Why Oprah is a phony.

A few weeks ago I saw a story about a woman who was able to help BUILD a
school in some African country for 25.000 dollars.

Buildings, books, desks and chairs.

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Which brings me to my ever-so-politically incorrect rant.

That windbag, Oprah, sees that actresses are adopting kids in Africa, so she has to make a statement! She tries to outdo the adopters, so she builds one sschool, for 250 kids, at the cost of 40 million dollars.

I am not suggesting in any way how she should spend her money.

I am only suggesting that one school, in her name, should make her sleep well at night.


Oh, and a nationally syndicated program should make it that much easier to
get her sainthiood!

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I never liked Oprah.

and I always dislike how she is the first to scream racism whenever something happens.

There seems to bit lots of idiot celebrities...on that scale I don't think Oprah is high up on the idiot scale...at least not in my opinion.

LOL casey, I think money just rots the brain. they start out seemingly normal and the more their net worth goes up the more their brain shrinks.

Better than spending $40 million dollars on a yacht or a penthouse, I suppose.

It's her money, she earned it by working her way up from poverty. It's her business alone to spend it as she sees fit.

She is working for change in a very, very impoverished area. I applaud her for her efforts to help these girls. I think it was 152 girls that have started at her school, not 250, although they will grow enrollment each year.

I doubt that actresses adopting babies from Africa had one iota of impact on Oprah's decision to establish the school.

Your statement Richard supports my theory that no good deed goes uncriticized.

I wonder if the children receiving the benefit give a rats a$$ why it was bestowed?

I find Oprah, as well as I don't know her, to be uplifting, inspiring, and a beautiful woman. Spreading her personal wealth, that benefits others, for what ever reason, just doesn't seem to be the hate crime others see it as.

I guess Oprah is putting her money where her mouth is. Most people don't do that. She does have a tendency to get very heady & doesn't understand much about motherhood. She did complain about her girls in Africa not listening to her & telling them to shut their cell phones off while she was talking to them. She doesn't understand you can give all the material things you want to someone but what they really need is your undivided love & that is what motherhood is about. Oprah just doesn't understand that part of it.

I guess that one GIANT scholl for her ego is better than 160 schools for the kids.


Let's just say that you can fit 100 kids in those 160, twenty five thousand dollar schools.

16,000 children with a future?

NAW,

150 Ophrettes! :D

There are two kinds of people in this world. There are those who see a
need and step up and DO SOMETHING and those who just love to sit back
on their butts and BITCH. You do what you're good at I guess. :D

What about all the clothes, uniforms and school supplies she gave over there....LONG before that school. She has been helping those kids for a long time.

I do get your point Richard, that much money could have built enough schools for thousands of kids over there and that would have served a better purpose.

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Originally Posted by Cataholic

I wonder if the children receiving the benefit give a rats a$$ why it was bestowed?

I find Oprah, as well as I don't know her, to be uplifting, inspiring, and a beautiful woman. Spreading her personal wealth, that benefits others, for what ever reason, just doesn't seem to be the hate crime others see it as.

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Hear, hear! - I agree!

And even if she did do it for the attention (which I don't believe), she's doing much more than these people who adopt one child and think that makes them a saint. (Like Angeline Jolie). She's helping many more people and her school will continue on, hopefully, for many, many years to come.

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Originally Posted by Laura's Babies

What about all the clothes, uniforms and school supplies she gave over there....LONG before that school. She has been helping those kids for a long time.

I do get your point Richard, that much money could have built enough schools for thousands of kids over there and that would have served a better purpose.

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I did a rough math calculation.

For 126 dollars a year..

317,000 children taught

or

26,500

kids given a 1-12 grade education.

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Winfrey gave a telling statement about the kids here in the U.S.

She said that when she asked the kids about what they needed for school it was Nikes, ipods and crap that doesn't involve education..


So instead if starting the charity at home scenario, she has to go abroad.


So let's do the math....again.

One million, per U.S. school is a lot of books and teachers.

I guess school district wouldn't let her name 40 schools after her.

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I sure hope that lady with the cameras and cell phone comes back to our town! Look at how much better OUR school is compared to the rest of the country.

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On the next Oprah,

Gazilliuonaires who's every donation is a docudrama, four part T.V. special and fodder for their own T.V. show.

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There are three kinds of people on the planet.

The first two mentioned and the third, who are like sand in the bathing suit.

ADVICE?

Drop trou and rinse. :eek:

What a sad, sad thread.....

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

What a sad, sad thread.....

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Drop trou and rinse!

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

Drop trou and rinse!

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ROFL!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

Drop trou and rinse!

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I have no idea what that means or how it is intended to insult me...and really don't care.

I am sorry you are so angry and unhappy RICHARD...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rachel

I doubt that actresses adopting babies from Africa had one iota of impact on Oprah's decision to establish the school.

Your statement Richard supports my theory that no good deed goes uncriticized.

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I have read that Oprah came to meet with a local woman who had also
built schools in very poor parts of the world.Her name is Christel DeHann.
Our local TV station did a feature on her recently.I really admire those who
do reach out to help build a better world for all children.


http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6075603

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

What a sad, sad thread.....

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Tissues ????

So...any money spent to build a state of the art animal shelter should be used instead to buils three mediocre animal shelters?

Let's always buy the cheapest medical equipment possible so we can offer services at lower cost.

Why don't I go adopt a dozen more dogs from the shelter and provide tham all enough care to keep them alive? I'll be helping more animals that way, right?

Let's always shoot for the lowest common denominator so we can "spread the wealth" as it were.

Really....She did a great thing that is going to help a lot of people over the years. So she did it differently than someone else, SO WHAT!?

Lizbud you expressed my sentiments exactly, well put,Personally i think Oprah is a very generous person, who does not do anything just for the publicity, and to have her name on it, i think you are totally way off base with your comments,as far as i am concerned she is a very inspiring,giving human being, it seems you are damned if you do and damned if you don't in this world, i appauld her efforts and her generosity,there are many people who have been given a much needed helping hand by Oprah, i say good on you Oprah, and i hope she continues along the same path as she always has,and continues to be the great woman that she is.

Let's take a look at a real stud,

Dean Kamen.

Under the radar he has put money into a machine that provides energy and clean water to poor areas on the planet.


I guess he could put some money into ONE state if the art water plant-and screw everyone else. I mean why save a whole bunch of people , when you can save a few?

Instead, he goes for small units that will benefit MANY people.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/16/technology/business2_futureboy0216/index.htm

And I doubt he'll rename it the Kamen Engine.

And instead of handing out cars on his T.V. show, He's given paraplegics a way get up a flight of stairs.


ES,

Yes, I am very unhappy.

Some dude that should be given a pat on the back, toils unrecognized...

Maybe we should get him a Magazine named DEAN.... So he can be the only one that ever graces the cover!

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I wish I had a bidet.

I can never understand what you are saying when you get hysterical, but if there is this guy....Dean Kamen...who you think is doing great things...why not start a thread about it instead of starting one attacking someone else?

If you want him to have a pat on the back...why not give it to him on page one...in the title of the thread...instead of calling someone else names?

You know....light a candle instead of curse the darkness?

I haven't seen or looked for details about Oprah's $40 million dollar school, but I can only think of one reason why the school cost is being listed at that.

Instead of being a ridiculously expensive school in a poor country, maybe she set a large part of the money aside as an endowment fund so the school is still there 10 years from now instead of being an empty building with no staff?

Apparently Oprah asked the girls themselves what they wanted - and they wanted a school.

I imagine the greater amont of money also goes towards maintenance, hiring and maintaining professional staff - considering the future of the building and programs, not just the short term.

I'm with Richard on this one, as I believe that it's the silent achievers who make a difference to this world.
Oprah is for Oprah, she makes sure that she gets super media coverage for all of her so called charitable actions.
It's interesting that I had an epal a few years ago from Mexico, she told me a number of times how great Carlos Santana was to her countrymen, how he helps out with the poor and sinks money into schools, anything is not too hard for him when it comes to helping those most needy. I suppose tho that the problem is so great that one can't do everything, but still those silent achievers try their very best.
Oprah is a typical American, she just wants the rest of the world to know how great she is......and that my friends is from an Australian, who is not involved in the madness, and who can sit back and observe from a distance.
Wombat

This is not a sad , sad thread you have created here, it's been really good reading peoples views on this subject, certainly not sad.
Nor do I think you are angry, actually you are a ball of fun, and I'm sure that MOST people would agree with me.
Ignore the type who would pick an argument based on " I am a woman therefore smarter than you as a man ". You just never know, with any luck they may simply go away....LOL
Wombat

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Originally Posted by wombat2u2004

This is not a sad , sad thread you have created here, it's been really good reading peoples views on this subject, certainly not sad.
Nor do I think you are angry, actually you are a ball of fun, and I'm sure that MOST people would agree with me.
Ignore the type who would pick an argument based on " I am a woman therefore smarter than you as a man ". You just never know, with any luck they may simply go away....LOL
Wombat

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Sorry Wombat...I am not smarter because I am a woman....I am just smarter. :D

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Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary

Sorry Wombat...I am not smarter because I am a woman....I am just smarter. :D

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I am not smarter because I am a woman I am smarter because I am an American :D

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Originally Posted by caseysmom

I am not smarter because I am a woman I am smarter because I am an American :D

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ha ha ha.........that was meant to be funny, right?

I rarely post on this type of thread, but this one time I feel that I must.

Oprah will get publicity for what she does (or doesn't) whether she wants it or not. She wants to help and make a difference and she can afford to do whatever she wants wherever she wants. I don't care who she helps, it beats spending money on a new boat, house or villa. She earns it, she can spend it. The paparazzi keep a close eye on her every move and report it all.

Maybe the publicity will get the other gazillionaires to look at what they could do to improve world conditions. Too many of them are doing so little. Yes. I know some of them are quietly helping, but they could do so much more.

Oprah came up the hard way. She had to work hard to be ready for the opportunities that came her way. I'm sure she sacrificed some things to get where she is. I admire what she has done with her life. She isn't any more perfect than anyone else. But I do think she tries to use her wealth as best as she can.

Sorry, Richard. I love you a lot, but I have to disagree on this one.

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Originally Posted by Brody's Mum

ha ha ha.........that was meant to be funny, right?

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Yes of course! I was being sarcastic because of wombat's typical american remark. :D

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Originally Posted by RICHARD

That windbag, Oprah, sees that actresses are adopting kids in Africa, so she has to make a statement! She tries to outdo the adopters, so she builds one sschool, for 250 kids, at the cost of 40 million dollars.

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I hate to ruin a hyperbolic, hysterical rant with oh say....facts....such as the fact that Oprah started with project a few years before "actresses are adopting kids in Africa" and that fact that Oprah has given millions to US schools....

Darn pesky facts.....Newsweek

But if you want the facts....good and bad...here's the REAL story....

:) Like I always say = I think this multi-colored yarn spooled Blanket is just about done.. ;)

Richard, I just couldn't leave this one alone.

After reading this thread and the comments, what immediately came to mind is our own wonderful Belmont High School right here in Los Angeles.

We have spent $238,000,000 on a school that will never house one student.

http://www.fulldisclosure.net/belmon..._and_LAUSD.htm

How many of Oprah's schools could we have built for that money that was wasted in Los Angeles?

Yes, $40,000,000 is a lot of money. Did you know that the girls live on campus at Oprah's school? They are given uniforms, food, housing, healthcare as well as an excellent education. They have been provided the top of the line in educational equipment - computers etc. Did you see the "homes" these girls are coming from? They have next to nothing - but now a huge opportunity has opened up for them.

This school is just one of Oprah's accomplishments with her money. Do you have any idea WHAT ELSE she has done for people from all backgrounds - not just blacks?

For all of the people out there with money that we could kick around - I just don't see Oprah as one of them. She had a vision and had made a promise - and she stood by her word. More than you can say about a heck of a lot of people.

:) Thank you Gini & Very Well Put.. I admire & adore Oprah for all she has done..

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Originally Posted by gini

Richard, I just couldn't leave this one alone.

After reading this thread and the comments, what immediately came to mind is our own wonderful Belmont High School right here in Los Angeles.

We have spent $238,000,000 on a school that will never house one student.

How many of Oprah's schools could we have built for that money that was wasted in Los Angeles?

Yes, $40,000,000 is a lot of money. Did you know that the girls live on campus at Oprah's school? They are given uniforms, food, housing, healthcare as well as an excellent education. They have been provided the top of the line in educational equipment - computers etc. Did you see the "homes" these girls are coming from? They have next to nothing - but now a huge opportunity has opened up for them.

This school is just one of Oprah's accomplishments with her money. Do you have any idea WHAT ELSE she has done for people from all backgrounds - not just blacks?

For all of the people out there with money that we could kick around - I just don't see Oprah as one of them. She had a vision and had made a promise - and she stood by her word. More than you can say about a heck of a lot of people.

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I criticize those those who choose to criticize Oprah Winfrey's decision to create this school. I have followed what she has done for a while, now.

Oprah and I do not have similar political beliefs, but if she decided that 152 girls deserved special treatment, in Africa, so be it. Good for her, using her wealth, once again, to enhance the lives of others, and to teach these girls a new way of life, so that hopefully they will be leaders, when they become adults. We have public education in the US. Africa does not have that. Its her money and she put some of it where she thought it ought to be spent. Her decision! Who are we to be critical of her?

I don't really watch Ophrah but it seems that it was rather generous of her to spend her money this way. I think she deserves credit, not a kick in the butt. Why not be happy that she is at least doing SOMETHING.

Hey.... since she has so much money maybe we should just tax her more than everyone else ;)

I don't like Oprah one bit but I would rather see her putting her money into things she deems nessecary then see the government tax her more than the "little people" because she makes so much money. would she be able to donate all this money if they were taxing her income 60%

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So...any money spent to build a state of the art animal shelter should be used instead to buils three mediocre animal shelters?

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Yes. why build one state of the art shelter that can help say 100 animals then build three adequate ones that can help say 300 animals. The animals will still get the care they need. it may not have all the fancy bells and whistles but int his case I don't think quality over quantity applies. Seems appropriate to me :D

I rmember my 10 year old neices school did a special fundraising drive to raise money and send supplies and volunteers over to a place in Africa to help rebuild a small school in the area. At their "Holiday concert" they showed slides and read letters from the kids that benefited from this act of kindness. it was so wonderful and what a wonderful lesson to teach all those kids in my neices school.