Greg Mortenson - again

[tvashtarkatena]

Why it's a cone hone meetin'!

[Stefan]

I have been to Pakistan. I was with Greg for about 5-7 days. I visited Korphe.

 

The children there at the time thought he was a god. The village people did too.

 

This thing about receipts in Pakistan and performing an audit. Um. Most people don't know how to read there. And writing a receipt? That is a joke. People don't even have paper. Let alone, can write. It's not really about bribes...it that there is no basis for doing an audit becuase you can't create a paper trail. People don't even wipe their butts with TP. There really is none.

 

The only thing that really gets me is how did Greg "stumble" into Korphe from K2. I have been along that river and been to Concordia and the Gasherbrum valley. If Greg "stumbled" into Korphe, he would have had to gone through Askole. There is absolutely NO BRIDGE before that to Korphe becuase it is on the south side of the river. The trail is on the north side of the river...the south side has 2 or 3 large sections that you must traverse rock climb to get to Korphe...hence why the trail is on the north side of the river. I don't get that part.

[rob]

Was he wearing a lot of LL Bean clothing?

[G-spotter]

Is Mortenson a Mormon? That would be two birds with one stone for J.K.

[glassgowkiss]

I have been to Pakistan. I was with Greg for about 5-7 days. I visited Korphe.

 

The children there at the time thought he was a god. The village people did too.

 

This thing about receipts in Pakistan and performing an audit. Um. Most people don't know how to read there. And writing a receipt? That is a joke. People don't even have paper. Let alone, can write. It's not really about bribes...it that there is no basis for doing an audit becuase you can't create a paper trail. People don't even wipe their butts with TP. There really is none.

 

The only thing that really gets me is how did Greg "stumble" into Korphe from K2. I have been along that river and been to Concordia and the Gasherbrum valley. If Greg "stumbled" into Korphe, he would have had to gone through Askole. There is absolutely NO BRIDGE before that to Korphe becuase it is on the south side of the river. The trail is on the north side of the river...the south side has 2 or 3 large sections that you must traverse rock climb to get to Korphe...hence why the trail is on the north side of the river. I don't get that part.

Pretty much sums up the issue. JK is just another fuckface, this just confirms what I was thinking after reading some of the bullshit and flat out lies about Bukarev. I will never ever read another book or article by him.

[keenwesh]

reading Under the Banner of Heaven convinced me to read The Book of Mormon. I gotta remember to take it off my nightstand, makes for awkwardness when bedding ladyfriends...

[Jim]

There's lots of charities that work in far-flung places, including mid Asia, that manage to generally keep track of where their funds go to. The whole thing of Mortenson spending money, flying around the country on private jets - using the charity's donated money, is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

It's pretty obvious he lied about his travels over there, lied about being captured by the Taliban, and stonewalled any reasonable request to account for all the money he was spending - in the US and overseas. Liar and cheat.

 

Oh - and you may want to look into it more. It wasn't JK that blew the whistle - it was Charity Watch (foremerly the American Institute of Philanthropy) - a non-profit that monitors and rates charities. Early on they called for Mortenson to resign and for the Central Asia Institute to come clean - they never did, which is why they were investigated by the MT Attorney General. Has Mortenson done no good? - of course not - but the amount of money he defrauded from donors, spend on shit for himself, and to build up his image - completely separate and way, way outside the legal practices of charities led to the Central Asia Institute getting an F and recommendation of "don't send money here" from Charity Watch. You may not like JK, but what? - Charity Watch, the DA of Montana, and 60 Minutes are making stuff up too. Sheesh.

 

And if you do want to help kids in the region here's a list of charities that do pass muster and don't cook the books for self-profit. What a surprise - accountability!!

 

The Decent Charities

[rob]

Minor violations.

[glassgowkiss]

There's lots of charities that work in far-flung places, including mid Asia, that manage to generally keep track of where their funds go to. The whole thing of Mortenson spending money, flying around the country on private jets - using the charity's donated money, is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

It's pretty obvious he lied about his travels over there, lied about being captured by the Taliban, and stonewalled any reasonable request to account for all the money he was spending - in the US and overseas. Liar and cheat.

 

Oh - and you may want to look into it more. It wasn't JK that blew the whistle - it was Charity Watch (foremerly the American Institute of Philanthropy) - a non-profit that monitors and rates charities. Early on they called for Mortenson to resign and for the Central Asia Institute to come clean - they never did, which is why they were investigated by the MT Attorney General. Has Mortenson done no good? - of course not - but the amount of money he defrauded from donors, spend on shit for himself, and to build up his image - completely separate and way, way outside the legal practices of charities led to the Central Asia Institute getting an F and recommendation of "don't send money here" from Charity Watch. You may not like JK, but what? - Charity Watch, the DA of Montana, and 60 Minutes are making stuff up too. Sheesh.

 

And if you do want to help kids in the region here's a list of charities that do pass muster and don't cook the books for self-profit. What a surprise - accountability!!

 

The Decent Charities

Attorney General in Montana found two things: jack and shit, and jack left town. 60 minutes also have retracted their stories in the past. No, you can't do a journalism over the internet only. JK did not even bother going there, hence I call his statements a complete fabrication. The same way as he fabricated a lot of shit written in his Into the Thin Air.

[rob]

Attorney General in Montana found two things: jack and shit, and jack left town.

 

You obviously haven't even read the AG report (linked above). Embarrassing yourself again, dude. Don't you get tired of doing that?

[glassgowkiss]

Obviously I have read and my conclusions differ from yours. I also happened to talk to people like Steve Swenson, who contradict JK statements.

I would also dare to say, that in vast majority of cases, any business audit would bring some form of fines and discover violations. Like also that there is not e single work place that would not be in violation of some L&I rules.

And if there was some legitimacy to JK story, there would be no settlement, but there would be criminal charges.

It would be interesting to do an audit of JK accounts and tax deductions.

[rob]

Some people just want to believe, I guess. It's the same thing with the anti-vaccine crowd. Whatev

[matt_warfield]

I live 10 blocks from Greg's headquarters.

 

This is not like "A Million Little Pieces" where the whole thing was made up but more like "50 Shades of Grey" without the sex. Some true, some false, some good, some bad.

 

It is the K2 of financing that is the real crux. Separating charity from personal finance was a deep crevasse he is still trying to get out of.

 

JK on Mormons could be a crevasse just as deep.

[rob]

I live 10 blocks from Greg's headquarters.

 

Excellent point!