Mortenson: Steve Kroft is a Ruddy-Faced Suicide Bomber

As noted earlier today by Matt Welch, Three Cups of Tea author Greg Mortenson, the moon-faced millionaire and savior of Afghanistan, is something of a fraud. When 60 Minutes' correspondent Steve Kroft ambushed Mortenson at a lecture in Atlanta, asking him to submit to a five minute interview, the author had him tossed from the event and slithered out a rear entrance. Now Mortenson is talking to Outside magazine, and he says that he didn't talk to Kroft because he thought he was a suicide bomber…or something:

He had a big, brown trench coat on, on a hot Atlanta day. When I see a big coat on a hot day, I think about Pakistan and I think "suicide bomber." It took me a few seconds to realize who this guy was. I don't watch TV, so I don't even know what he looks like.

Mortenson admits that the book is a "compressed" version of the real story, but blames his ghost writer:

When the book came out, did you read parts of your own story that made you say, "Hey, I don't think this is accurate"?

Yeah. Especially in regards to the timing. Like, you know, you went there three times, twice you went there in the fall, so let's just make it one fall trip. At the end of the book, I took three trips up to northern Afghanistan, over about a year and a half. Those were synthesized into one trip.

So he didn't read his "own" book in galleys?

What about all those villagers interviewed by 60 Minutes, who claimed that he didn't wander, famished and lost, into their village after descending K2?

Although this is irrelevant in American culture, it's worth noting that in the Balti language of northeast Pakistan, there is little or no emphasis on tenses, and "now" can mean a few minutes, weeks, or even a whole season. The Balti find westerners' emphasis on time confusing.

Like the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, the people of Pakistan are confused by Western concepts of "time," "accuracy," and literary "compression."

Whole piece here. There is plenty more stupidity and dishonesty in Mortenson's account of how he mistakenly made things up (like his shifting account of being clear kidnapped by the Taliban. Or perhaps it wasn't the Taliban. Well, they were dudes with beards, so there is that.)

Comments

[Paul]

He had a big, brown trench coat on, on a hot Atlanta day. When I see a big coat on a hot day, I think about Pakistan and I think "suicide bomber."

In the 70s we'd have assumed he was naked.

[Episiarch]

When I see a big coat on a hot day, I think about 8th Avenue and I think "flasher".

[jester]

Didn't Guliani take credit for cleaning up 8th despite clear evidence on the side of the internet and its infinite varieties of porn having beaten him?

[Episiarch]

He claims credit for cleaning up Times Square, though that's debatable. But all the porn shops, peep shows, etc moved to 8th Ave.

[The Immaculate Trouser]

How does someone go from "trench coat" to "terrorist"? I've seen some fucked up porn in my day, but I can't say that that's an association that would have ever crossed my mind.

But hey, it's just a bunch of savages from "over there", so its OK for Mortenson to lie about them.

[Au H20]

He was just coming over to deliver an IED to his good friend Mohamed, but when two nubile virgins decided to give him an early trip to Paradise, what's a martyr to do?

Coming soon from Vivid Video, "Martyr to Lust Vol. 1"

[TomD]

How does someone go from "trench coat" to "terrorist"?

Meh, it's just a scared guy flailing to cover for a pack of lies. His excuses and rationalizations will just keep getting more outlandish and complex until he finally hits the threshold, breaks down, and does the whole sorry-for-anyone-I-hurt public act.

[TheZeitgeist]

How does someone go from "trench coat" to "terrorist"?

Given that leap and Mortenson making it, the TSA is hiring and they could really use this guy. Right up their alley.

[Beatrice]

It was like he was wearin' some kind of a suit.. like a Edgar suit

[Clovis]

Your offer is acceptable.

[CoyoteBlue]

Yeah. It's accurate as to what transpired. I wasn't allowed to leave, and I was kept in a room, very small, with one window and a burlap sack and a bed in it. I always had one or two armed guards with me, smoking a lot of hashish.

I think I see where the problems with his memory are coming from.

[omg]

So I wonder if this happened in previous eras as well, or if it is more of a modern thing that authors who write "true" stories are called out for their bullshit.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Kroft, Welch and Moynihan are all stuck in a 9/10/01 mindset.

[Warren]

Fuckin' patronizing do-gooders.

[R C Dean]

I wasn't allowed to leave, and I was kept in a room, very small, with one window and a burlap sack and a bed in it. I always had one or two armed guards with me, smoking a lot of hashish.

There are a couple of ways to look at this. Either his armed guards were guarding him from the Taliban, and couldn't let him leave because the ignorant gringo had managed to wander into an area infested with Taliban, or they were Taliban.

I think its unlikely they were Taliban. How likely is it that the Taliban would pose for jolly snaps with a hostage? That a bunch of guys who like to kill people for getting education outside a madrassa would suddenly sign on to building a school and let him go?

[Paul]

I wasn't allowed to leave, and I was kept in a room, very small, with one window and a burlap sack and a bed in it. I always had one or two armed guards with me, smoking a lot of hashish.

Fuck, this sounds like customs in nearly every third world country.

[Scott Powers,]

I wasn't allowed to leave, and I was kept in a room, very small, with one window and a burlap sack and a bed in it. I always had one or two armed guards with me, smoking a lot of hashish.

Was he at a $500-a-plate fundraising lunch at a local mansion too?

[West Texas]

This guy sure isn't acting like someone who has been unjustly accused of being a fraud.

When's he scheduled to get yelled at on Oprah?

[joshua corning]

Well, they were dudes with beards, so there is that.

Was he in Pakistan or back stage after a ZZ Top show in Pittsburgh...most rock stars do not hold western concepts of place or that a 15 year old is not an adult.

[KountvonNumbaCrunch]

LMAO!

[HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN]

TRI-POLAR VS. DIVERSIFIED MULTILATERAL CURRENCY REGIME

TRI-POLAR VS. DIVERSIFIED MULTILATERAL CURRENCY REGIME

[Tri-Polar [EMPIRE, EU, and PDRC]]

It is no longer a question of if the American-Israeli Military Industrial Complex ? the [EMPIRE], [$USD$] will be replaced by a new international monetary and financial system, its simply a matter of when, the American-Israeli Military Industrial Complex- the [EMPIRE] wants to slow the process and take decades, with the chance of at least [3] more world economic crises if not more occurring during this period. What will the [$USD$] based world economy be replaced with, as far as the [EMPIRE] is concerned little or nothing a simple [3] three way split consisting of the [$USD$], [?EURO?] and the [PDRC] Peoples Democratic Republic of China, Yuan/Renminbi, with the [$USD$] still the base currency.

[Diversified Multilateral Currency Regime]

Or, a Diversified/Multilateral [Parity Spheres of Influence] Round Table of Nations, much based upon the European [EU] European Union, of joint cooperation setting places at the Common Round Table for nations meeting membership requirements, or representation as an association member to one of the [Parity Spheres of Influence] membership nations. Such as the [16] Sixteen Nation currency trading bloc within the Asian Sphere of the [PDRC] Peoples Democratic Republic of China, [Parity Sphere of Influence], the [ASEAN] Association of Southeast Asian Nations, countries, who already want a single currency by [2020] but by the generally accepted end of the American-Israeli Empire, member would include; Japan, China, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and India, and not decades down the line, as the [EU] represents the linking of the nations of Europe into a European [Parity Sphere of Influence of Europe]. The [Parity Spheres of Influence] membership nations would meet to discuss and establish a forum for the reform and restructuring and the continual upgrade of the international currency system, reforming international monetary institutions with stricter accountability and oversight, to limit vulnerabilities which are inherent in any financial system. The creation a common Currency Regime, with the purpose of providing funding and administrative oversight in support of International and Sovereign banks having become vulnerable to default or bankruptcy, avoiding downside risks to financial stability and to preserve confidence, of the Diversified/Multilateral System, of Multilateral Currencies, a GLOBAL NUMERAIRE CURRENCY, creating a new world reserve currency of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), [EMPIRE/ $USD's$] value, 150-250 billion annually, made up of but not limited to the [Euro, Pound Sterling, Japanese Yen, and Chinese Yuan], and hard currency Gold, Silver, Oil and Mineral Currency. Creation of a broader trade-weighted basket based upon Mutual trade ties, of assets that are less volatile, against price fluctuations, virtually context-free of the chance of their value disappearing entirely... of controls limiting fluctuations in commodity, -The Russian Federation Oil and Mineral Resources, Brazilian Food Production Currency, and Production Currency of The Peoples Republic of China/India.

[THE EMPIRE WILL DEFAULT ON DEBTS ? Borrow, Tax, Print QE's and Spend like there is no tomorrow]

A Diversified/Multilateral [Parity Spheres of Influence] Round Table of Nations, would step in as at present we are looking at a complete economic global meltdown, to prevent default, the avoiding downside risks to financial stability and to preserve confidence, stopping the [EMPIRE] from more of the same, simply borrowing and raised its debt ceiling, digging a deeper hole in the mistaken idea that in so doing it will dig itself out of debt, taxing its citizenry into poverty, and business systems into bankruptcy, the continual printing of [QE's] Quantitative Easing [$USD'S$] the present worlds base currency, placing its economic problem upon the backs of developing nations through increasing inflation of food and energy price increases, effecting the World Financial Structure adversely, and spent like there is no tomorrow, with the hope that tomorrow will never come, and the debt will either disappear or not be called due, and the government of the [EMPIRE] loves to borrow, tax, print and spend other peoples money, the trouble is in the end it all catches up to you, and the [EMPIRE] is going to default on its debts, that is a given, the question is then what, do something now or multiple economics meltdown, down the road, kicking that can down the road will give you a sore toe eventually. Even the Loan Shark [IMF] The International Monetary Fund prior to the Japanese Meltdown Nuclear and Financial Markets, had pressed debt-laden Japan and the [EMPIRE] to make more progress the establishment of some type of financial strategy, vice kicking the can down the road of medium-term fiscal consolidation plans to ensure financial stability and preserve market confidence.

HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN

[HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN]

We shall prevail!

[HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN]

TRI-POLAR VS. DIVERSIFIED MULTILATERAL CURRENCY REGIME

[I Heart Capitalisms]

Hercule's not tri-polar, he's [TRI-WINNING]

[HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN]

TRI-POLAR VS. DIVERSIFIED MULTILATERAL CURRENCY REGIME

[Tri-Polar [EMPIRE, EU, and PDRC]]

It is no longer a question of if the American-Israeli Military Industrial Complex ? the [EMPIRE], [$USD$] will be replaced by a new international monetary and financial system, its simply a matter of when, the American-Israeli Military Industrial Complex- the [EMPIRE] wants to slow the process and take decades, with the chance of at least [3] more world economic crises if not more occurring during this period. What will the [$USD$] based world economy be replaced with, as far as the [EMPIRE] is concerned little or nothing a simple [3] three way split consisting of the [$USD$], [?EURO?] and the [PDRC] Peoples Democratic Republic of China, Yuan/Renminbi, with the [$USD$] still the base currency.

[Diversified Multilateral Currency Regime]

Or, a Diversified/Multilateral [Parity Spheres of Influence] Round Table of Nations, much based upon the European [EU] European Union, of joint cooperation setting places at the Common Round Table for nations meeting membership requirements, or representation as an association member to one of the [Parity Spheres of Influence] membership nations. Such as the [16] Sixteen Nation currency trading bloc within the Asian Sphere of the [PDRC] Peoples Democratic Republic of China, [Parity Sphere of Influence], the [ASEAN] Association of Southeast Asian Nations, countries, who already want a single currency by [2020] but by the generally accepted end of the American-Israeli Empire, member would include; Japan, China, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand and India, and not decades down the line, as the [EU] represents the linking of the nations of Europe into a European [Parity Sphere of Influence of Europe]. The [Parity Spheres of Influence] membership nations would meet to discuss and establish a forum for the reform and restructuring and the continual upgrade of the international currency system, reforming international monetary institutions with stricter accountability and oversight, to limit vulnerabilities which are inherent in any financial system. The creation a common Currency Regime, with the purpose of providing funding and administrative oversight in support of International and Sovereign banks having become vulnerable to default or bankruptcy, avoiding downside risks to financial stability and to preserve confidence, of the Diversified/Multilateral System, of Multilateral Currencies, a GLOBAL NUMERAIRE CURRENCY, creating a new world reserve currency of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), [EMPIRE/ $USD's$] value, 150-250 billion annually, made up of but not limited to the [Euro, Pound Sterling, Japanese Yen, and Chinese Yuan], and hard currency Gold, Silver, Oil and Mineral Currency. Creation of a broader trade-weighted basket based upon Mutual trade ties, of assets that are less volatile, against price fluctuations, virtually context-free of the chance of their value disappearing entirely... of controls limiting fluctuations in commodity, -The Russian Federation Oil and Mineral Resources, Brazilian Food Production Currency, and Production Currency of The Peoples Republic of China/India.

[THE EMPIRE WILL DEFAULT ON DEBTS ? Borrow, Tax, Print QE's and Spend like there is no tomorrow]

A Diversified/Multilateral [Parity Spheres of Influence] Round Table of Nations, would step in as at present we are looking at a complete economic global meltdown, to prevent default, the avoiding downside risks to financial stability and to preserve confidence, stopping the [EMPIRE] from more of the same, simply borrowing and raised its debt ceiling, digging a deeper hole in the mistaken idea that in so doing it will dig itself out of debt, taxing its citizenry into poverty, and business systems into bankruptcy, the continual printing of [QE's] Quantitative Easing [$USD'S$] the present worlds base currency, placing its economic problem upon the backs of developing nations through increasing inflation of food and energy price increases, effecting the World Financial Structure adversely, and spent like there is no tomorrow, with the hope that tomorrow will never come, and the debt will either disappear or not be called due, and the government of the [EMPIRE] loves to borrow, tax, print and spend other peoples money, the trouble is in the end it all catches up to you, and the [EMPIRE] is going to default on its debts, that is a given, the question is then what, do something now or multiple economics meltdown, down the road, kicking that can down the road will give you a sore toe eventually. Even the Loan Shark [IMF] The International Monetary Fund prior to the Japanese Meltdown Nuclear and Financial Markets, had pressed debt-laden Japan and the [EMPIRE] to make more progress the establishment of some type of financial strategy, vice kicking the can down the road of medium-term fiscal consolidation plans to ensure financial stability and preserve market confidence.

HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN

[TheZeitgeist]

Holy shit.

[GILMORE]

If this guy's schtick is an inside joke/spoof....

It's terrible.

If this guy is even a little bit for real, but also a little quirky...

It's terrible.

If he's full blown serious, and actually thinks this constitutes *coherent discourse*...

It's really, really fucking terrible.

Really there's no way to win here. Add to that his mild-conspiracism isn't even slightly creative, fails on first glance...

I mean... the "American-Israeli Military Industrial Complex"?

[US Defense Spending = $680bn
Israeli Defense Spending = $16bn]

...I mean, come on. Save your breath and just say something about how the joos control everything and then fuck off already... we've heard it before... you're not the first person to have latched onto that particular meme...

I mean, if he at least added some connection to [THE SPACE ALIENS] or [DARPA/HAARP WEATHER+MIND CONTROL SYSTEM], then there'd at least be a dimension of entertainment... but no, it's just boilerplate-stupid, made even more stupid by the freaking style-guide/"i write like a paralegal who lost his meds"-issues.

I notice at homeboy's blog he has 1 fan. And this fan is the only person to comment on his posts in 2+ years.

I suppose that means it's either him (the blogger) or... I don't know... there's something out there for everyone?...

[HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN]

CADILLAC ? CORVETTES & NASH

[Cadillac's the Revisionist History]

Now, we went to bed and had a hard time not the other one get your mind out of the gutter girls, but a difficult time getting to sleep, something was grinding on us, stop it girls clean up your act, we meant out minds were else were and there you go again that clue guy with the nice butt right. So, anyway, we had read an article during the day were the author had written about the [LOVE BOAT], the [1959] Cadillac and like any of you kids, even know what a Cadillac, or the [LOVE BOAT] was or even care. But, to have revisionist history written by a kid who never saw one, give me a break. The boy described it in military precision as a [WAR MACHINE] from the two front protruding chrome front projectile shaped forms to suggest its military appearance, to its higher than the roof of the car fins, in the rear to suggest the late [P-38] dual prop-engine fighter of [WWII] World War Two, to all the chrome, and its huge back trunk, for the Brits the Bonnet. The first taught was this kid is a nut case, but then we understood he must be a Democratic who believed in Nancy Pelosi revisionist written history.

[Cadillac the LOVE BOAT]

The truth is a Cadillac was [THE LOVE BOAT], when you spoke Cadillac you spoke Comfort, Leisure and Luxury, A man's size version of a woman, a Cadillac Woman, [Aretha Franklin], say about Come And Ride My Pink Cadillac, but the new generation has no idea what the girl was really singing about, and Afternoons Delight would mean Ice Cream to them. Now, we always liked women who talked so real men understood just what they meant, May West, [I'm The Best Woman Walking These Streets and Come Up and See Me Sometime Big Boy], Loren McCall, [Are those Quarters in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me, If you need me just whistle, you do know how to whistle, don't you, just put your lips together and blow] and the Bond Girls, but back to the Cadillac. The Cadillac Oozed Sex, for those of us and men have types, those of us who like the FULL BODIED TYPES, more than a mouth full is a waste for one sitting but who's planning a one course meal. Now, if it was a [2] two-tone job, White and Pink, Black and Pink, Full White, Full Black, Black on White, White on Black, the tone of color was all good. When it pulled into our Station, it was always Full Service, pull the old hose out and fill that baby with high octane, and we mean, top it off, always check under the hood pull the old dip stick out, wipe it off, stick it back in ALL THE WAY, and check that oil, no need asking, if there low on oil, you know they want it right up to the full mark. An a Cadillac has a BIG BACK SEAT, a very soft yet firm back seat, just place your hands upon it and feel the warm, soft, firmness, you know this baby has back, from looking at it. And fins, this baby is meant to Fly, you get this mama revved-up and pop her clutch, she's got a full bored and blown engine.

[JP's Corvette's]

Now, we were once again going to come down on the case of the Jew's both Israeli Jew's and Non-Israeli Jew's, but we will make one remark about those [JP's], you can't call them [Jap's] that refers to the Japanese of [WWII] for all those Great-GREAT-Grandkids, who could care less, and you can no longer refer to them as [JAP's], Jewish American Princess's any longer, they can be found in almost every country if not every country in the world, around the globe, so now you have to just call them [JP's] Jewish Princess's, but the one thing we did want to say about them was they are like the late [50's] Fifties, early [60's] Corvette's, High Priced, High Octane, High Powered, made for only Driver and Rider, always in a heated rush, unlike the pictures portrayed by the [AIPAC/AZC] The American Israeli Public Affairs Committee/American Zionist Council, after [2] Two-Years of [IDF] Israeli Defense Forced drab uniforms, they shed more than the uniforms down at the Mediterranean on a hot summers afternoon, mostly in a one-piece French Bikini.

[Niecy Nash]

Now, Niecy Nash is a FULL BODIED, Ebony Goddess, on the American version of Dancing with the Stars this season. Now, the girl has the name NASH, now a Nash Rambler was a Drive-In Car, it was the type of car you took to an Outdoor Drive In Theater, the seats all folded down, and you just drove it in, and drove it out, at the old Drive-In. But Niecy is not a small size model NASH Rambler but more in the Mid-Range-Size Hybrid modern day model of the Cadillac, Corvette, and Nash all parts in tune, ready to roar, when Niecy says beep, Beep, BEEP, me BABY, she sure isn't talking about being topped off with the low octane brand, say why don't you just latch yourself onto these hood ornaments, pop my clutch and will turn corners like it's on rails, which color version do you prefer, do you prefer your [2] two-tone in Ebony on White or White on Ebony, if not stated prior, guys have certain models they prefer, Hey Louie! [Louis Van Amstel] there is another customer over there and he has been giving you the eye since he pulled in the Italian Job with the Bruno License Plates, let me handle this one. Now, Niecy let me pot the hood and will check the dip stick, too begin our full service treatment, we can discuss the color arrangement while your getting serviced. And the kid taught the Cadillac Was a War Machine!

HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN

[GILMORE]

Uh...

OK, slight/mild improvement with the material - but that's not saying much is it? In fact, without the original nonsense to contrast this to, this is even worse, what with the beaten-to-death automobile-sexual-innuendo, even shittier (if possible) grammar etc.

The first thing sounded like a run-of-the-mill Alex Jones-type conspiricism. this sounds more like a teenager on an acid-trip thinking he's Allen Ginsberg, and annoying the shit out of everyone because he won't shut the fuck up with his free-association-poetry-lectures.

[Almanian]

See, GILMORE? THAT'S what happens when you mess with the Hercule! Let that be a lesson to you.

Just go with it.

[Spoonman.]

I actually read a paragraph of that.

What the fuck?

[sloopyinca]

Oh, yes! Praise Jesus. Hallelujah!

Oh, Mary, mother of God! thank you for this gift of insanity on the anniversary week of your son's death.

Christ, this guy is fucking insane...and I love it!

[The Pope]

Dude, we like to think of it as Anniversary of the Resurrection. Glass Half Full, dude.

Or, if you're the old school (testament) type, try, 'Anniversary of when God helped the Children of Israel escape slavery by inflicting ten plagues upon the Egyptians'

[Almanian]

Hercule, I cannot adequately express to you how wonderful it is that you're back.

PS Wings just scored again - #WINNING!

[Tekov U. Hoser]

Hey, he got the "2012 Charlie Sheen Cerebral Randomizer. Oh man, I've been wanting one, especially the one with the Paranoia and Dementia options. Man, that thing ROCKS!

[Aresen]

Steve Kroft is a Ruddy-Faced Suicide Bomber

And his point is?

[Bramblyspam]

I've ready both "three cups of tea" and "stones into schools". I also read the entirety of Mortenson's responses (linked above). I believe that the essence of Mortenson's story is true, but several episodes of the book(s) were sexed up by his ghostwriter.

It seems clear that Mortenson has trouble following nitpicky legal niceties. He's not a great manager, accountant, or lawyer. It also seems clear that he does some spectacular work that's well worth supporting.

[SIV]

Spectacular fraud anyways.

[Ma]

Black and White cynicism. It's the new gullibility

[sloopyinca]

I can't wait for Mortenson to pull the "You're a towel" defense.

That, and for Oprah's minge (and Gary) to go on a killing spree.

[Objectivist]

I was just about to read Three Cups of Tea! What makes it all the more surprising is how the people who referred it to me glorified Mortenson's character.

Hilarious how Obama just made a $100,000 donation to his charity...

objectivistpolitics.blogspot.com

[jester]

It'll still be blamed on the Tea Party. Too easy. Obama was tricked into the donation just like Hillary was tricked into authorizing war in Iraq.

[TSA terrorist Agent]

It's amazing what kind of weapons a 6year old can hide in their pretty hair-a man in a raincoat requires shooting, tasing, stripping, and a 10K fine for looking at me funny

[Warren]

If CBS is giving him the smackdown, why is Reason bothering? Aren't you suppose to cover stories the MSM won't? Or at least give some alternative take on it? What's with the cheer-leading? Did Greg Mortenson leave a flaming bag of poop on your front porch or something?

[GILMORE]

They have had a running theme with following stories involving fabulist-jounalists, etc. I think they now sorta feel obligated to mention any new ones so's not to look like they were unfair to others...

[rather]

Warren, you weren't a very good bully in school, where you? 😉

[Max]

Off-topic, but does Reason bother reporting manifestations of racism in the Tea Party, or does it avoid reporting them out of respect for Ron Paul?

[Concern Troll]

Off topic, but is Max actually just plain stupid, or should we not make fun of him because he has a genetic learning disability?

[Max]

You must be a former subscriber to Ron Paul's racist newsletter, right? Fuck you.

[Concern Troll #2]

I'm worried about rumors that Max has offered to let the US Pole Vault Team use his asshole in their training exercises.

[rather]

Concern Troll #2, if his ass is hurt, you can always kiss it better

[Mr. FIFY]

Fuck, Max, we thought you were dead.

No, wait... we were HOPING you were dead.

[GILMORE]

I've seen Steve Croft maybe a half dozen times in NYC over the last 10 years.

He ALWAYS had that raincoat on. Just saying. He must just be very comfortable with his personal fashion choices, seasonal vagaries be damned.

And even when his name did not launch itself from the tip of my tounge... I was always like, "Oh, yo, 60 mins dude. Hey." Confusing Steve Croft for anyone but Steve Croft?... implausible.

[mr simple]

Maybe he's going for that 30s film noir look. Does he also wear a fedora with his press card sticking out?

[The jacket]

He ALWAYS had that raincoat on. Just saying. He must just be very comfortable with his personal fashion choices, seasonal vagaries be damned.

I know what you mean bro

[Kevin]

I really don't understand the smirky glee that accompanies this article and many of the comments. Mortensen's operation was based on voluntary donations, not government coercion. His work involved providing secular education to those who chose to voluntarily take part. Hopefully, in some small way, bringing some modern reason to an area desperately in need of it.

Yet Reason.com treats the scandal like it is a big birthday present. Misanthropy takes many forms, and libertarianism is not immune from it. This is a good example.

[SIV]

"Voluntary" "not government coercion"?

See the WSU student comment below.

Libertarians oppose fraud no matter who is the perpetrator.

[Kevin]

It's not "opposition to fraud" to which I am referring. It's the sense that there is some perverse joy in seeing this charity torn down. I gave a donation or two to Central Asia Institute as Christmas gifts. I admit it looks like I was fooled and it pisses me off. If Mortensen is a fraud, let him swing. It will be good to know a fraud has been exposed, should that be the case, but I will take no pleasure in the loss of the work.

[SIV]

Maybe "the work" is he blew all the money on Central Asian boy whores.

[GoCougs]

So, I'm a student at Washington State University. Our Freshman "Common Reading" program focused on Stones into Schools this year. This entailed the university purchasing a copy of the book (hardcover) for every incoming freshman. Professors of entry-level courses had to incorporate the book into their lessons, coursework or projects. Furthermore, the university invited Greg himself to speak to the campus. His price tag is roughly $30,000 for the speech. WSU fell for the charade hook, line, and sinker. Don't get me wrong, I think his organization has done some good, but that does not absolve the unethical behavior Greg has clearly engaged in.

[Snookie]

*cackling*

[Not Al Gore]

I know, right?

[Almanian Phoenix Coyotes]

Fucking scoring - how does it work?

I don't think the Wings will make it far in the playoffs, but they'll make it farthererer than the Coyotes.

Too bad, what with all that great hockey history they have in the Southwest....

[Almanian]

Pussy fucking penalty calls. Hope the Wings put a short-handed goal on 'em for spite.

HEY! HOW'S THE ICE DOWN THERE? LEFT OVER FROM WINTER IS IT? YOU GUYS GET A LOT OF SNOW THIS WINTER? Fuck you, AZ - and the Dallas South Stars NEE Minneapolis North Stars, too.

Ah, shit, they scored. 3-1 - glad you avoided the skunk, PHX. Enjoy while you can, ya fokin' wankers....

[Lowdog]

Hmm, well, I'd rather live in Phoenix, where I can enjoy the nice weather 9 months out of the year and have a bunch of hot trim to look at constantly. I also get to play hockey at least twice a week, without snow. I know, it might be tough for someone from the motor city to understand, what with your brain still being frozen from the winter, but there is the technology available to make ice in an indoor rink.

The shitty penalty calls went both ways, so I don't know what you're crying about there, either. In fact, that "cross checking" on Doan was fucking ridiculous. Poor little Lidstrom gets a shove from behind and the ref jumps in to save him? Pathetic. And the roughing call on Hanzal when he hit Rafalski was weak sauce, as well.

Too bad the Coyotes are leaving Phoenix, but then, so am I, so it's all good.

Nite nite...

[Almanian]

No one else watching hockey? Ima hit the hay - night, Reasonoids! See you in the morning.

[SIV]

Nope

[Rock Action]

Too many threads, you crazy frickin' Almanian. If I'd have found this earlier, I would have flipped it on. Love the puck, don't necessarily follow the professional version anymore, really. USA/International Hockey. That's what I love. Bigger rinks. No Gary Bettman. World Cup. Olympics.

This makes me tear up with laughter every time I see it.

http://www.onionsportsnetwork......hoc,17661/

[PantsFan]

1 more game for Phoenix, then they move back to Winnipeg

[Ava]

I think this news is a bomb....

[XiaoAvanano]

i think this news is a bomb

[rimmer]

If he exaggerated his story for effect or if the ghost writer did, then that pisses me off. But it still leaves the question - are there schools being built in Pakistan or Afghanistan, especially the ones for girls or not? If yes, then some of the cackling around here is just small and myopic.

[mr simple]

I can't believe you found an unfrozen caveman lawyer sketch on the tubes. I though NBC/SNL was strict about keeping that off. Nice work.

[LungLoo]

Should be interesting to see how that turns out. Wow.

http://www.total-privacy.int.tc

[Ma]

Mountains and molehills. This is a molehills story. Some details in the book are exaggerated or twisted for dramatic effect, but it doesn't seem like anyone is accusing him of not building schools. It's fine to question the veracity of Mortenson's account of traveling in those countries and nail him on that; it's quite another to label him a total fraud for exaggerating or twisting events when in fact the work itself is real. But hey, you've got a story here, so let's ramp it up for dramatic effect. Hmmm, this sounds familiar....

[Jake]

This takedown is based on an obvious argumentative fallacy. A flawed individual or organization necessarily means the whole or the root of the individual or organization is fraudulent. Mortenson's got his issues all right, but the larger truth is that a lot of these schools, and more would be better, are being built all over Pakistan and Afghanistan. This is a great thing for the liberty of the human condition. My hope is that Mortenson and the CAI cleans up its act and the work continues.
But if you prefer polemics to a reasoned analysis, take Michael Moynihan...please.