This weekend many were saddened to learn that Vernon Winfrey, the man Oprah calls her father passed away from cancer.
When Oprah was a pregnant runaway living in Milwaukee, her mother sent her to a juvenile detention centre.
“What am I doing here?”, thought Oprah, who felt she was too good and too smart to end up in such a place. Luckily there were not enough beds so Oprah was sent to live with the legendary Vernon Winfrey, a Nashville barber.
The first thing Vernon and his wife Zelma did was make her scrub off her makeup and dress like a lady. The next thing they insisted on was that she get all As on her report card and do book reports. That was fine with Oprah who had been reading since age three.
Soon Oprah was setting Nashville on fire by winning oratory contests, becoming Miss Fire Prevention, a local radio personality, and Miss Black Nashville and Miss Black Tennesse. All this from a girl was not yet 18.
Had it not been for Vernon taking in the brilliant teen, she feels she might have ended up on welfare with multiple illegitimate kids but instead she became the richest African American of the 20th century and the most influential woman on the planet.
May he rest in peace.
Ganzir said:
F
The Philosopher said:
So puppy is saying in this post he believes nurture is more important than nature.
pumpkinperson said:
It’s certainly not when it comes to intelligence. But it might be when it comes to success.
The Philosopher said:
You just said Oprah would be on welfare and with several kids if it wasn’t for Vernon. Why would a high IQ person do that?
pumpkinperson said:
If a high IQ person gets extremely unlucky. Look at Chris Langan, dropping out of college and becoming a bouncer. High IQ is a major competitive advantage but it’s not a guarantee.
The Philosopher said:
The group abe was suspected by the assassin of being in was a religious group. Do the Japanese rig their elections like the Singaporeans? Asians aren’t big fans of democracy.
The Philosopher said:
Do you find Vernon attractive Puppy? A nice stable stand up member of the community?
pumpkinperson said:
If I were gay and black I’d fid him attractive. Yourself?
peepee hates jesus. said:
if i were…
peepee is funny.
The Philosopher said:
Joe Rogan says this exchange between Tulsi and Kamala Harris ended Harris presidential campaign.
pumpkinperson said:
You needed Joe Rogan to tell you that? It’s like you’ve been living in a basement these past 3 years. Oh wait!
The Philosopher said:
Thats right Puppy. I don’t follow Kamala’s career assiduously.
pumpkinperson said:
so you didn’t watch the debates? Are you ignorant?
pumpkinperson said:
Speaking of Rogan:
The Philosopher said:
Puppy what excites you the most about gay rights?
pumpkinperson said:
The idea of you finally achieving equality.
Vegan DHA said:
I didn’t know he wasn’t her biological father. I was moved when I read her tribute to him. Has she cut her biological mother out of her life since then?
pumpkinperson said:
she says he is. Her mother’s cousin says he’s not.
Name said:
PP,
I posted an article about how [redacted by pp, 2022-07-13] and you deleted it. I thought you were an unbiased person, but you are definitely biased.
My whole opinion of you has changed. I now cannot look at you the same way i did all these years.
pumpkinperson said:
Linking to that kind of ugliness so soon after the man’s death is not appropriate, sir. Social Judgement.
Name said:
Something i found on the net, interesting:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/what-do-bird-brains-tell-us-about-the-basis-of-intelligence/