For those of you who aren't already playing hooky or trying to leave work early to watch the first game of the World Series (and therefore not slacking off by reading the internet), we have some data points for you to consider in comparing our two cities, and our two ball teams.

First of all: The Kansas City Royals.

Currently, according to ESPN correspondents and commentators, the Giants have 4:3 odds over the Royals, but the there is not a huge spread in the opinion — 12 out of 28 commentators are giving it to the Royals, with 16 of them predicting another Giants victory. We've got the a deep and balancd bullpen (and Madison Bumgarner), but they've got a deep bench and bullpen too, and a speedy outfield that's helped them when their bullpen's failed. (The Chicago Sun-Times points especially to the "the center-field combination of Lorenzo Cain and Jarrod Dyson" who helped win many games for the team.)

The Giants, though, are magic, and continually prove to be so in October. In even-numbered years. Their momentum this postseason has been inspiring to everyone. And Bruce Bochy knows what he is doing. And, as our baseball correspondent E. Chang noted today: Who cares if the Royals haven't won a series in 29 years?! That's nothing.

Earthquakes

As CBS5 reminds everyone today, the only other fault zone in the country known to be as big or as potentially devastating as California's is in the Midwest. The New Madrid Fault system spans six states, including Missouri, and it was here that the biggest quakes in recorded history hit the continental United States in 1811 and 1812. There were four of them in total, all registering somewhere between 7 and 8 on the Richter Scale, all in the course of three months. There are estimates that these quakes were felt across 50,000 square miles — whereas the 1906 San Francisco quake was felt probably over only 6,000 square miles.

More recently, small earthquakes have been occurring in the area with much greater frequency than ever before — something that some scientists are attributing to fracking.

Food Scene

San Francisco, obviously, is a bigger and more cosmopolitan city, and one with a longstanding reputation as one of the nation's great food towns.

Kansas City is, well, famous for barbecue, and they've recently been celebrated for much of their native cuisine in places like Saveur. Well known, internationally traveled, blog-food bon vivant Ulterior Epicure (identified a couple years ago as Bonjwing Lee), writes about his own hometown of Kansas City with pride and serious culinary cred. But, he acknowledges, when it comes to fine dining there's pretty much two options: The American, now in its 40th year; and bluestem, which is more the type of local-sustainable-seasonal place Californians would be more familiar with. (Also, here's his most recent, informal guide to his favorite eats in KC.)

Oh, and did I mention San Francisco is on the Michelin radar, and the new 2015 guide comes out today? Yeah.

Rents

Not surprisingly, people in Kansas City pay a whole lot less in rent! As the Business Times reports, the average effective monthly rent for Kansas City-ans is a fraction of what we Bay Area jerks pay: about $880 a month in KC, versus $2,800 a month here.

What will $2,000 get you here, versus there?

Glance at some of the recent listings on Zillow, and that $2,000 a month can get you a 400 square-foot-studio in San Francisco's Central Richmond district (close to the Golden Gate Bridge, but a hike from downtown). Or, if you want to be a little closer to the action, you can squeeze into this 185-square-foot studio in Lower Nob Hill.

Of course, Kansas City deals with more sprawl but it also gives you tons more space. That $2,000 you have to spend on housing can snag you a 2,000 square-foot, one-bedroom condo with "the ultimate upscale loft feel" and " 360 degree views of Downtown KC from your walk-out deck."