Indicators

RECREATION The best metro areas for recreation, as measured by amusement parks, movie theaters, sports teams, golf courses and other fun things

1 New Orleans 2 Cleveland 3 Grand Rapids 4 Long Island, New York 5 Milwaukee 6 Norfolk 7 Rochester 8 Tampa 9 Orlando 10 Chicago 11 Riverside 12 Detroit 13 Salt Lake City 14 Minneapolis 15 West Palm Beach

Source: Places Rated Almanac

THANKSGIVING It's America's holiday, but the U.S. is only No. 2 in turkey consumption

Per captia consumption lbs. per year

ISRAEL 27.8 U.S. 18 FRANCE 14.3 BRITAIN 11.5 CANADA 9.7 BELGIUM 7.5 NETH. 3.9

Source: National Turkey Federation

MINIMUM WAGE AS Congress debates whether to raise it, a look at how its buying power has declined

Who earns minimum wage

No high school diploma 45% High school grads 30% Some college 22% College grads 3%

Men 39% Women 61%

Source: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

OPERA In North America 8 million people went to the opera in the 1998-99 season. Their favorites:

Top 10 Number of productions

Madama Butterfly, Puccini 21 Don Giovanni, Mozart 16 La Boheme, Puccini 15 Rigoletto, Verdi 12 Aida, Verdi 11 La Traviata, Verdi 11 Carmen, Bizet 9 Cosi Fan Tutte, Mozart 9 Die Fledermaus, Strauss 9 Die Zauberflote, Mozart 9

Source: Opera America

UTILITIES A sampling of the average annual costs for homes and apartments

Heat and electricity Water

JAPAN $4,563 $844 BRAZIL $2,702 $878 U.S. $2,376 $546 EGYPT $2,247 $178 CHINA $2,160 $278 FRANCE $2,153 $466 RUSSIA $1,662 $420

Source: ECA Windham