Forum Bringing Together Pastors and Architects Community Christian Church Romeoville (IL) is sponsoring the "Creating Genuine Community" Forum, which will gather pastors, real estate developers, architects and planners--with collaboration as the goal.

The one-day forum will be held September 19, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (tours begin at 8am) with a cost of $75. For more information, go to www.newthing.org or contact Pat Masek at 630.388.5205 or patmasek@newthing.org.

Donors Not Discerning About Charities
According to research by economics professor Tyler Cowen as reported in the New York Times, donors often tolerate high administrative costs, fail to monitor charities and do not insist on measurable results--the opposite of how they act when they invest in the stock market.

Cowen's studies also have confirmed that while 1-for-1 matching funds increase donations, pledges of $2 or even $3 to match an outside dollar do not prompt donors to give more money. (New York Times 6/15/06)

Teens Keeping the Internet Hopping
More than 80% of all U.S. teens are online at least one hour every day, according to BurstMedia. Among teens who go online from home, friends' homes, libraries or other locations, 37.4% say they spend three or more hours per day online. Teen males are slightly more likely than females to spend over three hours a day surfing: 39.9% do so compared with 34.7% of females.

The survey found that while teens are online, they are often simultaneously doing homework or watching television or other things: 48.9% say they work on homework while online, 33.8% say they watch TV or a movie. And 40% say they text or talk with friends on the phone while online. Roughly three out of five (61.4 %) have visited a social networking website. Of those, 60.7% joined the site and created a profile. (Source: http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1004016)