#CNA|SOPHIS

[ohmygoly]

Omg so this is Sokeefe? I'm surprised Grady let her go lol. Those capes look seriously awesome, I'm loving all the details. The little dragon or dinosaur or something on the hood maybe? If you're saying this was an accident then this is the coolest accident anyone's ever created ngl. I can't wait to see this Stinitz thing you're talking about. Sounds like it'll be pretty epic!

Also, sidenote, was Coppermares the Stinex ship then? Cause for awhile there I was under the assumption it was the Hekster ship for some reason lol.

I'm cooking up some Stinitz ( @ohmygoly ) but I needed to visualize the outfits and in the process made this

Sokeefe wearing some family capes (Sophie and Grady obviously in the Ruewen family cape and Keefe wearing Fitz's older Vacker cape)

Also Grady letting go of his daughter once again at a winnowing gala

@lesson-in-ruthlessness

[trashbag-baby666]

Bighorn Moutain Side-Luztoye

Chapter Eight.

Chapter Summary: Karaoke at Rosebuds, Web sings Drivers License, some sexual tension, and some nsfw.

WC: 1, 740.

C/W: NSFW sex scene.

Series Masterlist!

George stood at the bar as David Webster sang Drivers License standing on the small stage by the windows.

“He’s so good,” Lieb laughed, coming out of the kitchen watching his boyfriend sing on the stage.

“I’m excited for Babe's rendition of Since You’ve Been Gone.” George checked the karaoke list sitting on the bar.

“Babe is not very good but he sure loves karaoke night.” Lieb chuckled, Web finished and Joe clapped for him. Web handed the microphone to Frannie as she came up on stage. The bell rang and Joe and Bill came in just in time for Frannie to sing Before He Cheats.

“Hey doll,” Lieb winked as Web came over to the bar.

“Did you like the song?” Web asked.

“I think you could be the next Olivia Rodrigo,” George handed Web the iced coffee he ordered.

“Look what the cat dragged in!” Babe smiled walking over to the bar.

“Heffron,” Bill clapped him on the back, “What’re you singing tonight?”

“Since You’ve Been Gone,” Babe nodded.

“Hey,” George leaned onto the counter looking at Joe, “Are you singing for me tonight?” As he slid the notebook over to Joe.

“What’s in it for me if I do?” Joe leaned in closer.

“Whatever you want out of it,” George winked.

“George, get me a fuckin’ drink.” Joe smiled, George stood up a blushing mess as a smile roared across his face as he bit his lip.

George sat on a bar stool next to Joe as Babe sang, “Hey where's Gene?” George looked around. This was possibly some of the few times ever that George had seen Babe and Gene not together.

“He works as an EMT on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays.” Joe had Gene's usual schedule broken down. Mostly because of last summer's incident some other times he just really needed to talk with Gene.

“He’s really devoted to the whole med thing,” George leaned into Joe as he put an arm around his shoulder.

“He moved here at the end of last summer. He was in a CNA program over the summer last year. He takes this becoming a doctor thing very seriously; he just wants to jump at every opportunity that could help him out in the future.” Joe explained.

“I feel like you and Gene being this close is an odd pairing,” George hummed looking up at Joe.

“I don’t know we just kind of clicked when he first came here.” Joe shrugged, Joe felt incredibly guilty as he lied to George. God, their whole relationship was beginning to be built upon Joe's lies.

“Thank you Rosebud!” Babe laughed as he finished his song, “Next up we have our very own George Speirs singing for us!” Babe waved George up to the stage as he rolled his eyes sliding himself out of the barstool and walked onto the stage.

“Thank you Babe you’re so kind,” George rolled his eyes as Babe went to play George's song.

Joe sat back in the chair as he watched George singing Murder On The Dance Floor by Sophie Ellis-Bextor began to play.

Joe's hands snaked up George's shirt as they were parked at a small lookout a little into the mountains. George pushed his lips further into Joes, “Mph.” George whined as Joe began kissing down George's jaw finding a spot behind his ear to suck a hickey.

“Do you want my dad to kill you,” George chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Joe.

“Shh,” Joe hummed as he kissed down his neck. George pulled his shirt off as Joe slid the passenger's seat back and leaned it back. George gently climbed over the console and straddled Joe's lap.

“You’re so beautiful,” Joe began kissing George's collarbone and down to his chest, “Is this okay?”

“Mhm,” George leaned his head into the crook of Joe's neck as Joe squeezed George's hips and began sucking on his nipples, “Fuck Joe.”

George moaned into Joe's ear and let himself fall puddy into Joe's hands.

George could feel Joe begin to get hard under him as Joe rolled Georges left nipple between his thumb and pointers as he sucked hickeys all over Georges pecks.

George was so hard as his boner fought against his jean shorts to come out, he was about to come apart.

George began riding Joe's left thigh, he needed to get off, and needed to be touched.

Joe squeezed George's hips stopping him.

“Mph!” George whined against Joe's neck.

“Do you want me to touch you?” Joe began teasing George as he brought his hands down to the button on George's shorts.”

“Please!” George whined as Joe began palming at Georges boner. God he wanted to be inside of George so badly, Joe did panic for a moment remembering his leg situation but he could work around it?

Joe unbuttoned George's shorts and George grabbed the waistband tugging them down and tossing them into the driver's seat. Joe gaped as he saw Georges boner fighting against his boxers.

“Joe please,” George whined, tugging his boxers down and tossing them with his other clothes.

“Okay,” Joe looked down again at George's cock and his pretty thighs. They were still decorated with hickeys from the blowjob Joe gave him last week. Joe took George's cock in one hand and started squeezing his thighs. Pre cum started seeping from his cock as George moaned into the crook of Joe's neck. Joe liked seeing him like this, he liked knowing he could make George feel this good.

George started digging his fingers into Joe's shirt and balling it up in his hands.

Joe pumped his hand up and down moving his thumb over the tip. George's mouth opened as he lulled his head further into Joe's neck and began flicking his hips into Joe's grip. He was nearing his peak and there was the familiar tightening knot in George's stomach.

“Joe, I want you inside of me.” George let out a broken moan as he felt so good.

“If that's okay with you?” Joe unbuttoned his jeans.

“Can I take your shirt off?” George asked, pulling on the bottom of Joe's shirt.

“Yeah,” Joe nodded as George pulled it off exposing his toned abs. George gulped as he ran a hand over Joe's chiseled form.

“Oh my god,” George was in shock; he was literally sculpted by the gods, “Fucking hell Joe you’re gorgeous.”

Joe blushed sheepishly, smiling to himself looking down. He wasn’t sure anyone had ever said that to him before, it made his stomach flutter.

“Here George just,” Joe grabbed his hips gently pulling George up off of him for a moment. Joe pulled down his pants and his boxers enough so just his groin was out and you couldn’t see anything else.

“Fuck,” George let out again looking down at Joes dick. It was about seven inches and girthy and George could feel himself getting excited all over again.

“Do you have lube?” Joe asked. He had his fair share of gay hookups before the accident but he hadn’t had any action since. So it had been a year give or take since he had been inside anyone else.

“Yeah, yeah. Arm rest.” George blindly grabbed at it, opening it and stuffing his hand into it feeling around till he found the small travel sized tube.

Joe kissed at the sprinkle of freckles on George's shoulders as George tried to not be a mess in front of him.

“George can you?” Joe began, George nodded and emptied some lube into his hand and began pumping Joe's cock so he was about as hard as he could get. Joe groaned, squeezing George's hips tight knowing he’d probably leave bruises. Over the short time they’d been together Joe had learned George liked when Joe left marks kind of marking him as his.

“Okay, okay.” Joe stopped George, if he went on any longer he’d finish before he got the chance to be inside him. Joe squeezed a fair amount of lube onto his right hand, “George can I?” Joe asked and he eagerly nodded shifting himself further a bit as Joe worked two fingers into his ass. George let out a loud mixter of a moan and Joe's name as Joe opened and closed his fingers stretching George out before adding in a third finger.

“Mmm. Fuck. Joe.” George's voice was heightened as Joe worked him open. The two boys sitting in the car moaning into each other under a full sky of stars.

“Do you think you’re ready?” Joe's cock was aching to be inside George. George started nodding eagerly as Joe squeezed out a bit more lube and slid himself into George.

Joe let out a moan as George squeezed around his cock and began moving himself on Joe.

“Fuck, Georgie I like that.” Joe began to meet George's back and forth movements. George began digging his nails into Joe's back as George rode him.

George kept one arm wrapped around Joe's back and brought his hand up to Joe's cheek moving his face to meet George's lips. Joe kept his hands tight on George's hips as they kissed, Joe slipping his tongue into George's mouth.

Joe could feel himself nearing his edge, he wrapped one hand back around George's cock and moved it up and down. George fell more forward into Joe as he pretty much had full control over him at this point.

“M so fuckin’ close.” George whined into Joe's lips as George's tired hip rolls tried to keep an even pace as Joe thrusted in and out of him.

“Me too,” Joe tried to put one last thrust into him as his load squirted inside of George filling him with the hot liquid. George met his orgasm as Joe slid his thumb over his tip. George came all over his and Joe's stomach, digging his nails further into Joe's back as he fell forward into Joe and Joe gently grabbed the reclining handle on the seat and laid them back. George rolled himself out of Joe and snuggled into his side, both of them squeezing uncomfortably into the passenger's seat.

They laid there together, breathing heavily as they thought about what just happened, “Thank you.” George let out a breath looking over at Joe.

“I’m so happy I met you,” Joe kissed his cheek and reached down pulling his pants back up and over himself.

“Me too,” George smiled.

[allcnaprograms]

Open Your Future: How to Earn Your CNA Certification Online in 2024

Unlock Your Future: How to Earn Your ‍CNA Certification Online in 2024

Introduction

Are you​ considering⁢ a career in healthcare? The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program is an excellent entry point. With the increased demand for healthcare‍ professionals,earning your CNA certification online in 2024 can open up ‍exciting career opportunities.⁣ This article outlines everything you need to know about becoming a CNA,including the benefits of online certification,practical tips for success,and how to find the right program ⁢for you.

What is​ a CNA?

A Certified Nursing assistant (CNA) plays a⁢ pivotal role in patient care, providing basic assistance with daily living activities ‍and ensuring patients receive the ⁣necessary support. As ‍a CNA, your responsibilities may include:

Assisting with personal hygiene

Monitoring patient vital signs

Feeding and providing nutrition

Transporting patients within healthcare facilities

Engaging in direct patient interaction to ensure comfort

Benefits of Earning ‍Your CNA Certification Online

Choosing to earn your CNA certification online comes with numerous advantages:

Flexibility: ​Online courses allow you to learn at your own pace, making it easier to balance other responsibilities.

Accessibility: Many schools offer programs that cater to varied schedules ‌and locations, enabling you to study from home.

Cost-Effective: online ​programs often have lower tuition fees ⁢compared to customary ⁢classroom settings.

Interactive‌ Learning: Advanced online platforms offer simulations and virtual labs to enhance learning.

Steps⁣ to Earn Your CNA Certification Online

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the ‍process of becoming a⁤ CNA online:

Research Accredited Programs:

look for accredited institutions that offer CNA certification online. Check for reviews,⁤ program structure, and duration.

Complete Prerequisites:

Ensure you meet the necessary prerequisites such‍ as age (typically 18 and above) and educational requirements (high school diploma or equivalent).

Enroll in a Program:

Enroll ‌in ⁣your‍ chosen CNA program, focusing on institutions that provide a robust online curriculum.

Participate in Hands-On ⁣training:

Most programs require hands-on clinical training. Arrange to complete‍ these ⁣hours⁤ in a local healthcare facility.

Pass the CNA Exam:

Upon‌ completing your course and ⁣clinical hours, you must pass a state-approved CNA certification exam.

practical Tips for⁢ Success in Online CNA Programs

Here are some practical tips to ‍help you succeed in your online CNA certification⁢ journey:

Create a Schedule: Allocate specific times for studying and stick to your timetable.

Engage ⁤Actively: Participate in discussions, forums, and group‍ tasks⁢ to enhance your learning experience.

Utilize ⁣Resources: Take advantage of online libraries, simulations, and additional study materials provided by your program.

Network with Peers: Build connections with other students to exchange ideas and support one another through the program.

Case Studies: Success Stories of Online CNA Graduates

Graduate⁢ Name

Program

Current Job

Anna ⁢Jones

ABC Nursing Academy

Full-time CNA at City Hospital

Mark ‌Smith

XYZ Online‍ College

Healthcare Assistant in Home Care

Sophie ⁤White

Nursing Essentials Online

Nurse Aid in Assisted Living Facility

These graduates exemplify⁤ how⁤ online CNA programs‌ facilitate triumphant transitions into healthcare careers.

First-Hand Experience: A CNA’s Outlook

We spoke with John, a recent online CNA graduate, who shared his insights on the process:

“I chose to pursue my CNA certification online because of⁣ my busy work schedule. The flexibility allowed me to learn at my ⁣own pace while maintaining my job. The program was thorough ‍and prepared me ​well for my clinical hours ​and exam.⁤ Now, I’m working in a rewarding habitat and making a difference!”

– John Doe, CNA

Conclusion

Earning your CNA certification online in 2024 can be a transformative decision that opens ‌many doors in the healthcare field. By following the outlined steps and utilizing the⁣ practical tips shared in this guide, you can set ⁣yourself up⁤ for‍ success. The journey of becoming​ a CNA is both rewarding and fulfilling, allowing⁤ you to impact the lives⁣ of others positively. Start your online CNA certification journey today and ‌unlock your future in healthcare!

https://allcnaprograms.com/open-your-future-how-to-earn-your-cna-certification-online-in-2024/

[sophis1234]

ESPN/NBC #1 Monday in the U.S. ITV #1 in the UK. ABC #1 in AU.

Football, Singing, Drama and News Magazine dominated viewing on television throughout the world on Monday. The Daily Diary Of Screens #dailydiaryofscreens 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇦🇺💻📱📺🎬🌎🗺️🇮🇳. For Monday, December 11, 2017. This is your North America, Central America, South America, India, UK and Australian Daily Television Ratings Platform. In the U.S., NBC #1 broadcast network as FOX’s ‘The Voice‘ was the top…

[kassient]

SOPHIE is literally so pretty oml

[colorisbyshe]

grammys reaction, 12 hours late:

stop watching them. seriously just stop watching all of these award shows. at best they are pay to win circle jerks. but on a real level they are systemically and intentionally broken, meant to uphold the status quo (whiteness, english as a primary language, “tradition,” etc) and they only ever reward breaks from the status quo when it doesn’t actually threaten to change anything

kim petras supports rapists and her namedropping sophie doesn’t make her win any better or less complicit in vocally supporting a rapist and attacking his victim

as for harry styles: i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. real people cannot gaybait. celebrities utilizing public personas can. am i massively in love with any stating they cna definitively know who is/isn’t gay baiting or the criteria everyone uses to say who is/isn’t gaybaiting (hint: just playing gay roles isn’t bait, like be real...)? no. but like… there is something absolutely to be said about a man who SO FAR has only ever used GNC aesthetics without actually like… doing or saying anything about it being hailed as Gay Hero? absolutely.

beyoncé or bad bunny should’ve won. period. and harry’s statement about “this doesn’t happen to people like me” when his main competition was them… is at best tone deaf but also just insane 😭

[eristories-sev]

CHAPTER ELEVEN. NONE SHALL ENTER THIS HOUSE SCREAMS DOOM. DUDE SERIOUSLY? DON'T ENTER. NEVERMIND.

The house screamed doom.

It was elegant but lonely at the same time, it also showed that Keefe was rich. Which shouldn't have come as a surprise to Sophie but it did for some reason. He hadn't let go of her hand and Sophie didn't want him to let go.

Keefe let out a breath and let go of her hand, and opened the door and Sophie got out of the car too.

"You do know I'm supposed to open the door for you, right?" Keefe had a smile on his face and it only widened when Sophie blushed.

"Do you want me to get back in so you can?" Sophie teased and Keefe laughed reaching for her hand again.

It seemed impossible that Sophie had met him only yesterday, she felt like she had known him her entire life. And then she was supposed to do everything with him. With him beside her. Maybe this was it was like to have a Soulmate. To not know what you were missing until you met them.

Keefe nervously pressed the bell, a ding-dong sounded inside. Keefe tightened his hand around Sophie, and he leaned in to whisper,

"Sophie, promise me that you won't-"

He was interrupted when a striking woman opened the door, Sophie could instantly tell the familiarities between the son and mother but she seemed more put together, lean and Keefe was more muffled and had a carefree vibe around him.

Sophie shrunk under the woman's gaze she then shifted her eyes to their hands. "Keefe... Why are you home with this... Girl?"

Keefe smiled at his mother and moved passed her dragging Sophie with him, "Where's dad? Apparently I can't even go see my best friends without his permission."

His mother ignored him and stared at Sophie, "Who are you and what are you doing in my house?"

Before Sophie could answer Keefe interrupted, "She's my soulmate."

The lady's gaze widened for a second and then she smiled, "You should have told me so, it's such a wonderful moment to meet my son's Soulmate."

She held out her hand, "Lady Gisela Sencen."

Sophie tightened her hand around Keefe's more, pretty sure cutting off both their blood floor. "Sophie Foster."

Sophie saw at the edge of her eye Keefe biting down his lip from smiling.

Lady Gisela cleared her throat as she put her hand beside her side again, "Your father's in his study and leave the girl here. And the Vacker's..." She clicked her tongue in dissaproval. "... Heard their eldest son came back."

★★★

Keefe didn't want to leave Sophie, he wanted to drag her with him to his father and show him what an amazing person she is but he knew that it was selfish and wrong.

So instead he led her to his room, "Come on, you cna wait in my room. Mrs Stinkbottom can keep you company."

Sophie's lips tugged at a smile, "Mrs Stinkbottom?"

Keefe stopped himself from running away from embarrassment, "She's my stuffed animal."

Sophie laughed, "I have one too."

Keefe stopped walking and turned to her and a smile broke through when he saw that she was smiling,

Sophie rolled her eyes, "Her name is Ella and she's bright blue elephant with a Hawaiian shirt."

Keefe bursted out laughing, "Congratulations Foster you are officially a part of the Stuffed animal club."

He then leaned in closer to whisper, "Fitz has a bright red, sparkly dragon named Mr Snuggles."

Sophie too bursted out laughing as she fell to the floor, "Fitz Vacker has a sparkly dragon named Snuggles?"

Keefe nodded as he helped her up, "He will kill me if he knows that I told you. It's actually a funny story of how I found it. I'll tell you later."

He opened the door to his room and instantly paled he wondered if he could cover it up but Sophie was already entering the room, her eyes widened as she saw his room.

Every breath if his room was scattered with paintings, his wall wasn't even visible because of the paintings hung on it.

Keefe expected Sophie to burst out laughing but she only edged closer carefully avoiding stepping on any paintings to take a closer look.

"Wow, Keefe these are incredible."

Then Keefe felt his heart melt, he had never shown his art to anyone and his parents only scorned it so he had gotten used to people making fun of it but Sophie, his Soulmate, complimenting his heart meant so much to him.

Sophie kept looking through his paintings her eyes widening as she saw each one and then she let out a squeal.

"What's wrong?"

Sophie held out Mrs Stinkbottom as if she just found gold, "SHE'S SO CUTE!"

Keefe stared as Sophie as she started looking at Mrs Stinkbottom from all angles. She stopped when she realized he was looking at her,

"You can go talk to your Father now, I'm sure your paintings and Mrs Stinkbottom will keep me company."

Right, his father he still has to face him.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, right? I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."

The words sunk into Keefe and he offered her thr best smile he could give and he repeated the same words in his head as he opened the door to his father's study,

I'm here.

[stellarune]

ok but do you even think about how deep keefes self esteem issues run ? how hurt hed be if he was as much of a bg wharacter as dex is ? yeah because i do anyways, think about how keefe ? keefe knows how much sophie matters to dex, and its not a bad thing, at all ! hes very happy for her to have someone care about as much, as unconditionally, but he just wishes he had that too. he knows sophie loves him, hes an empath, but its always “please keefe do this” “please keefe do that” “i know youre a good person, dont mess it up” and it *hurts* because she loves him, but he doesnt get a break. and fitz ? fitz his best friend. yeah. they havnet properly talked in... he isnt sure theyve ever properly talked, it wasnt even their choice to be friends. no wonder theyre not on speaking terms. tam and linh are too new. they havent really talked, havent really shared anything but war yet, and its-- its not enough. a friendship cannot just be based on panic. 

the only one he cna think of that maybe does love him that way, is biana. she loves him, has for years, for a lifetime. but feelings get muddled and come out too muddy to discern.

which is why hes just so surprised, and hurt, when sophie insults-- no, not insult, shed never actually stoop so low-- just ignores, or sends a backanded compliment dexs way. he loves her, so much, and she just doesnt care. she doesnt cherish it half as much as she should. and honeslty ? honeslty hes pissed. and so he yells, tells her off, for once. dex loves her, so much, not even he can compete. its not nearly enough, but she apologizes. hes not the person who deserves her “sorry”s.

keefe doesnt think dex sees the change. he doesnt see the way keefe will glare at sophie everytime she doesnt ask, everytime she doesnt see. so thats why hes so overwhelmsed when he touches him, after a meeting and hes so full of w a r m th. he might have cried a little but thats between dex and him

[abnertheduckdad]

Its pretty autistic to think vaccinated people were an ethnicity. I even heard of a girl in Germany that compared herself to Sophie Schell due to her membership in the Querdenker movement. Amazing. Amazing how peple cna be so stupid.

hmm..i love making fun of anti-vaxxers too but its time we start being mean to them. irl and online. because a bunch of (white) canadian anti vaxxers are starting to hold up and wear yellow stars mocking the star of david Jewish people had to wear in Nazi Germany and holding photos of anne frank to protest the covid vaccine today and apparently previously and its starting to happen in france too

yeah i think we need to start treating them like the filth they are. cut them out of your life and tell them why honestly. stop being nice and stop trying to educate them. no more.

[xtruss]

How U.S.-Backed Army Became a 'Paper Tiger' That Let Taliban Take Afghanistan

— By Tom O'Connor | 8/17/21 | Newsweek

Comments: (Nope! That’s Not the Case. Afghan Army Simply Didn’t Fight Their “MUSLIM BROTHERS, THE TALIBAN.” They were sick and tired of Hypocrisy and Hegemony of the US, North Atlantic Terrorist Organization (NATO), their Puppet Allies and the Corrupt Government. Period.)

"The U.S. never adequately adjusted its preferred mode of building foreign security forces—buying and giving them stuff—to the human capital that was available in Afghanistan," Jonathan Schroden, director of the CNA think tank's Countering Threats and Challenges Program, told Newsweek. In this photo, soldiers from the Afghan Security Forces travel on an armed vehicle along a road in Panjshir province in Afghanistan on August 15. The fate of Afghan troops and police remain uncertain as the Taliban asserts control over the country. AHMAD SAHEL ARMAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

The sudden, dramatic collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in the wake of a U.S. military withdrawal immediately followed by rapid Taliban advances has captivated international audiences, eliciting fear and awe across the globe.

But a new report released Tuesday by the U.S. government's congressionally mandated watchdog on Afghanistan and obtained by Newsweek details two decades of failures that led up to the historic events still unfolding in the capital city of Kabul and across the country.

A devastating array of shortcomings are outlined in the latest report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), including attempts to establish mismatched Western institutions to shifting missions throughout successive administrations, and fueling Afghanistan's endemic corruption with corner-cutting projects that ultimately never came to fruition.

"After conducting more than 760 interviews and reviewing thousands of government documents, our lessons learned analysis has revealed a troubled reconstruction effort that has yielded some success but has also been marked by too many failures," the report said.

The report identified key areas in which the U.S. approach failed, including incoherent strategies, unrealistic timelines, unsustainable institutions, counterproductive personnel strategies, rampant insecurity and a fundamental lack of understanding of Afghanistan's social, economic and political context.

But even people who are painfully aware of the deep-rooted issues that had metastasized within the Afghan government and its security forces throughout the years expressed bewilderment at the speed at which Kabul's house of cards collapsed.

Jonathan Schroden of CNA, a nonprofit research and analysis organization, serves as director of its Countering Threats and Challenges Program, and has traveled to Afghanistan numerous times over the past two decades, including at the request of U.S. military leadership.

He highlighted three out of what he said were a "myriad" of reasons why the Afghan state never stood a chance from the outset of the U.S.-led intervention launched by former President George Bush 20 years ago, just weeks after 9/11.

"The U.S. approach to Afghanistan was incoherent from the day it captured Kabul from the Taliban," Schroden told Newsweek. "Bush felt he owed it to Afghanistan to leave it better than he found it, while [Defense Secretary Donald] Rumsfeld just wanted to get the hell out. That incoherence of purpose wasted a window of opportunity to get a viable security structure in place before the Taliban resurgence."

The first mistake begot the following two.

"Because we wasted that window, we were stuck playing catch-up—fighting a strong insurgency while also building the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces," he said. "That led to consistent prioritization of operational expedience over sustainability."

Schroden said the U.S. was stuck in old paradigm, which it tried to apply to Afghanistan.

"The U.S. never adequately adjusted its preferred mode of building foreign security forces—buying and giving them stuff—to the human capital that was available in Afghanistan," he said. "We simply gave them too much stuff that they couldn't operate, maintain, or sustain."

"All of that left a military that was a paper tiger," Schroden added. "It seemed okay so long as you didn't look too closely at it and the U.S. was there to back it up."

Taliban fighters stand guard in a vehicle along the roadside in Kabul on August 16, after a stunningly swift end to Afghanistan's 20-year war, as thousands of people mobbed the city's airport trying to flee the group's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule. AFP

SIGAR, led by Special Inspector General John F. Sopko, was one of the few organizations to look too closely.

For 13 years, reports have painted an increasingly bleak picture of what was transpiring in Afghanistan. Compiling interviews with officials and media reports, SIGAR's stories of U.S. personnel watching television shows such as "Cops" for inspiration on training Afghan law enforcement and copy-and-pasting proposals on Iraq to in an attempt to nation-build in Afghanistan inspired little confidence about the state of the U.S. mission.

"We were devoid of a fundamental understanding of Afghanistan," Douglas Lute, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who served as deputy national security adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013, told SIGAR in a 2019 quote once again featured in the latest report. "We didn't know what we were doing."

The lack of consistency and coherence permeated from administration to administration, with constant redirection, cancellation and mission creep over the course of two decades blurring any singular vision for Afghanistan's future from taking hold.

"The U.S. reconstruction effort in Afghanistan could be described as 20 one-year reconstruction efforts, rather than one 20-year effort," the SIGAR report found.

For policymakers, the pitfalls of a war that passed through the hands of four different U.S. presidents always appeared to be the fault of a predecessor or a successor, but never the incumbent.

While it was former President Donald Trump who struck the deal with the Taliban that ultimately led to the U.S. exit, it was President Joe Biden who took credit for breaking the cycle.

"I know my decision will be criticized, but I would rather take all that criticism than pass this decision on to another President of the United States, yet another one, a fifth one," Biden said in remarks Monday amid the chaos in Kabul.

"Because it's the right one," he added. "It's the right decision for our people. The right one for our brave service members who have risked their lives serving our nation. And it's the right one for America."

The palpably frustrated president also addressed the lack of resistance among Afghan security forces as the Taliban entered Kabul.

"There's some very brave and capable Afghan special forces units and soldiers, but if Afghanistan is unable to mount any real resistance to the Taliban now, there is no chance that one year, one more year, five more years, or 20 more years of U.S. military boots on the ground would've made any difference," he said.

At the Pentagon, Press Secretary John Kirby redirected a press question as to why the Afghan security forces, by and large, did not fight back.

"I think it's a question better posed to the political and military leadership of our Afghan partners," Kirby said.

Like Biden, he appeared to acknowledge that the war effort was hopeless.

"You can resource, you can train, you can support, you can advise, and you can assist, but you cannot buy will," Kirby said. "You cannot purchase leadership, and leadership was missing. And we've been saying for weeks that when we look back at the outcome, whatever the outcome is and now we know, that we are going to be able to say that leadership was the deciding factor, and I think that that has proven to be true."

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country in the leadup to the Taliban advance on Kabul, a decision he explained by saying he hoped it would avoid more bloodshed.

But in Afghanistan, the sudden exit was viewed as yet another indication that Ghani's grip on power was tenuous, held together only by the presence of U.S. forces.

"Many people—especially those in the West—believed that Afghans must have been supportive of Ghani's government because the Taliban alternative was so awful in their eyes. But to many Afghans, it was a 'Sophie's choice,'" Schroden said, referencing the 1979 novel and 1982 film about a mother forced by Nazis to choose which of her two children should live during the Holocaust.

Schroden argued there were no easy answers in Afghanistan either.

"On one hand was the Taliban's heavy-handed, limited-freedom authoritarian security and religious justice. On the other hand was a predatory and selfish government that couldn't bring security and offered little in the way of inclusive services to those it governed," he said. "In hindsight, it's little wonder that many Afghans decided what they really wanted was simply to live, and not die fighting to make that choice."

But Ghani's unannounced exit has left an ominous void in place of the country's highest office, adding insult to injury for those who still felt he was the better choice.

"Common people and Ghani's cabinet members that I spoke with are all mad at Ghani's illogical decision to flee himself and his limited henchmen without appointing someone to take care of the Government affairs temporarily," Ahmad Shah Katawazai, a diplomat who served as a liaison to the Afghan Defense Department at the country's embassy in Washington, told Newsweek. "Leaving the country with a power vacuum was a bad decision and an insult to all Afghans."

While in power, Ghani's leadership sought to present itself as a more democratic, egalitarian choice for Afghanistan endorsed by the U.S. and international community at large, but it left the Afghan government in a particularly vulnerable position.

"Ghani's government, especially the security leadership, failed to manage the security forces," Katawazai said. "Lack of coordination and low morale of the ANDSF coupled with lack of attention to the needs of the ANDSF led to their desertion and surrender."

And while this may have accelerated the fall of the Kabul government, what ultimately turned the tables was the Taliban's ability to mount a formidable, comprehensive campaign both militarily to gain ground and diplomatically to help Kindle the U.S. realization that the war was no longer worth fighting.

"The Taliban had launched a robust and strategic psychological warfare that contributed a lot to their success," Katawazai argued, "while Ghani's establishment drowned in corruption and internal rifts had no proper strategy to counter that."

"Key success for the Taliban has been not harming those who surrendered," he added. "Internationally from the last few months, the ANDSF was deprived of the close air support, key leverage for the ANDSF in the battlefield. That inflicted huge damage to the security forces."

Now the only forward may be to find common ground with the victorious Taliban.

Al Jazeera reported Monday that Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the High Council for National Reconciliation, former President Hamad Karzai and Islamic Party chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar are heading to the Qatari capital of Doha to negotiate the country's political future with the Taliban.

"Power-sharing government is the only way out of this mess," Katawazai said.

"Without a power-sharing government, the Taliban won't get international legitimacy and will turn into an isolated and pariah state that I believe the Taliban also don't want. Currently in Doha negotiations are going on to chart out the structure of the future government. Hopefully, there will be an agreement on that soon."

[cnacertificationcourses]

Join us in congratulating Sophy Rivera. Rock Star! On achieving her #RegisteredNurse distinction. Thank you for #CelebratingLifeStories Sophy! You are Palm Garden! #Gratitude #WeArePalmGarden #CNA➡️ #LPN➡️ #RN https://t.co/hJpz52KAOl Join us, won’t you? https://t.co/AAbzM9NLE7

[lonelygirlphenomenology]

journal  / le travail

9/9/17

j’écoute solomon burke dans le salon j’ai mis du sirop de fleur de sureau et de l’eau gazeuse dans un verre à martini et je chante toute seule avec mon verre à la main pour fêter ma journée d’effort intense. je sais tout faire avec moi-même, même un apéro-karaoké. j’ai passé la matinée recroquevillée sur le canapé sous la couverture en polaire devant newport beach, j’avais tellement peur et pas envie de bouger que je suis même pas allée promener loki et puis je me suis fait du souci pour lui toute la journée. on était trois pour se partager 45 élèves et trois autres pour l’autre atelier dont la fille magnifique du cna. ses cheveux ont un peu poussé depuis juillet, elle est vraiment trop belle. elle m’a pas dit bonjour. bitch. j’ai automatiquement assumé que les deux filles de mon atelier étaient beaucoup plus expérimentées et mieux préparées que moi et je me sentais pas capable et pas à ma place. j’étais tellement nerveuse que j’ai oublié la moitié de ce que je devais dire pendant ma présentation, j’avais tout le temps des trous et j’ai mis trois heures à retrouver le mot communautés européennes. je les ai emmenés dans la blackbox parce que je savais plus quoi leur dire et en sortant je les ai entendus dire qu’ils avaient rien compris et j’ai dit non mais c’est pas grave y a rien à comprendre et on était juste derrière la réception où y avait la responsable de médiation et je suis toujours pas sûre si c’est un truc acceptable à dire dans l’art contemporain. ils étaient super impliqués et gentils et polis et créatifs et je me suis prise d’affection pour les deux garçons timides qui dessinaient une montagne, je les ai aidés à colorier leur affiche et je préfère mille fois faire ça que les présentations. même si une fille m’a demandé si c’était grave si son texte était pas droit et j’ai dit ben non on s’en fout et je suis pas sûre que ce soit très pédagogique. gabi m’a dit qu’elle travaillait comme costumière au théâtre et quand elles m’ont demandé ce que je faisais j’ai dit que j’étais en transition et que je savais pas trop et j’en ai MARRE de dire ça tout le temps en plus c’est pas vrai je suis pas en transition je suis en rien du tout.

j’osais pas partir à la fin parce que personne partait alors je suis restée plantée là à attendre que quelqu’un parte avec moi alors que j’étais super pressée parce que j’avais rendez-vous avec le responsable de la librairie pour mon deuxième entretien et l’autre fille pas gabi a pris son vélo, elle me fascinait un peu. elle était toute petite et fluette et elle avait un bon style, elle avait l’air beaucoup plus pro et adéquate que moi. moi j’ai toujours l’impression de ressembler à rien ou alors à une ado mal dégrossie, de pas avoir de forme définie, aboutie. je suis pas aboutie. personne n’est abouti mais je trouve toujours que les autres ont un sens plus précis de ce qu’ils sont, comment ils se présentent, etc. hier matin j’ai passé trois heures dans ma chambre à essayer de me faire des tenues de travail avec mes vieux habits parce que je veux toujours pas en acheter de nouveaux. j’espère vraiment que je vais travailler à la librairie pour pouvoir m’habiller en sexy librarian. quand il m’a parlé de l’équipe du magasin et de la vie dans un centre commercial j’avais l’impression d’être dans l’auberge espagnole à la fin quand il s’enfuit de l’entreprise où il était sensé commencer son travail. mais je pensais aussi à miranda july et à me and you and everyone we know et le vendeur du magasin de chaussures dans le centre commercial et à sophie calle qui faisait des petits boulots pour se mettre à la place des gens et en faire quelque chose après. j’ai bu un thé vert japonais et je me disais que c’était dommage que j’aille jamais à des dates parce que je serais bonne à ce jeu. quel gâchis. il m’a dit qu’il était très impressionné par mon cv et pendant toutes ces années j’étais tellement persuadée que j’avais un cv de merde que j’osais pas postuler à des jobs, comment je peux être à ce point éloignée de la réalité tout le temps? ok c’est pour un job en librairie mais quand même c’est fou comment je suis tout le temps en train de me freiner. all the freaking time. comme je venais de faire un atelier au musée je lui ai donné l’impression d’être super occupée et il avait l’air très impressionné quand je lui ai expliqué ce que je faisais et ça m’a fait penser à ce mec danois à berlin à qui j’avais fait croire involontairement que j’étais une artiste qui sillonne le monde et qui était super impressionné. j’adore donner l’impression que je m’en Sors Bien avec la vie mais sans jamais mentir. la plupart du temps je suis beaucoup trop à cheval sur la vérité. la vérité de la réalité. before i met ruth ann, i thought everything in life was real. quelqu’un dit ça dans the first bad man de miranda july et moi j’ai un peu rencontré ruth ann mais j’ai tendance à l’oublier. j’oublie qu’on peut jouer, jouer avec la vérité, les faits, la réalité. jouer un rôle. ma thérapeute en allemagne m’avait dit que je devrais essayer de jouer parfois, et de m’entraîner avec n. mais j’arrivais à être rien d’autre que moi-même avec lui, purement et radicalement moi-même.

[zerimarclassics]

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO MY STORIES LIKE YOU TOTES SHOULD BE 🤪 If you go to my bio, click the highlight that reads “Romanian Legacy” you will find some cool information about the characters in the book I am currently editing. Is this all the characters in the book? Nope. Is there more than just this? Yeap. Are you allowed to ask me questions? Yeap. Are you also allowed to spread the word that you know a weirdo who is trying to be a published author by traditional means? HECK TO THE YES YOU IS! Sophie loves you. ❤️ and a special thanks to @nica_draws for inspiring me to write an entire book because I wanted to give her character a boyfriend 😁 #zerimarclassics #romanianlegacy #bookstagram #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #immortals #vampires #werewolves #monsters #readytopublish #bookpublishing https://www.instagram.com/p/CNa-ByUFk86/?igshid=86wn4ux08sft

[sophis1234]

CBS #1 Tuesday in the U.S. ITV #1 in the UK. Seven #1 in AU.

Drama, Reality and more Drama dominated viewing on television throughout the world on Tuesday. The Daily Diary Of Screens #dailydiaryofscreens 🇺🇸🇬🇧🇦🇺💻📱📺🎬🌎🗺️🇮🇳. For Tuesday, November 21, 2017. This is your North America, Central America, South America, India, UK and Australian Daily Television Ratings Platform. In the U.S., CBS #1 broadcast network as ‘NCIS‘ was the top broadcast program. In the…

[newslookout]

More opportunities for firms to develop sustainable tech to strengthen Singapore’s food supply

President Halimah Yacob has called for more opportunities to be created for companies to develop sustainable tech that strengthens Singapore’s food supply. She was speaking during a visit to Sophie’s Bionutrients, a tech start-up that uses food waste and produces alternative protein. Its plant-based crab cakes, which are derived from microalgae, could be rolled out in 2021.

Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub

Subscribe to our news service on Telegram: https://cna.asia/telegram

Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia

The post More opportunities for firms to develop sustainable tech to strengthen Singapore’s food supply appeared first on News Lookout.

source https://newslookout.com/world-news/more-opportunities-for-firms-to-develop-sustainable-tech-to-strengthen-singapores-food-supply/

[thestalkerbunny]

basiclly i have two option for Ult, since shes suppose to be a pseudo-palaidn, magic warrior with some healing, so basiclly a magus hexcrafter can pick up two healing hexes, free to use but each person can only get healed once per hex that way, kinetic knight can get kinetic healer, which they cna do as much as they want, but either thye or the person being healed must take incurable nonlethal damage(basiclly, lowering there max hp till the end of the day in exchange for healing)

Sophie's choice of Pathfinder