twoshuzz wrote:Thanks, JS. I missed the show in favor of a day out.

While the piece makes Mortenson look like, well, "a piece," I see much to question on both sides of the issue. From the 60 Minutes piece, from what I can see, the most damning evidence was his complete dismissal of 60 Min at the book signing. Also, the difference between his account in TCOT and his original article fail to inspire much faith as well. Most everything else is easily refutable.

Krakauer spoke to how many people about Mortenson ? One climbing partner and a couple of board members ? 60 min spoke to a group of Pakistanis who to no surprise denied they were members of the Taliban and denied "kidnapping" him ? Forgive me if I don't go all in on their word(s).

As for AIP, the points raised are not uncommon in how many charitable organizations are run. A few years back, the head of The Salvation Army came under fire for his $ 750,000 annual salary. How many millions do they spend on promotion ? I'm not saying it's right, just that it is what it is. Promoting his cause using the charity's monies is no sin. Yet the amount going out for promotion being much greater than that going to school construction does raise alarm, as does his use of charitable funds used to promote his books.

It is easy to fathom the misuse of schools built by CAI. With the instability of both Paki/Afi, the issue of womens' rights in their cultures, with their disdain for western culture, I would imagine Mortenson has little to no say in how the buildings are used once he walks away from completion. Again, forgive me if I don't go all in.

And then there is Krakauer, a journalist with "a history of smearing climbers" as EB said above. That history is undeniable. Just ask those close to "Toli." And there are countles others who would claim the same. I'm not saying Krakauer is necessarily wrong in his allegations, just that there is much room for dispute by Mortenson and that Krakauer has been wrong, in print, before.
An innocent question I believe worth asking: how much "literary license" has Krakauer himself taken over the years ?

Again, the piece shines an incredible amount of bad light on Mortenson. But to heavily invest in the 60 Min piece and Krakauer's claims given within the piece itself, I'd rather see more evidence than jump on that boat, for now.

While your other points are good, and I do think that Krakauer's characterizations could easily be way off, I don't agree with the statements about Krakauer made here. I read his book and Boukriev's. Krakauer didn't appear to me to be "wrong" about anything; they had different ideas about how a guide on Everest should deal with clients and it was just a pissing contest with nobody being wrong. Krakauer criticized what he thought Boukriev did wrong and praised him for what he did that was "above and beyond."

The Chief wrote:Ah, several of the CAI accounting officers have resigned in the past 7-8 years due to their seeing the obvious financial improprieties that have been occurring during their tenure.
We can only see what happens in the following weeks due to this report.

Can you back that up with facts and figures? Or maybe quotes from them saying that's why they resigned?

Mortensen has three problems: were key parts of his story false? has he exaggerated the success of the CAI projects? and has he been committing financial fraud?
The success of the CAI depends on fundraising, and most of the fundraising is closely tied to the popularity of Greg's books. Greg did write the books, and he retains all rights to the royalties; no complaint there. His various appearance promote BOTH the books and donations to the CAI. As the primary fundraiser for the CAI, it seems compensation from CAI for his very active role in generating donations is reasonable. It does not seem unreasonable to have CAI pay his travel expenses. Inf fact, it would be unreasonable to insist that Greg pay for all his travel expenses out of his royalty income, take no income base on his role fundraiser. I find the financial accusations to be cheap sensationalism, and no intelligent person would risk attempting an informal response on camera. 60 minutes was looking for blood.
The issue of "lying" about events should be explained, but I suspect his books are as close to the truth as Krakauer's biography Into the Wild.

Buz Groshong wrote:

The Chief wrote:Ah, several of the CAI accounting officers have resigned in the past 7-8 years due to their seeing the obvious financial improprieties that have been occurring during their tenure.
We can only see what happens in the following weeks due to this report.

Can you back that up with facts and figures? Or maybe quotes from them saying that's why they resigned?

This was revealed by Kroft/Krakauer during the 60 Min seg.

Krakauer: In 2002, his board treasurer quit, resigned, along with the board president and two other board members and said, "You should stop giving money to Greg."

Kroft: Did he say why?

Krakauer: He said, in so many words, that Greg uses Central Asia Institute as his private ATM machine. That there's no accounting. He has no receipts.

Over the years, a half a dozen staffers and board members have resigned over similar concerns, especially about money Mortenson has sent overseas to build schools.


Again, allow me to reiterate that GM receives 40-50 cents royalty per book sold. SO far, that number is 6.3 MILLION books sold. That equates to over 3 MILLION DOLLARS in royalties.

I believe that GM should pay for his own travel expenses which in fact generate more book sales, with that income. Not have the CAI pay for his book sale tours.


GM is definitely dodging the questions and beginning to sound like a victim. Many of his answers to some of the 60 Min questions are vague to say the least and show obvious back peddling and dancing on words.

The smell of scam is really beginning to get thick.

Robert Joy has a lot of valid points. It isn't like Greg was hired to run an existing charity, Greg was CAI. Wasn't CAI run out of Greg's basement for years? I wouldn't be surprised after teasing apart finances between the Greg the writer, Greg the CEO, and Greg the fundraiser if there are some grey areas that might not look ethical under scrutiny. Certainly a careful accounting of the finances will tell a clearer picture than any finger pointing or second hand information. If there is impropriety, the IRS will find it.

An e-mail from Mortenson and CAI:

Sunday, April 17, 2011
Asalaam-o-Alaikum (Peace Be With You). Greetings from Montana and on behalf of the dear children and communities we serve in rural Afghanistan and Pakistan.



Thank you (Tashakur and Shukuria) for the overwhelming response to the news in recent days, for the outpouring of support, prayers and the confidence that you, our supporters, have showered upon Central Asia Institute, Pennies For Peace and my family. In the midst of these difficult and challenging days, I keep thinking about the Persian proverb, "When it is darkest you can see the stars." You are all shining lights and we are grateful for your compassion.



Although we would like the world to be linear, orderly and peaceful, the reality is that our world is a dynamic, fluid place, often filled with chaos and confusion. In that space, I thrive and get the courage to help bring change and empower people. I also feel great pride that you have chosen to support those who live in the 'Last Best Places', where other organizations or governments offer few or no services.



I welcome and am used to facing criticism, which sometimes even turns into hostility and threats, over the important work we do in Pakistan and Afghanistan. As an introvert and shy person, it is also not easy to have to enter an arena of a media circus at the drop of a heartbeat. But, as those of you who know me and have supported my work over the years will recognize, the story being framed by "60 Minutes" to air in a few hours today - as far as we can tell -- paints a distorted picture using inaccurate information, innuendo and a microscopic focus on one year's (2009) IRS 990 financial, and a few points in the book "Three Cups of Tea" that occurred almost 18 years ago. Apparently, the CBS program is to be followed in the near future by a similar negative piece by Jon Krakauer in an unknown magazine, which I only recently heard about last week.



The Board of Directors and I made the very difficult decision to not engage with "60 Minutes" on camera, after they attempted an eleventh hour aggressive approach to reach me, including an ambush in front of children at a book signing at a community service leadership convention in Atlanta. It was clear that the program's disrespectful approach would not result in a fair, balanced or objective representation of our work, my books or our vital mission. We also turned down a last minute request for an interview with Jon Krakauer.



The "60 Minutes" program may appear to ask simple questions, but the answers are often complex, not easily encapsulated in 10-second sound bites. Working in isolated areas, in communities that are not on any map, and often in areas of turmoil, religious extremism or natural disasters where education is still relatively rare and ancient codes of conduct and social hierarchies still dominate - all these things demand constant adjustment, accommodation and patience.



We have always maintained that our work is about investing in relationships, respecting elders, and listening over a time span that stretches generations, not in one that lasts just a few minutes on prime time television.



So although I did not do an on-camera interview, CAI's Board of Directors and I have duly responded to questions provided us late last week by "60 Minutes" with both statements and answers. And as always we pride ourselves to be transparent with our financials and IRS 990 forms.



All of this can be found on our website, http://www.ikat.org, and more information will be added in coming days.



Because of a medical condition mentioned below, I have spoken with our hometown newspaper, The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, about this attack, and the newsroom is closely following developments on this story:



Mortenson under fire from '60 Minutes' - Bozeman philanthropist denies allegations (Friday, April 15, 2011)



CAI responds to Mortenson allegations (Sunday, April 17, 2011)



I also recently returned from Afghanistan, and was amazed to see how incredibly well everything is going there, including having five female managers (out of 15 total) and a plan to establish and build over 60 new schools this year. Our Board Chairman, Dr. Abdul Jabbar, also recently returned from an extensive trip to Pakistan. We will combine the news and send you an email and / or printed information within the next month to share the good news.



I would like to take this opportunity to disclose that for the last 18 months, I have been struggling with hypoxia (low oxygen saturation), which made it very difficult to get through a grueling schedule. My physician told me I had to stop and rest, however the urgency of what we do spurred me on. Last Friday (4/15/11), I came home and was diagnosed with a hole in my heart that was shunting blood, causing my low saturations.



Tomorrow, I will have further tests and then a heart surgical procedure this week to fix the hole. After a few weeks my doctor says I will be as good as new. For the first time in eighteen months, I will have tremendous energy, strength and lots of oxygen. At that time, I will come out fighting for what is right and just, and be able to talk to the media. Regardless of what happens, our work must go on. It's most important to know that education is the only thing one can never take away from an individual; it remains forever.



It is a true blessing to be at home now, with family and friends. In the meantime, I send you my heartfelt thanks for your continued support, and if you have any questions or concerns at all, I urge you to contact our office. Our small committed staff will be responding as quickly as they can to answer your calls, e-mails and requests for more information.



Please feel free to pass on this email to your families, friends and colleagues, and if you feel compelled, please write letters to the editor, or your on-line communities, about your thoughts.

Here is an example of GM's victim claim..

"The Board of Directors and I made the very difficult decision to not engage with “60 Minutes” on camera, after they attempted an eleventh hour aggressive approach to reach me, including an ambush in front of children at a book signing at a community service leadership convention in Atlanta."


If anyone watched the 60 Min seg, they would have seen that Kroft had in fact attempted to make several direct contacts with GM via email and phone, for an interview beginning back in the "Fall". No last minute ambush crap as GM claims. One would have also seen that when Kroft and crew approached GM at the signing, no children were anywhere near the seated GM nor was Kroft in any way disrespectful nor "ambushing" him.

This GM comment also strikes me as very odd....

"As an introvert and shy person, it is also not easy to have to enter an arena of a media circus at the drop of a heartbeat."

GM seems to not have a problem when in front of hundreds giving lectures and getting paid up to 30K per lecture/book signing gig.

This last portion of reply/comment makes absolutely no sense and answers nothing. Only dances around.... typical. Why should the straight up 60 Min questions be "complex" to answer?

The “60 Minutes” program may appear to ask simple questions, but the answers are often complex, not easily encapsulated in 10-second sound bites. Working in isolated areas, in communities that are not on any map, and often in areas of turmoil, religious extremism or natural disasters where education is still relatively rare and ancient codes of conduct and social hierarchies still dominate – all these things demand constant adjustment, accommodation and patience.

Sounds like a Washington politician.

http://www.ikat.org/wp-includes/documen ... essage.pdf

dps wrote:This is an interesting question:

He also said that the Afghan school year began on March 23. “I don’t know when CBS was there, but if it was when school was out, the schools would appear to be empty,” he said.

So when was CBS there? What schools did they visit? Why cannot they supply simple answer to the names and veracity of their sources?

Bizarre!

Some schools had kids actively in school while others didn't during the 60 Min seg. The visit was all at one time early last month.

Several of the schools that were shown that had had no children, ever, had also shown locals verifying that children had NEVER been in any of the buildings.

And besides, Greg M once rescued a kitten off a big concrete wall, IN HIS ALPINE BOOTS!

Fletch wrote:[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLsDvGlIDh0[/youtube]

YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!

telewoman wrote:What book should I read and believe...http://www.byliner.com/

Good question:
http://www.salon.com/wlust/feature/1998 ... turea.html

davebobk47 wrote:An e-mail from Mortenson and CAI:
Greetings from Montana and on behalf of the dear children . . . I keep thinking about the Persian proverb, "When it is darkest you can see the stars." You are all shining lights and we are grateful for your compassion.
. . . they attempted . . . an ambush in front of children . . .
Because of a medical condition mentioned below, I have spoken with our hometown newspaper, The Bozeman Daily Chronicle, about this attack, and the newsroom is closely following developments on this story:
. . . My physician told me I had to stop and rest, however the urgency of what we do spurred me on. Last Friday (4/15/11), I came home and was diagnosed with a hole in my heart . . . .

We all so want to believe. Behind those big lashes, Tammi Faye's eyes are filling with tears.

Well, anyway, it is fortunate that the intrepid reporters of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle will be investigating so that we can get to the bottom of this.

And on behalf of the dear children, I thank you for reading this post. The urgency of what we do on SP spurred me on to write it.

Shows like 60 minutes may take 12 hours of interview, and edit it down to 15 minutes. It's hard not to say something in 12 hours that cannot be misconstrued with careful editing. 60 minutes was once taken to task for recording a "no" answer, and substituting a "yes" from another part of the interview. Even a Winston Churchill slips up from time to time. Yes 60 Minutes may get it right more often than not, but they are not the Crusaders of Truth that many take them to be.

Remember -- Audi was nearly financially ruined and took 15 years to claw back, after 60 Minutes showed a video that proved to be fabricated.

http://static.byliner.com/Three_Cups_of ... ginals.pdf

I'm reading this now. It details that two of those who resigned from the board were Tom Hornbein and Gordon Wiltsie, and it says why.

There are few more highly-regarded men in American mountaineering than Tom Hornbein. If I was to judge the actions and words of him versus Mortensen, from what I have read and seen of both, it is no contest.

I have had personal dealings with Gordon Wiltsie over more than a decade and have found him unscrupulously honest on every occasion. Again, put up against Mortensen, I am on Wiltsie's side.

I'm not sure people here realise just how much this issue has been cutting into the relations between some of the major figures in American mountaineering. There are lots of vested interests at stake here, lots of emotion and hurt pride.

One thing in that Krakauer piece surprised me even more. It says how Mortensen and the CAI would not return calls from potential donors, thus depriving the charity of a lot of funding, but enabling Mortensen to avoid further outside scrutiny. I have personal experience of this, as someone I know personally wanted to make a large donation to the CAI and, on the phone, was put off and never re-contacted. What charity refuses free money from a genuine source?

The Endnotes of the Krakauer piece are also interesting. They note that Mortensen's 3COT falsifies his Himalayan climbing record (re: Baruntse and Annapurna IV) and it recounts an almost funny 'anecdote' about Mother Theresa. Such things, in conjunction with GM pulling the health/sympathy card in his newsletter, above, and the current delay and evasion, are classic signs of a fraud in progress.

This is an interesting debate for sure. Good questions and positions on both sides.

I read Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea. Regardless if it's 100% truth or not I enjoyed it.

I've also read some of Krakauer's work. I suspect his writing is not all 100% truth either but I enjoyed Krakauer's books too. Krakauer likes controversy, controversy sells books. Please don't let controversy be a reason not to read.

Mortenson's story says that before he could build the first school he had to use the first few thousand dollars he raised to build a bridge. This year I helped build a bridge in El Salvador. I have to say that Mortenson's story was a part of what inspired me to go to El Salvador. (The company I work for is major sponsor of Bridges to Prosperity.) So to what ever the degree is that Mortenson embellished he did a good thing for the children and the women of the region by raising awareness. Even Krakauer said that on 60 minutes.

Over time big, successful charities seem to get seduced by themselves. There are many big charities that only pass along pennies on the dollar to causes they claim to be supporting and have huge beauracratic overhead heirarchies that suck most up most of the donated money.