Science Fiction

Savior of the Damned. Content Warning.
June 27th Phaedra walked up to the gates. They were closed, which she didn’t find surprising. The bushes and vining plants were so overgrown on the wrought-iron fence she was a little worried she wouldn’t be able to open the gates. She looked to either side, but all she could see was the length of the fence. The bushes looked to be blackberries, and Phaedra stopped for a moment to have some. When she had last been at Temple, they were small and green, but these looked ripe enough to eat. She groaned as the berries burst with a tart sweetness. Being somewhat dead meant she could eat for pleasure but didn’t need the sustenance. It was frustrating. Aurelius supplied food and drink, but it was nothing like this.
By J. Pagaduanabout a year ago in Chapters
Savior of the Damned. Content Warning.
May 17th “We have to get your Sight working better,” Torin said as Phaedra lounged on the bench under the upper deck of the ’ship. She had ducked underneath to get away, not sure what to think. So many thoughts whirled through her mind that she needed a moment to orient herself.
By J. Pagaduanabout a year ago in Chapters
My learnings as a market researcher
Learning is the only way to move forward, the err to your growth is the belief that you know everything. The beauty of existence lies in challenging your limits, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and performing the tasks that scare you and motivate you to become a better version of yourself. Life has its unique ways of compelling you to embrace the unknown and forging you to uplevel your game.
By Hridya Sharmaabout a year ago in Chapters
Savior of the Damned. Content Warning.
Eldren felt dizzy as he spied Phae at the edge of town. Merethyl clapped a hand over his mouth before he could call out, and they ducked down. He gritted his teeth as he heard a strange man call her name again as she headed off toward the sound.
By J. Pagaduanabout a year ago in Chapters
Savior of the Damned. Content Warning.
Phaedra sat on the fallen tree, sipping from the flask she held. Torin was scouting, but she was taking a break away from him. Phaedra didn’t want to admit that the flood of information from being bound to Aurelius was sometimes overwhelming. Proximity had a hand in how much it could be, but she still struggled to block it out, like Torin was trying to help her with.
By J. Pagaduanabout a year ago in Chapters
Side effects of television
Television provides entertainment, information, and education to many households. However, there are a number of negative effects of excessive television viewing, particularly on health, social interactions, and cognitive development. An examination of the negative effects of television is provided below. ### 1. **Problems with the body** The impact on physical health that excessive television viewing has is one of the most significant side effects. A sedentary lifestyle can result from prolonged TV viewing, which can exacerbate a number of health issues. - **Obesity:** Watching television for an extended period of time is linked to an increased risk of obesity. This is because people don't get enough exercise and tend to eat unhealthy snacks while watching TV. - **Eye Strain**: Staring at a screen for an extended period of time can result in eye strain, which can cause pain, headaches, and even problems with long-term vision. - **Sleep Disorders:** Watching television late at night, particularly while laying in bed, can disrupt sleep patterns. Screens' blue light can cause insomnia or poor quality sleep by disrupting the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. ### 2. **Problems with Mental Health** Additionally, television can have a significant impact on mental health. Even though it can help you relax, too much television can cause a lot of mental health problems. - **Anxiety and Depression**: Anxiety can be made worse by constantly being exposed to bad news or content that makes you feel bad. Additionally, feeling inadequate and depressed can result from comparing oneself to the frequently unrealistic depictions of life on television. - **Reduced Cognitive Function:** Excessive television viewing, particularly passive viewing, may result in a decline in cognitive abilities. Studies have shown that watching too much television can make it harder to remember, pay attention, and even solve problems. - **Addiction:** When people feel compelled to watch television for long periods of time while neglecting other responsibilities and interests, it can become addictive. Social isolation and a lack of participation in actual activities can result from this addiction. ### 3. Effect on Children Television's negative effects are especially harmful to children. Their development can be significantly impacted by the content they watch and the time they spend in front of a screen. - **Behavioral Problems**: Children who watch content that is violent or inappropriate may become desensitized to violence or act aggressively. They might also imitate bad behavior that they see on television. - **Academic Performance:** Watching too much television can make it hard to do your homework and study, which can make you do poorly in school. A child's capacity for concentration and critical thinking may also be diminished as a result of the passive nature of television. - **Delay in Language Development**: Young children who watch too much television may develop language delays. Television, in contrast to interactive play, does not encourage children to speak or have conversations, which are essential for learning a language. ### 4. **Effects on Society** Television can also have a significant effect on relationships and social interactions. - **Reduced Family Interaction**: Families that spend an excessive amount of time together watching television may find that meaningful communication is reduced. Family members may become content consumers rather than participants, resulting in a lack of connection. - **Social Isolation**: Individuals who prioritize screen time over social activities run the risk of becoming socially isolated. Social skills can suffer as a result, as can the availability of connections in the real world. - "Distorted Perception of Reality": Television frequently presents a life view that is exaggerated or unrealistic, resulting in distorted perceptions. Reality shows, on the other hand, may lead viewers to have unrealistic expectations about relationships and success, while crime dramas, on the other hand, may cause viewers to have excessive fear of the world. ### 5. Concerns of a cultural and ethical nature Television programming can influence societal norms and values, sometimes in a negative way. - "Stereotyping": Stereotypes about race, gender, and socioeconomic status are frequently perpetuated on television. Viewers' perceptions and prejudice and discrimination can be influenced by these stereotypes. - **Consumerism:** Constant exposure to commercials can lead to materialistic values because television is a powerful advertising medium. Children, in particular, may develop a need for unnecessary goods, which can lead to poor spending habits. - Moral Values: Some television programming may encourage unethical conduct like cheating, promiscuity, and dishonesty. Seeing this kind of content on a regular basis can make viewers less moral and lead them, especially young people, to do the same things. ### 6. **Effect on the Environment** Television also has an effect on the environment, something that is rarely thought about. - **Energy Consumption: **Energy Consumption:** Television sets use electricity, and millions of households watch television every day, which increases energy consumption. This issue is exacerbated even further when the television is not in use. - **Electronic Waste**: Television sets are frequently upgraded as a result of the rapid advancement of technology, which contributes to electronic waste. Because they contain dangerous substances like lead and mercury, improper disposal of old televisions can be harmful to the environment. ### 7. **Economic Consequences** For some households, the cost of television can also be a source of concern. - **Subscription Fees:** A lot of people pay a lot of money to subscribe to streaming or cable services. These expenses add up over time, straining household budgets. - **Opportunity Cost:** Time spent watching television is time wasted on activities that are more productive, like exercising, learning new skills, or socializing. This opportunity cost may have repercussions for the economy in the long run. ### In the end Television can be a valuable source of entertainment, education, and information when consumed in moderation. However, watching too much or without limits can have a number of negative effects on one's physical and mental health, social interactions, cultural norms, and even the environment. Limit screen time, especially for children, and be mindful of the content being watched are essential for mitigating these effects. Television can help maintain its positive influence rather than its negative one by combining it with other activities.
By Angel skyabout a year ago in Chapters
Savior of the Damned. Content Warning.
May 10th Merethyl, Eldren, and Simone bent over the map spread out on the table. “We only know where some of the ’stones might be. Six different houses agreed to guard the location of each, but not all have survived to pass the knowledge on.” Merethyl pointed to a spot on the map. “Elven Seers are working on finding the ones we lost track of. In the meantime, we need to start collecting them. The closest one was last being held here, in a pocket used by elves to send things back and forth without coming over.”
By J. Pagaduanabout a year ago in Chapters
Savior of the Damned. Content Warning.
May 3rd The ’ship landed in the clearing with a thump, causing Phaedra to sway a little from the impact. She looked at Torin, who was unfazed. A glance at Luca showed the big elf scowling. Typical.
By J. Pagaduanabout a year ago in Chapters
Savior of the Damned. Content Warning.
April 26th The radio had sustained so much damage, Eldren wasn’t sure how they salvaged any of it. Temple’s own forces had done a number on the ’ship it had been on board, and the less than graceful landing hadn’t done it any favors. The casing holding it together wasn’t usable, so he started by taking measurements to fabricate a new one.
By J. Pagaduanabout a year ago in Chapters
This Isn't Spring Break Anymore. Content Warning.
Zoie vaults over her neighbors fence, entering their empty backyard, her vision darts towards a sliding glass door pairing with a cemented porch, along with history of an encounter, exhibiting decals of blood on its material.
By Noah Lichtenbergabout a year ago in Chapters
The Search For Andromeda
Epilogue: The Edge of Darkness Months had passed since the day Elara and her team had contained The Devourer. The lab, once a beacon of scientific advancement, had become a high-security facility under constant surveillance. Defense ships hovered in orbit, their presence a stark reminder of the threat that lurked within the singularity core.
By Emmanuel Oyewaleabout a year ago in Chapters
The Search For Andromeda
Chapter Six: Shadows of the Future The lab was a graveyard of silence, the only sound being the soft hum of the singularity core as it pulsed with contained energy. Elara leaned heavily against the console, her body and mind drained from the ordeal. They had won—if this could be called a victory—but the shadow of what they had unleashed lingered, casting a pall over the lab.
By Emmanuel Oyewaleabout a year ago in Chapters