Greg Mortenson - again

[Jim]

Well, after initially thinking this guy was just incompetent, he appears to be a scam artist.

 

Slush Fund

 

 

[glassgowkiss]

Hmm, load of crap. Anyone, who visited places like Pakistan knows very well, that about 20% of any budgets has to go for bribes of public officials. From the top to the bottom, everyone gets a cut. Maybe people should paying more attention to facts, that in Iraq about 10-12 billions is unaccounted for. There were also billions of $$$ paid to warlords (including Taliban) by US government (through private contractors) for allowing supplies to go through- any receipts for that? Somehow- nobody is writing articles and "calling for action"

[tvashtarkatena]

Never been to Pakistan, but the missing cash in Iraq was front page news for weeks.

 

You may have missed that, however.

[JoeR]

Krakauer isn't content with just making his fame by dragging people through the mud, he has to hold them down and fart on their heads as well.

 

In my dreams someone gives Krakauer a taste of his own medicine. If only he would do something noteworthy we'd have a chance to see it happen.

[KirkW]

JK certainly has a hard on for mortenson that's for sure. I didn't read anything in that article that looked like some sort of smoking gun. Mostly just a bunch of accusations and attempts to interpret things however 'ol JK wants to write about them.par for the course. Zzzzzzzzz.

[glassgowkiss]

Never been to Pakistan, but the missing cash in Iraq was front page news for weeks.

 

You may have missed that, however.

I remember that it was news- for about a day. My point is that after JK first load of shit and lies writeup, State of Montana Attorney General launched a probe. It cost probably hundreds of thousands of dollars from taxpayers account and all they could find were some minor violations. Now again there apparently "call for action" after another JK tale of sick mind.

[keenwesh]

I'm not a fan of greg mortenson. The stuff outlined in the link above just reaffirms all the other shit I've heard (from JK). Still, Jon does his research, I'm content that he at least got half of it right.

 

At the msu bookstore they stock every Jon Krakauer book except for three cups of deceit....

[rob]

It seems that some people will defend mortenson no matter what. It's almost like a religious thing now, nothing can sway some people to even admit that *maybe* it's true. It reminds me of Bush supporters. Sure, JK is an idiot, too, but how can you not have doubts about Mortensen by this point? Naïveté

[KirkW]

I could say the same thing about believing anything that comes out of the mouth of JK. His books are mostly fiction with a fact or two sprinkled in here and there. Just seems like a washed up has been still making noise so he gets noticed. I don't really give a shit about Mortenson and if an investigation uncovers something more than bad book keeping the I guess that would be enough for me to agree that he's a scoundrel. Until then I just hear more mental vomit from JK who obviously has some sort of personal beef with Mortenson.

[rob]

Regarding JK, fair enough. But the Montana AG report and the subsequent $1 million settlement paid by Mortenson is enough to sway me that there is something a bit more than "bad book keeping" going on. Have you read it?

 

What about the "significant lapses in judgment resulting in money donated to CAI being spent on personal items such as charter flights for family vacations, clothing and internet downloads" identified in said report? That's just "bad book keeping?" What about the testimony by board members that "despite requests, cajoling, demands and admonitions, they were unsuccessful in getting Mortenson to submit proper documentation to support the charges he was making to the charity" ? Expenses that include "such things as LL Bean clothing, iTunes, luggage, luxurious accommodations, and even vacations." Those are just "minor violations?" (as GGK insists).

 

"OOPS! I accidentally spent my charity's money on my family vacation! I'm just a bad book keeper."

 

None of this is enough to lead you to think that, maybe, just maybe, there is fire behind this smoke?

 

It's obvious some people just want to believe. That's cool, I guess.

[E-rock]

Wait? Who am I supposed to hate more? It's not clear from this thread.

[olyclimber]

I'm always blown away by how much money from most "charities" actually make it to the cause they were supposedly set up for...it is pretty nuts. In some cases, almost no money at all makes it to the cause at hand....it is all blown on bureaucracy of the charity but most I think is spent on the means used to raise the money in the first place (the telemarketers).

 

http://www.americanownews.com/story/19707005/how-much-of-your-donations-really-go-to-charity

[rob]

it is all blown on bureaucracy of the charity but most I think is spent on the means used to raise the money in the first place (the telemarketers).

 

And LL Bean clothing and vacations

[olyclimber]

Wait? Who am I supposed to hate more? It's not clear from this thread.

 

its best to hate yourself, its the most efficient way. then by reflection it is easier to hate anything and everyone without any waste.

[olyclimber]

it is all blown on bureaucracy of the charity but most I think is spent on the means used to raise the money in the first place (the telemarketers).

 

And LL Bean clothing and vacations

 

well think of it this way, by getting a little paid R&R in the fund raisers are better prepared to raise more money. think of the children, stop being selfish.

[Jim]

I could say the same thing about believing anything that comes out of the mouth of JK. His books are mostly fiction with a fact or two sprinkled in here and there. Just seems like a washed up has been still making noise so he gets noticed. I don't really give a shit about Mortenson and if an investigation uncovers something more than bad book keeping the I guess that would be enough for me to agree that he's a scoundrel. Until then I just hear more mental vomit from JK who obviously has some sort of personal beef with Mortenson.

 

I think the "personal" part of it is that JK gave $75k to Mortenson's charity and lent his name to the charity, and introduced Mortenson at Seattle's Town Hall for a lecture - so I'm sure it is a personal sting for him as well. IF you read the article, it seems pretty damning and more than just sloppy book-keeping. The guy lied, made up stories, sucked money out of the charity to pay for all kinds of personal things and promotion of his book and himself, lied about what he accomplished in Pakistan, wasted way, way too much money, left good folks hanging in Pakistan, hasn't owned up, and continues to stonewall and powerplay.

 

JK does seem to have a bit of the ankle-biter dog thing going on - but Mortenson's story is a good one. Too bad it's a sham and folks still are throwing money at him.

[glassgowkiss]

Sorry Jim, but JK is turning into a piece of shit liar. He have never travelled to Pakistan, and most of the shit he wrote in his first article was discarded as fiction and lie. I happened to talk to a Pakistani national (living in Bellingham at the moment), who have seen open and working schools, while JK is questioning their existence. I also happened to talk to Steve Swenson, who travelled to Pakistan 13 times and knows the area really well. He also confirmed pretty much everything about Mortenson story. Even description of the Everest events and a lot of "facts" in his "Into the thin air" is just pure shit. I think this guy need to have his meds adjusted.

[tvashtarkatena]

I just logged onto this contentious thread to make it more so.

 

I couldn't get through 10 pages of '3 cups'. What a fawning, aggrandizing piece of shit. That alone is enough for me to hate Mort.

 

K's books, on the other hand - great reads, every single one.

[Jim]

Sorry Jim, but JK is turning into a piece of shit liar. He have never travelled to Pakistan, and most of the shit he wrote in his first article was discarded as fiction and lie. I happened to talk to a Pakistani national (living in Bellingham at the moment), who have seen open and working schools, while JK is questioning their existence. I also happened to talk to Steve Swenson, who travelled to Pakistan 13 times and knows the area really well. He also confirmed pretty much everything about Mortenson story. Even description of the Everest events and a lot of "facts" in his "Into the thin air" is just pure shit. I think this guy need to have his meds adjusted.

 

Well, if you could provide any evidence other than talking to someone in Bellingham I'd believe you rather than the 60 Minutes reporters. They make stuff up too I suppose.

[olyclimber]

[olyclimber]

[olyclimber]

[ivan]

more busty hot chicks eating shit, less boring cock-smokers talking about shit going on in a country we're droning the shit out of a daily basis anyway!!!

[Off_White]

Wait? Who am I supposed to hate more? It's not clear from this thread.

 

 

This is Spray. The answer is to hate them all. Subjects and poster alike, all are worthy of disdain.

[Off_White]

just for you Ivan

 

 

 

Don't worry, I hate you too.