Pew Research Center Staff

That's the number of Americans who said in May that they were following the news about high gas prices very closely--making prices at the pump the most closely tracked of any other story, including Iraq, during 2006.

That's the number of Americans who now rate the quality of the life they expect to be leading five years from now higher than their current quality of life. As recently as 2002, more than six-in-ten (61%) Americans said their future would be better than their present.

That's the number of Americans who say that things will be better in the new year -- though only 28% are satisfied with current national conditions.

That's the average number of additional words in the White House press briefings given by Press Secretary Tony Snow compared with his relatively laconic predecessor Scott McClellan. As a result, the typical briefing now lasts about 10 minutes, or 30% longer than under McClellan.

That's the number of states that will begin receiving royalties from oil companies drilling off their coasts under legislation passed by Congress in its closing days. Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas stand to gain millions of dollars from the arrangement, which opens up 8 million more acres for new off-shore drilling.

That's the percentage of Americans who now support allowing gay persons to serve openly in the U.S. military. Only 32% are opposed.This represents significantly broader support for this inclusive policy than in 1994, when 52% favored allowing gays to serve openly and 45% were opposed.

That's the percentage of e-caregivers -- those using the internet to search for health information during a loved one's illness -- who report that the internet helped them find advice or support from other people.

That's the percentage of married people who report being "very happy." Married people are more likely than unmarrieds (24%) and all adults (34%) to say they are "very happy."

That's the percentage of the U.S. public that prefers "Merry Christmas" to non-religious welcomes such as "Season's Greetings." However, given the choice, a 45% plurality says it does not matter much either way.

That's the number of Americans who favor a hefty increase in the federal minimum wage from its current level of $5.15 an hour to $7.15 an hour. The last time Congress raised the federal minimum was in 1997, but many states have now set minimum wage levels above the federal floor.