach to fan groups and individuals on the site. Moderators are also responsible for handling user questions and managing responses to the OTW’s news content. You will be working as part of a team, and you must be able to dedicate at least 3-4 hours each week to the OTW.
For this position, we are seeking people who are familiar with both platforms as they are managed jointly by the same team of people and who ideally have experience moderating a social media page. We are also interested in hearing from those with customer service experience, especially in an online environment. We expect you to have an interest in fandom at large and an understanding of the concerns and activities of the OTW (although we will, of course, provide you with training once you start).
You must be 18+ in order to apply for this role. If you’re a frequent Bluesky or Twitter | X user who enjoys helping others, have a wide-ranging interests across the fandom space, and are curious and willing to learn, we’d love to hear from you!
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Apply to be a Communications Social Media Moderator at the volunteering page! If you have further questions, please contact us.
Communications Social Media Moderator (Chinese)
Do you use RedNote? Do you want to connect Chinese fans with the OTW?
The Communications committee is recruiting for RedNote Moderators to help start up and oversee the OTW’s presence on RedNote, the Chinese social networking site.
RedNote Moderators will be part of a team creating content for the OTW RedNote, posting regularly about topics related to the OTW. Moderators will also respond to user questions and comments to help them find answers to their questions about the OTW’s projects. Additionally, they will act as a link between the OTW and the RedNote community, providing updates to the rest of the OTW on trends and events within Chinese fan communities.
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We are looking for volunteers familiar with RedNote and passionate about outreach on the platform. They should be able to maintain a consistent level of work, collaborate inside the team and with other committees, ask for help when needed, and be proactive about suggesting ways the OTW can better connect with its users. If you’re interested in doing outreach to Chinese-language fandom communities, this is the position for you!
Applications are due 20 May 2026 or after 60 applications
Apply to be a Communications Social Media Moderator (Chinese) at the volunteering page! If you have further questions, please contact us.
Open Doors Import Assistant
Do you enjoy spreadsheets, self-paced projects, and helping protect fanworks from getting lost over time? Are you interested in the rescue and preservation of fanworks? Do you still guiltily–or not so guiltily–love the first fanwork that opened your eyes to fandom?
Open Doors is a committee dedicated to preserving fanworks in their many formats, and we’re looking for volunteers to support this goal. The work we do preserves fan history, love, and dedication to fandom: we keep fanworks from offline and at-risk archives from being lost, divert fanzines from the trash, and more.
Our import assistants contribute to our goal by:
- Importing works to AO3 from rescued digital archives and fanzines
- Searching AO3 for existing copies of works that creators have already uploaded themselves (to prevent us from importing duplicate versions when we import an archive)
- Compiling and correcting spreadsheets of works from an archive to be imported and/or tags to use on those works
- Copyediting/proofreading works from fanzines that have been scanned from PDFs (to ensure that the scanned works were transcribed properly by the software we used)
The training is self-directed, and so is the work for the most part, though we also have weekly working meetings/parties for people to all chip in and work on tasks together! Import assistants can generally alternate the types of tasks they work on. At any one time, we usually have several tasks of different types available.
To apply for this role, you must be at least 18 years old and legally of age to open explicit fanworks in your local jurisdiction.
If you’re interested, click on through for a longer description of what we’re looking for and the time commitment. For your application to be considered, you will be required to complete a short task within 3 days of submitting your application.
Applications are due 20 May 2026 or after 40 applications
Apply to be an Open Doors Import Assistant at the volunteering page! If you have further questions, please contact us.
The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Wednesday, May 13
May. 13th, 2026 11:42 pmveronyxk84 posting in su_herald
XANDER: I'm telling you. I woke up the other day with this feeling in my gut. I just know there's no way I'm getting out of this school alive.
CORDELIA: Wow, you've really mastered the power of positive giving-up.
XANDER: I've been lucky too many times. My number's coming up. And I was short! One more rotation and I'm shipping state-side, you know what I mean?
Cordelia: Seldom if ever.
CORDELIA: Wow, you've really mastered the power of positive giving-up.
XANDER: I've been lucky too many times. My number's coming up. And I was short! One more rotation and I'm shipping state-side, you know what I mean?
Cordelia: Seldom if ever.
~~BtVS 3x21 “Graduation Day, Part 1”~~
The Sunnydale Herald is looking for at least one new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more here.
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
- Werewolf Safety (Oz, Willow, PG) by badly_knitted
- Bleeding Sun: Tell Me (Riley, Maggie Walsh, M) by victorfreakenstein
- Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow (Angel/Spike, T) by SomeKindOfADeviant
- confusing (Dawn & Sylvia Tilly, Star Trek xover, G) by flootzavut
- Tell Me (Riley, Maggie Walsh, M) by victorfreakenste1n
- A Lesson to Learn (Angel/Spike, M) by leatafandom
[Chaptered Fiction]
- First Light, Chapter 3/? (Giles/Jenny, Giles/Ethan, E) by jannacore
- I Don't Want to Be the One, Chapter 33/40 (Buffy/Spike, T) by pommedapi
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- Heaven is here (if you want it), Chapter 2/15 (Buffy/Spike, Drusilla/Spike, M) by sugarmeth
- Ashes to Amber, Chapter 11/41 (Buffy/Jacob Black, Twilight xover, not rated) by Aya1600
- Murphy’s Law, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Joan963z
- ‘Til Death?, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Maulikiller
- Staked through the heart (and you're to blame), Chapter 8 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Ninereeds
- Mile Markers and Blood Moons, Chapter 63 (Buffy/Spike, R) by JamesMFan
- Playing With Fire, Chapter 22 (Buffy/Spike, G) by stellugh
- The Gift, Chapter 30 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Corvidae
- Revelations, Chapter 75 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Niamh
[Images, Audio & Video]
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[Reviews & Recaps]
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[In Search Of]
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[Community Announcements]
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[Fandom Discussions]
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- Do you think Xander was still in love with Buffy in the later seasons? by clarkgriffon, daughterofscotland
- Joyce and Buffy are such a meaningful relationship to me by spvffys
- so many missed opportunities for a hot older woman to rock up to Sunnydale who turns out to be another Slayer that faked her permadeath by becauseitswrong
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- Do you guys have opinions that you are surprised people disagree with you on? by Interesting-Tea3907
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- Buffy should have had a salary from the watcher’s council by SmiLe-105
- What’s your favourite screen grab from the show? by Therealeritrean101
[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]
- Outtake from Rewatch: Phases Part 1 by Re-Vamped with Juliet Landau
Can the Great Nicobar Islands survive India’s development aspirations?
May. 13th, 2026 08:00 amglobalvoices_human_feedDemographic change instigated by the project could gradually reshape the region’s ecological and cultural balance
Originally published on Global Voices
A massive infrastructure project planned for Great Nicobar Island, part of India’s Nicobar Islands, an island chain owned and managed by India in the eastern Indian Ocean, has triggered growing debate over development, environmental risks, and the future of Indigenous communities.
The proposed Great Nicobar Development Project includes a transshipment port, an international airport, a township, and a power plant. First proposed by NITI Aayog (policy commission) in the late 2010s, the project received environmental clearance in 2022 and has since moved into the early stages of implementation. The Indian government has described the project as strategically significant because of the island’s location near the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
Government officials have defended the project as strategically important for strengthening India’s maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific and reducing dependence on foreign transshipment hubs. The project has also received backing from defense commentators and retired military officials. Speaking to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), Major General (Retd.) Arvind Bhatia argued that the development could enhance India’s surveillance and maritime capabilities near the Strait of Malacca — one of the world’s busiest shipping routes — while improving the country’s long-term strategic and economic position in the region.
The project returned to national attention in April 2026 after Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Indian Lok Sabha (lower house of the parliament), visited Great Nicobar and criticized the scale of the proposed development during a public event on the island. Subsequent criticism from opposition leaders in parliament further intensified public debate over the project’s ecological impact and its implications for Indigenous communities.
An ecologically fragile island
Great Nicobar Island is known for its tropical rainforests, coastal ecosystems, and rich biodiversity.
Galathea Bay, where the proposed port is expected to be built, is considered one of the most important nesting grounds for the giant leatherback turtle in the northern Indian Ocean. Environmental groups and marine researchers have raised concerns about the fragile marine ecosystem surrounding the bay. Scientists cited by the Wildlife Institute of India, as well as conservation researchers interviewed by Mongabay India, have pointed to the presence of thousands of coral colonies in the area, which is not visible in government maps. Recent reporting by Scroll India also highlighted concerns over the ecological impact of construction near critical leatherback turtle nesting sites.
Critics of the project, including environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta and researchers associated with the Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology (SANE), have warned about large-scale tree felling, biodiversity loss, and habitat disruption linked to the development. According to a 2026 Press Information Bureau (PIB) release on the project, the estimated number of trees in the affected area is 1.865 million, with up to 711,000 trees expected to be felled in phases as part of the forest diversion process.
The concerns, however, extend beyond biodiversity alone.
Great Nicobar lies in a high seismic zone and was heavily affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent history. Parts of the island experienced land subsidence after the tsunami, permanently altering sections of the coastline. Environmental analysis published by Earth.org noted that the island’s geological vulnerability continues to shape debate over large-scale infrastructure expansion.
That history remains central to concerns about whether an island vulnerable to earthquakes, coastal erosion, and escalating climate risks can sustain the scale of urban and industrial development now being proposed. In a recent analysis published by the Economic Times, it was also noted that parts of Great Nicobar underwent major geological transformation following the 2004 tsunami.
Indigenous communities and changing realities
The island is also home to the Shompen, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTGs — a government classification within India) with limited contact with the outside world, and the Nicobarese community, whose lives remain closely tied to the region’s forests and coastal ecosystems.
Environmental researchers and rights groups have questioned whether Indigenous communities were adequately consulted during the project’s approval process. Recent reporting by Mongabay India documented concerns raised by tribal leaders, environmental researchers, and civil society groups over transparency, land diversion, and consultation procedures linked to the development.
The debate has been especially sensitive in the case of the Shompen community because of their relative isolation. Researchers have warned that large-scale migration and population influx linked to future urbanization could create long-term social and public health pressures for Indigenous communities living on the island. Similar concerns have been reflected in reporting by Scroll and independent environmental researchers. Questions have also been raised about how demographic change could gradually reshape the region’s ecological and cultural balance.
Public debate around the project has increasingly spilled onto social media platforms as well. Supporters have framed the development as strategically important for India’s maritime security and economic interests, particularly because of Great Nicobar’s proximity to the Strait of Malacca. Political commentators, defense analysts, and public figures on X have argued that the project could strengthen India’s strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region.
Critics, meanwhile, have used social media to highlight concerns over deforestation, biodiversity loss, ecological vulnerability, and the future of Indigenous communities, particularly given the island’s fragile coastal ecosystem and its experience during the 2004 tsunami.
Competing visions of development
Supporters of the project, including government officials and retired military commentators, have described the Great Nicobar Development Project as strategically important for strengthening India’s maritime infrastructure and reducing dependence on foreign transshipment ports.
Critics, including environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta and conservation groups such as the Society for Andaman and Nicobar Ecology (SANE), have questioned the long-term ecological consequences of large-scale construction on one of India’s most environmentally fragile islands.
For many observers, the debate surrounding Great Nicobar reflects a broader question facing climate-vulnerable regions: how to balance economic ambition and strategic interests with ecological survival and Indigenous rights.
YMI -- ODB: 13 May 2026
May. 13th, 2026 03:32 amsparoweODB: Waiting for the Harvest
May 13, 2026
READ: Galatians 6:7-10
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
In 1962, Joanne Shetler and Anne Fetzer made an arduous trek by bus and foot into the rugged mountains of the Philippines to share the gospel with people who’d never heard of Jesus.
For five years, they translated Scripture into the people’s language, but the Balangao villagers weren’t receptive. They did, however, help build a primitive landing strip so new supplies could be flown in. One day, a plane dubbed “magic from another world” by the people arrived. The pilot then flew a deathly ill, pregnant village woman to a faraway clinic. When the plane later returned with the recovered woman and her healthy newborn, the people began asking about “this God” they’d been told about. Soon the village had a church full of believers in Christ.
All of us who share the story of Jesus have times of discouragement when our listeners don’t seem to hear. The apostle Paul knew that can happen. After explaining to the Galatians the importance of planting and harvesting the gospel, he recognized that a sower may grow tired. So he challenged his listeners not to “become weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9).
The first five years of Joanne and Anne’s work was surely discouraging. But they kept sowing, and eventually they reaped a harvest. Let’s not “give up” (v. 9). Surely, the message of salvation will “reap eternal life” (v. 8).
— Dave Branon
Why do you sometimes grow weary in sharing the gospel? What’s your sure hope?
Dear God, please help me to hang in there and keep sowing when a loved one seems disinterested in the gospel.
Source: Our Daily Bread
well that was entertaining
May. 13th, 2026 12:19 amtsuki_no_barathis morning i'm talking to a guy in one of my groups - he's staff, not a student, and for the purposes of this exercise we'll call him js because those are his initials - i don't remember the context but he asked me if i'd seen a movie called the old guard.
yes, yes i have seen a movie called the old guard. i did not mention that i watched it so hard i absolutely lost my mind on tumblr for a while.
then he told me not to watch the second one because it's not good. i did mention that when we (by which i meant the fannish corners where i hang out) heard there was going to be a second one we were very excited and that i still haven't seen it because i heard it was bad. apparently it ends on a cliffhanger to lead into a third movie? which, if the second was so bad, will probably never come to be.
then he brought up highlander - movie and tv show - and allowed as how he went to a highlander con back in the day (which was enough !!! for me) and got to talk to the swordmaster who said the swords sparked against each other during the various fights because the actors were using arc welders to do it. also he met the keeper of the canon who i guess kept the timelines straight. he's telling me about some of the characters and there was this one guy who was only going to be in a few episodes but the fans loved him so the show kept him - his name was methos - and i've never seen the show, right? but even i know who methos was.
it was a highly entertaining conversation but weird because while i kind of expect to find fans of genre tv and/or movies at work - i mean, i work with nerds - i only know highlander the series through online fandom so it was odd to meet an actual fan in real life. but fun!
on sunday i went on a food and walking tour of boston's seaport with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tamalinn, friend a, and friend a's hubs. we had chowdah chowder, fried clams, oysters, lobster rolls, and crabcakes. my favorite was definitely the lobster roll - it was SO GOOD - but the fried clams were a close second. i'm a sucker for a fried clam. we also got to see a bunch of the seaport including the fish pier and a bunch of guys unloading the fish (also squid). the weather cleared and the sun came out and there were A LOT of dogs and the only other person in our tour was a woman visiting from australia - she was going to salem after boston and we were all full of recommendations for her - and it was just a really fun day. and saturday i met my sister for dinner, by which i mean i drove to her place because she locked herself out and i have spare keys and then we went out near her. it was raining when i left but after maybe fifteen minutes it was BUCKETING DOWN, i mean it was biblical. and my car was fine! which is a relief.
for the americans in the audience who have been to in-n-out burger and like to order off the menu there's a reason you can't order anything bigger than a 4x4. and that reason is a guy who walked into an in-n-out in vegas and ordered... a 100x100. for the unfamiliar, that's 100 patties and 100 slices of cheese. a bun on the bottom, a bun on the top, and insanity in the middle.
the first known use of omg was in a letter to winston churchill. sounds like it was sarcastic, too.
yes, yes i have seen a movie called the old guard. i did not mention that i watched it so hard i absolutely lost my mind on tumblr for a while.
then he told me not to watch the second one because it's not good. i did mention that when we (by which i meant the fannish corners where i hang out) heard there was going to be a second one we were very excited and that i still haven't seen it because i heard it was bad. apparently it ends on a cliffhanger to lead into a third movie? which, if the second was so bad, will probably never come to be.
then he brought up highlander - movie and tv show - and allowed as how he went to a highlander con back in the day (which was enough !!! for me) and got to talk to the swordmaster who said the swords sparked against each other during the various fights because the actors were using arc welders to do it. also he met the keeper of the canon who i guess kept the timelines straight. he's telling me about some of the characters and there was this one guy who was only going to be in a few episodes but the fans loved him so the show kept him - his name was methos - and i've never seen the show, right? but even i know who methos was.
it was a highly entertaining conversation but weird because while i kind of expect to find fans of genre tv and/or movies at work - i mean, i work with nerds - i only know highlander the series through online fandom so it was odd to meet an actual fan in real life. but fun!
on sunday i went on a food and walking tour of boston's seaport with
tamalinn, friend a, and friend a's hubs. we had for the americans in the audience who have been to in-n-out burger and like to order off the menu there's a reason you can't order anything bigger than a 4x4. and that reason is a guy who walked into an in-n-out in vegas and ordered... a 100x100. for the unfamiliar, that's 100 patties and 100 slices of cheese. a bun on the bottom, a bun on the top, and insanity in the middle.
the first known use of omg was in a letter to winston churchill. sounds like it was sarcastic, too.
The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Tuesday, May 12
May. 13th, 2026 01:56 amsu_herald_feedWesley: "You found anything yet?"
Angel: "Sealed up tight. Got to be at least six - seven inches thick at least. You?"
Wesley: "No. No, these impenetrable stone walls are proving to be rather..."
Gunn: "You say impenetrable and I will kick your ass."
Angel: "Sealed up tight. Got to be at least six - seven inches thick at least. You?"
Wesley: "No. No, these impenetrable stone walls are proving to be rather..."
Gunn: "You say impenetrable and I will kick your ass."
~~Angel Season II Episode #42: Over the Rainbow~~
The Sunnydale Herald is looking for a new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more.
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
- Blame (“It’s… It’s Not Too Bad—”) (Spike, M) by https://archiveofourown.org/users/victorfreakenstein/pseuds/victorfreakenstein
- Four Times Buffy Took Care of Dawn, and One Time Dawn Took Care of Buffy (Buffy, Dawn, G) by MadeInGold
- Only For Me (Giles/Ethan, E) by BloodyEll42
- Let's Slip Away (Buffy/Spike, M) by RayxNx94
- KATABASIS Ch. 1 (Buffy/Faith, M) by pezberriesss
- A Lesson to Learn (Spike/Angelus, M) by Leata
- Passion Revisited (Part I) (Buffy/Giles, T) by KatyAmberAuthor
- rest (Willow/Tara, G) by TechnicolorRevel
- so mote it be... (Buffy/Spike, M) by flootzavut
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Downvoted Ch. 15 (Warren/Andrew, E) by Mishafer
- Finality Ch. 14 (Buffy/Spike, T) by flootzavut
- With the gales of November remembered Ch. 8 (Buffy/Spike, M) by zinjadu
- Violin Violence Ch. 10 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Laqt15
- Heir of the Slayer Ch. 14 (Buffy, OC, unrated) by ANISRAW2020
- Faith, and How I Fell Ch. 19 (Buffy/Faith, M) by Willowhand
- serves you right Ch. 13 (Buffy/Spike, M) by socratesgirl
- Red Xandra: Season Two Ch. 78 (Ensemble, T) by Kickaha
- Dancing in a Daydream Ch. 1 (Spike/Fred, E) by Kittenwritings
- Blossom in Blood Ch. 18 (Buffy/Spike, E) by desicat
- The Gift Ch. 1-2/2 (COMPLETE) (Faith, M, Kingdoms of Amalur xover) by era30
- The Problem With Angelus Ch. 28/28 (COMPLETE) (Xandeer, Angelus, unrated) by Desiree_2026
- Fresh nights ahead Ch. 34 (Buffy/Faith, M) by Red Cowling
- The Shape of Staying Ch. 3 (Buffy/Giles, E) by andhetakesandhetakes
- The Third Waltz Ch. 2 (Buffy/Giles, M) by Nixiet
- A Stake In The Family Ch. 28 (Buffy/Spike, M) by voidslayerworks98
- Bound by the calling Ch. 28 (Buffy/Faith, E) by vampireslayerr
- Spike Becomes Hogwarts’ Problem Ch. 2 (Spike, unrated, Harry Potter xover) by faewm
- 5 Times Evil Flirted with Good Ch. 4 (Buffy/Angelus, G) by bangelus9, Sissyversecorp
- The Knife Cuts Both Ways Ch. 1 (Buffy/Angel, M) by GraceNM
- Hell Was Full Ch. 2 (Buffy/Faith, E) by Petronelle
- Salvaged Ch. 4 (Angel, Wesley, T) by Baela
- Brave New World Ch. 18 (Willow/Tara, E) by TheLightdancer
- Faith & Hope Ch. 14 (Faith, T, Degrassi xover) by KitRokaku
- Something Red Ch. 10 (Ensemble, unrated) by Little_Bites
- Murphy’s Law Ch. 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Joan963z
- A Case of You, Chapter 25 (Buffy/Spike, E) by cheshire
- Get Well Soon, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Melme1325
- Aphrodite Blossoms, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Safire
- Playing With Fire, Chapter 21 (Buffy/Spike, G) by stellugh
- Chaos Gacha Ch. 1 (Xander, T, Chaos Gacha xover) by xandersgirl
- And then along came Groo Ch. 2 (Groo/Kate, T, Dusk Till Dawn xover) by Kiwikatipo
- The Ring Talks, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, M) by myrabeth
[Images, Audio & Video]
- Artwork: Vampire Jesse McNally () by Laqt15
- Icons: Angel and Spike in S5E11 "Damage" () by MadeInGold
- Artwork: Spike () by scxrlet64
- Artwork: Spike () by sanshofox
- Artwork: Anthony Head () by buffyannegiles
- Artwork: Buffy () by sideartblog999
- Vid: You’ve Been Flirting Again - Bjork (Tillow) by arentyounaturallybuffbuff
[Reviews & Recaps]
- PODCAST: BTVS 718 - Dirty Girls by Another Buffy Podcast
- PODCAST: “It’s THE SHOW”: Passion of the Nerd’s Ian Martin on Season 2 of Buffy by Buffering the Vampire Slayer
[Community Announcements]
- Tuesday - No Dialogue by comment_fic
- Extra Challenge Week 1/26 - Day 2 by fic-promptly
[Fandom Discussions]
- weslyria is such a fascinating dynamic. by sidelinesss
- explain up to three ideas by buildarocketboys
- Btvs dynaswap au by wizardfortresstwo
- the two most emotionally perceptive characters on Buffy by evilvampire
- Buffy and Spike are just so CINEMATIC together by becauseitswrong
- BTVS was soooooo crazy by lierdumoa
- You know? Hearing Willow describe Angel as a bad boy really made me tilt my head. by ohlioness, prettywitchiusaka
- that episode is still so bonkers to me. by lesbianmarrow
- i do find it hard to square the spike who beats robin within an inch of his life in “lies my parents told me” with the spike in “beneath you” by lesbianmarrow
- I think about faith as a kid DAILY. by uhicareforcharacters
- Something about how Warren’s final appearance in any capacity is in Storyteller by garscrucible
- Buffy is abandonment issues personified by uhicareforcharacters
- i keep thinking about how different the fanfics are (between BtVS and Heated Rivalry) by iamnotathornbird
- Can someone please bring the Buffy animated series back on board? by vamp-liar
- what if angelus had sired Jenny in Passions instead of just breaking her neck? by voldy1989
- Buffy getting kicked out of her house by eldy33
- Clearly “Anne” is my all time favorite episode by originatr
- Did "Normal Again" mess with anyone else's head? by Fuzzy_Variation7343
- Angel’s Dagger in Season 5 by angeliclestat
- Andy Hallet’s vital signs by ceecee1909
- Omwf by Affectionate_Ad_2605
- The Trial (answers on the next slide) by ceecee1909
- The character writing on Buffy is genuienely gold by Brard_Cailly16
- What do Buffy's vampires REALLY mean? by Revolutionary_Key325
- Plot hole? by SaiyanX86
- Does anyone else steel find it surreal that Michelle is gone? by Divine_fashionva
- What single-episode character do you wish we got more of? (BtVS) by False-Ad-7548
- What minor character do you wish we got more of? (AtS) by False-Ad-7548
- does watching Angel spoil Buffy? by Strong-Ad2457