"It's for the children."

[shavedape]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailybeast/...teawritergregmortensonafraud#mwpphu-container

Correspondent Steve Kroft reported that key anecdotes in Mortenson’s inspirational narrative—which launched him as a humanitarian folk hero, attracted $60 million in donations to his nonprofit Central Asia Institute, and personally earned him millions of dollars in book royalties and lecture fees—appear to have been fabricated...

Looks like 60 Minutes ripped down the curtain that was hiding this fraud. Personally, I find it shocking -- and sickening -- what people get away with today. I'm not one for government control of most things but obviously people have donated based on what appears to have been some pretty big lies and the legal system (government) should do something about this. The Justice Department should investigate and if it's proven that people were lied to then this man and his ilk should be punished.

Here are some links to how this guy tried to weasel out of the proverbial noose:

http://www.mediaite.com/online/greg...-60-minutes-piece-by-blaming-his-ghostwriter/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jac...stions-about-his-three-cups-of-tea-story.html

And here are even more tidbits about what a self-important creep this guy is:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailybeast/20110418/ts_dailybeast/13577_mansurkhanmahsudgregmortensonisaliar

 

[Overmind One]

Him and people like him are the reason I do not give to charitable organizations.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailybeast/...teawritergregmortensonafraud#mwpphu-container



Looks like 60 Minutes ripped down the curtain that was hiding this fraud. Personally, I find it shocking -- and sickening -- what people get away with today. I'm not one for government control of most things but obviously people have donated based on what appears to have been some pretty big lies and the legal system (government) should do something about this. The Justice Department should investigate and if it's proven that people were lied to then this man and his ilk should be punished.

Here are some links to how this guy tried to weasel out of the proverbial noose:

http://www.mediaite.com/online/greg...-60-minutes-piece-by-blaming-his-ghostwriter/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jac...stions-about-his-three-cups-of-tea-story.html

And here are even more tidbits about what a self-important creep this guy is:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailybeast/20110418/ts_dailybeast/13577_mansurkhanmahsudgregmortensonisaliar

Not at all surprised. I only give when I have actial time and money to give DIRECTLY to people I want to help. I do not trust any charitable "organization" in America to help children in Africa or India or anywhere else. I do not trust Save The Children, UNICEF, Salvation Army, Christian Children's Fund, name any of them and I will still be shaking my head. I DO NOT TRUST THEM. Why should I? I have not seen one single one of these huge worldwide organizations that wasnt found to be corrupt later on. Its easy to see what they are doing:

1. They USE the children and tell them to look sad and hungry. I have SEEN THIS COACHING with my own eyes whilst in Mexico. The AMERICAN camerman was telling the kid to look hungry and not to smile (in Spanish) . . His mother was only 10 feet away, counting the $20 she was given to let her child be filmed. That was back in 1992.
2. Money is not accounted for in a strict fashion. By the time impropriety has been discovered, MILLIONS upons MILLIONS have been stolen by these crooks, and the children they claim to be helping dont know the difference.
3. I do not see these people moving to Africa or India or Mexico to help anybody directly, the work they do is standiong in front of cameras trying to tug on people's hearts to get them to GIVE THEM MONEY.

Im not fooled. Not surprised either. :icon_e_wink: I volunteer my personal time to help kids in the inner city learn computers, and I sit on the Board of a halfway house in North Hollywood. That is helping people DIRECTLY.

 

[shavedape]

Hands on/Local giving is the only way to go

I hesitate to blow my own horn because I know charity isn't about that, but for the sake of legitimacy I have to point out that I donate on the local level. It's so easy to get singed up with a local Hunger Task force operation that anyone can do it. They let you know when and where they need help be it in the warehouse loading boxes or at the various food pantries around the city or if it's in the office doing data entry, etc. It's also not very time consuming or physically taxing; 3 - 4 hours shifts easily fit into any schedule and filling boxes isn't as hard as it sounds.

When I went thru orientation I was surprised to see the majority of people "volunteering" were either college kids fulfilling a credit requirement or petty criminals who had been ordered to do community service. I was definitely in the minority of people who were there simply because I was looking to donate my time to charity. At any rate, the best part is knowing that my donation goes directly to help people who need it and doesn't go to lining the pockets of some ego-maniacal blowhard.