Latest Stories
Most recently published stories on Vocal.
The World’s Safest Countries: Where Doors Stay Unlocked and Police Rarely Carry Guns
In many parts of the world, locking doors, installing security cameras, and relying on heavily armed police forces are everyday realities. However, there are a few countries where life feels very different. In these places, crime rates are extremely low, communities are tightly connected, and trust among citizens is remarkably high. As a result, people often leave their doors unlocked, and in some cases, police officers patrol the streets without carrying firearms.
By Irshad Abbasi 24 days ago in Education
Appaloosa. Content Warning.
I couldn't stand this girl. For no reason at all. She had atomic orange curls springing in every direction, fully loaded chipmunk cheeks, and a different shirt with the same horse on it every stinkin' day. Her freckles looked so out of place on her sickly white skin. It was a month into 7th grade when I finally learned her name. Tracy. It was as bland as her personality. I didn’t understand her in the slightest; every time she spoke, her monotone voice would send my mind running for the hills. When the bell would ring, she would always be the last one to leave the classroom, but somehow scatter to be the first one to arrive at the next. I guess karma put her in just about every one of my classes and it drove me crazy that I could spend days studying for a test and never make the same grade as her in any of them. Why did she bother me so much?
By Kales24 days ago in Confessions
THE SCRIBBLER
He scribbles sometimes, though usually with a heavy heart. He is not a man who easily casts the burden of his grievances onto others; instead, he prefers to breathe his miseries into his journals. Only upon those worn pages does he strip away his disguise and expose his true self.
By Jack Scribes24 days ago in Fiction
In Defense of Philosophy
Everyone needs a motto in life, but I myself yearn to find even more. Philosophy, which I cherish most, is something I always believe in; studying it is like exploring a treasure trove of profound wisdom. Why? Because, first and foremost, the name philosophy says it all: philosophy means wisdom (in Chinese), meaning love of intelligence (philosophy). What could be more joyful than having all the difficulties and obstacles in life resolved by a wise and intelligent "scholar"? Is that perhaps overestimating philosophy? I don't think so, because no one would name something without first defining it in their mind. And even if it were called "philosophy" when it was born, if it had been truly useless, lacking wisdom and intelligence throughout a long period of history, no one would be foolish enough not to rename such a multifaceted field of study.
By Tomas Bucek24 days ago in Writers
Marienna Mercedes Joiner on Creativity and Business
Some of the most successful founders today are those who blend artistic thinking with strategic business development. One entrepreneur who represents this intersection is Marienna Mercedes Rathgeber Joiner, a self-made business mentor, creative thinker, and online brand strategist who has spent the past decade building companies, mentoring entrepreneurs, and exploring the relationship between creativity and business.
By Marienna Mercedes24 days ago in Journal
Elementor Still the Best Way to Build a WordPress Site in 2026?. AI-Generated.
Building a professional WordPress website has become easier than ever over the past decade. What once required coding skills, technical knowledge, and long development hours can now be accomplished with intuitive visual tools. Page builders have played a major role in this transformation, allowing beginners, freelancers, and businesses to design websites with drag-and-drop simplicity.
By Louis Specter24 days ago in FYI
Website Speed Test for Elementor. AI-Generated.
Elementor is a WordPress page builder plugin with over 10 million active installations in 2026. It gives website owners the ability to design visually rich pages using a drag-and-drop interface. Elementor websites load additional CSS and JavaScript files for every widget placed on a page. These extra files increase total page weight and reduce loading speed when the site is not optimized properly.
By Louis Specter24 days ago in FYI
