J.K. Rowling's charity giving knocks her off Forbes' billionaires list

[woo me with science]

http://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/blogs/jk-rowlings-charity-giving-knocks-her-off-forbes-billionaires-list

J.K. Rowling's charity giving knocks her off Forbes' billionaires list
Author of the 'Harry Potter' series is no longer in the billionaires' club — thanks to simply being an incredible person.
Tue, Mar 13 2012 at 2:44 PM EST

The woman who weaved together the magical world of Harry Potter (netting her an estimated $1.6 million every day), is no longer a part of the billionaires' club. Forbes magazine, which last year recognized J.K. Rowling as the world's first female billionaire novelist, released an updated version of its World's Billionaires list last week with the 46-year-old notably absent.

It's not that the world is no longer is love with all-things Harry Potter (the brand itself is estimated to be worth more than $15 billion), but rather Rowling's charitable giving and taxes that have knocked her back into the millionaires' club.

Naturally, none of this likely bothers Rowling, who from the beginning has made giving back a priority for her wealth. ... “You have a moral responsibility when you’ve been given far more than you need, to do wise things with it and give intelligently," she said in a past interview.

That giving includes supporting organizations linked to poverty, multiple sclerosis, children's welfare and illiteracy. Three books that she has written for charity — "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," "Quidditch Through the Ages" and "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" — have raised almost $30 million for various initiatives....



She used to live on welfare with her child and has described battling suicidal thoughts during those times. Now she is a massive donor to many causes, but especially both financial and emotional support systems for single parents.

[SomethingFishy]

1. I read the other day that she gave away

$160 million last year.

She makes the world a better place.

[woo me with science]

2. +10000 And this is the woman whose books the fundamentalists have described as "evil." nt

[Sekhmets Daughter]

44. Fundamentalists are evil...

[liberalmike27]

20. Pretty cool

Time, perhaps, to pen a prequel about Harry's Parents, maybe?

But that's pretty great, and sometimes I generalize too much about wicked, evil people. Still I'd just as soon see more of that money go into government coffers to do good work for everyone. But 160 million ain't hay, fo sho.

[white_wolf]

31. I saw an article a few weeks ago that said she is working on a new novel...

but it has nothing to do with Harry Potter and is rumored to be a mystery novel geared towards adults. Which makes sense, considering that a lot of people who grew up with Harry Potter are adults. I started reading them in about the 4th grade and I'll gladly buy her next book, if for no other reason than she introduced me to fantasy. Its possible I never would have read Tolkien, Jordan, or Martin,King if not for Rowling.

[djean111]

32. Money going into government coffers

doesn't seem to help much of anyone but banks and Wall Street and military spending these days. On both sides of the ocean. Britain is merrily inflicting austerity these days. Not working. But then austerity is not meant to work for anyone but the upper 10%.

[Skinner]

3. That's awesome.

Imagine if appearing on the Forbes billionaires list was something that people felt ashamed of, rather than something they felt proud of?

"The man who dies rich, dies disgraced." --Andrew Carnegie

[woo me with science]

7. There really should be a just-as-publicized alternate list,

of people who give back. This week I wanted to hug Smith, who outed Goldman Sachs. And now J.K. Rowling. The two of them are better than any billionaire on Forbes.

Now you have me thinking about who else I'd put on there.

Rick Steves, the travel guy, is a good person, though not in the billionaire category:

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Steves ):

In 2005 Steves purchased a 24-unit apartment complex in Lynnwood, Washington and had it fixed up to serve as transitional housing for homeless mothers and their children. Steves is allowing free use of the complex for 15 years—leaving management responsibilities to the local YWCA Pathways for Women, while Rotarians in the Edmonds Noontime Rotary Club help maintain the buildings, do grounds upkeep, and provide everything from the furniture to the flowers. In addition, the club raised $30,000 in donations to build a play structure for the children of Trinity Place.

[JDPriestly]

18. Thanks. Three people to add to my thank you list.

My daughter started me on making lists of things to be thankful for. These three people will be added. Wonderful.

(Smith was already on it.)

[Auntie Bush]

24. What a good idea! (a list of things to be thankful for)

[SheilaT]

40. I had not heard of that until just now.

First off, such charitable endeavors should be more widely publicized. And second, every time I fantasize winning the lottery, I also fantasize setting up some kind of a charitable foundation, or maybe just working with some others already out there to help them do more good things.

[Matariki]

34. DU needs a "like" button

[Atypical Liberal]

39. It does indeed.

It desperately needs one. For replies as well as OPs.

[hifiguy]

4. Jo Rowling is one hell of a fine human being

in addition to being a marvelously gifted writer.

[PA Democrat]

5. What a wonderful example.

Some of the "christian" groups who see "evil" in her books could learn a few lessons from Ms. Rowling.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Too made more billionaires don't follow her example.

[LibertyLover]

8. She's a talented and entertaining writer

who has decided that charitable giving is her moral responsibility and takes that responsibility seriously. And she rescued a greyhound! Ms. Rowling is great!

[nxylas]

9. $1 billion really isn't all that rich these days, you know

Oh yeah, in case you missed it:

[Jennicut]

10. She has an incredible imagination.

My kids love her books and the movies. She was helped by the welfare system and does not want to see it destroyed in England. She is just awesome.

[Zalatix]

11. When the crustal displacement happens on Dec 12 will she be on the ark?

[img][/img]

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

15. I thought it was the 21st...

That 'The Gods of Time' would decide if things were to continue.

That's some picture you have there. I hear there is an island off Alaska that has tree stumps and mammoths and sabortooth tigers all scrambled up, could have been made by something like this. Off Antarctica, and South of Chile there is a place in the ocean a meteor or astroid hit earth. Some speculate it tilted the axis and caused massive extinction's when it hit.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

22. Mayan calendar already ran out thanks to no one considering the whole leap year thing... :-) n/t

[tclambert]

25. So the secret spaceship already left?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

26. online from there right now...

sorry you missed us...

sP

[Zalatix]

30. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

[lumberjack_jeff]

37. Did they say something about the planet being eaten by space goats?

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

27. Just thought I should add a reference:

Here is a link to the Author, Moira Timms who wrote "Prophesies and Predictions" where I read about the island off Alaska. It appears she wrote some since then too: http://www.2012theodyssey.com/bio-moira.html

[WI_DEM]

12. Good for her!

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Mission Accomplished ! nt

[abelenkpe]

14. That is a great achievement

Good for her! The world needs more people like her.

[FailureToCommunicate]

16. ANOTHER reason to love Ms Rowling!

http://www4.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/JK+Rowling+Address+Headlines+Harvard+Univ+VgmoYjuqF7Il.jpg

[Skittles]

17. THANKING MS. ROWLING

yes INDEED

[LuvNewcastle]

19. She's tops on my list.

True British royalty.

[DonCoquixote]

21. Much nobler than any

of the ill bred mongrels called "windsor."

[Julian Englis]

23. She gives a person something to which to aspire.

Really, very good of her.

[applegrove]

28. They should have another list. This one should list people who have given lots to charity.

[MrScorpio]

29. She's someone who remembers where she came from and that makes her a better human being

Frankly, I can think of a other few billionaires who could stand to gain from being a lot poorer.

[Are_grits_groceries]

33. Her commencement address at Harvard was great:

The students she was speaking to had probably grown up with her books.
In addition, after listening to ths it was easy to understand how she could create evil characters. Working at Amnesty International was enough to give her a good view of them.

[FailureToCommunicate]

35. Extraordinary address! People still talk about it around there. So many

memorable lines (no surprise)!

"Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life"

A must view. I had not listened to her speach since then.

THANK you, grits, for posting this.

[Odin2005]

36. She is a wonderful person!

[joanbarnes]

38. I like to "imagine" I would do the same if given the chance.....

[Uncle Joe]

41. Kudos to J.K. Rowling.

We don't have a Union Jack smilie.

Thanks for the thread, woo me with science.

[sabrina 1]

42. If only more people would do this with their money, what a better world it would be.

It does highlight the fact that to be on a 'list' it isn't about how much you make, but how much decide to keep.

Maybe it's time for another list. One that highlights good people like her who not only have the talent and ability to make all that money, but who chose to use it to help others. Maybe that would help make being a decent human being something to strive for.

As it is, the system itself encourages greed and selfishness. Hopefully she can help change that.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

43. Thanks for the update.